: Bowser and Ganondorf serve as high-ranking generals, while Tabuu , a powerful being trapped in Subspace, is revealed as the ultimate mastermind using Master Hand as a puppet. World of Light (Ultimate)
: Galeem creates "Puppet Fighters"—soulless copies of the heroes—and infuses them with "Spirits" from other video games. Kirby must travel across a massive world map to rescue his friends and free the trapped spirits.
In the early games, the "story" is presented as a child playing with toys. The fighters are literal dolls or trophies brought to life by , an entity representing the creative force of the creator. Battles take place in a dream-like world where the primary goal is simply to prove who is the strongest. The Subspace Emissary (Brawl)
: Kirby is the only one who escapes the initial blast.
The most recent story follows a cosmic catastrophe. An entity of light named unleashes beams that disintegrate almost every fighter in the universe.