File:DarkMatterKirby.jpg

Reception
IGN described Meta Knight as "one of the most enigmatic characters" in the series, naming him one of their ten favorite sword-wielding characters in the video games and adding that although he was once "a mere villain" in the series, "his devilishly cool appearance set him apart from the rest". GamesRadar ranked Meta Knight twelfth on its list of "Most Misunderstood Videogame Villains", saying that he is "the standard good-guy folderol [...], except that Meta Knight is invariably the bad guy"; it said of the Meta Knight-versus-Kirby battles that "[i]t's like if Batman picked a fight with a morbidly obese shut-in, and you were supposed to root for the shut-in." It listed him on "The Top 7 Unlikeliest Badasses in Gaming" list, saying "Thanks to his brooding, serious attitude and his lavish taste in imposing capes, Meta Knight has created a beautiful illusion of something incredibly threatening, despite being a spherical bundle of delight." He is the 18th-best Nintendo character of all time, according to GameDaily; that also placed him third on their list of Nintendo characters which deserve their own game. Complex stated that he developed from "a nameless villain" in Kirby's Adventure into "Kirby's rival" and stating that his popularity has surpassed that of King Dedede, ranking Meta Knight eighth on its list of "25 Video Game Characters That Deserve a Spinoff". Similarly, he was placed sixth on WhatCulture's list of "10 Video Game Characters That Deserve Their Own Spin-Off Game".

His inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Brawl was praised; he was listed in the top five characters of Bozon (ranked second), Peer (ranked fourth), and Richard George (ranked first) from IGN, with all three highlighting his speed and Bozon saying he is "the best single-player Brawler". Jesse Schedeen from the same site said that "Meta Knight is a true powerhouse of the SSBB cast", and UGO Networks called Meta Knight "[t]he most dangerous sword-wielding, helmet-wearing, sentient balloon you're ever likely to meet". Also, WhatCulture ranked him as the 6th greatest character in beat'em up games, saying "he's a brilliant character skills-wise, even if he may be totally unfair in the grand scheme of things." However, the balance among the Brawl characters was impaired, with Meta Knight "standing tall above the rest".