| “ | Put pedal to the metal, and surge ahead with a Dash! As long as you've got speed, you're invincible, baby! Just watch out for potholes!” |
| — Wheel's Flavor Text • Kirby: Triple Deluxe |
Wheel is one of Kirby's Copy Abilities.
General Information
The Wheel ability is made for getting to places fast and taking out enemies along the way. Normally wearing a backwards red baseball cap, Kirby can turn into a big pink wheel that zooms along the ground, destroying nearly any foe or obstacle and making Kirby almost completely invulnerable - he is susceptible to damage only when turning. An obvious downside to this is that although he is fast and damages enemies on contact, he is very hard to control, especially because he is incapable of jumping in some games. The Wheel ability is best used on flat terrain and in places where projectile-throwing enemies are sparse.
The Helper for this ability is a Wheelie (specifically a Wheelie Bike). Kirby can also board this Helper to become Wheelie Rider, a makeshift pseudo-ability that behaves very similar to the regular Wheel ability.
Wheel has had a couple of anime appearances, both involving races of some sort.
In Kirby Squeak Squad, whenever Kirby drives over sparks, flames, or ice, the wheel will take on those elements and gain their properties. Ice Wheel Kirby can freeze the body of water he is on. Use of Spray Paint makes the wheel itself change color with Kirby.
In Kirby Triple Deluxe, it received a charge move which increases Kirby's speed. The ability hat was given extra detail as well; it now has white lines and a star on it.
In the Super Smash Bros. series, Kirby can use an attack that is similar in function to the Wheel ability by inhaling Jigglypuff (however, it can only hit one target at a time).
Move Set
| Move | Controls | Description | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dash | B/Y |
Kirby rolls forward rapidly as a Wheel. When his path is obstructed by a wall or dangerous obstacles like spikes, he crashes and his roll ends.  |
None |
| Turn Jump | B + → (Repeatedly) | Kirby jumps a little when rolling, however it also erases invincibility frames from Kirby, making him open for damage. | None |
| Brake | B (Moving) | Kirby stops rolling. | None |
| Slow Down | B (Held) (Moving) | Kirby slows down. This attack also takes away some of his invincibility frames. | Fire* Ice* Electric* |
Downshift |
↓+↓(in mid-air) |
Kirby drills straight downwards before continuing to dash. | None |
| Rocket Start |
↓(Held)(Moving) | Kirby charges up, then dashes forward at a high speed. | None |
| Sky Wheel |
A (during Rocket Start) |
Kirby sends himself soaring through the air, doing flips. | None |
Kirby Air Ride
In Kirby Air Ride, Wheel can be obtained by inhaling a Wheelie (or Wheelie Bike) in Air Ride mode, or by collecting its patch in City Trial and in several of its Stadiums. As it is a Copy Ability, only Kirby can transform, and not Meta Knight and King Dedede.
While in Wheel Form, Kirby turn into a faceless wheel with two circles containing a star on both sides. He has above average speed, and is slightly less maneuverable than most Air Ride Machines. The player can pick fast machines to cover straights and use Wheel (or Wing) to cover sections with turns - this is especially important in checking off several time attack checkboxes.
Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Wheel Kirby appeared in both racing-themed episodes of the anime, where of course it's the most useful. It keeps the same look, with Kirby turning into a pink tire with a star-shaped hubcab, but gains no extra powers- just pure speed. Even when it looks like all is lost, Wheel Kirby can zoom past all opposition. It's his fastest ability after Jet, though he does still get tired after a while.
In the transformation sequence, Kirby waves a checkered flag around until a tire hits him and he spins around, the tire appears on his head where it turns into the red cap, which Kirby fixes so it's on backwards.
Transformation Sequence
| Wheel transformation |
|---|
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Flavor texts
| Game | Flavor text |
|---|---|
 | Kirby turns into a wheel and can move at super speed! But watch for obstacles and excess speed! |
 | Roll over your enemies! Call a helper and ride the Wheel. Watch out for thorns and don't speed! |
  | I ride like the wind! Fast! Too fast! |
 | Use lines to turn sharply! |
 | I ride like the Wind FAST! TOO FAST! |
 | Roll to be nearly invincible or ride a Wheel Helper! Beware thorns and holes. |
 | Put pedal to the metal, and surge ahead with a Dash! As long as you've got speed, you're invincible, baby! Just watch out for potholes! |
Trivia
- Wheel Kirby's hat is the same as those of Yo-yo and Paint Kirby's hats, but in a different color (Yo-yo's is purple, Paint's is gray).
- Wheel Kirby's artwork for Kirby's Adventure shows the wheel that Kirby turns into is grey instead of pink.
- Like other copy abilities in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror and Kirby: Squeak Squad, part of the ability's color is affected by Spray Paint (in this case, the tire Kirby transforms into).
- In Kirby: Squeak Squad, when Wheel Kirby is standing still, every few seconds he will fix his cap.
- While the Wheel Ability did not appear in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, the Needle Ability can roll into enemies as a dash attack.
- Wheel is the only copy ability in Kirby: Triple Deluxe that returned from a previous game that does not make an appearance in Kirby's Return to Dream Land.
- Wheel's Rocket Start is very similar to Sonic's spin dash.
Artwork
Gallery
