Meta Knightmare

	This article contains information that does not coincide with the main series canon.	(Similar)

Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land screenshot
Meta Knightmare
Name (JA)	メタナイトでゴー! (Metanaito de gō!)
- Meaning	lit. Go, Meta Knight!

Meta Knightmare is a sub-game which can be played in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land. This sub-game is almost like a separate mode of the main game, as it is just like playing the game normally except the player plays as Meta Knight instead of Kirby. In this mode, Meta Knight wishes to train himself to prove his worthiness—a storyline which would later be refined in two other exclusive sub-games in Kirby Super Star Ultra (dubbed Meta Knightmare Ultra) and Kirby: Planet Robobot (dubbed Meta Knightmare Returns).

Gameplay

Meta Knight has 3 health bars and starts the game with 2 remaining lives. It's the same as if the player were playing the Extra mode with Kirby. Meta Knight's sword does decent damage and cannot be lost or dropped. Meta Knight's dash is faster than Kirby's, but the trade off for this speed is his weight. He is significantly heavier than Kirby, making him harder to move while flying and he will fall quicker while in mid-air. Meta Knight has 6 attacks which are:

• Meta Chop (B): Meta Knight slashes with his sword
• Lunging Slice (B while dashing): Meta Knight moves forward and performs a lunge with his sword.
• Up Thrust (Up + B): Meta Knight performs an uppercut with his sword.
• Down Thrust (Down + B in midair): Meta Knight falls to the ground with his sword pointing down to the ground. It can be cancelled by holding Up + B.
• Fly (A (rapidly) in midair)- Meta Knight flies with his wings. It is faster than Kirby, but it can be more difficult to maneuver.
• Slide (Down + A/B)- Meta Knight slides through the floor, kicking any enemies who get in the way.

Gallery

Meta Knight does battle in the original Bubbly Clouds.

Meta Knight vs. King Dedede.

Victory screen.

How to Unlock

To get the Meta Knightmare mode, Extra Mode must be beaten, which is received after beating the game 100%.

Canonicity

This sub-game is not considered canon. The meta-knightmare mode is an "what if" scenario according to a miiverse post by the director of the Kirby series.so this basically means meta-nightmare modes take place in a alternate universe.

Trivia

• The player cannot save while playing Meta Knightmare, so he/she must play it all in one go.
• Ironically, Meta Knight must fight another Meta Knight on the Orange Ocean Boss stage, as Kirby did so in the normal game. However, Meta Knight can't fight Nightmare.
  • The duplicate Meta Knight during gameplay is likely a precursor to Dark Meta Knight in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror.
• Meta Knight's sword can solve all puzzles; it can do things such as pound stakes and light fuses. This attribute would later appear in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror (in the form of the Master ability) and Kirby Super Star Ultra.
• When Meta Knight grabs a Warp Star, he doesn't ride it; a sprite of him with his wings stretched is used over the Warp Star effect. In Meta Knightmare Ultra, he flaps his wings.
  • However, in Meta Knightmare Returns, he actually rides the Warp Star instead of using his wings.
• Meta Knight cannot inhale. As a result, some items cannot be grabbed.
• When Meta Knight loses a life, he disappears, and only his mask is shown. This is later reused in Kirby: Canvas Curse and Meta Knightmare Ultra.
• The timer keeps counting even while the game is paused.