User:Rubybirdy/Sandbox/Demos
Demos are condensed or shortened versions of video games made available for free, as a way for a player to see if they would be interested in purchasing the full version of the game. Numerous demos have been released for games in the Kirby series, presented both in kiosks in game stores and, more recently, as downloadable software for consoles at home.
Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
Kirby & The Amazing Mirror's demo released exclusively for Japanese kiosks. It includes an early segment of Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, cutting out the tutorial and teleporting the Kirbys directly into Central Circle. As a result, the World Map is never obtained and the player can not see either the map of the Mirror World or of the area they are currently in. After starting the game, it can be played all the way until the boss battle against King Golem, at which point the demo ends and displays the full game's time of release, along with the four Kirbys encouraging the player to purchase it. Alternatively, a time limit can put an early end to the gameplay and return the players to the kiosk's info screen for the full game. Due to both running on GameCube hardware and not providing an option to play with multiplayer, the demo can only be played in singleplayer.
This demo was built from a pre-release version of Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, and has numerous quirks and differences from the final game as a result, listed below.
- Some rooms are different from their equivalents in the final game
- The name of the area the player is currently exploring is not specified in the bottom right corner of the screen
- One way doors and two way doors look identical
- Sprites are generally less polished
- Shadow Kirby gives the Fire ability when inhaled in his first fight
Kirby & The Amazing Mirror main page from the Gekkan Nintendo Tentou Demo 2004.5.1 disc (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
Demo running on the original GameCube demo disc (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
The four Kirbys encouraging the player to buy the full game (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
Kirby: Squeak Squad
Kirby: Squeak Squad's demo released for Nintendo DS kiosks, without a downloadable release on the DS Download Service or DS Download Station. The demo includes minor adjustments for enemy placement, but is otherwise completely identical to the full game. A time limit is started once the player starts the demo, and will display a screen thanking the player for completing the demo once it ends. The demo can also be ended by getting a Game Over or completing Nature Notch.
Title screen of the Kirby: Squeak Squad demo (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
"Thanks for playing!" message (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
Kirby Super Star Ultra
Kirby Super Star Ultra's demo released in a similar fashion to Kirby Squeak Squad's demo, exclusively on DS kiosks with no downloadable alternative. The only main game included is Spring Breeze, along with the two Sub-Games Kirby Card Swipe and Kirby on the Draw. Kirby Super Star Ultra takes a less restrictive approach to limiting use, allowing the player to start from any level of Spring Breeze and continue from a Game Over. Although the time limit still exists, it only activates when Kirby is idle and resets when he moves, and is practically negated by the ability to start from a checkpoint. After completing Spring Breeze and watching the Tomorrow's Wind cutscene, the game will display a screen thanking the player for finishing the demo and encourages them to play the full game.
Although the demo is identical to the full game gameplay-wise, there are a few notable differences:
- Despite most modes not being unlocked or playable, the title screen will cycle between the opening cutscenes for Spring Breeze, Dyna Blade, Gourmet Race, The Great Cave Offensive, and Revenge of Meta Knight in that order. The Grand Opening cutscene is interspersed as well.
- The Tomorrow's Wind cutscene includes no credits, and displays "THE END" on the bottom screen throughout.
Kirby Super Star Ultra demo title screen with a seizure warning at the bottom (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
"Thank you for playing" screen (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Kirby: Triple Deluxe's demo released exclusively for kiosks. It includes two levels, Fine Fields - Stage 1 (played by selecting "Play a Stage" on the title screen) and Fine Fields - Stage 5 (played by selecting "Boss Battle" on the title screen). Both stages, along with all gameplay elements, cutscenes, and info, have been completely unaltered from the full game. Keychains, Rare Keychains, 1-Ups, and Point Stars are collectable and recorded while a stage is played, but are not saved and as a result do not persist between levels or playthroughs.
After either stage is cleared or Kirby loses all his lives, the demo will display a screen thanking the player for completing the demo, then return to the title screen. The song "Hypernova All-Stars" plays in the background of this screen.
Internally, there are a few differences between this demo and the final version of the game. While not accessible in the demo itself, the data for Fine Fields - Stage 3 is present; if the data loaded in the final game, the first room ends with a Goal Door (likely misplaced) rather than a one-way door. Also, every music track not used in the demo is removed from the files. Within the code, any reference to a track that isn't in the files instead points to "Hypernova Inhale", likely to avoid a crash if an unavailable song is referenced.
Title and level selection screen for the Kirby: Triple Deluxe demo (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
"Thanks for playing" screen (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
Kirby: Planet Robobot
Two demos for Kirby Planet Robobot were released; one downloadable for play on personal systems, and one for store kiosks. Both demos are nearly identical with few noticeable differences, one being the absence of the eShop and manual buttons on the title screen of the kiosk version.
The demo for Kirby: Planet Robobot includes two levels, Patched Plains - Stage 1 (referred to as "Normal Stage" on the title screen) and Patched Plains - Stage 2 (referred to as "Robobot Stage" on the title screen). Both levels are unchanged from their versions in the full game.
Collectibles like Point Stars, Stickers (including the two Rare Stickers), and 1-Ups are still present, but do not persist between levels due to the demo's lack of save files, or even a saving feature in general. Stickers earned are still displayed after a Goal Game, but can not be used on the Robobot Armor.
In the downloadable version of the demo, when either level is completed, or a Game Over occurs, a short compilation of video clips from the full game is played. After the video finishes, a screen thanking the player for playing the demo is displayed on the top screen, with a button that takes the player to the full game's Nintendo eShop page displayed on the bottom screen. In the kiosk demo's version of the end screen, both causes of the screen in the downloadable demo still apply, but the video is skipped and there is no button leading to the Nintendo eShop page on the bottom screen. The song Flight of Azure plays on this screen in both versions of the demo.
Title and level selection screen for the Kirby: Planet Robobot downloadable demo (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
Downloadable demo completion screen, suggesting that the player visit the Nintendo eShop to purchase the full game (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn
Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn's demo released in both store kiosks and on the Nintendo eShop. Like the demos for Kirby: Planet Robobot, the demos for Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn are almost identical.
The two levels Fountain Gardens and Rainbow Falls are playable, both in Normal Mode and Devilish Mode. Both levels are unaltered from their versions in the full game, and all items are still collectable (such as Furniture and Beads). Their collection status is saved as long as the demo is open in the downloadable version, but are discarded as soon as the level is completed in the kiosk version.
The demo ends once Kirby completes the level or (if Devilish Mode is enabled) loses all of his Life Pieces. Kirby and Prince Fluff then thank the player for completing the demo and a button to return to the title screen is shown on the bottom screen. Alternatively, in the downloadable version, the player may choose to be taken to the full game's Nintendo eShop page.
Title screen for the Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn demo (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
Level selection screen for the Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn demo (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
Demo completion screen (image will be added if page is moved to mainspace)
Other demos
Write later xd
E3 demos
Write this one later too
Demos in other games
Timed versions of older Kirby games have been included in other games, usually as promotion for Nintendo's Virtual Console series of downloadable classic games. Although these demos are not necessarily unique from the full games they aim to promote, they serve the same purpose of convincing a player to purchase the demo's full version.
Super Smash Bros. series
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SmashWiki has more information about this subject here. |
In the Super Smash Bros. series, demos are provided in the form of Masterpieces. Masterpieces are versions of games that are important to the history of fighters included in Super Smash Bros. only playable for a short time with no other limitations. Since Kirby has made in appearance in both entries that also include Masterpieces, several Kirby games have been included as Masterpieces in the Super Smash Bros. series.
| Game | Brawl | Wii U | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirby's Adventure | 
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2:00 (Brawl), 3:00 (Wii U) |
| Kirby's Dream Land | 
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3:00 |
| Kirby Super Star |
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3:00 |
amiibo Tap: Nintendo's Greatest Bits
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NintendoWiki has more information about this subject here. |
amiibo Tap: Nintendo's Greatest Bits is a downloadable collection of games available for Wii U that lets players scan amiibo in exchange for time limited demos of Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System games. Each demo has multiple starting points (called "scenes" in game) at significant points in the full game, and each demo has a time limit of three minutes before the player is sent back to the main menu and can tap another amiibo. amiibo Tap: Nintendo's Greatest Bits includes Kirby's Adventure, Kirby's Dream Course, Kirby Super Star and Kirby's Dream Land 3 as playable demos that can be unlocked by any amiibo.
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