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Kirby & The Amazing Mirror

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Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
KatAM cover art.jpg
KatAM Europe cover art.jpg
KaTAM JP cover art.png
Box art for Kirby & The Amazing Mirror from various regions
Details
Developer(s) HAL Laboratory, Flagship, Dimps
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Designer(s) Tomoaki Fukui
Release date(s) Game Boy Advance
Japan April 15, 2004
Europe July 2, 2004
NA October 18, 2004
Australia December 23, 2004

Virtual Console (3DS Ambassador Program)
Australia December 15, 2011
Europe December 16, 2011
Japan December 16, 2011
NA December 16, 2011

Virtual Console (Wii U)
Japan April 3, 2014
NA April 10, 2014

Nintendo Switch Online
Japan September 29, 2023
Europe September 29, 2023
NA September 29, 2023
Australia September 29, 2023
Platform(s) Game Boy Advance
Virtual Console (3DS, Wii U)
Supported languages Japanese, American English, European French, Italian, German, Castilian Spanish
Rating(s) ESRB: Everyone
PEGI: 3+
CERO: All Ages
Game chronology
Kirby Air Ride Kirby: Canvas Curse
On affiliated sites
StrategyWiki Walkthrough
 This box: view  talk  edit 

Kirby & The Amazing Mirror is a main-series Kirby game released for the Game Boy Advance on April 15th, 2004 in Japan, on July 2nd, 2004 in Europe, and on October 18th, 2004 in North America. It was produced by HAL Laboratory, published by Nintendo, and developed by Flagship and Dimps. Kirby & The Amazing Mirror looks and plays much like its predecessor Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, but features an expansive and non-linear interconnected world with bosses that can be defeated in a number of different orders. The game also features four Kirbys of various color which can be played by up to four different players simultaneously, making this title the first main series game which can be played with four players in the main game. The different Kirbys can wander off in separate directions and assist each-other using their Cell Phones. The name of the game is a pun on "maze", as the game sports a labyrinth-like level layout different from other mainline Kirby games.

As it is based on Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror uses much of the same sprite-work, enemies, abilities, and mechanics as its predecessor. However, many additions and a few cuts were made to these categories. Included in the additions are new enemies like Chip, Roly-Poly, Golem, and others, some of which are quite complex in their ability to interact with Kirby. New abilities include Cupid, Missile, Mini, and a few returning favorites from Kirby Super Star such as Fighter and Cook. Due to the open nature of the game, most of the area Bosses can be fought out of order, and aside from Kracko, they are all new (although some are heavily based on older bosses).

Since its initial release, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror has been re-released through the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program (in 2011) and the Wii U Virtual Console (in 2014), although multiplayer is unavailable in these releases. It was also added to the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy Advance service in 2023, where it is fully compatible with online multiplayer.

Story

Dark Meta Knight splits Kirby into four copies.
High above the skies of Dream Land, the mirror world needs help!
— caption from the opening cutscene

The story of Kirby & The Amazing Mirror takes place almost entirely within a parallel world connected to Dream Land called the Mirror World, which is a parallel universe filled with mirrors said to be able to grant wishes made in their reflection.[1] One day, the mirrors of this world start to change, creating only sinister reflections. Meta Knight decides to investigate by heading into the Mirror World through the mirror gateway hanging in the skies above Dream Land. After some time, Kirby takes a stroll near this mirror - apparently minding his own business - when he is suddenly attacked by a darker Meta Knight and split into four copies of himself in a single slash, differing only by body color. With this done, the shadowy warrior flies back into the mirror, and the Kirbys give chase on a Warp Star after taking a moment to collect themselves.

Meta Knight gets trapped in the Dimension Mirror.

After entering the Mirror World and briefly venturing through a cloudscape, the Kirbys stumble upon a grand coliseum, where they find two Meta Knights battling in front of another great mirror, with one of the two knights being the dim one from earlier. This darker Meta Knight beats his twin and banishes him inside the mirror, then breaks the mirror into eight pieces and scatters them across the land before departing. Shortly thereafter, a dark duplicate of Kirby can be seen skulking away from the scene. The Kirbys follow this shadowy figure through a mirror to the right, and proceed to explore the world in search of the lost fragments of the great Dimension Mirror.

As the Kirbys explore this unfamiliar world, they repeatedly encounter the dark doppelganger Kirby, who often appears out of nowhere and sometimes attacks them, but mostly just stops to stare. If the Kirbys attack him first, he runs away quickly, dropping a helpful item. Each of the lands surrounding the central one of Rainbow Route is home to a keeper of one of the shattered mirror pieces, who the Kirbys must defeat. One of these shard holders is the Meta Knight duplicate who broke the mirror in the first place, and at this point, his lack of honor in battle should be a clue that he is not the real masked swordsman. After all the mirror shards are restored, the Kirbys are able to enter the mirror and face the evil corrupting it.

The fight against Dark Mind.

Upon entering the mirror, the Kirbys find themselves in a twisted alternate version of the coliseum, where they run into both Meta Knights. The real one points the Kirbys to his evil twin, who is finally revealed as Dark Meta Knight. After battling this foe one more time, Dark Meta Knight shatters into glass upon being defeated, and a portal appears in the sky which the Kirbys jump into. Meta Knight throws his sword into the portal to aid them against the evil that was responsible for this whole affair: an armored wizard-like figure named Dark Mind. After several battles against this foe, he casts off his humanoid form to reveal himself as a giant flaming eyeball similar in appearance to Dark Matter and its relatives. One more tough battle ensues, and once enough damage is dealt to Dark Mind, he begins to shrink and tries to get away, but the Kirbys chase him down on their Warp Stars and defeat him with volleys of Star Bullets.

After Dark Mind is destroyed for good, the Kirbys begin to fly home. As they travel, they are joined by Shadow Kirby one more time, riding his own Warp Star. It is revealed that this seemingly malevolent copy of Kirby was in fact the shy and reclusive original protector of the Mirror World, and he thanks the Kirbys for ridding the Mirror World of Dark Mind. From here, the Kirbys fly back through the mirror into Dream Land and Meta Knight follows them, leaving his sword in a pedestal in the coliseum.

Gameplay

The main world map for the Mirror World.

Kirby & The Amazing Mirror is a two-dimensional side-scrolling platform adventure game, with physics, assets, and graphics borrowed from its predecessor, Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land. As such, it features most of the same enemies, moves, and Copy Abilities from the previous game. However, the premise and layout of Kirby & The Amazing Mirror differ greatly from its predecessors and subsequent titles. The most notable change is to the world itself, which is no longer traversed in a series of levels and isolated linear stages. Instead, all nine major areas of the Mirror World are interlinked and transition into each other in a similar vein to the Metroid games, allowing Kirby to pick his own path through the world for the most part. As such, a map of the world and each area can be found inside Treasure Chests which can be used to navigate the world and observe how each individual room is connected to others around it. In the center of the world is the Central Circle in Rainbow Route, where Kirby starts his exploration and where he returns to whenever the game is reset, he completes a Goal Game, defeats a Boss, or uses his Cell Phone to return. As various Big Switches are pressed in the Mirror World, Mirror Doors link back to the central circle which allows Kirby to quickly return to areas he has already visited.

The second main feature of Kirby & The Amazing Mirror is the four-player co-op system. By linking up to four Game Boy Advance systems together, players can simultaneously play as each of the four Kirbys and explore the world entirely on their own terms and in completely separate directions. Using the Cell Phone will allow the Kirbys to call each-other and warp to each-others' positions, though this requires Battery power. While cooperation in this way is not necessary to obtain 100% completion, it can make a lot of the fights and puzzles easier. This multi-player extends to each of the Sub-Games as well, which can all be played with up to four players. Any Kirbys which are not controlled by a player will instead be controlled by the CPU.

A section of gameplay from Kirby & The Amazing Mirror.

Aside from these features, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror offers a number of new enemies, copy abilities, and other features to the game. The new abilities are as follows:

  • Cupid - Gives Kirby a bow and angelic wings which allow him to shoot arrows while flying freely in the air.
  • Magic - A limited-use ability which causes a raffle to happen, resulting in various effects.
  • Mini - A situational ability that makes Kirby tiny, allowing him to fit through tight gaps.
  • Missile - Transforms Kirby into a missile that can fly in any direction and explode on contact.
  • Smash - Gives Kirby a condensed version of his moveset from Super Smash Bros. Melee, including his Final Cutter, Hammer spin, and Stone smash.
  • Master - The final ability in the game is a more powerful version of the Sword ability which grants a number of unique attacks and can solve many puzzles.

Throughout the Mirror World, Kirby can find a number of optional goodies inside of treasure chests, including a Sound Player and note sheets, Spray Paint, Vitalities, and the aforementioned area maps, along with more minor and conventional items. While these items are not necessary to complete the game, every single treasure chest must be opened to attain 100% completion.

Controls

Kirby's moveset
Move Image Controls
Walk KNiDL Kirby artwork 2.jpg ← or →
Run KNiDL Kirby Run artwork.jpg ← or → (press twice)
Swim KNiDL Kirby swimming artwork.png ←, ↑, →, or ↓
Enter mirror KatAM Kirby Enter Mirror artwork.png
Open chest N/A
Climb/go down ladders KNiDL Kirby Ladder artwork.jpg ↑ or ↓
Crouch KNiDL Wait art.jpg
Swallow KNiDL Kirby swallow artwork.png
Slide KNiDL Sliding Kick artwork.png ↓ + A or B
Jump KNiDL Kirby Jump artwork.jpg A
Float KNiDL Kirby float artwork.png A (continuously after jumping)
Swim up KNiDL Kirby Snorkel artwork.jpg A
Water gun KNiDL Water Gun artwork.jpg B
Inhale KNiDL Kirby Inhale artwork.jpg B
Exhale KNiDL Spit Star artwork.png B
Use copy ability KNiDL Parasol artwork.jpg B
Super inhale KatAM Kirby inhaling Giant Rocky artwork.png B (hold)
Shoot air bullets KatAM Kirby Air Bullet artwork.png B (midair)
Use cell phone KaTAM Kirby on the Phone artwork.png R
Drop ability N/A Select

Areas

The game consists of a total of ten areas, most of which contain a boss that holds a Mirror Shard. Unlike in many other games in the series, Kirby does not need to visit the majority of these in a set order but may tackle them in any sequence he wishes, provided he locates their entrances, which are sometimes hidden.

Area Nr. Name Boss(es) Description
Area 1 Rainbow Route None This is the area that Kirby starts out in. Sitting in the center of the world map, this is by far the largest area in the game, though its main purpose is as a gateway to the other lands. As such, there is no boss here, and thus no mirror shard to collect.
Area 2 Moonlight Mansion King Golem This poorly-kept mansion sits in the middle of a dark spooky forest, and is teeming with hostile creatures. In the deepest depths, Kirby encounters King Golem, who guards one of the mirror shards.
Area 3 Cabbage Cavern Moley Cabbage Cavern consists mainly of underground tunnels made of purple stone and vines which wind and bend in various directions. Many of these tunnels are flooded with water, either partially or completely. In the deepest recesses, Moley can be found, holding onto a mirror shard.
Area 4 Mustard Mountain Kracko North of Rainbow Route is a series of tall steamy mountains inundated with lava floes, though some artificial structures and cooler caverns also exist. High above the tallest peak, Kracko waits with another mirror shard.
Area 5 Carrot Castle Mega Titan This castle can be found to the west of Rainbow Route and is filled to the brim with baddies and traps. Kirby will need to choose his path carefully as he navigates tight passages filled with spike traps and battlements lined with Shotzos. In the westernmost wing, Mega Titan waits in an arena lined by arcing lightning currents.
Area 6 Olive Ocean Gobbler A remote region in the far southeast which features a modest tropical coastline. Under this coast is a far more expansive series of flooded tunnels, where Kirby will have to regularly battle strong currents. The deepest recesses of this area are home to the inner-tube-wearing shark Gobbler.
Area 7 Peppermint Palace Wiz To the north of Carrot Castle is a frigid mountain range where an impressive manor built of ice can be found. This region is littered with many strong opponents and the slippery floors may make navigating it a challenge. Past a series of tunnels from the palace, the magician Wiz can be found.
Area 8 Radish Ruins ??? To the west of Cabbage Cavern, Kirby can unearth an ancient ruin set in a desert landscape. As might be expected, these ruins are littered with traps and entombed enemies. Out on the high mesa, Kirby will have to battle a shadowy lookalike of Meta Knight for another mirror shard.
Area 9 Candy Constellation Master Hand & Crazy Hand This area is located out in space high above the rest of the Mirror World, so the only way to reach it is via Warp Stars that can be found in other areas. It consists of isolated floating platforms made of metal and whirring with machinery. As Kirby travels further out into the constellation, he will leap past asteroids in order to reach the elusive duo Master Hand & Crazy Hand for one more mirror shard.
N/A Dimension Mirror Dark Meta Knight, Dark Mind (3 phases) After acquiring all the Mirror Shards, Kirby may enter the reassembled Dimension Mirror floating in the middle of the Central Circle in Rainbow Route. This area is different from all the others in that it has no map or area number, and only consists of a few rooms. The most notable thing about it is the seven distinct boss encounters, most of which are matches against the main evil force of the game: Dark Mind. Clearing this area completes the game.

Items

Screenshot of the completed Collection Room.

During his journey, Kirby may encounter various useful items, which can usually either be seen laying on the ground or inside treasure chests, though some may also be dropped by regular enemies. Some items are more permanent and come in limited numbers; these can be viewed in the Collection Room once obtained. When Kirby calls his CPU clones, they may also bring him minor items such as food.

Name Appearance Description
1-Up
KaTAM 1Up.png
Awards Kirby an extra life. 1-Ups are typically fairly rare in normal gameplay, but multiple appear during the Goal Game rides, where they are among the most difficult items to catch. They may also be dropped by Shadow Kirby.
Area Map
K&TAM Rainbow Route Map Item.png
Permanently enables Kirby to view the layout of the area the map is found in. Can be acquired only from large treasure chests.
Battery
KaTAM Battery.png
Recharges one power bar of the Cell Phone. Batteries can be found on the ground or in Boxy's packages, as well as during the Goal Game.
Candy
KaTAM Candy.png
A rare item that makes Kirby invincible for a short time. May be dropped by Shadow Kirby.
Energy Drink
KaTAM Energy Drink.png
Restores two bars to Kirby's health meter. Unlike food, Energy Drinks cannot be dropped by enemies but can be acquired during the Goal Game.
Food
KaTAM Omurice.png
KaTAM Cherries.png
KaTAM Meat.png
Like Energy Drinks, the various food items can be picked up to regain health, the amount restored depending on the item. Cherries and spareribs are the most common, though other kinds may be obtained from defeated enemies or Boxy's packages, as well as the Cook ability. Spareribs and cherries also appear during the Goal Game.
Maxim Tomato
KaTAM Maxim Tomato.png
Restores all of Kirby's health. May be dropped by Shadow Kirby or acquired from bosses that have already been defeated before. This item appears during the Goal Game.
Notes
KaTAM Secret Notes sprite.png
Allows the player to play musical scores using the Sound Player. Can be found only in treasure chests. Six of these exist in the game.
Sounds
KaTAM Kirby Sounds sprite.png
Enables the player to play various assortments of sound effects using the Sound Player. This item is found only in treasure chests. Four collections of sounds exist in total.
Sound Player
KaTAM Sound Player.png
The Sound Player is needed to play Notes and Sounds. It is hidden in a treasure chest and can be used from the Collection Room once obtained.
Spray Paint
KaTAM Spray Paint.png
14 different colors of Spray Paint can be found in treasure chests throughout the game. They enable Kirby to change his color, although this does not influence gameplay.
Vitality
KaTAM Vitality.png
Permanently increases Kirby's maximum health by one bar. Can only be found in large treasure chests. A total of four can be acquired.
World Map
K&TAM World Map Item.png
Enables Kirby to view a map of the Mirror World, which shows the whereabouts of his clones and which areas are already connected to the hub. Only one of these exists; it is acquired from a treasure chest at the start of the game.

Copy Abilities

Like most games of the Kirby series, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror features a number of Copy Abilities that Kirby may obtain by inhaling and swallowing certain enemies or Mid-Bosses. Although many of the abilities in this game have already been seen in previous games, it also includes its share of new abilities.

New abilities

Name Appearance Icon Obtained from Description
Cupid
KaTAM Cupid Kirby Sprite.png
KatAMCupidIcon.png
Cupie Using this ability, Kirby may fly using angel wings and shoot arrows at his foes, which can cut ropes.
Magic
KNiDL Limit sprite.png
KatAMMagicIcon.png
Boxy A single use ability that triggers a roulette, which gives Kirby a random ability, turns enemies into food or 1-Ups, makes him invincible, or causes Meta Knight to clear the screen of foes.
Master
KaTAM Master Kirby Sprite.png
KatAMMasterIcon.png
Meta Knight's sword Using Meta Knight's sword, Kirby can execute many powerful attacks in and above water, which let him move blocks, light fuses, pound stakes into the ground and cut ropes.
Mini
KatAMMiniKirby.png
KatAMMiniIcon.png
Minny Kirby shrinks while possessing this ability, enabling him to fit into tight spaces, but making him unable to attack or hover.
Missile
KaTAM Missile Kirby Sprite.png
KatAMMissileIcon.png
Bang-Bang, Bombar Grants Kirby the ability to transform into a missile, which can be controlled freely and explodes upon hitting something, harming foes and turning Kirby back to normal.
Smash
KNiDL Kirby sprite.png
KatAMSmashIcon.png
Master Hand Lets Kirby use moves from the Super Smash Bros. series, most of which are similar to Stone, Hammer, Sword or Fighter. As such, this ability can be used on many different stage features in addition to its battle potency.

Returning abilities

Name Appearance Icon Obtained from Description
Beam
KNiDL Beam sprite.png
KNiDL Beam icon.png
Waddle Doo Enables Kirby to use a beam against enemies like a whip.
Bomb
KaTAM Bomb Kirby Sprite.png
KatAMBombIcon.png
Bombs, Foley, Bomb Shadow Kirby An ability returning from Kirby Super Star after being absent in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land. Allows Kirby to throw bombs into a selected direction or place them on the ground. Can light cannon fuses.
Burning
KNiDL Burning sprite.png
KNiDL Burning icon.png
Batafire, Flamer, Moley's oil cans Lets Kirby launch himself forward in the form of a fireball, harming enemies, breaking metal blocks, and lighting fuses.
Cook
KNiDL Limit sprite.png
KatAMCookIcon.png
Cookin, Prank (if it has a frying pan) An ability returning from Kirby Super Star after being absent in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land. This rare ability lets Kirby cook all enemies on the screen, turning them into food. Can only be used once.
Crash
KNiDL Limit sprite.png
KNiDL Crash icon.png
Bomber, Dark Mind's bomb Immediately defeats all normal enemies on the screen and does heavy damage to most bosses. Can only be used once.
Cutter
KNiDL Cutter sprite.png
KNiDL Cutter icon.png
Moley's spike balls, Sir Kibble, Cutter Shadow Kirby Lets Kirby throw boomerang cutters at enemies, which can cut ropes.
Fighter
KNiDL Backdrop sprite.png
KatAMFighterIcon.png
Box Boxer, Boxin, gray Golem while uppercutting An ability returning from Kirby Super Star after being absent in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land. Enables Kirby to perform a variety of martial arts-based moves against opponents.
Fire
KNiDL Fire sprite.png
KNiDL Fire icon.png
Hot Head, Moley's waste cans, Prank's flame cubes, Fire Shadow Kirby, Dark Mind's red stars Gives Kirby the ability to breathe fire, letting him light fuses.
Hammer
KNiDL Hammer sprite.png
KNiDL Hammer icon.png
Bonkers Using a large hammer, Kirby can attack enemies and pound stakes into the ground. He can also smash apart metal blocks.
Ice
KaTAM Ice sprite.png
KNiDL Ice icon.png
Mr. Frosty, Pengy, Prank's ice cubes, Ice Shadow Kirby, Dark Mind's blue stars Lets Kirby freeze enemies into ice cubes with his chilly breath.
Laser
KNiDL Laser sprite.png
KNiDL Laser icon.png
Laser Ball, Metal Guardian Grants Kirby the ability to fire lasers, which reflect off slanted walls and may light fuses.
Parasol
KNiDL Parasol sprite.png
KNiDL Parasol icon.png
Parasol, Parasol Waddle Dee Kirby wields a parasol with this ability, which he can use to attack or to block enemy attacks.
Sleep
KNiDL Sleep sprite.png
KNiDL Sleep icon.png
Noddy, Wiz's apples Puts Kirby to sleep for a few seconds, keeping him from moving and leaving him defenseless.
Spark
KNiDL Spark sprite.png
KNiDL Spark icon.png
Sparky, Wiz's clouds, Dark Mind's purple stars Grants Kirby the ability to create a field of electricity around him, which harms enemies.
Stone
KaTAMStoneKirby.png
KaTAMStoneIcon.png
Giant Rocky, Golem, Rocky Allows Kirby to assume a nigh-impervious rock form, letting him squash foes and pound stakes into the ground and break metal blocks, but rendering him immobile until he transforms back.
Sword
KNiDL Sword sprite.png
KNiDL Sword icon.png
Gobbler's fish, Heavy Knight, Sword Knight, Dark Meta Knight's stars Wielding a sword, Kirby can slash at his enemies even underwater. He can also slice ropes and use a special attack to release a shockwave.
Throw
KNiDL Throw sprite.png
KNiDL Throw icon.png
Phan Phan Lets Kirby grab an enemy by inhaling and toss it into the direction specified with the directional pad. This can be used to break metal blocks.
Tornado
KNiDL Tornado sprite.png
KNiDL Tornado icon.png
Twister Enables Kirby to temporarily turn into an invincible tornado, which can hover and harms all enemies it touches.
UFO
KNiDL UFO sprite.png
KNiDL UFO icon.png
UFO A rare ability that lets Kirby fly and shoot strong beams and lasers, allowing him to light fuses and break metal blocks. If he completes an area, the ability is lost.
Wheel
KNiDL Wheel sprite.png
KNiDL Wheel icon.png
Moley's tires, Wheelie, Wiz's cars, yellow Golem while rolling Enables Kirby to transform into a wheel, which travels very quickly and can run down foes.

Enemies

As in other Kirby games, many varieties of enemies appear in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, most of which can be inhaled and many of which grant Kirby a Copy Ability. In addition to regular enemies, this game introduces enemies that are bigger than usual; these take considerably longer to inhale and usually possess a large amount of health. In turn, spitting out a large enemy creates a penetrating Star Bullet on its own.

Neutral enemies in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror  
Name Appearance Description
Batty
KaTAM Batty.png
A bat-like enemy that flies after Kirby once he attracts its attention.
Big Waddle Dee
KaTAM Big Waddle Dee Sprite.png
A larger version of the common Waddle Dee which takes longer to inhale.
Blipper
KNiDL Blipper sprite.png
Aquatic enemies that follow Kirby and may even jump out of the water.
Blockin
KatAMBlockin.png
Disguised as a Star Block, this enemy waits for Kirby to attack or attempt to inhale it, then reveals its true face and chases after him.
Bronto Burt
KNiDL Bronto Burt sprite.png
A common enemy that flies in a wave motion, moving through obstacles.
Chip
KatAMChip.png
A furry creature with a foxtail that cheerily jumps around.
Droppy
KaTAM Droppy.png
A yellow blob-like enemy that can steal Kirby's ability and use it to transform into an enemy appropriate to that ability.
Glunk
KNiDL Glunk sprite.png
A stationary sea anemone-like foe that fires projectiles.
Gordo
KNiDL Gordo sprite.png
A floating spiky ball that is indestructible and dangerous to touch.
Haley
KatAMHaley.png
Blue, hedgehog-like enemies that fly in a straight line.
Jack
KatAMJack.png
A rare type of enemy that occupies cannons, making them inaccessible until it is defeated or launched out of the cannon. It can also spit harmful stars at Kirby.
Leap
KaTAM Leap.png
A flying enemy that kisses Kirby if he bumps into it, harming him. Kirby has to take a moment to wipe the lipstick off his face, which may put him in further danger.
Mirra
KatAMMirra.png
This enemy lurks in mirrors and typically has to be defeated from a distance. Otherwise, it buries itself and the mirror in the ground, making it inaccessible.
Prank
KatAMPrank.png
A rare adversary that plays various pranks on Kirby and then runs away. Not all of these pranks do damage.
Roly-Poly
KatAMRolyPoly.png
A common round foe able to roll quickly down slopes.
Scarfy
KNiDL Scarfy sprite.png
Scarfies float in one place until angered, at which point they begin to chase Kirby.
Shadow Kirby
KatAMShadowKirby.png
Kirby encounters this shady look-alike of himself in no more than a few places. He only takes a single hit to defeat, and usually leaves a helpful item behind if attacked (though inhaling him yields nothing). If Kirby waits around too long, Shadow Kirby may attack him in some way.
Shooty
KatAMShooty.png
A plane-like enemy that shoots at Kirby.
Shotzo
KNiDL Shotzo sprite.png
Invincible, stationary cannons that fire cannonballs and may directly aim at Kirby.
Snooter
KatAM Snooter.png
A strange creature with puffy lips that can eat Kirby and items. If it is not destroyed in a single attack, it begins to dash around angrily when hit.
Soarar
KatAMSoarar.png
Similarly to Shooty, this enemy flies through the air and fires lasers.
Squishy
KaTAMSquishy.png
A squid-like enemy that attacks by jumping around and swimming upwards in the water. Only one of these exists in the game.
Waddle Dee
KNiDL Waddle Dee sprite.png
One of Kirby's most common and basic foes, it does nothing but walk left and right or jump.

Ability-providing enemies

Copy Ability-providing enemies in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror  
Name Appearance Copy Ability Description
Bang-Bang
KaTAM Bang Bang.png
Missile A rocket-like adversary that launches itself at Kirby, homing in on him until exploding.
Bomber
KNiDL Bomber sprite.png
Crash A walking bomb with a powerful explosion. Very rare.
Boxin
KatAMBoxin.png
Fighter A mole-like creature that attempts to punch Kirby.
Cookin
KaTAM Cookin.png
Cook A rare enemy that tosses its frying pan at Kirby.
Cupie
KatAMCupie.png
Cupid An angel-like being that shoots arrows.
Flamer
KNiDL Flamer sprite.png
Burning A foe that clings to walls and is able to launch itself at Kirby as a fireball.
Foley
KatAMFoley.png
Bomb These enemies float in the air until Kirby passes by below them, causing them to fall down and explode.
Giant Rocky
KatAMGiantRocky.png
Stone A giant version of a Rocky with a large amount of health that takes longer to inhale.
Golem
KatAMGolemBrown.png
KatAMGolemGray.png
KatAMGolemYellow.png
Stone, Fighter*, Wheel* A big stone creature that wakes up when Kirby walks past it and takes longer to inhale than most other foes. Comes in three colors, each of which uses different attacks.
Heavy Knight
KatAMHeavyKnight.png
Sword A large, heavily armored opponent that attacks with a sword. Has a high amount of health and takes longer to inhale than most enemies.
Hot Head
KNiDL Hot Head sprite.png
Fire This enemy breathes fire at Kirby, sometimes spitting large fireballs with a long range.
Laser Ball
KNiDL Laser Ball sprite.png
Laser A floating, spherical enemy that moves through walls and fires lasers.
Metal Guardian
KatAMMetalGuardian.png
Laser A large, flying robot enemy that fires lasers at Kirby - either three at the same time or a single, more powerful one. It has a high amount of health and takes longer to inhale than most enemies.
Minny
KatAMMinny.png
Mini Tiny enemies who somewhat resemble Waddle Dees and are largely helpless.
Noddy
KNiDL Noddy sprite.png
Sleep A drowsy creature who usually walks around slowly when it is not sleeping.
Parasol
KNiDL Parasol enemy sprite.png
Parasol Always held by either a Waddle Dee, Waddle Doo, or Shotzo, this parasol enables enemies to slow their fall and will hurt Kirby on contact.
Pengy
KNiDL Pengi sprite.png
Ice Penguins that try to freeze Kirby with their chilly breath.
Rocky
KNiDL Rocky sprite.png
Stone A walking rock that attempts to crush Kirby under its weight.
Sir Kibble
KNiDL Sir Kibble sprite.png
Cutter An armored enemy that throws the top part of its helmet like a boomerang.
Sparky
KNiDL Sparky sprite.png
Spark An enemy that hops around and creates an electric field around itself for an attack.
Sword Knight
KNiDL Sword Knight sprite.png
Sword A disciplined sword-fighter wearing purple armor that walks back and forth inside a small area and may deflect Kirby's attacks with its sword.
Twister
KNiDL Twister sprite.png
Tornado A top-like enemy that spins and can transform into a powerful tornado.
UFO
KNiDL UFO enemy sprite.png
UFO This rare enemy flies after Kirby very quickly, stopping occasionally to fire laser beams.
Waddle Doo
KNiDL Waddle Doo sprite.png
Beam A Waddle Dee-like enemy with a singular eye that is able to fire beams at Kirby.
Wheelie
KNiDL Wheelie sprite.png
Wheel A tire-like enemy which speeds after Kirby, attempting to run him over.

*The gray and yellow Golem varieties yield Fighter and Wheel, respectively, if Kirby inhales them during their attacks. Otherwise, he receives Stone.

Mid-Bosses

In various locations, Kirby encounters Mid-Bosses, which are stronger than normal enemies and usually have to be defeated in order to move on. These always yield a Copy Ability, but can only be inhaled following their defeat.

Name Appearance Copy Ability HP Description
Batafire
KatAMBatafire.png
Burning 30 A large, bat-like Mid-Boss engulfed in fire. It flies across the arena and is able to either charge at Kirby or release volleys of fireballs, which can be inhaled and spat back.
Bombar
KatAMBombar.png
Missile 40 A green airplane-like adversary that flies around firing homing missiles at Kirby or dropping bombs on him, all of which can be inhaled and spat back to defeat the Mid-Boss.
Bonkers
KNiDL Bonkers sprite.png
Hammer 40 A gorilla-like foe that attempts to hit Kirby with its hammer, creating stars that can be spat back, or throws large coconuts at him, which can likewise be inhaled and used to defeat the Mid-Boss.
Box Boxer
KatAMBoxBoxer.png
Fighter 40 This dog-based Mid-Boss attempts to punch Kirby and may also toss him, causing damage. From time to time, it fires large blasts of energy from its hands, which also serve as a means of defeating it.
Boxy
KatAMBoxy.png
Magic 40 A large pink gift box with a jagged mouth and a tail with a leaf on the end. Boxy charges at Kirby or releases smaller gift boxes from its mouth, which Kirby may spit back at it. When not immediately inhaled, these boxes may open up to reveal bombs, which yield the Bomb ability, food items or batteries.
Master Hand
KatAMMasterHand.png
Smash 40 Originating from the Super Smash Bros. series, this large, white, glove attempts to slam or grab Kirby. He may also fire projectiles from his fingers, which can be inhaled and spat back. In addition, he causes stars to appear when slamming the ground, which likewise serve as ammunition.
Mr. Frosty
KNiDL Mr Frosty sprite.png
Ice 30 A blue walrus that charges at Kirby or tosses ice cubes of two sizes at him, which he (Kirby) has to use as ammunition to defeat it.

In-game, his name is misspelled as "Mr. Flosty".

Phan Phan
KNiDL Phan Phan sprite.png
Throw 30 This elephant-like adversary rolls around and tries to grab Kirby with its trunk, throwing him against a wall to cause damage. It also tosses apples, which can be spat back at it.

Bosses

In Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, Kirby needs to locate and defeat a boss in nearly every area, excluding Rainbow Route, in order to acquire the mirror shards that eventually grant him access to the final boss fights. Bosses can never be inhaled and do not possess abilities (though their projectiles may), but many of them are able to summon enemies that may yield one.

Name Appearance Location HP Description
King Golem
KatAMKingGolem.png
Moonlight Mansion 60 In a similar manner to Whispy Woods, this giant stone column remains in one place while dropping rocks and Gordos on Kirby, the former of which can be inhaled and spat back at it.

It is also capable of releasing Golems of different colors from its mouth, which may be used for the same purpose.

Moley
KatAMMoley.png
Cabbage Cavern 80 A large, gray mole that randomly pops out of one of six holes in the cave it is fought in, tossing various objects at Kirby. Many of these can be inhaled and used to defeat the boss.
Kracko
KNiDL Kracko sprite.png
Mustard Mountain 60 One of the most fought bosses in the Kirby series, this one-eyed cloud creature employs similar tactics as in other games it appears in, flying across the arena and attacking with beams and rain.

It also creates Waddle Doos and Flamers, which can be used as ammunition or swallowed for the Beam or Burning ability, respectively.

Mega Titan
Mega Titan.png
Carrot Castle Body: 40

Head: 20

Phase 1 (body):

This large robot boss flies around, launching its four fists at Kirby. To defeat it, Kirby has to use the Beam or Spark ability or push it into the electricity at the sides of the room by using a Copy Ability or the stars generated by its attacks.

  • The body takes no damage from Kirby's attacks, except for Beam and Spark.
  • If the body is pushed to the electricity at the sides of the room, it takes 10 damage. Therefore, the body can be defeated when it's pushed to the electricity 4 times.

Phase 2 (head):

Once its body is destroyed, its head remains, floating around while firing missiles, which can be inhaled and spat back.

  • Kirby's normal star shot does 10 damage. Therefore, the head can be defeated with 2 normal star shots.
Gobbler
KatAMGobbler.png
Olive Ocean 60 A blue shark in a lifebuoy that resides in water, charging at Kirby or releasing smaller sharks, which may be inhaled and spat back. Alternatively, squirting at the boss while underwater likewise damages it. If Kirby leaves the water, Gobbler attacks him by leaping out of it.
  • Weakness: slash element attacks (Sword, Cutter, Master), electric element attacks (Beam and Spark, though it's difficult to hit Gobbler with these electric abilities)
  • Alternatively, Gobbler can be easily defeated by Stone (including from Smash) because the stone Kirby transforms into is slowed down when sinking in the water and Gobbler can be defeated with 6 Stone hits.
Wiz
KaTAM Wiz.png
Peppermint Palace 80 This cloaked magician is fought in a similar manner as Paint Roller in Kirby's Adventure. It flies across the room, stopping in one of its corners, and conjures up different objects or enemies, which Kirby can inhale and spit back at the boss.
???
KNiDL Meta Knight sprite.png
Radish Ruins 60 This masked swordsman appears to be Meta Knight, but is actually Dark Meta Knight in disguise.

He attacks by using various sword fighting techniques, a few of which create stars that may be spat back.

Unlike Kirby's fights with Meta Knight in other games, the Sword ability is not provided in this battle.

Master Hand & Crazy Hand
KatAMCrazyHand.png
KatAMMasterHand.png
Candy Constellation Master Hand: 60

Crazy Hand: 40

For this boss battle, Master Hand (right hand) teams up with Crazy Hand (left hand) from the Super Smash Bros. series.

In addition to each of them being able to use the Mid-Boss's attacks, the two gloves may cooperate to perform a clapping attack.

Each of the bosses has to be defeated separately, either by using a Copy Ability or spitting the stars generated by some of their attacks back at them.

Dark Meta Knight
KatAMDarkMetaKnight.png
Dimension Mirror 48 Dark Meta Knight returns for a rematch, now unmasked by the real Meta Knight.

Dark Meta Knight's attacks are similar to those he uses in Radish Ruins, but he attacks more quickly and is able to use new, more powerful abilities, including:

  • Sending energy waves from his sword;
  • Creating a tornado that throws Kirby into the air.
Dark Mind (phase 1)
KatAMDarkMind1.png
Dimension Mirror First battle: 32

Second battle: 40

Third battle: 40

Fourth battle: 56

The first phase of Dark Mind, a large, cloaked figure with a helmet, has to be fought four times in consecution in slightly different arenas, with a short breather segment and the possibility of acquiring a Maxim Tomato between each battle.
  • In Boss Endurance, only the fourth battle of Dark Mind's first form is fought.

He attacks by teleporting around the room and performing a wide repertoire of attacks, most of which involve launching star bullets at Kirby in different formations, exposing his weak core in the process.

To harm him, Kirby has to use the Master ability, which is provided at the beginning of the battle, to attack his core, avoiding the two mirrors circling around him.

If Kirby loses the ability, he may alternatively inhale Dark Mind's star bullets and fire them back at him. Dark Mind's star bullets also give the following Copy Abilities if swallowed:

Dark Mind may drop a disco ball that gives the Crash ability. Dark Mind has a resistance to Crash, however.

Dark Mind (phase 2)
KatAMDarkMind2.png
Dimension Mirror 96 Dark Mind's second form is a giant ball of fire with a singular eye, greatly resembling Zero in Kirby's Dream Land 3.

He normally floats at the top of the screen, though he occasionally charges across the ground.

Many of his attacks involve mirrors, which he causes to fly around the screen, damaging Kirby if he touches them, or to reflect laser beams he shoots.

He may also fire a large, powerful beam at Kirby, or flip the entire stage upside-down.

To harm him, Kirby must attack his singular eye or the mirrors (which take more damage than his eye).

In addition, Dark Mind continuously summons various kinds of enemies, including Waddle Doos, Boxins, Sir Kibbles and Laser Balls, which can be used as ammunition or swallowed for their ability, should Kirby lose the Master ability.

Dark Mind's second form also has a resistance to Crash.

Dark Mind (phase 3)
KatAMDarkMind3.png
Dimension Mirror 250 The final form of Dark Mind (and the final boss of the game) resembles its second form, but is considerably smaller.

It is fought in a similar manner as Nightmare's Power Orb in Kirby's Adventure. Kirby, riding on a Warp Star, has to fire stars at Dark Mind, who flies left and right near the top of the screen and is likewise able to shoot stars in various patterns, as well as charge at Kirby.

  • Each star shot from Kirby does 10 damage. Therefore, this phase of Dark Mind is defeated with 25 shots.

Even after the boss is defeated, Kirby may continue fighting him while the credits roll, though it is not possible to lose the battle any more at that point. A score is kept for every hit Dark Mind takes, and after the credits, an extra 30 points are earned.

Sub-Games

In addition to the main game, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror features the following Sub-Games:

  • Speed Eaters - Kirbys are tasked with eating the food when it appears before the others do.
  • Crackity Hack - A test of timing where Kirbys smash rocks similar to Megaton Punch.
  • Kirby Wave Ride - A race where Kirbys surf along waves on Warp Stars to reach the goal first.
  • Boss Endurance - A challenge run through all of the bosses in the game (unlocked once the game is 100% complete).

Staff

The following is a list of staff who have worked on Kirby & The Amazing Mirror:

Staff of Kirby & The Amazing Mirror  
Company Position Developer(s)
Flagship Director Tomoaki Fukui
Planning Tomoaki Fukui
Shigeki Morihira
Takashi Hamamura
Toyohisa Tanabe
Taiki Ubukata
Dimps Takayuki Sakamoto
Programming Katsuya Koramoto
Takaya Yamane
Shinichi Manabe
Yamato Sobue
Masato Shimizu
Shinichi Shibusawa
Flagship Design Abeno Matsuzaki
Dimps Satoshi Yoshioka
Sadaki Matsumoto
Kaori Aoyama
Shinji Ohara
Tomomi Asano
Ikkei Tanabe
Ayumi Tsuzaki
Toshiya Takagi
Sound Hironobu Inagaki
Atsuyoshi Isemura
HAL Laboratory Technical Advisor Teruyuki Gunji
Debug Ryuki Kuraoka
Shutaro Kobayashi
Shoji Araki
Shigeyoshi Kuwamura
Hiroyo Imai
Takeshi Sasaki

Pole to Win

HAL Debug Team

NOA Product Testing

Super Mario Club
Flagship Coordinator Norihiko Kawabata
HAL Laboratory Hiroaki Suga
Masaru Kobayashi
Nintendo Mari Shirakawa
HAL Laboratory Artwork Tetsuya Notoya
Kazuya Konishi
Atsuko Nakamura
Akiko Hayashi
Kaori Nishimura
Nintendo of America North American Localization Rich Amtower
Bill Trinen
Localization Management Jeff Miller
Leslie Swan
Nintendo of Europe European Localization Noriko Netley
Michaël Hugot
Thomas Aldenhövel
Francesca di Marco
Jesús Espí Tinoco
Nintendo of America Bill Trinen
Flagship Special Thanks Yoshifumi Yamashita
Shiho Tsutsuji
Erina Makino
Tomoko Fukumoto
Dimps Hiroyuki Kawano
Seigo Ito
Yugihiro Deguchi
HAL Laboratory Satoshi Ishida
Chieko Obikane
Hisatoshi Takuchi
GBA Team
Nintendo Hironobu Kakui
Masahiro Takeguchi
Nintendo of America Mike Fukuda
Tatsumi Kimishima
Nintendo of Europe Hitomi Naitoh
NOE Product Testing
Flagship Producer Yasushi Adachi
HAL Laboratory Masayoshi Tanimura
Nintendo Shigeru Miyamoto
Kenji Miki
Executive Producer Satoru Iwata
Special Advisor Masahiro Sakurai
All rights, including the
copyrights of game, scenario,
music and program, reserved
by HAL Laboratory, Inc. and
Nintendo.

©2004 HAL Laboratory, Inc.
/ Nintendo
Developed by Flagship

References to other games

References in later games

Legacy

  • Several enemies introduced in this game would go on to become series regulars; namely Chip, Foley, and Soarar.
  • The Smash Copy Ability, which grants Kirby a condensed version of his Super Smash Bros. series moveset, was first introduced in this game.
  • Dark Meta Knight would eventually become playable in Kirby Star Allies after being re-introduced to the series in Kirby: Triple Deluxe. He has been referenced in several other subsequent titles as well.
  • Shadow Kirby would return in Kirby: Triple Deluxe as the final opponent of the Kirby Fighters Sub-Game, as well as a boss in Kirby Fighters 2. In both of instances, he bears a different appearance from this game. He has also been referenced in multiple other games as well.
  • This was the first game to depict Kirby and Meta Knight as unambiguous allies, a relationship that would become standard for most of the rest of the series.

Unused content

Main article: Kirby & The Amazing Mirror on TCRF
Movement patterns of the unused enemy Stoppy as shown in the demo's debug menu

A demo of the game compiled on December 29, 2003 has been distributed on four Gekkan Nintendo Tentou Demo discs ahead of the game's release in Japan. Players of the demo are presented with a straightforward path towards King Golem, with a few rooms that went cut from the final game, and minor differences in the rooms that were kept. After beating the only Boss of the demo, players are thanked for playing it and provided with an estimated release date in March 2004. The demo features three debug menus which were made inaccessible through regular gameplay, and were removed almost entirely from the final game.

One of the debug menus provides access to sprites and animations of a variety of unused objects. There is a single unused enemy among these objects, found to be called ストッピー (Stoppy) according to a healthbar name entry that was not assigned to any other known enemy in the game.[2] Stoppy takes an appearance of a wind-up clock toy with floating hands.

Unused death pause screen from the demo

An unused placeholder death pause screen existed in the same demo, which notably showed Kirby bleeding to death. The illustration is accompanied by the header "Escaped (dead/phowa)" and flavor text reading "I knew it was impossible.." Kirby's soul is also shown leaving his body with an accompanying annotation reading "something came out."[3] If it made the cut to the final game, it would be one of few instances of blood appearing in a Kirby game, and the first (and the only one as of current day) to not come from a Boss.

Nintendo eShop description

The Mirror World, which exists in the skies of Dream Land, has been invaded by an evil shadow and Kirby's the only one who can save the day! Fortunately, he won't have to go at it alone.

He's been split into four Kirbys of different colors, and he can call up his colorful clones to lend a hand when needed. Summon Red, Yellow, and Green Kirby to help you solve puzzles, fight enemies, or take out the big baddies. Use copy abilities such as the arrow-shooting Cupid Kirby or the melee master Smash Kirby, while platforming through the maze-like world.

Need a break from the action? Try a hand at minigames such as Crackity Hack and Kirby's Wave Ride, which also star our favorite pink hero and friends!

Trivia

Examples of tracks from Farland Story FX and Kirby & The Amazing Mirror that feature musical similarities.
Farland Story FX Kirby & The Amazing Mirror

Map Theme 2

Ruins Area

Map Theme 7

Ending
  • The idea for Flagship to collaborate with HAL Laboratory on a "Flagship Kirby" game came out of a meeting circa 2003 between Masahiro Sakurai and Flagship's founding president, game designer Yoshiki Okamoto. By sheer happenstance, both Okamoto and Sakurai then left their respective companies before the project had borne fruit. Sakurai then contracted with HAL Laboratory and took on the role of Special Advisor to see the project to its conclusion. The role allowed him to advise Flagship on guidelines about the world and gameplay elements of Kirby, and the intention behind the design of Kirby games.[4]
  • This is the first game in the series to not feature King Dedede.
  • In the file select screen, about every half to one minute, night will fall in the background, and later it will dawn again.
  • A few songs from the game's soundtrack bear striking similarities to songs from the Farland Story series of Japanese strategy RPGs. Kirby & The Amazing Mirror's lead composer, Atsuyoshi Isemura, had worked on several Farland Story titles prior to joining Dimps.

Gallery

Main article: Kirby & The Amazing Mirror/gallery

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning
Japanese ほしのカービィ かがみ大迷宮だいめいきゅう
Hoshi no Kābyi Kagami no Daimeikyū
Kirby of the Stars: The Great Labyrinth of the Mirror
Chinese Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
星之卡比 鏡の大迷宮[sic][5]
xīng zhī kǎ bǐ jìng no dà mí gōng
-
Kirby of the Stars: The Great Labyrinth of the Mirror
Dutch Kirby & The Amazing Mirror -
Canadian French Kirby & The Amazing Mirror -
European French Kirby et le Labyrinthe des Miroirs Kirby and the Labyrinth of Mirrors
German Kirby & die wundersame Spiegelwelt Kirby & the wonderful Mirror world
Italian Kirby e il Labirinto degli Specchi Kirby and the Labyrinth of Mirrors
Korean Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
별의 카비 거울의 대미궁[6][7][8]
byeol-ui kabi geoul-ui daemigung
-
Kirby of the Stars: The Great Labyrinth of the Mirror
Portuguese Kirby & The Amazing Mirror -
Latin American Spanish Kirby & The Amazing Mirror -
European Spanish Kirby y el Laberinto de los Espejos Kirby and the Labyrinth of the Mirrors


External links

References

  1. "In this strange and beautiful land, mirrors have the power to make any wishes reflected in them come true."Kirby & The Amazing Mirror instruction manual (page 6)
  2. Another unused healthbar entry, トッコーン (Tokkōn), appears to be an early name of ドッコーン (Dokkōn), the final version's Japanese name for Bang-Bang. There's an early back-up of the enemy names a few blocks away from the one the Demo uses, where the name ミッソー (Missō) appears in place of Tokkōn, another unused name for Bang-Bang, derived from "missile". Etymological root for Tokkōn might be Tokkō, the shorthand form of the official name of Japanese kamikaze during the Second World War. Further information: tcrf:Proto:Kirby & the Amazing Mirror/Graphical Differences#Early Enemy Names
  3. The Cutting Room Floor - Proto:Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
  4. "フラグシップ・カービィ(週刊ファミ通2004年4月2日号、4月9・16日合併号揭載)" –桜井政博のゲームについて思うこと Think about the Video Games (エンターブレイン), pg. 141-145
  5. Game Boy Advance: Nintendo Switch Online
  6. Daiwon CI page for product
  7. Press release
  8. Contemporary coverage on a video game TV magazine on SBS (Internet Archive mirror of VOD (see 03:59-04:56); Wayback Machine archive of SBS VOD page)