Kirby (series)
The Kirby series is a series consisting of 21 games, with two more on the way, released by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory. It features Kirby, a small pink creature that can swallow and copy the abilities of others. The series' first game was Kirby's Dream Land, which was released in Japan of February 17, 1992 and in the US on April 19, 1992.
Gameplay
Most games in the main Kirby series are side-view platformers that involve Kirby having to get from the start of a room to a door or another object. In order to do this, Kirby must overcome or avoid many enemies, many of which will give Kirby a Copy Ability when he inahles and swallows them. Kirby has a limited number of lives and a limited amount of health; once his health drops to zero, a life is lost and Kirby has to restart at the beginning of the current section, losing his Copy Ability. If Kirby loses some of his health, he can drink an Energy Drink or consume a food item to restore some of it, or eat a Maxim Tomato to get all of it back. In some games, after Kirby finishes a level, he plays a mini-game which can earn him extra lives.
Games
The following Kirby games have been released or confirmed to be in production so far. Note that this list does not include games that were announced but cancelled before an official release could happen.
Title | Console | Japan | North America | Europe | Australia | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Original Release Date | ||||||
Kirby's Dream Land | Game Boy | 17 Apr 1992 | 01 Aug 1992 | 03 Aug 1992 | 03 Aug 1992 | - |
Kirby's Adventure | Nintendo Entertainment System | 26 Mar 1993 | 01 May 1993 | 01 Dec 1993 | 01 Dec 1993 | - |
Kirby's Pinball Land | Game Boy | 27 Nov 1993 | Nov 1993 | 1993 | 1993 | - |
Kirby's Dream Course | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 21 Sep 1994 | Feb 1995 | 24 Aug 1994 | 24 Aug 1994 | - |
Kirby's Dream Land 2 | Game Boy | 21 Mar 1995 | 01 May 1995 | 31 Jul 1995 | 31 Jul 1995 | - |
Kirby's Avalanche | Game Boy | 25 Apr 1995 | 01 Feb 1995 | 01 Feb 1995 | Known as Kirby's Ghost Trap in PAL regions; based on Super Puyo Puyo. | |
Kirby's Block Ball | Game Boy | 14 Dec 1995 | May 1996 | Dec 1995 | Dec 1995 | - |
Kirby Super Star | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 31 Jul 1995 | 23 Sep 1996 | 30 Dec 1996 | 30 Dec 1996 | Known as Kirby's Fun Pak in PAL regions. |
Kirby no Omochabako | Satellaview | 08 Feb 1996 | Game collection broadcast over the St.GIGA network. | |||
Kirby's Star Stacker | Game Boy | 07 Jul 1997 | 18 Mar 1997 | 20 Oct 1997 | 20 Oct 1997 | - |
Kirby's Dream Land 3 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 27 Mar 1998 | 27 Nov 1997 | - | ||
Kirby no Kirakira Kizzu | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 25 Jun 1999 | Enhanced port of Kirby's Star Stacker. | |||
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards | Nintendo 64 | 24 Mar 2000 | 26 Jun 2000 | 22 Jun 2001 | 22 Jun 2001 | - |
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble | Game Boy Color | 23 Aug 2000 | 11 Apr 2001 | - | ||
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land | Game Boy Advance | 25 Oct 2002 | 02 Dec 2002 | 26 Sep 2003 | 27 Jan 2004 | Remake of Kirby's Adventure. |
Kirby Air Ride | Nintendo GameCube | 09 Jun 2003 | 13 Oct 2003 | 20 Feb 2004 | 30 Mar 2004 | - |
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror | Game Boy Advance | 15 Apr 2004 | 18 Oct 2004 | 02 Jul 2004 | 2005 | - |
Kirby: Canvas Curse | Nintendo DS | 24 Mar 2005 | 13 Jun 2005 | 25 Nov 2005 | 06 Apr 2006 | Known as Kirby: Power Paintbrush in Europe. |
Kirby: Squeak Squad | Nintendo DS | 02 Nov 2006 | 06 Dec 2006 | 22 Jun 2007 | 28 Feb 2007 | Known as Kirby: Mouse Attack in Europe. |
Kirby Super Star Ultra | Nintendo DS | 06 Nov 2008 | 22 Sep 2008 | 27 Nov 2008 | 18 Sep 2009 | Enhanced remake of Kirby Super Star. |
Kirby's Epic Yarn | Wii | 14 Oct 2010 | 17 Oct 2010 | 25 Feb 2011 | 24 Feb 2011 | - |
Kirby Mass Attack | Nintendo DS | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | To be released. |
Kirby Wii | Wii | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | To be released. |
Main Characters
Kirby
- Main article: Kirby
Kirby is the hero of the franchise and the primary playable character in each game. His powers, which are vital to the gameplay of most instalments, include inhaling objects and creatures in order to either spit them out again or steal their ability, as well as inflating himself, enabling him to fly. In most games, he must use his unique powers to save his homeland Dream Land, the planet Pop Star on which it is located or even the entire galaxy from the respective game's main antagonist.
King Dedede
- Main article: King Dedede
King Dedede is the self-proclaimed king of Dream Land and Kirby's archrival, though rarely the main antagonist. Although portrayed as greedy and selfish primarily in Kirby's Dream Land, where he steals all of Dream Land's food for himself, he often means well throughout the series, but ends up antagonizing Kirby due to a misunderstanding or being mind-controlled by the true villain. Once the misunderstanding has been resolved or the mind-control has been broken, however, he often ends up helping the him, most notably in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, where he is one of the game's main heroes.
Meta Knight
- Main article: Meta Knight
An enigmatic character of ambiguous allegiance, Meta Knight repeatedly confronts Kirby during the latter's journeys, often challenging him to a duel. Although mainly antagonistic towards Kirby, he does not normally assist the respective game's main villain either, seemingly following his own, often secret motives. He does come to the aid of the pink hero on occasion, however, and is portrayed as an honorable duelist, usually providing Kirby with a sword whenever he challenges him in order to force a fair fight. He is the leader of a group of warriors known as the Meta-Knights, who Kirby has to battle at some point in most games he appears in.