Shadow Star - WiKirby: it's a wiki, about Kirby!
From WiKirby, your independent source of Kirby knowledge.
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| “ | This machine has equally high levels of offense and acceleration. You can do serious damage to your rivals by hurling yourself at them! | ” | — Kirby Air Ride North American instruction booklet, page 33 |
The Shadow Star is a star-type Air Ride Machine that appears in Kirby Air Ride and Kirby Air Riders. Its dark styling is one of its more recognizable features, as is its relatively high offensive capabilities. It is one of the vehicles most emblematic of the game, next to the Warp Star and Winged Star, as it is easily unlocked, and featured to a comparatively great extent in official artwork, and other media.
Appearance[edit]
This machine's main body is of average size, and appears as a dark burgundy-purple arrowhead with a metallic-marble texture. Protruding out of the base are two wings, bearing the same hue and texture. The entire machine is stylized to look somewhat like bat wings, with the rear of the machine bearing three spines, similar to those found at the tips of said wings. The machine's edges appear particularly razor-sharp, compared with the more rounded tips of most other vehicles. Notably, there are no apparent propulsions or engines on this machine. However, two trails of a dark violet cloudy gas expel from the two outermost spines on the machine's rear while it has momentum. Whereas many vehicles glow while charging, the Shadow Star is instead surrounded in a dark aura, which grows darker with higher levels of charge. However, it does not gain this aura while charging in the midst of a glide. In Kirby Air Ride, the Shadow Star has a highly reflective surface.
In Kirby Air Riders, the Shadow Star maintains a similar design, though it is no longer reflective. The membranes of its wings now sport a magenta color, creating a gradient effect that makes them appear more translucent. This is also seen at the rear of the vehicle between its three spikes, though to a lesser degree. Additionally, the upper portion of its wings have a brighter purple coloration. The Shadow Star still produces fumes of purple from its spikes, with aggressive purple gas coming from the back of the vehicle. Long, purple trails can also be observed coming from the two outermost spikes on the back of the machine. During a boost charge, it emits a brighter purple exhaust. Like the Winged Star, trails of air can be observed coming from the tips of its wings while it is airborne. Upon closely approaching other players, enemies, and destroyable objects, the wings briefly expand and reach forward before reverting to their original position. (This is purely aesthetic and does not affect the range of its attacks, however.)
Game appearances[edit]
Kirby Air Ride[edit]
| “ | One hit punishes all! Fly on evil wings! | ” | — Shadow Star's flavor text in Kirby Air Ride. |
Mechanics[edit]
The Shadow Star's strongest attribute is its high offense, which becomes most apparent when crashing or quick spinning into other players' vehicles. However, most of its other statistics are near average. Its turning and charge capabilities are slightly better than those of the standard Warpstar. However, it has relatively weak defense, and only moderate HP. On top of that, it has an unaided top speed of only approx. 11.8-12.4 mph (19-20 km/h), the third-lowest in the game.
Overall, it's relatively balanced, but on the lower tier of machines suited for racing, due to its abysmal top speed, and no significant means to make up for it. It is, however, often one of the top contenders in the Destruction Derby Stadiums of City Trial due to its offensive prowess.
How to Unlock[edit]
To unlock this machine for use in Air Ride mode, the player must defeat at least ten common enemies using Quick Spins. This can be done over the course of several races.
In City Trial, the Shadow Star can occasionally be found randomly throughout the city and be mounted like most other Air Ride machines. It is always available in Free Run as well.
Kirby's Dream Buffet[edit]
In Kirby's Dream Buffet, artwork of the Shadow Star is depicted on a Character Treat.
Kirby Air Riders[edit]
| “ | Attacks cause major damage, even on a single hit! Soars on sleek and shadowy wings while airborne. | ” | — Flavor text from Kirby Air Riders. |
In Kirby Air Riders, the Shadow Star reappears as one of the Air Ride Machines that can be used in Air Ride, Top Ride, City Trial, and Road Trip. It maintains a similar spread of stats as it did in the original game, with a high offense stat, good gliding, and great handling coming at the cost of low HP and defensive capabilities. It is one of the slowest machines on the ground, with a top speed of 20 mph (33 km/h), and a reasonable aerial top speed of 31 mph (50 km/h) while ridden by Kirby. In contrast to many other machines, the Shadow Star moves faster whilst it is turning than while it travels in a straight line.
Like in the original game, this machine is usually not seen as ideal for Air Ride mode due to its low top speeds (especially on the ground). However, it can perform deceptively well in races by utilizing a technique known as "snaking", where the rider uses boost charges to drift while changing their direction back and forth. By doing this, the machine can end up traveling forward at a greater speed. This method is only really viable for it and the Vampire Star in this game, though. As for City Trial, the Shadow Star is far more of a glass cannon than it was in the original game. Its low HP and defense means it can struggle to survive direct combat encounters with particularly sturdy vehicles, such as the Battle Chariot. As such, it is far riskier than it used to be in stadiums such as Dustup Derby. However, its excellent handling allows it to chase players reasonably well, and its high offense means it can pick off stats or pieces of a Legendary Air Ride Machine easily. Its gliding capabilities also enable it to use the air as an avenue to escape dangerous situations when needed, an option few combat centric vehicles have.
How to unlock[edit]
Like in Kirby Air Ride, the Shadow Star is not unlocked by default, and can be obtained via the Checklist. Unlocking another Shadow Star after already having one will provide the player an extra copy that can be customized in the My Machine mode. Additionally, copies of it can be purchased from the Miles Shop for 4,150 Miles each. Buying a Shadow Star from the shop will unlock it in all modes, just as if it was unlocked via the Checklist.
- Top Ride: Flower - Copy enemy abilities 2 times in a single race
- City Trial: Field - Ride grind rails around the entire island once in a single match
In Road Trip, the Shadow Star must be unlocked by jumping onto it when it is spotted on the road. It can be found in Big Brawny Jungle or Crystal-Clear Crossing. It can also be purchased at a shop if it is not obtained directly.
Update history[edit]
| Version | Adjustment details |
|---|---|
| Version 1.2.0 |
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| Version 1.3.0 |
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In Kirby: Right Back at Ya![edit]
The Shadow Star appears in Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, as one of the vehicles used by the Air Riders. It is notable that this is the only Air Ride Machine in the anime that Kirby does not ride. Despite this, artwork of him riding it exists.
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An Air Rider holding on to his Shadow Star as it is destroyed by Top Kirby
Gallery[edit]
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Smaller but transparent artwork from Kirby Air Ride
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Artwork of Blue Kirby riding atop the Shadow Star from Kirby Air Ride
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Concept art of the Shadow Star
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Model from Kirby Air Ride
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The Shadow Star as seen in the City Trial ending
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Character Treat from Kirby's Dream Buffet
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Artwork of Meta Knight on the Shadow Star from Kirby Air Riders
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The Shadow Star icon from Kirby Air Riders
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Gummy of the Shadow Star
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My Machine decal of the Shadow Star's icon, from Kirby Air Riders
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The Shadow Star's idle animation from Kirby Air Riders
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The Shadow Star in the Retirement screen in Kirby Air Riders
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Artwork of Kirby riding atop the Shadow Star from Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
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Alternate artwork from Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
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Kirby riding a Shadow Star in Find Kirby!! Big Gathering at the Party!
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Two Kirbys riding a Shadow Star in Find Kirby!! Big Gathering at the Party!
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Meta Knight on the Shadow Star amiibo
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Shadow Star amiibo
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Meta Knight & Shadow Star amiibo packaging
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | デビルスター[1][2] Debiru Sutā |
Devil Star |
| English | Shadow Star[1][2] | Likely tied to the machine's darker appearance, also possibly from "to shadow" |
| Traditional Chinese | 惡魔之星[3][2] Èmó zhī xīng |
Devil Star |
| Simplified Chinese | 恶魔之星[3][2] Èmó zhī xīng | |
| Dutch | Shadow Star Schaduwster[2] |
- Shadow Star |
| French | Shadow Star Étoile obscure[2] |
- Shadow Star |
| German | Shadow Star Schatten-Stern[2] |
- Shadow Star |
| Italian | Shadow Star Stella ombra[2] |
- Shadow star |
| Korean | 데빌스타[3][2] Debilseuta |
Devil Star |
| Brazilian Portuguese | Estrela Sombria[2] Estrela da Sombra[4] |
Shadow Star |
| Spanish | Shadow Star Estrella oscura[2] |
- Dark star |