He debuted in the 1993 video game Kirby's Adventure, and he has since appeared in many subsequent entries as either a boss or playable character.

Meta Knight is an enigmatic yet honorable swordsman who follows a chivalric code,[1] exemplified when he gives Kirby a sword to fight with before starting battle.

[2] Meta Knight himself wields a sacred, golden sword called Galaxia (ギャラクシア, Gyarakushia).

He also sports a navy blue mantle[b] called the Dimensional Cape (ディメンションマント, Dimenshon Manto),[3] which can change into a pair of wings[7] and allows him to teleport.

He is the main villain of the Revenge of Meta Knight mode in Kirby Super Star,[12] in which he tries to take over Dream Land to end the inhabitants' lazy lifestyle by invading in his signature airship, the Battleship Halberd.

[20] Meta Knight returns in Kirby Fighters 2 alongside King Dedede as the main villain of the Story Mode, The Destined Rivals.

[28] However, Meta Knight was temporarily removed from some professional gaming competitions in the United States and Canada as he was considered to be too powerful.

[29] Meta Knight returned as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U after the series' director, Masahiro Sakurai, assured some changes to re-add him; among the changes, Meta Knight lost his ability to glide, and his unrivaled attack speed was toned down.

[39] Jeux Video staff felt that their mysterious nature helped make him a more popular character.

He also argued that Meta Knight was previously not one of Nintendo's bigger characters, only to become a "cult hero" due to his appearance in Super Smash Bros.

[41] Meta Knight is a particularly strong, "high-tier" player character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which made him the subject of commentary by fans and critics alike.

This led to the director of Apex, Chris Brown, to announce that he would be banned from the tournament the following year.