Ripple Star: Stage Select

(Redirected from A Well-Earned Rest)
Ripple Star: Stage Select
Various arrangements of "Ripple Star: Stage Select".
Details
Debut appearance Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (2000)
Last appearance Kirby's Dream Buffet (2022)
Other appearance(s) Kirby Super Star Ultra
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition
Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Kirby: Planet Robobot
Kirby Star Allies
Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn
Kirby Fighters 2
Composer(s) Jun Ishikawa or Hirokazu Ando
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"Ripple Star: Stage Select"[Japanese title] is a recurring theme that first appeared in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards while selecting one of Ripple Star's stages. It has since been remixed several times over the course of the series.

CompositionEdit

"Ripple Star: Stage Select" follows a simple 4/4 time signature with a single melodic bar in its simplest incarnations. It is notable for being a short song in most cases despite its prevalence in the series, since it was originally composed for a stage select screen (an area the player is not meant to spend much time in). Most subsequent uses of the track keep it short, though the versions used in Kirby's Epic Yarn, Kirby: Triple Deluxe and Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn are notable exceptions.

Game appearancesEdit

Kirby 64: The Crystal ShardsEdit

This theme first appeared here, as the stage select theme for Ripple Star. This version is somewhat loud and active in nature, featuring many layered flute-like instruments and percussion at a high tempo.

Kirby Super Star UltraEdit

This theme appeared in Helper to Hero's rest area, named "Helper's Rest" on the Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition Compilation Soundtrack (the Japanese name, ヘルパーたちの休息 or Helpers' Rest, first appeared on the Kirby Ultra Super Deluxe Original Sound Track). This was the first instance of the theme being used in a more calm tempo with a relaxed instrumentation. It can be found as Music 93 in the Sound Test.

Kirby's Epic Yarn / Kirby's Extra Epic YarnEdit

This theme appeared here as Dream Land's theme. The key has been moved a step down (B-flat major), and it follows the mellow tone from the Kirby Super Star Ultra version. A glockenspiel is used as the primary instrument, backed by piano.

Kirby's Dream Collection Special EditionEdit

When selecting Kirby's Epic Yarn in the Kirby's History mode, that game's arrangement of the theme plays.

Additionally, the "Helper's Rest" version from Kirby Super Star Ultra is reused as the file selection theme for the New Challenge Stages mode. Rarely, the original version from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards can play as well.

Kirby: Triple DeluxeEdit

This theme appears twice in Kirby: Triple Deluxe, appearing as the rest area and Game Over themes in both The Arena and The True Arena.

The version featured in The Arena is a rearrangement of the "Helper's Rest" Kirby Super Star Ultra version, with wind chimes playing at the start of the track. It features a bend in the tempo near the beginning and end of the track, and uses a flute and a mandolin as the primary instrumentation. This version is arranged by Jun Ishikawa.[1]

The version featured in The True Arena, named "A Well-Earned Rest" on the Kirby: Triple Deluxe Soundtrack CD, follows the mellow tone from the Kirby's Epic Yarn version, though it uses more elaborate instrumentation and is by far the longest iteration of the theme, lasting over two minutes before looping. Interestingly, the track features two distinct variations of the same tune back-to-back, with only the second variation playing when the music loops. This variation is arranged by Hirokazu Ando.[1]

Kirby: Planet RobobotEdit

This theme appears as the results screen theme for The True Arena under the name "Well-fed Victory". It is similar to the version from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, but with different digital-sounding instruments. This version is arranged by Jun Ishikawa and can be found as Track 157 in that game's Jukebox.

Kirby Star AlliesEdit

This theme was combined with "Miracle Matter" and "0² Battle" for a remix in Kirby Star Allies, used for the fight against Morpho Knight when playing as Adeleine & Ribbon in Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go! or Soul Melter or higher in The Ultimate Choice. The track is named おとめたちのやみとのたたかい (The Girls' Battle with the Darkness) on Kirby Star Allies: The Original Soundtrack, and was arranged by Hirokazu Ando. As of Version 4.0.0, this remix can be heard as Track 178 in the Jukebox.

Additionally, "Helper's Rest" is present in the game's files, but otherwise goes unused. As it appears among Soul Melter EX's rest areas themes, it can be presumed it was a potential candidate, but in the end was scrapped.

Kirby Fighters 2Edit

In the game's Training Mode and Online waiting rooms, a medley of "Training" from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, "Green Greens", and "Ripple Star: Stage Select" plays. This medley has two distinct versions: one with regular instruments used in other songs of the game, and a chiptune version; the game selects one of the two at random to play. The regular version is arranged by Yuki Shimooka.[2]

Kirby's Dream BuffetEdit

The regular "Training" medley from Kirby Fighters 2, named Kirby Fighters 2: Bonus Song 1 in-game, can be unlocked as a bonus track for races and Free Rolling if the player has save data from Kirby Fighters 2 and completes their first Gourmet Grand Prix.

Other arrangementsEdit

Variants of "Ripple Star: Stage Select" have appeared outside of the games themselves. Two in particular appear on the Kirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert CD set. The first comes from the Kirby's Dream Land 3 / Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Medley and is the fourth part of the performance. The second comes from the Kirby Memorial Arrangements track Epic Yarn and is the fourth part of the performance. Both take cues from their respective versions from the games represented in the medleys.

The "Helper's Rest" version of the theme is also featured in the beginning and at the end of the bonus track ステージメドレー/アコースティックver. (Stage Medley / Acoustic ver.) of the Kirby Ultra Super Deluxe Original Sound Track.

On the Kirby 30th Anniversary Site, the original version of the theme plays when viewing Kirby number 07 ("Ripple Star").

Names in other languagesEdit

Language Name Meaning
Japanese リップルスター:ステージセレクト[3]
Rippuru Sutā: Sutēji Serekuto
Ripple Star: Stage Select

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Kirby: Triple Deluxe Jukebox
  2. Kirby's Dream Buffet
  3. Kirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert pamphlet