This thread should be used as a place where fans of Kirby can gather to discuss the series, share fan-made Kirby media, and do it all in a comfortable environment.
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Thanks!
- Title: Kirby's Dream Land
- Year: 1992
- Platform: Game Boy (available on 3DS eShop)
Developed by Masahiro Sakurai of HAL Laboratory, Kirby's Dream Land is the inaugural title in the series and the first game in which Kirby appears. Kirby originally started as a dummy character named Popopo; a simple looking place holder until designers could come up with a more detailed character. However Sakurai ended up enjoying Popopo's design so much he kept and later renamed him.
At the time of its release, Kirby's Dream Land was noted for being an enjoyable, although simplistic platformer. Dream Land would begin many Kirby traditions, but the one gameplay aspect missing from the title is Kirby's ability to copy enemy's abilities. This would have to wait for his second adventure.
Trivia: There was a heated debate between Miyamoto and Sakurai on the color of Kirby, with Sakurai preferring Pink and Miyamoto wanting yellow. Although Kirby would end up pink in the Japanese media, Nintendo of America released Dream Land with a white Kirby on the boxart.
- Title: Kirby's Adventure
- Year: 1993
- Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System (available on Wii Virtual Console and 3DS eShop as a 3D Classic)
Kirby's first console adventure came very late in the life of the NES, and stands out as one of the games to really push the limits of the system. This adventure is the first where Kirby can swallow his enemies and copy their powers, and introduces a fan favorite of the series, Meta Knight. Compared to Dream Land's very few stages, Kirby's Adventure featured seven lobbies, with four to six stages each and a boss room, making it a very rich adventure. The game has held up over the years, receiving a Virtual Console release and a 3D Classic remake, as well as a Game Boy Advance remake titled Nightmare in Dream Land.
- Title: Kirby's Dream Land 2
- Year: 1995
- Platform: Game Boy (available on 3DS eShop in Japan and PAL regions)
The second Dream Land title introduced animal buddies to the Kirby franchise and an evil villain that makes frequent appearances in Kirby games, Dark Matter. Kirby carries over his copy ability from Adventure as well. Dream Land 2 featured its own border, few additional sound effects and color pallets when used with the Super Game Boy.
Trivia: Kirby's Dream Land 2 was slated to be remade for the Game Boy Color as Kirby's Dream Land 2 DX (along side Metroid II: Return of Samus DX), but was cancelled.
- Title: Kirby Super Star
- Year: 1996
- Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (released on the Wii Virtual Console, and the Nintendo DS as Super Star Ultra)
Regarded by many to be the best in the series, Kirby Super Star featured 8 games of varying length and challenge. Like most Kirby games, you can copy enemy abilities, but this time you can change them into helpers; Enemies that will fight along side you using whatever ability they spawned from. Games ranged from regular Kirby platforming (Spring Breeze, Dyna Blade), to treasure hunting (Great Cave Offensive), to a heavily story driven adventure (Revenge of Meta Knight), along with many quirky sub-games.
- Title: Kirby's Dream Land 3
- Year: 1997
- Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (released on the Wii Virtual Console)
Much like Kirby's Adventure, Dream Land 3 was released at the end of a console life cycle and is probably one of the least played main line Kirby titles. Foregoing the look of previous titles, Dream Land 3 uses a pastel style giving the game a hand drawn look. Most normal game mechanics are here, as well as the return of animal buddies from Dream Land 2, but with more selection.
Trivia: Kirby's Dream Land 3 was the last Super Nintendo title published by Nintendo in North America, coming out in November of 1997, well after the launch of the Nintendo 64.
- Title: Kirby 64: The Crystal Shars
- Year: 2000
- Platform: Nintendo 64 (released on the Wii Virtual Console)
Breaking away from the standard 2D style of play, Kirby 64 has '2.5' gameplay and put the series in 3D for the first time. Kirby's copy ability received an upgrade as well, allowing him to inhale two enemies at once to obtain a new power. For instance, inhaling Ice and Spark at the same time would result in the Refrigerator ability. The game did not favor well with reviewers, scoring the lowest of any Kirby title since Dream Land.
Along with the main game, Kirby 64 featured a number of.. in my opinion, underrated party mini-games which were fantastic on the Nintendo 64 with four players.
- Title: Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
- Year: 2004
- Platform: Game Boy Advance (released 3DS as an Ambassador title)
Although the Game Boy Advance did see two Kirby games, this is the only original one. The Amazing Mirror featured more exploration based gameplay, similar to The Great Cave Offensive in Super Star (or a Metroid like map) and tasked the player with locating the broken pieces of the mirror. Along with some new first time abilities, the game also offered multiplayer for up to four people. Players often have to work together to overcome puzzles, similar to something like Four Swords.
- Title: Kirby: Canvas Curse
- Year: 2005
- Platform: Nintendo DS
You might call Canvas Curse a platformer, but it's unlike any other Kirby title and was one of the first games to really show off what the DS could do. Using only the stylus, the player draws a path for Kirby, cursed into ball only form, to follow using a limited amount of 'ink'. The player can also touch enemies to stun them and help Kirby along his way. Canvas Curse has developed quite a following and is regarded as one of the better games in the series and one of the best DS titles.
- Title: Kirby: Squeak Squad
- Year: 2006
- Platform: Nintendo DS
Returning to more common form from Canvas Curse, Squeak Squad uses standard button platforming controls and focuses on elements effecting the environment more than most Kirby games. Kirby is also able to store copied abilities in this title and access them via Touch Screen.
- Title: Kirby's Epic Yarn
- Year: 2010
- Platform: Nintendo Wii
Probably the most visually striking Kirby title, Epic Yarn was the first console Kirby title to be released since Kirby 64 nearly ten years earlier. The player controls Kirby, who has been turned to yarn, around a fabric world and unable to use his copying ability. Kirby has an apartment he can decorate with various treasures he uncovers on his adventures. Unlike most Kirby games, the player can not die in Epic Yarn, but rather is punished for being hit by enemies by losing star pieces.
- Title: Kirby Mass Attack
- Year: 2011
- Platform: Nintendo DS
Kirby returns to the DS in another touch screen controls only adventure. In Mass Attack, you can't use your copy ability, but instead you gain control of a group of Kirbys (up to 10) to wreck havoc on the environment, solve puzzles and pummel enemies. Along with a very full main game, Mass Attack features a number of surprisingly full and quality side games; A Kirby SHUMP, a RPG battle mode, a pinball game and more.
- Title: Kirby's Return to Dream Land
- Year: 2011
- Platform: Nintendo Wii
The Wii's more traditional Kirby game compared to Epic Yarn, Kirby returns with a powered up copy ability, this time able to swallow large foes and unlock Super Copy Ability, to destroy enemies, parts of the stage and unlock secrets.
- Title: Kirby's Pinball Land
- Year: 1993
- Platform: Game Boy (released on the 3DS eShop)
- Title: Kirby's Dream Course
- Year: 1995
- Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (released on the Wii Virtual Console)
- Title: Kirby's Avalanche
- Year: 1995
- Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (released on the Wii Virtual Console)
- Title: Kirby's Block Ball
- Year: 1995
- Platform: Game Boy (released on the 3DS eShop)
- Title: Kirby's Toy Box
- Year: 1996
- Platform: Satellaview
- Title: Kirby's Star Stacker
- Year: 1997
- Platform: Game Boy
- Title: Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble
- Year: 2001
- Platform: Game Boy Color
- Title: Kirby Slide
- Year: 2003
- Platform: e-Reader
- Title: Kirby Air Ride
- Year: 2003
- Platform: Nintendo GameCube
Coming soon..
Please let us know your favorite Kirby tracks and I'll try to add them to the OP eventually.
Mt. Dedede
Games: Kirby's Dream Land, Kirby Super Star, Kirby's Dream Land 3, Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Smash Bros Brawl
Green Greens
Games: Kirby's Dream Land, Kirby Super Star, Kirby's Epic Yarn
Butter Building
Games: Kirby's Adventure, Kirby's Epic Yarn
Ice Cream Island
Games: Kirby's Adventure, Kirby's Epic Yarn
Boss Battle
Games: Kirby's Adventure
Rainbow Resort
Games: Kirby's Adventure, Kirby's Air Ride
Forest Area
Games: Kirby's Adventure, Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Fountain of Dreams
Games: Kirby's Adventure, Nightmare in Dream Land, Smash Bros. Melee
Gourmet Race
Games: Kirby Super Star, Smash Bro Brawl
Revenge of Meta Knight Theme
Game: Kirby Super Star
Revenge of Meta Knight - Halberd
Game: Kirby Super Star
Revenge of Meta Knight - Ending
Game: Kirby Super Star
Milky Way Wishes - Staff Roll
Game: Kirby Super Star
Marx Battle
Games: Kirby Super Star, Smash Bro. Brawl
Galacta Knight
Games: Kirby Super Star, Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Underground Forest
Game: Kirby Super Star
The Great Cave Offensive
Game: Kirby Super Star
Halberd
Games: Kirby Super Star, Kirby's Epic Yarn
Ripple Field
Game: Kirby's Dream Land 3
Credit Roll
Game: Kirby's Dream Land 3
Hyper Zone (Dark Matter)
Game: Kirby's Dream Land 3
Iceberg (v. DL3)
Games: Kirby's Dream Land 3
0² theme
Game: Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Factory Investigation
Game: Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby Quest
Game: Kirby Mass Attack
Green Grounds
Game: Kirby Mass Attack
Frosty Wheel
Game: Kirby's Epic Yarn
Cool Cave
Game: Kirby's Epic Yarn
Mushroom Run
Game: Kirby's Epic Yarn
Melody Town
Game: Kirby's Epic Yarn
Outer Rings
Game: Kirby's Epic Yarn
Blub-Blub Ocean
Game: Kirby's Epic Yarn
Cozy Cabin
Game: Kirby's Epic Yarn
Dream Land
Game: Kirby's Epic Yarn
Staff Roll
Game: Kirby's Epic Yarn
Super Copy Ability
Game: Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Boss Battle
Game: Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Iceberg Ocean
Game: Kirby's Dream Course
Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright
Game: Kirby's Block Ball
Check Knights
Game: Kirby Air Ride
Nebula Belt
Game: Kirby Air Ride
Frozen Hillside
Games: Kirby Air Ride, Smash Bro. Brawl, Kirby Mass Attack
Magma Flows
Games: Kirby Air Ride, Kirby Mass Attack
Coming soon..
To do list: Resizing images to standard sizes to help appearance. Add more information to titles, finish Spinoffs, take in Music recommendations and add Other Media.