Kabu is a reoccurring enemy in the Kirby series, having appeared in many games since its debut in Kirby's Dream Land. It resembles a sculpted stone head, similar to the faces of the moai, with a flat bottom and a rounded top (though sometimes being depicted as cubical), typically beige or brown in color. Its face consists of two holes in place of eyes, a sculpted wedge-like nose, and a perpetually open mouth.
Depending on the game, Kabu may attack in a large amount of ways, including jumping, sliding, flying, and even teleporting. Big Kabu, a larger counterpart of Kabu, can also spit out smaller Kabu. Kirby can inhale and swallow Kabu, but in turn, does not receive a Copy Ability.
Appears in New Challenge Stages. Kirby's Dream Land, Kirby's Adventure, Kirby's Dream Land 2, Kirby Super Star, and Kirby's Dream Land 3 are also included, where Kabu has the exact same role.
Kabu debuted along with Kirby in Kirby's Dream Land. Here, it can be found in the Float Islands stage, in the caves. It can be found patrolling the walkways as well as nestled inside holes in the walls. It attacks by sliding into Kirby, and dropping down on him from above. It can also fade away, and reappear in different areas. In the Extra Game, it is replaced by Grumples.
Kirby's Adventure / Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land[edit]
Kirby spotting two Kabu on the other side of a wall in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.
In Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Kabu appears as an enemy again, with a similar attack pattern. It still has the ability to phase in and out of sight, though it does this less often than in its previous appearance.
In Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Kabu can be found in the following levels and stages:
Kabu locations in Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
In Kirby's Pinball Land, Kabu (known here as Kaboo[1]) appears in the lowermost board of Wispy-Woods Land. Six of them are arranged around the board, with a Big Kabu in the middle. The side Kabu are worth 360 points each time they are bumped. When the side Kabu are bumped, they retreat into the walls of the board, leaving a small nub that is worth 180 points when bumped. Once all six Kabu have been bumped, the Big Kabu disappears, leaving a Warp Star behind.
Kirby aiming at some Kabu in Kirby's Dream Course.
Kabu appears as one of the four basic grounded enemy types in Kirby's Dream Course, with the others being Broomhatter, Waddle Dee and Squishy. Kabu continuously spins, but do not move at all. When hit, it does not grant any special abilities.
In Kirby's Dream Course, Kabu can be found in the following courses:
Kabu locations in Kirby's Dream Course (Main Game)
“Kabu, the immovable object, will attempt to block Kirby, the irresistible force.”
— Kirby's Avalanche Instruction Booklet (North American print), page 22
In Kirby's Avalanche, Kabu is the sixth challenger Kirby must face. Despite its disadvantages, it acts cocky before the match begins. This game marks the only time that Kabu has ever had dialogue, outside of its appearance in the anime series. His Puyo Puyo equivalent is Sukiya Podes.
In Kirby's Block Ball, Kabu appears as a pre-boss enemy in Stage 3 and is worth 5000 points when defeated. It then appears alongside a Big Kabu in the boss room of the same stage with a slightly different appearance.
Wheelie Rider Kirby jumping toward a Kabu in Kirby Super Star Ultra.
Kabu makes an appearance in Kirby Super Star and its remake; Kirby Super Star Ultra. In this game, Kabu may be seen warping in and out of visibility, and they may also occasionally launch like a rocket, leaving the area. Despite this odd behavior, they are as easy to defeat as any other common enemy, and do not have a lot of health. In Revenge of the King, Kabu is once again replaced by Grumples.
In Kirby Super Star Ultra, Kabu also appears on a card in Kirby Card Swipe.
Kabu can be found in the following places in Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra:
Kabu locations in Kirby Super Star & Kirby Super Star Ultra
Kabu returns as a standard enemy in Kirby's Dream Land 3. Its abilities have been greatly toned down for this appearance, save for its tendency to spin around and occasionally teleport from time-to-time. Kabu is often also seen being spat out by Dekabu.
In Kirby's Dream Land 3, Kabu can be found in the following levels and stages:
While Kabu does not appear in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, the entrance to the ruins in Rock Star - Stage 1 is shaped like Kabu's face. Inside the ruins, the chamber with rising sand has faces on the walls that resemble Kabu, which pour sand out of their mouths.
Kirby coming across two Kabu in Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble.
Kabu makes an appearance in Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble. Unlike some of its other appearances, Kabu is relatively tame here, opting to only sit in place and act as a roadblock which harms Kirby on impact. Kabu can be defeated by popping up the Game Boy Color to flip the Kabu and turn it into a Star Piece.
In Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, Kabu can be found only in Lvl 2-2, ironically appearing less often than its bigger counterpart.
Kabu appears in Kirby: Canvas Curse, appearing in a few stages. Here, it spins along the ground, and has its signature ability to vanish and reappear elsewhere.
In Kirby: Canvas Curse, Kabu appears in the following locations:
Kirby's Return to Dream Land / Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe[edit]
Kabu in Kirby's Return to Dream Land
In Kirby's Return to Dream Land and its remake, Kabu returns as a common enemy with attack patterns similar to previous games. It most often appears in Raisin Ruins, fitting the ruined architecture of those stages. In Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, Kabu also appears as a book pattern in the sub-game Magolor's Tome Trackers.
In these games, Kabu can be found in the following levels and stages:
Kabu locations in Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Kabu appears in Kirby: Triple Deluxe just like it did in Kirby's Return to Dream Land. It has the ability to move between the foreground and background by rolling back and forth between the planes.
In Kirby: Triple Deluxe, Kabu can be found in the following levels and stages:
Kabu makes an appearance as a common enemy in Kirby's Blowout Blast, spinning around various patrol paths before being bested by Kirby, worth 100 base points when defeated.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land / Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World[edit]
Kabu in Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kabu returns as an enemy in Kirby and the Forgotten Land and its Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. It can usually be seen spinning along a set path. When attacked, but not defeated, it will vanish and then reappear somewhere else, then pursue Kirby. Kabu can also be spat out by Big Kabu, and will continue in a straight line until it vanishes, similar to projectiles thrown by other enemies like Gabon or Mookie. A stronger Crystal variant of Kabu also appears alongside its regular counterpart in Star-Crossed World.
In Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Star-Crossed World, Kabu can be found in the following stages:
Kabu returns as an enemy in Kirby's Dream Buffet, here styled to resemble a chocolate-covered pastry with sprinkles on top. It appears as an obstacle on race courses, and can also be seen carrying strawberries in various Minigame stages.
In Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, Kabu is a giant immobile stone statue located within a canyon named after him and is a deity to the public. The citizens of Cappy Town often ask him for guidance during times of peril, and see him as a more legitimate protector than their king. Kabu shelters the Warp Star, and the Star Warriors, as that was his original purpose.
Kabu debuted along with Kirby in Kirby's Dream Land. Here, it can be found in the Float Islands stage, in the caves. It can be found patrolling the walkways as well as nestled inside holes in the walls. It attacks by sliding into Kirby, and dropping down on him from above. It can also fade away, and reappear in different areas. In the Extra Game, it is replaced by Grumples.
In Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Kabu appears as an enemy again, with a similar attack pattern. It still has the ability to phase in and out of sight, though it does this less often than in its previous appearance.
Kabu appears as one of the four basic grounded enemy types in Kirby's Dream Course, with the others being Broomhatter, Waddle Dee and Squishy. Kabu continuously spins, but do not move at all. When hit, it does not grant any special abilities.
Kabu makes an appearance in Kirby's Dream Land 2, behaving in much the same way as it did in Kirby's Dream Land.
In Kirby's Block Ball, Kabu appears as a pre-boss enemy in Stage 3 and is worth 5000 points when defeated. It then appears alongside a Big Kabu in the boss room of the same stage with a slightly different appearance.
Kabu makes an appearance in Kirby Super Star and its remake; Kirby Super Star Ultra. In this game, Kabu may be seen warping in and out of visibility, and they may also occasionally launch like a rocket, leaving the area. Despite this odd behavior, they are as easy to defeat as any other common enemy, and do not have a lot of health. In Revenge of the King, Kabu is once again replaced by Grumples.
Kabu returns as a standard enemy in Kirby's Dream Land 3. Its abilities have been greatly toned down for this appearance, save for its tendency to spin around and occasionally teleport from time-to-time. Kabu is often also seen being spat out by Dekabu.
Kabu makes an appearance in Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble. Unlike some of its other appearances, Kabu is relatively tame here, opting to only sit in place and act as a roadblock which harms Kirby on impact. Kabu can be defeated by popping up the Game Boy Color to flip the Kabu and turn it into a Star Piece.
Kabu appears in Kirby: Canvas Curse, appearing in a few stages. Here, it spins along the ground, and has its signature ability to vanish and reappear elsewhere.
In Kirby Mass Attack, Kabu appears in the Sub-Game Strato Patrol EOS as one of the opponents which the Kirbys can gun down. Four of them are split from a Big Kabu when it is defeated.
Key art for the Kirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert, featuring Kabu as part of the border
Icon from Kirby's Avalanche
Alternate palette from Kirby Super Star
Alternate palette from Kirby Super Star
Alternate palette from Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
Unused palette from Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
Unused palette from Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
Alternate palette from Kirby Super Star Ultra
Alternate palette from Kirby Super Star Ultra
Card from Kirby Card Swipe in Kirby Super Star Ultra
Entering the Kabu-faced ruins in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
The room with Kabu faces on the walls in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
A Kabu statue appears on the right of the Water course in Kirby Air Ride
Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Kirby's Dream Buffet
Kabu in Crystalline Fissure in Kirby Air Riders
Model from Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Big Kabu Figure from Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Book pattern from Magolor's Tome Trackers in Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
The Kabu flour in Kirby: The Strange Sweets Island
