HR-D3

HR-D3 is a giant mechanical construct that looks vaguely similar to King Dedede. It is best known for debuting in released material for the unreleased Kirby GCN , but it also makes an appearance in Kirby's Return to Dream Land and its remake as a boss.

Physical Appearance[ ]

HR-D3 is a giant robot built in the likeness of King Dedede. Rather than the bulky appearance of the previous model, this robot is more streamlined in design and is outfitted with more weapons. It bears a similar drill for a hand but has a giant laser cannon hidden inside its neck. It has painted patterns that somewhat resemble Dedede's robes and has his trademark "peace" symbol on its chest. The HR part of its name might stand for "Halcandra Robot," but it is likely a reference to HR-E. The D3 part is a reference to King Dedede.

The version appearing in Egg Engines is different in coloration, and its interplanetary appearance implies that the ancient civilization of Halcandra initially created it. Its design is slightly different; its color palette being changed to reflect Metal General EX's, and even having Metal General EX's head as its symbol instead of King Dedede's peace symbol. Also, the pompom-like structure on its head is replaced with Metal General's fin. Other than a new paint job, however, this incarnation of HR-D3 is otherwise identical to the other except for having the Metal General inside its cockpit.

Games[ ]

Kirby GCN [ ]

HR-D3 was set to debut as a boss in the cancelled GameCube title Kirby GCN. It appears to have been fought with the camera angled, focusing slightly more on its side, and the characters fighting it were shown minimized (however, there is a chance that this was done during the trailer for aesthetic purposes). Characters could travel behind it, as evidenced by Kirby in the game's trailer. It is unknown whether or not it would've been fought like this the entire battle.

Kirby Mass Attack [ ]

A machine that appears nearly identical to HR-D3, Dedede Robo (デデデロボ), made its debut in the series as a cameo in Kirby Mass Attack. Dedede Robo's design is borrowed from the cancelled Kirby GCN mech that appeared in its trailer. It is the surprise final boss of Chapter 2 of the sub-game, Kirby Quest, and it boasts 2,500 HP. Dedede Robo can jab with its drill to KO four Kirbys or fire a giant orange laser from its mouth to KO six Kirbys. It is fought in the same arena as King Dedede himself.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe [ ]

HR-D3's appears in the Extra Mode as the second boss of Egg Engines, where the beaten Metal General EX interfaces with it in order to defeat Kirby.

HR-D3 mainly attacks by slamming its giant fist and drill into the ground. It will do this once with each arm before flying out of range, where it will perform one of three attacks: it will shoot eye lasers in a wide arc, have its pilot open its cockpit to rain down missiles on Kirby, or heat up its weaponized arms and spin them around on the ground. Note that in this phase, it is very similar to HR-H, who is HR-D3's namesake. After its surprisingly small health meter is depleted, HR-D3 is seemingly defeated and sinks off-screen. But seconds after this happens, the robot revives itself and comes back, revealing its second "true" shell.

HR-D3 gains new attacks in this second form. Upon re-entering the battlefield, it will bounce on the ground three times, trying to crush Kirby as it approaches one of the edges of the arena. Then, it will always open up with one of two attacks:

• leaping up and body slamming onto the ground, if Kirby is behind him, or
• firing its trademark, gargantuan laser cannon in its chest that does severe damage if not avoided.

It may once again try to punch and impale Kirby (the latter sometimes being electrified and therefore dealing more damage) which can now be performed three times in a row, or perform an aerial version of its heat sweep attack. Throughout the battle, HR-D3 will rotate between these four aforementioned attacks, depending on its positioning in the arena. HR-D3 also has much more health during this second battle, and will sometimes fly into the background to use the laser and missile attacks it used in its first phase. Throughout the battle, it loses more parts based on the amount of damage it takes (similar to Robo Dedede in Scope Shot), until becoming nothing more than a steel-frame skeleton, two headlights, and an engine. After being defeated once more, the arms explode, and the robot is taken down for good.

Canonicity[ ]

As Kirby Quest is not a story-based sub-game, the events in said sub-game are non-canon; the same would go for the battle against HR-D3, however, its existence may be canon.

The battle against HR-D3 in Kirby's Return to Dream Land and its remake is non-canon, as Extra Mode is non-canon in the game. However, this one's existence is rather ambiguous, as it could have been built by the ancients, but its similarity to Robo Dedede in Kirby's Dream Course , its paint job, and how King Dedede was able to make one, are unexplained.

Related Quotes[ ]

Trivia[ ]

• With two health bars, HR-D3 has the most HP of any boss in Kirby's Return to Dream Land if Magolor's two forms are considered separate bosses.
  • In the remake, this is surpassed by Magolor Soul in The True Arena, who also has two health bars.
• HR-D3 is the only boss to first appear in Extra Mode and to not appear in the Story Mode of Kirby's Return to Dream Land and its remake (Galacta Knight is not counted, as he only appears in The True Arena, and bosses from the remake-exclusive Magolor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveler are not counted as well).
• The laser HR-D3 fires in Kirby's Return to Dream Land (Deluxe) and the Kirby GCN trailer is blue, while the laser it fires in Kirby Mass Attack is orange.
• The Pause Screen description for HR-D3 states that it drifted into Egg Engines from another dimension. A similar quote is used for Galacta Knight in the same game.
• In Kirby's Return to Dream Land, in the first phase of the battle, Grand Doomer is heard, while in the second phase, Guardian Angel: Landia is heard. In Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, the music in the second phase is instead "Roar of Dedede" from Kirby and the Forgotten Land .
• The Japanese-exclusive 20th Anniversary Hoshi no Kirby Pupupu Taizen ("Kirby of the Stars 20th Anniversary Dream Land Encyclopedia") dubs the Kirby GCN / Kirby Mass Attack appearance of this robot "Dedede Robo" (デデデロボ), which is identical to the Japanese name of Robo Dedede in Kirby's Return to Dream Land.
• The "D3" part of HR-D3's name probably refers to King Dedede's name, including three different "de" sounds.
• In HR-D3's files, a texture for a Warp Star that isn't seen anywhere in the game can be found. Additionally, textures for King Dedede that are completely different from his textures in Kirby's Return to Dream Land can be found as well. Both of these appear to be leftovers from Kirby GCN.

Artwork[ ]

Gallery[ ]

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