Unused Copy Ability Moves

This is a sub-page of Kirby: Planet Robobot.

Similar to Kirby: Triple Deluxe, Kirby: Planet Robobot is host to some unused moves that were originally introduced in Kirby's Return to Dream Land. While these moves were cut in the previous game in the series, some were eventually restored in this installment. However, a few of these were still left unused in the Mint code of the game, located in the Mint archive StepHero.bin.cmp. These examples are all documented below.

(Source: Firubii)

Archer#

DebugSquatWait#

Archer first debuted in Kirby: Triple Deluxe, and in that game, it had a Mint module called DebugSquatWait. That class was empty in that game, and it returns in this one, also completely empty. The location at Scn.Step.Hero.Sniper.StateDebugSquatWait has no code, and only has one stubbed-out class. However, previous games in the series, such as Kirby Fighters Deluxe and even the original Kirby Fighters had full functionality for the move. This would've allowed it to cycle through all of its available cardboard cutouts, most likely to ease testing for the developers.

Beam#

Revolution Beam#

"Revolution Beam" from Kirby's Return to Dream Land still has some leftovers in the previously mentioned Mint archive. The animation scripts AnimScriptRevolution and AnimScriptRevolutionEnd still remain, as well as the actual animations, but there are no state scripts for Kirby to call. Despite the absence of its states, the function Scn.Step.Hero.Beam.StateWhip.onStart() for Beam Whip still has calls to the move, as its first 7 lines contain the following code:

public void onStart()

fenter 4, 0, 1
ldsrzr r2
stofa4 r0, r2, this.mToRevolution
ldsrbt r2
stofa4 r0, r2, this.mCanTryRevolution

These lines contain variables that would've allowed Kirby to access the move had the states been implemented. Unfortunately, this is all that remains of it.

Kirby using the Revolution Beam, called TopL_BeamRollingAttack.

Kirby ending the move, called TopL_BeamRollingAttackEnd.

Circus#

DebugBalloon#

Circus is another Ability that debuted in Triple Deluxe, and like in that game, there's an animation script called AnimScriptDebugBalloon and a state script for StateDebugBalloon. Unfortunately, like in Triple Deluxe, only the animation script has code. It presumably would've let Balloon Kirby change its stone transformations in a similar fashion to StateDebugSquatWait, but without the state itself, there's no way to restore the move under any capacity, as all the code will do when inserted into AnimScriptBalloon is make the charge faster. All of the code, however, was updated for Planet Robobot‍ 's version of Mint. Kirby Planet Robobot DebugBalloon.gif

Fire#

Spinning Fire Breath#

"Spinning Fire Breath" is still here, and it acts the same as in Kirby: Triple Deluxe when restored. It has the animation script AnimScriptSpiral and the state StateSpiral. All of its animations from the previous game are also intact. The reason the move is inaccessible in-game is due to the game's Mint code being set to return the move's code immediately after it's initialized with the "jmp" instruction.

public bool TryToChangeState(Scn.Step.Hero.Obj)

fenter 7, 1, 2
ldsrzr r0
jmp    return_00000074

Removing the last line makes the move completely accessible.

Kirby using Spinning Fire Breath, called TopL_SpiralFall.

Same thing, but in the opposite direction, called TopL_SpiralFallReverse.

Hammer#

Triple Hammer#

"Triple Hammer" also returns, acting exactly the same way as it did in Kirby: Triple Deluxe. All of its scripts, animations, and states are also intact, those being AnimScriptCharge & AnimScriptTripleAttack, and StateCharge and StateTripleAttack. As in Triple Deluxe, the reason why the move cannot be used in-game is due to that pesky "jmp" instruction being manually set to make the StateCharge state return in its "TryToChangeState" function.

public bool TryToChangeState(Scn.Step.Hero.Obj)

fenter 7, 1, 2
ldsrzr r0
jmp    return_00000074

Removing the last line of code makes the move accessible. However, the game can crash on real hardware due to the game trying to call graphical effects that were removed.

Kirby starting to charge Triple Hammer, called TopL_HammerAttackChargeStart.

Kirby charging up the attack, called TopL_HammerAttackCharge.

First part of Triple Hammer, called TopL_TripleHammerAttack1.

Second part, called TopL_TripleHammerAttack2.

Third part, called TopL_TripleHammerAttack3.

Kirby successfully hitting a surface while using the third part, called TopL_TripleHammerAttack3Hit.

Ninja#

Aerial Quad Shock#

The ability to perform "Quad Shock" in the air like in Kirby's Return to Dream Land is still available in the game's Mint code, and acts the same in Kirby: Triple Deluxe when restored. The state StateSlashReverse has all of the code of the move that makes it work just fine, but its "TryToChangeState" function has a grounded check by calling the instruction "isGround", preventing any aerial use.

public bool TryToChangeState(Scn.Step.Hero.Obj)

fenter 18, 1, 2
ldsrsr r5, r1
calltr r4, Scn.Step.Hero.Obj.footState()
calltr r3, GObj.FootState.isGround()const
ldsrsr r2, r3

Removing these last 3 lines lets Ninja Kirby use the move in both the air and the ground. It makes use of an unused animation that has been present since Triple Deluxe.

Kirby using the aerial variant of Quad Shock, called TopL_KaeshiAir. — Kirby using the aerial variant of Quad Shock, called **`TopL_KaeshiAir`**.

(Source: JC Players)

Spark#

Light-Speed Dash#

"Light-Speed Dash", an unused move for Spark that originated in Kirby: Triple Deluxe and wasn't implemented until Kirby Star Allies, is back as well. Its behavior is exactly the same as the one seen in the previous game, letting Kirby quickly flick around the screen by airdodging in the desired direction. It requires no charge for it to be used, but it'll still consume all of it when it's active. It has the animation scripts AnimScriptLightning, the camera scripts CameraFilterLightning and CameraFilterLightningEnd, and the state StateLightning. It has no unique animations, instead making use of the animations for "Spark Attack". Once again, the "jmp" instruction in StateLightning makes its "TryToChangeState" function to return immediately, disallowing any use of it.

public bool TryToChangeState(Scn.Step.Hero.Obj)

fenter 9, 1, 2
ldsrzr r0
jmp    return_000000e4

Removing that last line makes the move accessible again.

Stone and Smash Bros.#

DebugChange#

Finally, like in the previous game, Stone has a module with one unused class at Scn.Step.Hero.Stone.StateDebugChange simply titled StateDebugChange. It would've probably let Stone Kirby change its stone transformations in a similar fashion to StateDebugSquatWait. Unfortunately, there's not even a slight leftover other than this class. This module is also found in the states for the returning Ability from Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, Smash Bros., but it's also empty.