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Kirby (series): Difference between revisions

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m (→‎Games: Moved Kirby's Toy Box one place up per its initial JP broadcast date)
m (rainbow curse is the first, but i don't think it's very notable here either way)
Tag: Undo
 
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{{ImCap|image=File:Kirby Series Logo.png|size=208px|align=right|caption=A variation of the official ''Kirby'' logo.}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Kirby'' (series)}}{{ImCap|image=File:New Kirby Series Logo.png|size=208px|align=right|caption=The logo for the ''Kirby'' series, as of ''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]''.}}
The '''''Kirby''''' series is a series consisting of dozens of individual video game titles, remakes and repackagings released by [[Nintendo]] and developed primarily by [[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 on April 27, 1992 and in the US on August 1st, 1992.
'''''Kirby''''' is a series of action-platforming video games starring the titular [[Kirby]], a round pink creature who defeats his foes by [[inhale|inhaling]] them and [[Copy Ability|gaining their powers]]. The ''Kirby'' series was created by [[Masahiro Sakurai]], and most games are developed by [[HAL Laboratory]] and published by [[Nintendo]], making ''Kirby'' a second-party series of Nintendo. ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]'' is the first game in the series, released in 1992. Complementing the cutesy nature of the series characters and settings, the ''Kirby'' series was designed to be enjoyed by all ages, with gameplay mechanics generally leaning towards being easy for inexperienced players to understand, while offering lots of modulation of [[difficulty]] and depth of mechanics to cater to more seasoned players. This design philosophy is summarized by current series director [[Shinya Kumazaki]] as "approachable yet deep".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWdt07ncRxU "The Many Dimensions of Kirby" presentation at GDC]</ref> This philosophy arguably extends beyond the gameplay and into the story, setting, and general lore of the games as well, since the surface-level plot of games tend to be very simple, but lots of hidden nuances can be found if the player digs deep enough.
 
==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
All main series titles are side-scrolling 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 [[Inhaling|inhales]] and swallows them. Kirby has a limited number of lives and a limited amount of [[stamina]]; if 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 [[Goal Game]] which can earn him extra lives.
[[File:KSSU Green Greens screenshot 2.png|thumb|200px|Typical gameplay in the main ''Kirby'' series involves Kirby battling opponents using his [[inhale]] or various [[Copy Ability|Copy Abilities]] to make it to the end of the stage and/or level. This particular image is from [[Green Greens]] in ''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra]]''.]]
The core ''Kirby'' series consists of action/adventure/platformer games broken down into largely linear [[level]]s and/or [[stage]]s, where the main goal in each stage is to either get [[Kirby]] or another player character to the end of the stage (typically taking the form of a star-studded [[door|doorway]]) or defeat a [[boss|large opponent]] in the way, with some stages requiring both. Kirby's unique abilities - his [[inhale]], [[hover]], and [[Copy Ability]] - are what define how the stages and enemies therein are approached and dealt with. In particular, due to Kirby's typically unlimited flight capability, platforming is a lesser focus compared to battling enemies, exploring complex terrain, and solving stage puzzles. There are often many ways to approach any given obstacle, though specific optional tasks often require certain abilities and/or [[item]]s to perform. While traversing stages, the player needs to be mindful of Kirby's [[health]] meter, which decreases whenever he touches or is attacked by an enemy or touches a harmful [[hazard]]. Letting the health meter run out causes Kirby to be defeated, and have to restart the area (or stage if no [[1-Up|extra lives]] remain). Health can typically be restored by picking up a [[food]] item in the stage.


Most main-series titles feature at least one [[Sub-Game]], which can be played within the main game, or outside it in a menu. Unlike the main game, these can vary wildly in play-style, from quick-time games to racing games. Many of these are competitive, and can be played with more than one player. These also tend to vary wildly in size, with some being minor diversions, and others being practically full-fledged games on their own.
Most main-series titles feature at least one [[Sub-Game]], which can be played within the main game, or outside it in a menu. Unlike the main game, these can vary wildly in playstyle, from quick-time games to racing games. Many of these are competitive, and can be played with more than one player. These also tend to vary wildly in size, with some being minor diversions, and others being practically full-fledged games on their own. In some games, after Kirby finishes a stage, he plays a [[Goal Game]] which can earn him extra lives. Up until ''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]'', every main series game was a side-scroller played in two dimensions (even if 3D graphics were used to draw them), though limited 3D interactions were often present in these games starting with ''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]''.


Spin-off titles divert from the main series in a similar manner to Sub-Games, but are much larger in scope and entirely separate titles. These titles often experiment with other genres, and are generally not considered to be [[canon]] with the main series. The most prominent spin-off titles include ''[[Kirby Air Ride]]'' - a full-fledged racing game, ''[[Kirby: Canvas Curse]]'' - a 'touch platformer' where Kirby has to be guided using the [[Nintendo DS]] stylus, and ''[[Kirby's Epic Yarn]]'' - a more traditional platformer, but with fundamentally different mechanics to that of the main series.
Spin-off titles divert from the main series in a similar manner to Sub-Games, but are much larger in scope and entirely separate titles. These titles often experiment with other genres. The most prominent spin-off titles include ''[[Kirby Air Ride]]'' - a full-fledged racing game, ''[[Kirby: Canvas Curse]]'' - a 'touch platformer' where Kirby has to be guided using the [[Nintendo DS]] stylus, and ''[[Kirby's Epic Yarn]]'' - a more traditional platformer, but with fundamentally different mechanics to that of the main series.


==Games==
==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 [[:Category:Cancelled games|were announced but {{UserLang|us=canceled|gb=cancelled}}]] before an official release could happen.
===Main series===
These are the thirteen main platformers in the ''Kirby'' series. They are most easily distinguished through the use of the full series name, "Kirby of the Stars", in their Japanese, Korean, and Chinese titles. These games are traditional platformers that feature Kirby's signature [[inhale|inhaling]] action and (starting with ''[[Kirby's Adventure]]'') [[Copy Ability]].<ref name="DreamFriends">[https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-Kirby-s-Adventure-Wii/Iwata-Asks-Kirby-s-Adventure-Wii/1-The-Three-Lost-Kirby-Games/1-The-Three-Lost-Kirby-Games-230159.html Iwata Asks about ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land'', UK translation: "(Editor's note: the main Kirby series refers to the set of games that, in Japanese, have "Star Kirby" in their title. In these games, Kirby uses his signature Copy Ability of inhaling enemies to absorb their powers.)"]</ref><ref>[https://kotaku.com/kirby-star-allies-developers-explain-how-they-improved-1833813511 Kotaku interview with Shinya Kumazaki about ''Kirby Star Allies''; when asked about Dream Friends, he mentioned that "The rule was to select one character from each title in the main action games over the years, the so-called core Kirby games, the equivalent to numbered sequels."]</ref><ref name="Tenth">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160110174846/https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAAADVHj2Znm1dQ Miiverse post mentioning that ''Kirby: Triple Deluxe'' is the "tenth traditional Kirby platformer"]</ref>


Whether [[#Remakes, compilations, and ports|remakes]] count as individual entries in the main series seems to vary. The developers stated in a [[Miiverse]] post that they consider ''[[Kirby: Triple Deluxe]]'' the tenth mainline ''Kirby'' game, which would exclude the two previous remakes.<ref name="Tenth"/> Furthermore, when it was decided that ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]'' would include one [[Dream Friend]] from each mainline game, remakes were excluded.<ref name="DreamFriends"/> However, the internal codename of ''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]'' is "Kirby15", which counts the two prior remakes of main series games (as it would be the thirteenth mainline game otherwise).
{| class="wikitable sortable" border=1 cellpadding=2
{| class="wikitable sortable" border=1 cellpadding=2
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Boxart
!rowspan=2|Title
!rowspan=2|Title
!rowspan=2|Console
!rowspan=2|Console
!rowspan=2|Main Series
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Original release date
!width=12%|Japan
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Notes
!width=12%|North America
!width=12%|Europe
!width=12%|Australia
!rowspan=2|Notes
|-class="unsortable"
!colspan=4|Original Release Date
|-
|-
|[[File:KDL NA Box.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]''
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]''
|[[Game Boy]]
|[[Game Boy]]
|{{Y}}
|{{Released|Japan|April 27, 1992|NA|August 1, 1992|Europe|December 1992|Australia|December 1992}}
|27 Apr 1992
|
|1 Aug 1992
|3 Aug 1992
|3 Aug 1992
| -
|-
|-
|[[File:KA Box.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Adventure]]''
|''[[Kirby's Adventure]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|{{Y}}
|{{Released|Japan|March 23, 1993|NA|May 1, 1993|Europe|December 1, 1993|Australia|December 1, 1993}}
|23 Mar 1993
|
|1 May 1993
|1 Dec 1993
|1 Dec 1993
| -
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby's Pinball Land]]''
|[[File:KDL2 Box.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land 2]]''
|Game Boy
|Game Boy
|{{N}}
|{{Released|Japan|March 21, 1995|NA|May 1, 1995|Europe|July 31, 1995|Australia|July 31, 1995}}
|27 Nov 1993
|
|{{key|99 }}Nov 1993
|{{key|99 Dec }}1993
|{{key|99 Dec }}1993
| -
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby's Dream Course]]''
|[[File:KSS Box NA.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby Super Star]]''
|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|{{N}}
|{{Released|Japan|March 21, 1996|NA|September 3, 1996|Europe|January 23, 1997|Australia|January 23, 1997}}
|21 Sep 1994
|Inconsistently but occasionally known as ''Kirby's Fun Pak'' in European languages.
|{{key|99 }}Feb 1995
|-
|24 Aug 1994
|[[File:KDL3 Box.jpg|100px]]
|24 Aug 1994
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]''
| -
|Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|{{Released|NA|November 27, 1997|Japan|March 27, 1998}}
|Never saw an original release on the SNES in Europe or Australia, but was later released in those regions via [[Virtual Console]] and [[Nintendo Switch|Nintendo Switch Online]].
|-
|[[File:K64 The Crystal Shards box art.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]''
|[[Nintendo 64]]
|{{Released|Japan|March 24, 2000|NA|June 26, 2000|Europe|June 22, 2001|Australia|June 22, 2001}}
| –
|-
|[[File:KatAM cover art.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]''
|[[Game Boy Advance]]
|{{Released|Japan|April 15, 2004|Europe|July 2, 2004|NA|October 18, 2004|Australia|December 23, 2004}}
| –
|-
|[[File:USCover KSqS.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby: Squeak Squad]]''
|[[Nintendo DS]]
|{{Released|Japan|November 2, 2006|NA|December 4, 2006|Australia|March 1, 2007|Europe|June 22, 2007|South Korea|September 13, 2007}}
|Known as ''Kirby: Mouse Attack'' in British English.
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land 2]]''
|[[File:KRtDL Boxart L.jpg|100px]]
|Game Boy
|''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]''
|{{Y}}
|[[Wii]]
|21 Mar 1995
|{{Released|NA|October 24, 2011|Japan|October 27, 2011|Europe|November 25, 2011|Australia|December 1, 2011|South Korea|September 6, 2012}}
|1 May 1995
|Known as ''Kirby's Adventure Wii'' in European languages.
|31 Jul 1995
|-
|31 Jul 1995
|[[File:KTD Boxart NA.jpg|100px]]
| -
|''[[Kirby: Triple Deluxe]]''
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|{{Released|Japan|January 11, 2014|South Korea|April 17, 2014|NA|May 2, 2014|Europe|May 16, 2014|Australia|May 16, 2014}}
|
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby's Avalanche|{{KA KGT}}]]''
|[[File:KPR Box.png|100px]]
|Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]''
|{{N}}
|Nintendo 3DS
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
|{{Released|Japan|April 28, 2016|South Korea|April 28, 2016|NA|June 10, 2016|Europe|June 10, 2016|Australia|June 11, 2016}}
|25 Apr 1995
|
|1 Feb 1995
|1 Feb 1995
|Known as {{UserLang|us=''Kirby's Ghost Trap'' in the PAL|gb=''Kirby's Avalanche'' in North America}}. Based on ''[[wikipedia:Puyo Puyo|Super Puyo Puyo]]''.
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby's Block Ball]]''
|[[File:KSA Boxart NA.jpg|100px]]
|Game Boy
|''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|{{N}}
|[[Nintendo Switch]]
|14 Dec 1995
|{{Released|Japan|March 16, 2018|NA|March 16, 2018|Europe|March 16, 2018|Australia|March 16, 2018|South Korea|April 26, 2018}}
|{{key|99 }}May 1996
|This is the first main series title to be released on the same day in most regions.
|{{key|99 }}Dec 1995
|{{key|99 }}Dec 1995
| -
|-
|-
|''Kirby no Omochabako'' (''[[Kirby's Toybox]]'')
|[[File:KatFL box art.jpg|100px]]
|[[Satellaview]]
|''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]''
|{{N}}
|Nintendo Switch
|8 Feb 1996
|March 25, 2022
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
|This is the first main series title to be a 3D platformer rather than a 2D one.
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
|}
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
 
|Game collection broadcast over the [[St.GIGA]] network.
===Spin-off games===
These are games that do not follow the traditional formula of the main series, and take on a wide variety of genres.
{| class="wikitable sortable" border=1 cellpadding=2
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Boxart
!rowspan=2|Title
!rowspan=2|Console
!rowspan=2|Genre
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Original release date
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Notes
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby Super Star|{{KSS KFP}}]]''
|[[File:KPL Box.png|100px]]
|Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|''[[Kirby's Pinball Land]]''
|{{Y}}
|[[Game Boy]]
|21 Mar 1996
|Pinball
|23 Sep 1996
|{{Released|Japan|November 27, 1993|NA|November 30, 1993|Europe|December 1, 1993|Australia|1993}}
|30 Dec 1996
| –
|30 Dec 1996
| Known as {{UserLang|us=''Kirby's Fun Pak'' in the PAL|gb=''Kirby Super Star'' in North America}}.
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby's Star Stacker]]''
|[[File:KDC Cover.jpg|100px]]
|Game Boy
|''[[Kirby's Dream Course]]''
|{{N}}
|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|25 Jan 1997
|Sports
|18 Mar 1997
|{{Released|Japan|September 21, 1994|NA|February 1, 1995|Europe|August 24, 1995|Australia|August 24, 1995}}
|20 Oct 1997
|
|20 Oct 1997
| -
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]''
|[[File:KAv Box 2.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Avalanche]]''
|Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|{{Y}}
|Puzzle
|27 Mar 1998
|{{Released|Europe|February 1, 1995|NA|April 25, 1995}}
|27 Nov 1997
|Known as ''Kirby's Ghost Trap'' in European languages. Based on ''[[wikipedia:Puyo Puyo|Super Puyo Puyo]]''. Never saw a release in Japan.
|24 Jul 2009
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
| -
|-
|-
|''Kirby no Kirakira Kizzu'' (''[[Kirby's Super Star Stacker]]'')
|[[File:KBBa Box.jpg|100px]]
|Super Famicom
|''[[Kirby's Block Ball]]''
|{{N}} (remake)
|Game Boy
|25 Jun 1999
|Action
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
|{{Released|Japan|December 14, 1995|NA|May 13, 1996|Europe|August 29, 1996}}
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
|
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
|Enhanced port of ''Kirby's Star Stacker''.
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]''
|[[File:KSSGB Box.jpg|100px]]
|[[Nintendo 64]]
|''[[Kirby's Star Stacker (Game Boy)|Kirby's Star Stacker]]''
|{{Y}}
|Game Boy
|24 Mar 2000
|Puzzle
|26 Jun 2000
|{{Released|Japan|January 25, 1997|NA|April 7, 1997|Europe|October 20, 1997|Australia|October 20, 1997}}
|22 Jun 2001
|
|22 Jun 2001
| -
|-
|-
|[[File:KTnT Box.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble]]''
|''[[Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble]]''
|[[Game Boy Color]]
|[[Game Boy Color]]
|{{N}}
|Motion-controlled action
|23 Aug 2000
|{{Released|Japan|August 23, 2000|NA|April 11, 2001}}
|11 Apr 2001
|Never saw an original release on the Game Boy Color in Europe or Australia, but was later released in those regions via [[Nintendo Switch|Nintendo Switch Online]].
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
| -
|-
|''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]''
|[[Game Boy Advance]]
|{{Y}} (remake)
|25 Oct 2002
|2 Dec 2002
|26 Sep 2003
|27 Jan 2004
|Remake of ''Kirby's Adventure''.
|-
|-
|[[File:Kirby Air Ride boxart.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby Air Ride]]''
|''[[Kirby Air Ride]]''
|[[Nintendo GameCube]]
|[[Nintendo GameCube]]
|{{N}}
|Racing
|11 Jul 2003
|{{Released|Japan|July 11, 2003|NA|October 13, 2003|Europe|February 20, 2004|Australia|March 30, 2004}}
|13 Oct 2003
|
|20 Feb 2004
|30 Mar 2004
| -
|-
|''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]''
|Game Boy Advance
|{{Y}}
|15 Apr 2004
|18 Oct 2004
|2 Jul 2004
|{{key|99 Dec }}2005
| -
|-
|-
|[[File:Kirby Canvas Curse box art.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby: Canvas Curse]]''
|''[[Kirby: Canvas Curse]]''
|[[Nintendo DS]]
|[[Nintendo DS]]
|{{N}}
|Touch-controlled platformer
|24 Mar 2005
|{{Released|Japan|March 24, 2005|NA|June 13, 2005|Europe|November 25, 2005|Australia|April 6, 2006}}
|13 Jun 2005
|Known as ''Kirby: Power Paintbrush'' in British English.
|25 Nov 2005
|6 Apr 2006
|Known as ''Kirby: Power Paintbrush'' in Europe.
|-
|''[[Kirby: Squeak Squad|{{KSS KMA}}]]''
|Nintendo DS
|{{Y}}
|2 Nov 2006
|6 Dec 2006
|22 Jun 2007
|28 Feb 2007
|{{userLang|us=Known as ''Kirby: Mouse Attack'' in Europe.|gb=Known as ''Kirby: Squeak Squad'' in North America.}}
|-
|''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra]]''
|Nintendo DS
|{{Y}} (remake)
|6 Nov 2008
|22 Sep 2008
|27 Nov 2008
|18 Sep 2009
|Enhanced remake of ''Kirby Super Star''.
|-
|-
|[[File:KEY NA box art.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Epic Yarn]]''
|''[[Kirby's Epic Yarn]]''
|[[Wii]]
|[[Wii]]
|{{N}}
|Platformer
|14 Oct 2010
|{{Released|Japan|October 14, 2010|NA|October 17, 2010|Australia|February 24, 2011|Europe|February 25, 2011|South Korea|September 1, 2011}}
|17 Oct 2010
|
|25 Feb 2011
|24 Feb 2011
| -
|-
|-
|[[File:Kirby Mass Attack cover.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby Mass Attack]]''
|''[[Kirby Mass Attack]]''
|Nintendo DS
|Nintendo DS
|{{N}}
|Touch-controlled platformer
|4 Aug 2011
|{{Released|Japan|August 4, 2011|NA|September 19, 2011|Australia|October 27, 2011|Europe|October 28, 2011}}
|19 Sep 2011
|
|28 Oct 2011
|27 Oct 2011
| -
|-
|''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land|{{KRDL KAW}}]]''
|Wii
|{{Y}}
|27 Oct 2011
|24 Oct 2011
|25 Nov 2011
|1 Dec 2011
| Known as {{UserLang|us=''Kirby's Adventure Wii'' in the PAL|gb=''Kirby's Return to Dream Land'' in North America}}.
|-
|''[[Kirby's Dream Collection]]''
|Wii
|{{Y}} (re-release)
|19 Jul 2012
|16 Sep 2012
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
|Compilation of ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]'', ''[[Kirby's Adventure]]'', ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 2]]'', ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'', ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]'' and ''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]'' to celebrate Kirby's 20th anniversary. Includes a soundtrack CD and 45 page book containing artwork and other behind-the-scenes information covering Kirby's history.
|-
|''[[Kirby: Triple Deluxe]]''
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|{{Y}}
|11 Jan 2014
|2 May 2014
|16 May 2014
|16 May 2014
| -
|-
|-
|[[File:KFD Cover art.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby Fighters Deluxe]]''
|''[[Kirby Fighters Deluxe]]''
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|[[Nintendo 3DS]] (eShop)
|{{N}}
|Fighting
|23 Jul, 2014
|{{Released|Japan|July 23, 2014|NA|August 29, 2014|South Korea|September 24, 2014|Europe|February 13, 2015|Australia|February 13, 2015}}
|29 Aug, 2014
|Based on [[Kirby Fighters]] from ''Kirby: Triple Deluxe''.
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
| Based on [[Kirby Fighters]] from ''Triple Deluxe''
|-
|-
|[[File:DDDD Cover art.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe]]''
|''[[Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe]]''
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|Nintendo 3DS (eShop)
|{{N}}
|Rhythm/platformer
|23 Jul, 2014
|{{Released|Japan|July 23, 2014|NA|August 29, 2014|South Korea|September 24, 2014|Europe|February 13, 2015|Australia|February 13, 2015}}
|29 Aug, 2014
|Based on [[Dedede's Drum Dash]] from ''Kirby: Triple Deluxe''.
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
|align=center|{{key|99 Dec 9999}}{{N}}
| Based on [[Dedede's Drum Dash]] from ''Triple Deluxe''
|-
|-
|[[File:KatRC NA box art.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby and the Rainbow Curse]]''
|''[[Kirby and the Rainbow Curse]]''
|[[Wii U]]
|[[Wii U]]
|{{N}}
|Touch-controlled platformer
|22 Jan 2015
|{{Released|Japan|January 22, 2015|NA|February 20, 2015|Europe|May 8, 2015|Australia|May 9, 2015}}
|20 Feb 2015
|A spiritual successor to ''Kirby: Canvas Curse''. Known as ''Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush'' in British English.
|8 May 2015
|9 May 2015
| Spiritual successor to ''[[Kirby: Canvas Curse]]''. Called ''Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush'' in PAL.
|-
|''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]''
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|{{Y}}
|28 Apr 2016
|10 Jun 2016
|10 Jun 2016
|11 Jun 2016
| -
|-
|-
|[[File:TKCD logo.png|100px]]
|''[[Team Kirby Clash Deluxe]]''
|''[[Team Kirby Clash Deluxe]]''
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|Nintendo 3DS (eShop)
|{{N}}
|Action/role-playing
|12 Apr 2017
|{{Released|NA|April 12, 2017|Japan|April 13, 2017|Europe|April 13, 2017|Australia|April 13, 2017}}
|12 Apr 2017
|Based on [[Team Kirby Clash]] from ''Kirby: Planet Robobot''.
|13 Apr 2017
| -
| Based on [[Team Kirby Clash]] from ''Planet Robobot''
|-
|-
|[[File:KBBl cover art.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Blowout Blast]]''
|''[[Kirby's Blowout Blast]]''
|Nintendo 3DS (eShop)
|Platformer
|{{Released|Japan|July 4, 2017|South Korea|July 4, 2017|NA|July 6, 2017|Europe|July 6, 2017|Australia|July 6, 2017}}
|Based on [[Kirby 3D Rumble]] from ''Kirby: Planet Robobot''.
|-
|[[File:KBR box art.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]''
|Nintendo 3DS
|Action/fighting
|{{Released|Europe|November 3, 2017|Australia|November 4, 2017|Japan|November 30, 2017|NA|January 19, 2018|South Korea|February 1, 2018}}
|This is the first game in the series to feature full online multiplayer.
|-
|[[File:SKC eShop artwork.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Super Kirby Clash]]''
|[[Nintendo Switch]] (eShop)
|Action/role-playing
|{{Released|NA|September 4, 2019|Japan|September 5, 2019|Europe|September 5, 2019|Australia|September 5, 2019|South Korea|September 5, 2019}}
|A successor to ''[[Team Kirby Clash Deluxe]]''.
|-
|[[File:KF2 logo.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby Fighters 2]]''
|Nintendo Switch (eShop)
|Fighting
|{{Released|NA|September 23, 2020|Japan|September 24, 2020|Europe|September 24, 2020|Australia|September 24, 2020|South Korea|September 24, 2020}}
|A successor to ''[[Kirby Fighters Deluxe]]''.
|-
|[[File:KDB cover art.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Dream Buffet]]''
|Nintendo Switch (eShop)
|Action/racing
|August 17, 2022
|–
|}
===Remakes, compilations, and ports===
These games are re-releases of older games for newer systems, often enhancing graphics and adding additional content.
{| class="wikitable sortable" border=1 cellpadding=2
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Boxart
!rowspan=2|Title
!rowspan=2|Console
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Original release date
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Notes
|-
|[[File:KSSS Box.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Star Stacker (Super Famicom)|Kirby's Star Stacker]]''
|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]]
|{{Released|Japan|June 25, 1999}}
|A remake of the Game Boy title of the same name. Never saw an original release on the SNES outside of Japan, but was later released in other regions via [[Nintendo Switch|Nintendo Switch Online]].
|-
|[[File:KNiDL box artwork.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]''
|[[Game Boy Advance]]
|{{Released|Japan|October 25, 2002|NA|December 2, 2002|Europe|September 26, 2003|Australia|January 27, 2004}}
|A remake of ''Kirby's Adventure''.
|-
|[[File:KSS Ultra box art.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra]]''
|[[Nintendo DS]]
|{{Released|NA|September 22, 2008|Japan|November 6, 2008|South Korea|November 13, 2008|Australia|November 27, 2008|Europe|September 18, 2009}}
|A remake of ''Kirby Super Star''.
|-
|[[File:KA 3DS logo.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Adventure#3D Classics|3D Classics: Kirby's Adventure]]''
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|{{N}}
|{{Released|NA|November 17, 2011|Europe|November 17, 2011|Australia|November 17, 2011|Japan|April 25, 2012}}
|4 July 2017
|A recreation of ''Kirby's Adventure'', featuring the same spritework and gameplay but with enhanced color, shading, and 3D effects. This version also fixes the frame drops the original version had.
|6 July 2017
|6 July 2017
|6 July 2017
| Based on [[Kirby 3D Rumble]] from ''Planet Robobot''
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby: Battle Royale]]''
|[[File:Kirby's Dream Collection box art.png|100px]]
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|''[[Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition]]''
|{{N}}
|[[Wii]]
|30 Nov 2017
|{{Released|Japan|July 19, 2012|NA|September 16, 2012}}
|19 Jan 2018
|A compilation of ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]'', ''[[Kirby's Adventure]]'', ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 2]]'', ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'', ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]'', and ''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]'' that also includes an original game mode called [[New Challenge Stages]], a soundtrack CD and 45 page book containing artwork and other behind-the-scenes information covering Kirby's history, released to celebrate the [[Kirby Anniversary#Kirby 20th Anniversary (2012)|Kirby 20th Anniversary]]. Never saw a release in Europe or Australia.
|3 Nov 2017
|-
|4 Nov 2017
|[[File:KEEY Rated Cover.jpg|100px]]
|This is the first game in the series to feature full online multiplayer.
|''[[Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn]]''
|Nintendo 3DS
|{{Released|Japan|March 7, 2019|NA|March 8, 2019|Europe|March 8, 2019|Australia|March 9, 2019|South Korea|April 12, 2019}}
|An enhanced port of ''Kirby's Epic Yarn''.
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|[[File:KRtDLD_Boxart_NA.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe]]''
|[[Nintendo Switch]]
|[[Nintendo Switch]]
|{{Y}}
|February 24, 2023
|16 Mar 2018
|A remake of ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land''.
|16 Mar 2018
|}
|16 Mar 2018
 
|16 Mar 2018
===Other games===
|This is the first main series title to be released on the same day in all regions.
The following ''Kirby'' games are small spin-off or peripheral titles. They are not considered to be part of the core ''Kirby'' series by Nintendo or HAL Laboratory.
{| class="wikitable sortable" border=1 cellpadding=2
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Boxart
!rowspan=2|Title
!rowspan=2|Console
!rowspan=2|Genre
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Original release date
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Notes
|-
|-
|''[[Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn]]''
|[[File:KTB title.png|100px]]
|[[Nintendo 3DS]]
|''[[Kirby's Toy Box]]''
|{{N}} (port)
|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]]<br>([[nwiki:Satellaview|Satellaview]])
|7 Mar 2019
|Various
|8 Mar 2019
|{{Released|Japan|February 8, 1996}}
|8 Mar 2019
|A collection of mini-games broadcast over the [[mariowiki:St.GIGA|St.GIGA]] network, exclusive to Japan.
|9 Mar 2019
|-
|Enhanced port of ''Kirby's Epic Yarn''.
|[[File:Kirby_Slide_gameplay_2.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby Slide]]''
|[[Game Boy Advance]] (e-Reader card)
|Puzzle
|{{Released|NA|December 2003}}
|A ''Kirby''-themed puzzle slider mini-game.
|-
|[[File:Kirby Sparkling Medal Land.jpg|x100px|center]]
|''[[Kirby: Sparkling Medal Land]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20091105040312/http://www.atlus.co.jp/am/products/detail/detail_medal006.html Archived Atlus products page]</ref>
|Arcade machine
|Various
|{{Released|Japan|March 2006<ref>[http://www.am-j.co.jp/newmachine/200603/004.html Amusement Journal]</ref>}}
|Includes 15 different minigames based on ''[[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]''. Licensed medal throwing Kirby game by [[wikipedia:Atlus|Atlus]].
|-
|[[File:Kirby Magical Tower of Medal Land.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby: Magical Tower of Medal Land]]<ref>[https://www.hallab.co.jp/eng/works/detail/002772/ HAL Laboratory's Website]</ref>
|Arcade machine
|Various
|{{Released|Japan|December 2007}}
|Mentioned in the Japanese version of ''[[Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition]]''. Licensed Kirby game by Atlus.
|-
|[[File:KPN_Namco_Arcade.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby: PakuPaku Gourmet Race]]''
|Arcade machine
|Action
|{{Released|Japan|December 2021 <small>(location test)</small>}}{{Released|Japan|October 2022 <small>(general)</small>}}
|Licensed Kirby game distributed by Bandai Namco. The machine underwent a location test at namco Lazona Kawasaki between December 24, 2021 and January 10, 2022.<ref>{{twitterlink|bnam_jp|1474213240351588352|wbsnap=true}} for the announcement; {{twitterlink|bnam_jp|1474214497531281410|wbsnap=true}} showing the test machine in action</ref> Later in 2022, Bandai Namco announced the game would roll out first to namco locations starting on October 24, 2022<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoZUxtx4bzE 【BNAM公式】10月24日より順次稼働「星のカービィ ぱくぱくグルメレース」 PV - YouTube]</ref><ref>{{twitterlink|bnam_jp|1584389215776870400|wbsnap=true|wbtime=20231008190847}} of the namco rollout announcement; {{twitterlink|bnam_jp|1584417429710458881|wbsnap=true|wbtime=20231008190755}} calling back to the location test</ref>, followed by a more general rollout across game centers nationwide starting on November 16, 2022.<ref>{{twitterlink|bnam_jp|1592714072285319169|wbsnap=true|wbtime=20231008191131}}</ref><br>The overall object of the game is to lob as many balls and (less abundant) Maxim Tomatoes as possible into Kirby's mouth, in two rounds (with points doubled for the second round) and a bonus "[[Goal Game]]".<ref>[https://bandainamco-am.co.jp/am/vg/kirby/ Official website for ''Kirby: PakuPaku Gourmet Race''] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20221024034317/https://bandainamco-am.co.jp/am/vg/kirby/ Wayback Machine snapshot])</ref> The machine features a voiceover and clips of Kirby's voice, as well as music from ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'' including the [[Gourmet Race (theme)|Gourmet Race theme]] and the [[Invincible Candy (theme from Kirby's Dream Land)|Invincible Candy music]].<ref>The Gourmet Race theme features prominently in promotional material for the game; other audio elements like the Invincible Candy theme are evident in unofficial videos of gameplay ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrsvsvFm074 from the Kawasaki location test] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxKfQUGqb5k after official rollout]).</ref>
|}
|}


==Main Characters==
===Canceled games===
===Kirby===
There are at least six known ''Kirby'' games that were under development at some point but were never released. They are regarded as [[:Category:Canceled games|canceled games]].
{{ImCap|image=File:Kirby Allies.png|size=130px|align=right|caption=Artwork of Kirby from ''Kirby Star Allies''.}}
{{main|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 {{installment}}s, 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===
{| class="wikitable sortable" border=1 cellpadding=2
{{ImCap|image=File:Dedede Allies.png|size=160px|align=left|caption=Artwork of King Dedede from ''Kirby Star Allies''.}}
|-
{{main|King Dedede}}
!rowspan=2|Title
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 {{UserLang|us=antagonizing|gb=antagonising}} 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.
!rowspan=2|Console
!class=unsortable rowspan=2|Notes
|-
|''[[Kid Kirby]]''
|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Nintendo]]
|A point-and-click platformer starring a young Kirby. Canceled due to poor sales of the Super NES Mouse and inability to be played with traditional joypad controls.
|-
|''[[Kirby Ball 64]]''
|[[Nintendo 64]]
|The first known 3D ''Kirby'' game. A prototype most likely originally meant to be a sequel to ''[[Kirby's Dream Course]]'', shortly later retooled into ''Kirby's Air Ride''.
|-
|''[[Kirby's Air Ride (Nintendo 64)|Kirby's Air Ride]]''
|Nintendo 64
|A 3D racing game. Eventually released as ''[[Kirby Air Ride]]'' on the [[Nintendo GameCube]].
|-
|''[[Kirby Family]]''
|[[Game Boy Color]]
|A set of sewing patterns based on ''Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards'', designed to be printed by an embroidery machine that connected to the Game Boy Color. Planned as the ''Kirby'' equivalent of ''[[mariowiki:Mario Family|Mario Family]]'', but canceled due to a lack of interest.
|-
|''[[Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble 2]]''
|[[Nintendo GameCube]]
|A planned follow-up title to ''[[Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble]]'', which eventually dropped the ''Kirby'' name and became ''Roll-O-Rama'' before ultimately being scrapped. Had it been released, it would have been the first title to demonstrate the connectivity between the Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance.
|-
|''[[Kirby for Nintendo GameCube]]''
|Nintendo GameCube
|A 2.5D main-series game for [[Nintendo GameCube]] featuring a revamped [[Helper]] system based on that of ''Kirby Super Star'', four-player multiplayer, and the camera perspective of ''Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards''. It was scrapped due to issues designing levels playable in both single player and multiplayer. Had it released, it would have become the eighth mainline ''Kirby'' game. Three more builds followed, with only the last being released as ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land''. The three unreleased builds are collectively referred to by fans as "the three lost ''Kirby'' games".
|}


===Meta Knight===
==Main characters==
{{ImCap|image=File:Meta Knight Allies.png|size=240px|align=right|caption=Artwork of Meta Knight from ''Kirby Star Allies''.}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" border=1 cellpadding=2
{{main|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 {{UserLang|us=honorable duelist|gb=honourable duellist}}, 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.
!class=unsortable|Artwork
!Name
!Description
|-
|{{center|[[File:KRtDLD Kirby.png|130px]]}}
|[[Kirby]]
|Kirby is the hero of the franchise and the primary playable character in each game ([[Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe|with one exception]]). His powers, which are vital to the gameplay of most installments, 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 named [[Dream Land]], the planet [[Popstar]] on which it is located or even the entire galaxy from the respective game's main antagonist.
|-
|{{center|[[File:KRtDLD King Dedede.png|180px]]}}
|[[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 Kirby, most notably in ''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]'' and ''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]'', where he is one of the game's main heroes.
|-
|{{center|[[File:KRtDLD Meta Knight.png|160px]]}}
|[[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 seemingly antagonistic towards Kirby, he serves as a stalwart ally to the pink puffball more often than not, and any misgivings they may have had over the sinking of the [[Halberd]] seem to have been mended. When Meta Knight is inclined to battle with Kirby, no matter the circumstance, he provides Kirby with a [[sword]] in order to force a fair fight. He is the leader of a group of warriors known as the [[Meta-Knights]], who Kirby often has to battle against.
|-
|{{center|[[File:KRtDLD Bandana Waddle Dee.png|160px]]}}
|[[Bandana Waddle Dee]]
|A [[Waddle Dee]] who is distinguished only by his blue bandana, Bandana Waddle Dee is one of King Dedede's most loyal subjects, but is also very good friends with Kirby. He can wield both a [[Spear]] and a [[Parasol]] in combat with good efficacy, but he sometimes avoids fighting and aims to help the main characters by tossing them [[Assist Star]]s instead. He got his first major role in ''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]'', and he went on to become a recurring major character in the ''Kirby'' franchise.
|}


===Bandana Waddle Dee===
The series has many other characters, some of which have rather significant presences in many games. More information can be found on the [[Character]] page.
{{ImCap|image=File:Bandana Friend Allies.png|size=160px|align=left|caption=Artwork of Bandana Waddle Dee from ''Kirby Star Allies''.}}
{{main|Bandana Waddle Dee}}
A [[Waddle Dee]] who is distinguished only by his blue bandana, Bandana Waddle Dee is one of King Dedede's most loyal subjects. However, he is also very good friends with Kirby, forcing him to sometimes choose between the two. He can wield both a [[Spear]] and a [[Parasol (ability)|Parasol]] in combat with good efficacy, but he usually avoids fighting unless necessary, aiming to help the main characters by tossing them [[Assist Star]]s instead.  He got his first starring role in ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land'', and he went on to become a recurring major character in the ''Kirby'' franchise.


{{clear}}
==Sales==
As of September 2023, the entire ''Kirby'' series has sold over 49.98 million copies worldwide.


==Minor Characters==
For 30 years, the original ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]'' had been the bestselling ''Kirby'' game of all time. Its sales numbers were surpassed by ''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]'' by the end of September 2022.<ref>https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2022/221108_8e.pdf</ref>
{{spoilers}}
Lesser-known characters who have made more than one plot-significant appearance in the series include the following:


{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2"
{| class="sortable wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="2"
!colspan=6|'''Notable minor characters in the ''Kirby'' series''' &nbsp;
!Game
!Sales numbers
!As of
!Reference(s)
|-
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]''
|5.13 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation">https://www.installbaseforum.com/forums/threads/nintendo-software-and-hardware-sales-data-from-1983-to-present.170/</ref>
|-
|''[[Kirby's Adventure]]''
|1.75 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby's Pinball Land]]''
|2.19 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby's Dream Course]]''
|0.369 million*
|March 12th, 1995
|<ref name="GameDataLibrary">https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search</ref>
|-
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land 2]]''
|2.36 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby's Block Ball]]''
|0.063 million*
|January 7th, 1996
|<ref name="GameDataLibrary"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby Super Star]]''
|1.44 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby's Star Stacker (Game Boy)|Kirby's Star Stacker]]''
|0.069 million*
|June 29th, 1997
|<ref name="GameDataLibrary"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]''
|0.076 million*
|June 28th, 1998
|<ref name="GameDataLibrary"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]''
|1.77 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble]]''
|1.23 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]''
|2.10 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby Air Ride]]''
|1.35 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]''
|1.47 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby: Canvas Curse]]''
|0.315 million*
|December 31st, 2006
|<ref name="GameDataLibrary"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby: Squeak Squad]]''
|2.27 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra]]''
|2.99 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby's Epic Yarn]]''
|1.85 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|''[[Kirby Mass Attack]]''
|1.22 million
|December 31st, 2014
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|-
|-
! '''Character'''
|''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]''
! '''Picture'''
|1.93 million
! '''Games'''
|September 30th, 2023
! '''Role(s)'''
|<ref name="Nintendo2023Q2">https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2023/231108e.pdf</ref>
! '''Description'''
! '''Notes'''
|-
|-
|'''Kirby's [[Animal Friend]]s'''
|''[[Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition]]''
|[[File:Animal Friends Allies.png|180px]]
|0.246 million*
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land 2]]'', ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]'', ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]'', many smaller cameos in other titles
|December 29th, 2013
|Serve as Kirby's companions, and can pair up with him for combination attacks.
|<ref name="GameDataLibrary"/>
|Several large animals help Kirby out during some of his adventures, letting him ride them and putting their own spin on his [[Copy Ability]] attacks. While they have seemingly retired since the events of ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]'', they can often be seen in the background or as cameos in more recent titles, most recently appearing as [[Dream Friend]]s and as part of the [[Clean|Cleaning]] move-set in ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''.
|[[Chuchu]], [[Nago]], and [[Pitch]] are not shown in the image.
 
|-
|-
|'''[[Gooey]]'''
|''[[Kirby: Triple Deluxe]]''
|[[File:Gooey Allies.png|150px]]
|2.66 million
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land 2]]'', ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]'', ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|December 31st, 2022
|One of Kirby's companions, who operates separately from him.
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|Gooey is a blue blob creature with a long tongue and beady eyes which tend to wander. He is made of the same stuff as [[Dark Matter]], but is not evil, instead becoming good friends with Kirby and being somewhat goofy in character. Gooey can grab enemies with his tongue and copy their abilities like Kirby, and he can also transform into a 'Mock Matter' form in order to fly about and fire dark lasers like his evil counterparts.
|
 
|-
|-
|'''[[Ribbon]]'''
|''[[Kirby Fighters Deluxe]]''
|[[File:KSA_Ribbon.png|150px]]
|0.005 million*
|''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]'', ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|August 3rd, 2014
|Supporting ally for Kirby.
|<ref name="GameDataLibrary"/>
|Ribbon is a young fairy girl who hails from [[Ripple Star]]. She is assaulted by [[Dark Matter]] while trying to usher the [[Crystal Shard|great crystal]] to safety, which leads to Kirby helping her get the shattered crystal pieces back. Ribbon directly assists Kirby in the final battle against [[0²]].
|Ribbon appears alongside [[Adeleine]] in ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]'', with the two serving together as a [[Dream Friend]].
 
|-
|-
|'''[[Adeleine]]'''
|''[[Kirby and the Rainbow Curse]]''
|[[File:KSA_Adeleine.png|150px]]
|0.092 million*
|''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]'', ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|December 27th, 2015
|A supporting ally for Kirby, as well as a Boss-like opponent when possessed.
|<ref name="GameDataLibrary"/>
|A young painter girl who came to Popstar from another world to study art. She befriends Kirby and paints items for him to use on his adventures, but she is also possessed by the villainous [[Dark Matter]], and forced to fight her pink friend. Adeleine is a very talented painter, as her paintings will often pop out of the frame becoming the genuine objects, including [[food]] and other helpful items.
|Some ambiguity still remains as to whether or not Adeleine and [[Ado]] from ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]'' are the same character or two different ones.
 
|-
|-
|'''[[Marx]]'''
|''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]''
|[[File:Marx Allies.png|120px]]
|1.64 million
|''[[Kirby Super Star]]'' (''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra|Ultra]]''), ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|December 31st, 2022
|A final boss who betrays Kirby, as well as a [[Dream Friend]] who helps him.
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|An unassuming jester who can be seen balancing on a ball. He tasks Kirby to stop the sun and moon from fighting by calling upon the [[Galactic Nova]] to grant him a wish to do so, but betrays Kirby by stealing the wish and using it to grant himself immense power. Kirby then has to defeat him by disabling Galactic Nova, then engaging Marx in combat, causing both to be destroyed in the end. Marx also appears in ''Kirby Star Allies'' as a playable [[Dream Friend]] where he retains characteristics from his normal form and his mutated boss form.
|It is debatable whether or not [[Dream Friend]] Marx is the same as ''Super Star'' Marx, as many presumed the latter to be dead at the end of [[Milky Way Wishes]].
 
|-
|-
|'''[[Dark Meta Knight]]'''
|''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]''
|[[File:DMK ArtworkKSA.png|150px]]
|0.193 million*
|''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]'', ''[[Kirby: Triple Deluxe]]'', ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|December 30th, 2018
|A villain who appears once as an ally.
|<ref name="GameDataLibrary"/>
|An evil [[Mirror World]] counterpart to [[Meta Knight]] who acts as an agent of [[Dark Mind]]. He was responsible for sealing Meta Knight away in ''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]'', and also split Kirby into four nearly-identical copies (a questionable tactic). As the series progressed, Dark Meta Knight gradually gained more and more distinguishing features, such as the slash mark on his mask and his tattered wings, along with his Mirror Galaxia sword.
|
 
|-
|-
|'''[[Daroach]]'''
|''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|[[File:Daroach Allies.png|200px]]
|4.38 million
|''[[Kirby: Squeak Squad]]'', ''[[Kirby Mass Attack]]'', ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|December 31st, 2022
|An enemy and ally to Kirby.
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|A wily magician mouse who leads the thieving band known as the [[Squeaks]]. He causes trouble for Kirby the first time they meet, but they later become allies. He possesses the [[Triple Star]] Cane, a powerful weapon which can be used to destroy evil entities like [[Dark Nebula]].
|
 
|-
|-
|'''[[Magolor]]'''
|''[[Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn]]''
|[[File:KRTDL Captain.png|150px]]
|0.025 million*
|''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]'', ''[[Kirby's Dream Collection]]'', ''[[Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe]]'', ''[[Team Kirby Clash Deluxe]]'', ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|June 30th, 2019
|A final boss who betrays Kirby, but also acts as support.
|<ref name="GameDataLibrary"/>
|An alien wizard and known fibber from the planet [[Halcandra]]. He pilots the [[Lor Starcutter]], an [[Ancients|ancient]] starship capable of traveling across dimensions. Kirby and co. agree to help him when his ruined ship comes crashing down to Popstar by collecting the pieces, but why he crashed in the first place is a bit of a mystery. In ''Team Kirby Clash Deluxe'', he runs the [[Gem Apple]] [[Magolor's Shoppe|Shoppe]], selling Team Kirby everything they need for their adventure.
|Magolor from ''Team Kirby Clash Deluxe'' is likely an alternate-universe version of Magolor from the other titles.
 
|-
|-
|'''[[Taranza]]'''
|''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]''
|[[File:Taranza.png|150px]]
|6.96 million
|''[[Kirby: Triple Deluxe]]'', ''[[Team Kirby Clash Deluxe]]'', ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|September 30th, 2023
|A villain who eventually turns to Kirby's side.
|<ref name="Nintendo2023Q2"/>
|An arachnid mage from [[Floralia]], who sought nothing else but to please his [[Queen Sectonia|gracious queen]]. When she desired to take over the land, Taranza supported her by capturing the hero of [[Dream Land]], though he didn't quite get the right man. When this became apparent, the queen, mad with power, struck him away, causing him to doubt his loyalty, and join forces with Kirby and King Dedede to put her out of her misery.
|Like with Magolor, Taranza from ''Team Kirby Clash Deluxe'' is a different version of ''Taranza'' from the main series.
 
|-
|-
|'''[[Susie]]'''
|''[[Kirby's Dream Buffet]]''
|[[File:Susie.png|100px]]
|0.019 million*
|''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]'', ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|September 25th, 2022
|A villain who eventually turns to Kirby's side.
|<ref name="GameDataLibrary"/>
|Once the Executive Assistant of the [[Haltmann Works Company]], Susie is heavily armed with advanced alien technology, including a blaster, a rotor-based transporter, and most notoriously, her giant mechanical business suit. She was an enemy to Kirby during the occupation of Planet [[Popstar]], but reluctantly turned to his side after her father was taken by [[Star Dream]].
|
 
|-
|-
|'''[[Dark Matter]]'''
|''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe]]''
|[[File:K64 S DarkMatter.png|150px]]
|1.82 million
|''[[Kirby's Dream Land 2]]'', ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]'', ''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]'', other forms appear in other titles
|June 30th, 2023
|Consistent villain throughout all of its appearances.
|<ref name="CesaCompilation"/>
|An evil entity which often takes the form of a circular cloud of black energy with a single large eye and sometimes frills on its sides. Its main characteristic is its ability to engulf worlds and possess their inhabitants. Kirby often has to battle possessed characters in order to free them from Dark Matter's grasp. To actually drive off Dark Matter, Kirby often needs to use a special weapon or ability to pierce its core and defeat it from within.
|Other beings associated with Dark Matter include [[Zero]], [[0²]], [[Dark Nebula]], the [[Master Crown]] (speculative), and [[Void Termina]].
 
|}
|}


==Other Characters==
Games marked with an * only have sales numbers in Japan available.
Many more minor characters appear in the series, and while many have significant roles in the plot of the games they appear in, their influence is only in that one game. The following navigation box lists them off:
{{Navbox-Characters}}


{{clear}}
==Trivia==
*Originally, the English ''Kirby'' logo used a proprietary font, which was seen from ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]'' to ''[[Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble]]''. ''[[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]'' introduced a new English logo based on the Helvetica Rounded Bold typeface, which was adopted with ''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]'' and used for most games up to ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''. Coinciding with the 30th anniversary, another new English logo debuted with ''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]'', using the Seurat Pro EB typeface.
*So far, the platform with the most original ''Kirby'' games is the [[Nintendo 3DS]], with seven entries (nine if counting remakes).
*At least one ''Kirby'' game has been released on every non-[[wikipedia:Dedicated console|dedicated]] Nintendo console, with the exception of the Virtual Boy.
*On their official website, HAL Laboratory keeps a [https://www.hallab.co.jp/works/series/kirby/ list] of every ''Kirby'' game they have developed. ''[[Kirby's Avalanche]]'', ''[[Kirby's Block Ball]]'',  ''[[Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble]]'', ''[[Kirby's Epic Yarn]]'', and ''[[Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn]]'' are not present on HAL's list, despite being officially counted as part of the ''Kirby'' series, because they were developed primarily by other companies ([[wikipedia:Compile (company)|Compile]], [[wikipedia:Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D1]], [[wikipedia:Nintendo Research & Development 2|Nintendo R&D2]], and [[wikipedia:Good-Feel|Good-Feel]] respectively).


==Trivia==
==Gallery==
*In Japan, only the titles of main series games begin with '''星のカービィ''' (''Hoshi no Kābii'', "Kirby of the Stars").
<gallery>
*So far, the platform to feature the most ''Kirby'' games made specifically for that platform is the [[Nintendo 3DS]], with eight entries.
Generic 2000s Kirby logo.png|The general logo for the ''Kirby'' series, used from ''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]'' up until ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
*At least one ''Kirby'' game has appeared on every major Nintendo console and handheld device (except for the Game & Watch).
Kirby Series Logo.png|General logo for the Kirby series, text only
KatFL Kirby logo.png|A 3D version of the current general logo for the Kirby series, used in ''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]''
SSB Kirby Series Symbol model.png|Series symbol from ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', which is a model due to the [[Nintendo 64]]'s inability to display high-resolution sprites
</gallery>


==External links==
==External links==
Line 471: Line 590:
*[https://kirby.nintendo.com The Official Home of Kirby - English official series website]
*[https://kirby.nintendo.com The Official Home of Kirby - English official series website]
*[https://twitter.com/Kirby_JP Kirby official Twitter (@Kirby_JP)]
*[https://twitter.com/Kirby_JP Kirby official Twitter (@Kirby_JP)]
{{clear}}
{{ref}}


{{Navbox-Games}}
{{Navbox-Games}}
{{Navbox-HAL}}
[[Category:Series]]
[[Category:Series]]

Latest revision as of 20:11, 25 March 2024

New Kirby Series Logo.png
The logo for the Kirby series, as of Kirby and the Forgotten Land.

Kirby is a series of action-platforming video games starring the titular Kirby, a round pink creature who defeats his foes by inhaling them and gaining their powers. The Kirby series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, and most games are developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo, making Kirby a second-party series of Nintendo. Kirby's Dream Land is the first game in the series, released in 1992. Complementing the cutesy nature of the series characters and settings, the Kirby series was designed to be enjoyed by all ages, with gameplay mechanics generally leaning towards being easy for inexperienced players to understand, while offering lots of modulation of difficulty and depth of mechanics to cater to more seasoned players. This design philosophy is summarized by current series director Shinya Kumazaki as "approachable yet deep".[1] This philosophy arguably extends beyond the gameplay and into the story, setting, and general lore of the games as well, since the surface-level plot of games tend to be very simple, but lots of hidden nuances can be found if the player digs deep enough.

Gameplay[edit]

Typical gameplay in the main Kirby series involves Kirby battling opponents using his inhale or various Copy Abilities to make it to the end of the stage and/or level. This particular image is from Green Greens in Kirby Super Star Ultra.

The core Kirby series consists of action/adventure/platformer games broken down into largely linear levels and/or stages, where the main goal in each stage is to either get Kirby or another player character to the end of the stage (typically taking the form of a star-studded doorway) or defeat a large opponent in the way, with some stages requiring both. Kirby's unique abilities - his inhale, hover, and Copy Ability - are what define how the stages and enemies therein are approached and dealt with. In particular, due to Kirby's typically unlimited flight capability, platforming is a lesser focus compared to battling enemies, exploring complex terrain, and solving stage puzzles. There are often many ways to approach any given obstacle, though specific optional tasks often require certain abilities and/or items to perform. While traversing stages, the player needs to be mindful of Kirby's health meter, which decreases whenever he touches or is attacked by an enemy or touches a harmful hazard. Letting the health meter run out causes Kirby to be defeated, and have to restart the area (or stage if no extra lives remain). Health can typically be restored by picking up a food item in the stage.

Most main-series titles feature at least one Sub-Game, which can be played within the main game, or outside it in a menu. Unlike the main game, these can vary wildly in playstyle, from quick-time games to racing games. Many of these are competitive, and can be played with more than one player. These also tend to vary wildly in size, with some being minor diversions, and others being practically full-fledged games on their own. In some games, after Kirby finishes a stage, he plays a Goal Game which can earn him extra lives. Up until Kirby and the Forgotten Land, every main series game was a side-scroller played in two dimensions (even if 3D graphics were used to draw them), though limited 3D interactions were often present in these games starting with Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards.

Spin-off titles divert from the main series in a similar manner to Sub-Games, but are much larger in scope and entirely separate titles. These titles often experiment with other genres. The most prominent spin-off titles include Kirby Air Ride - a full-fledged racing game, Kirby: Canvas Curse - a 'touch platformer' where Kirby has to be guided using the Nintendo DS stylus, and Kirby's Epic Yarn - a more traditional platformer, but with fundamentally different mechanics to that of the main series.

Games[edit]

Main series[edit]

These are the thirteen main platformers in the Kirby series. They are most easily distinguished through the use of the full series name, "Kirby of the Stars", in their Japanese, Korean, and Chinese titles. These games are traditional platformers that feature Kirby's signature inhaling action and (starting with Kirby's Adventure) Copy Ability.[2][3][4]

Whether remakes count as individual entries in the main series seems to vary. The developers stated in a Miiverse post that they consider Kirby: Triple Deluxe the tenth mainline Kirby game, which would exclude the two previous remakes.[4] Furthermore, when it was decided that Kirby Star Allies would include one Dream Friend from each mainline game, remakes were excluded.[2] However, the internal codename of Kirby and the Forgotten Land is "Kirby15", which counts the two prior remakes of main series games (as it would be the thirteenth mainline game otherwise).

Boxart Title Console Original release date Notes
KDL NA Box.jpg Kirby's Dream Land Game Boy Japan April 27, 1992
NA August 1, 1992
Europe December 1992
Australia December 1992
KA Box.jpg Kirby's Adventure Nintendo Entertainment System Japan March 23, 1993
NA May 1, 1993
Europe December 1, 1993
Australia December 1, 1993
KDL2 Box.png Kirby's Dream Land 2 Game Boy Japan March 21, 1995
NA May 1, 1995
Europe July 31, 1995
Australia July 31, 1995
KSS Box NA.jpg Kirby Super Star Super Nintendo Entertainment System Japan March 21, 1996
NA September 3, 1996
Europe January 23, 1997
Australia January 23, 1997
Inconsistently but occasionally known as Kirby's Fun Pak in European languages.
KDL3 Box.jpg Kirby's Dream Land 3 Super Nintendo Entertainment System NA November 27, 1997
Japan March 27, 1998
Never saw an original release on the SNES in Europe or Australia, but was later released in those regions via Virtual Console and Nintendo Switch Online.
K64 The Crystal Shards box art.png Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Nintendo 64 Japan March 24, 2000
NA June 26, 2000
Europe June 22, 2001
Australia June 22, 2001
KatAM cover art.jpg Kirby & The Amazing Mirror Game Boy Advance Japan April 15, 2004
Europe July 2, 2004
NA October 18, 2004
Australia December 23, 2004
USCover KSqS.jpg Kirby: Squeak Squad Nintendo DS Japan November 2, 2006
NA December 4, 2006
Australia March 1, 2007
Europe June 22, 2007
South Korea September 13, 2007
Known as Kirby: Mouse Attack in British English.
KRtDL Boxart L.jpg Kirby's Return to Dream Land Wii NA October 24, 2011
Japan October 27, 2011
Europe November 25, 2011
Australia December 1, 2011
South Korea September 6, 2012
Known as Kirby's Adventure Wii in European languages.
KTD Boxart NA.jpg Kirby: Triple Deluxe Nintendo 3DS Japan January 11, 2014
South Korea April 17, 2014
NA May 2, 2014
Europe May 16, 2014
Australia May 16, 2014
KPR Box.png Kirby: Planet Robobot Nintendo 3DS Japan April 28, 2016
South Korea April 28, 2016
NA June 10, 2016
Europe June 10, 2016
Australia June 11, 2016
KSA Boxart NA.jpg Kirby Star Allies Nintendo Switch Japan March 16, 2018
NA March 16, 2018
Europe March 16, 2018
Australia March 16, 2018
South Korea April 26, 2018
This is the first main series title to be released on the same day in most regions.
KatFL box art.jpg Kirby and the Forgotten Land Nintendo Switch March 25, 2022 This is the first main series title to be a 3D platformer rather than a 2D one.

Spin-off games[edit]

These are games that do not follow the traditional formula of the main series, and take on a wide variety of genres.

Boxart Title Console Genre Original release date Notes
KPL Box.png Kirby's Pinball Land Game Boy Pinball Japan November 27, 1993
NA November 30, 1993
Europe December 1, 1993
Australia 1993
KDC Cover.jpg Kirby's Dream Course Super Nintendo Entertainment System Sports Japan September 21, 1994
NA February 1, 1995
Europe August 24, 1995
Australia August 24, 1995
KAv Box 2.jpg Kirby's Avalanche Super Nintendo Entertainment System Puzzle Europe February 1, 1995
NA April 25, 1995
Known as Kirby's Ghost Trap in European languages. Based on Super Puyo Puyo. Never saw a release in Japan.
KBBa Box.jpg Kirby's Block Ball Game Boy Action Japan December 14, 1995
NA May 13, 1996
Europe August 29, 1996
KSSGB Box.jpg Kirby's Star Stacker Game Boy Puzzle Japan January 25, 1997
NA April 7, 1997
Europe October 20, 1997
Australia October 20, 1997
KTnT Box.png Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble Game Boy Color Motion-controlled action Japan August 23, 2000
NA April 11, 2001
Never saw an original release on the Game Boy Color in Europe or Australia, but was later released in those regions via Nintendo Switch Online.
Kirby Air Ride boxart.png Kirby Air Ride Nintendo GameCube Racing Japan July 11, 2003
NA October 13, 2003
Europe February 20, 2004
Australia March 30, 2004
Kirby Canvas Curse box art.png Kirby: Canvas Curse Nintendo DS Touch-controlled platformer Japan March 24, 2005
NA June 13, 2005
Europe November 25, 2005
Australia April 6, 2006
Known as Kirby: Power Paintbrush in British English.
KEY NA box art.png Kirby's Epic Yarn Wii Platformer Japan October 14, 2010
NA October 17, 2010
Australia February 24, 2011
Europe February 25, 2011
South Korea September 1, 2011
Kirby Mass Attack cover.png Kirby Mass Attack Nintendo DS Touch-controlled platformer Japan August 4, 2011
NA September 19, 2011
Australia October 27, 2011
Europe October 28, 2011
KFD Cover art.jpg Kirby Fighters Deluxe Nintendo 3DS (eShop) Fighting Japan July 23, 2014
NA August 29, 2014
South Korea September 24, 2014
Europe February 13, 2015
Australia February 13, 2015
Based on Kirby Fighters from Kirby: Triple Deluxe.
DDDD Cover art.jpg Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe Nintendo 3DS (eShop) Rhythm/platformer Japan July 23, 2014
NA August 29, 2014
South Korea September 24, 2014
Europe February 13, 2015
Australia February 13, 2015
Based on Dedede's Drum Dash from Kirby: Triple Deluxe.
KatRC NA box art.png Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Wii U Touch-controlled platformer Japan January 22, 2015
NA February 20, 2015
Europe May 8, 2015
Australia May 9, 2015
A spiritual successor to Kirby: Canvas Curse. Known as Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush in British English.
TKCD logo.png Team Kirby Clash Deluxe Nintendo 3DS (eShop) Action/role-playing NA April 12, 2017
Japan April 13, 2017
Europe April 13, 2017
Australia April 13, 2017
Based on Team Kirby Clash from Kirby: Planet Robobot.
KBBl cover art.jpg Kirby's Blowout Blast Nintendo 3DS (eShop) Platformer Japan July 4, 2017
South Korea July 4, 2017
NA July 6, 2017
Europe July 6, 2017
Australia July 6, 2017
Based on Kirby 3D Rumble from Kirby: Planet Robobot.
KBR box art.jpg Kirby Battle Royale Nintendo 3DS Action/fighting Europe November 3, 2017
Australia November 4, 2017
Japan November 30, 2017
NA January 19, 2018
South Korea February 1, 2018
This is the first game in the series to feature full online multiplayer.
SKC eShop artwork.jpg Super Kirby Clash Nintendo Switch (eShop) Action/role-playing NA September 4, 2019
Japan September 5, 2019
Europe September 5, 2019
Australia September 5, 2019
South Korea September 5, 2019
A successor to Team Kirby Clash Deluxe.
KF2 logo.png Kirby Fighters 2 Nintendo Switch (eShop) Fighting NA September 23, 2020
Japan September 24, 2020
Europe September 24, 2020
Australia September 24, 2020
South Korea September 24, 2020
A successor to Kirby Fighters Deluxe.
KDB cover art.jpg Kirby's Dream Buffet Nintendo Switch (eShop) Action/racing August 17, 2022

Remakes, compilations, and ports[edit]

These games are re-releases of older games for newer systems, often enhancing graphics and adding additional content.

Boxart Title Console Original release date Notes
KSSS Box.jpg Kirby's Star Stacker Super Famicom Japan June 25, 1999
A remake of the Game Boy title of the same name. Never saw an original release on the SNES outside of Japan, but was later released in other regions via Nintendo Switch Online.
KNiDL box artwork.jpg Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land Game Boy Advance Japan October 25, 2002
NA December 2, 2002
Europe September 26, 2003
Australia January 27, 2004
A remake of Kirby's Adventure.
KSS Ultra box art.png Kirby Super Star Ultra Nintendo DS NA September 22, 2008
Japan November 6, 2008
South Korea November 13, 2008
Australia November 27, 2008
Europe September 18, 2009
A remake of Kirby Super Star.
KA 3DS logo.png 3D Classics: Kirby's Adventure Nintendo 3DS NA November 17, 2011
Europe November 17, 2011
Australia November 17, 2011
Japan April 25, 2012
A recreation of Kirby's Adventure, featuring the same spritework and gameplay but with enhanced color, shading, and 3D effects. This version also fixes the frame drops the original version had.
Kirby's Dream Collection box art.png Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition Wii Japan July 19, 2012
NA September 16, 2012
A compilation of Kirby's Dream Land, Kirby's Adventure, Kirby's Dream Land 2, Kirby Super Star, Kirby's Dream Land 3, and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards that also includes an original game mode called New Challenge Stages, a soundtrack CD and 45 page book containing artwork and other behind-the-scenes information covering Kirby's history, released to celebrate the Kirby 20th Anniversary. Never saw a release in Europe or Australia.
KEEY Rated Cover.jpg Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn Nintendo 3DS Japan March 7, 2019
NA March 8, 2019
Europe March 8, 2019
Australia March 9, 2019
South Korea April 12, 2019
An enhanced port of Kirby's Epic Yarn.
KRtDLD Boxart NA.jpg Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe Nintendo Switch February 24, 2023 A remake of Kirby's Return to Dream Land.

Other games[edit]

The following Kirby games are small spin-off or peripheral titles. They are not considered to be part of the core Kirby series by Nintendo or HAL Laboratory.

Boxart Title Console Genre Original release date Notes
KTB title.png Kirby's Toy Box Super Famicom
(Satellaview)
Various Japan February 8, 1996
A collection of mini-games broadcast over the St.GIGA network, exclusive to Japan.
Kirby Slide gameplay 2.png Kirby Slide Game Boy Advance (e-Reader card) Puzzle NA December 2003
A Kirby-themed puzzle slider mini-game.
Kirby Sparkling Medal Land.jpg
Kirby: Sparkling Medal Land[5] Arcade machine Various Japan March 2006[6]
Includes 15 different minigames based on Kirby: Right Back at Ya!. Licensed medal throwing Kirby game by Atlus.
Kirby Magical Tower of Medal Land.png Kirby: Magical Tower of Medal Land[7] Arcade machine Various Japan December 2007
Mentioned in the Japanese version of Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition. Licensed Kirby game by Atlus.
KPN Namco Arcade.jpg Kirby: PakuPaku Gourmet Race Arcade machine Action Japan December 2021 (location test)
Japan October 2022 (general)
Licensed Kirby game distributed by Bandai Namco. The machine underwent a location test at namco Lazona Kawasaki between December 24, 2021 and January 10, 2022.[8] Later in 2022, Bandai Namco announced the game would roll out first to namco locations starting on October 24, 2022[9][10], followed by a more general rollout across game centers nationwide starting on November 16, 2022.[11]
The overall object of the game is to lob as many balls and (less abundant) Maxim Tomatoes as possible into Kirby's mouth, in two rounds (with points doubled for the second round) and a bonus "Goal Game".[12] The machine features a voiceover and clips of Kirby's voice, as well as music from Kirby Super Star including the Gourmet Race theme and the Invincible Candy music.[13]

Canceled games[edit]

There are at least six known Kirby games that were under development at some point but were never released. They are regarded as canceled games.

Title Console Notes
Kid Kirby Super Nintendo A point-and-click platformer starring a young Kirby. Canceled due to poor sales of the Super NES Mouse and inability to be played with traditional joypad controls.
Kirby Ball 64 Nintendo 64 The first known 3D Kirby game. A prototype most likely originally meant to be a sequel to Kirby's Dream Course, shortly later retooled into Kirby's Air Ride.
Kirby's Air Ride Nintendo 64 A 3D racing game. Eventually released as Kirby Air Ride on the Nintendo GameCube.
Kirby Family Game Boy Color A set of sewing patterns based on Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, designed to be printed by an embroidery machine that connected to the Game Boy Color. Planned as the Kirby equivalent of Mario Family, but canceled due to a lack of interest.
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble 2 Nintendo GameCube A planned follow-up title to Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, which eventually dropped the Kirby name and became Roll-O-Rama before ultimately being scrapped. Had it been released, it would have been the first title to demonstrate the connectivity between the Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance.
Kirby for Nintendo GameCube Nintendo GameCube A 2.5D main-series game for Nintendo GameCube featuring a revamped Helper system based on that of Kirby Super Star, four-player multiplayer, and the camera perspective of Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. It was scrapped due to issues designing levels playable in both single player and multiplayer. Had it released, it would have become the eighth mainline Kirby game. Three more builds followed, with only the last being released as Kirby's Return to Dream Land. The three unreleased builds are collectively referred to by fans as "the three lost Kirby games".

Main characters[edit]

Artwork Name Description
KRtDLD Kirby.png
Kirby Kirby is the hero of the franchise and the primary playable character in each game (with one exception). His powers, which are vital to the gameplay of most installments, 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 named Dream Land, the planet Popstar on which it is located or even the entire galaxy from the respective game's main antagonist.
KRtDLD King Dedede.png
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 Kirby, most notably in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards and Kirby's Return to Dream Land, where he is one of the game's main heroes.
KRtDLD Meta Knight.png
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 seemingly antagonistic towards Kirby, he serves as a stalwart ally to the pink puffball more often than not, and any misgivings they may have had over the sinking of the Halberd seem to have been mended. When Meta Knight is inclined to battle with Kirby, no matter the circumstance, he provides Kirby with a sword in order to force a fair fight. He is the leader of a group of warriors known as the Meta-Knights, who Kirby often has to battle against.
KRtDLD Bandana Waddle Dee.png
Bandana Waddle Dee A Waddle Dee who is distinguished only by his blue bandana, Bandana Waddle Dee is one of King Dedede's most loyal subjects, but is also very good friends with Kirby. He can wield both a Spear and a Parasol in combat with good efficacy, but he sometimes avoids fighting and aims to help the main characters by tossing them Assist Stars instead. He got his first major role in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, and he went on to become a recurring major character in the Kirby franchise.

The series has many other characters, some of which have rather significant presences in many games. More information can be found on the Character page.

Sales[edit]

As of September 2023, the entire Kirby series has sold over 49.98 million copies worldwide.

For 30 years, the original Kirby's Dream Land had been the bestselling Kirby game of all time. Its sales numbers were surpassed by Kirby and the Forgotten Land by the end of September 2022.[14]

Game Sales numbers As of Reference(s)
Kirby's Dream Land 5.13 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby's Adventure 1.75 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby's Pinball Land 2.19 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby's Dream Course 0.369 million* March 12th, 1995 [16]
Kirby's Dream Land 2 2.36 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby's Block Ball 0.063 million* January 7th, 1996 [16]
Kirby Super Star 1.44 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby's Star Stacker 0.069 million* June 29th, 1997 [16]
Kirby's Dream Land 3 0.076 million* June 28th, 1998 [16]
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards 1.77 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble 1.23 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land 2.10 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby Air Ride 1.35 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby & The Amazing Mirror 1.47 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby: Canvas Curse 0.315 million* December 31st, 2006 [16]
Kirby: Squeak Squad 2.27 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby Super Star Ultra 2.99 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby's Epic Yarn 1.85 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby Mass Attack 1.22 million December 31st, 2014 [15]
Kirby's Return to Dream Land 1.93 million September 30th, 2023 [17]
Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition 0.246 million* December 29th, 2013 [16]
Kirby: Triple Deluxe 2.66 million December 31st, 2022 [15]
Kirby Fighters Deluxe 0.005 million* August 3rd, 2014 [16]
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse 0.092 million* December 27th, 2015 [16]
Kirby: Planet Robobot 1.64 million December 31st, 2022 [15]
Kirby Battle Royale 0.193 million* December 30th, 2018 [16]
Kirby Star Allies 4.38 million December 31st, 2022 [15]
Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn 0.025 million* June 30th, 2019 [16]
Kirby and the Forgotten Land 6.96 million September 30th, 2023 [17]
Kirby's Dream Buffet 0.019 million* September 25th, 2022 [16]
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe 1.82 million June 30th, 2023 [15]

Games marked with an * only have sales numbers in Japan available.

Trivia[edit]

Gallery[edit]

External links[edit]

References

  1. "The Many Dimensions of Kirby" presentation at GDC
  2. 2.0 2.1 Iwata Asks about Kirby's Return to Dream Land, UK translation: "(Editor's note: the main Kirby series refers to the set of games that, in Japanese, have "Star Kirby" in their title. In these games, Kirby uses his signature Copy Ability of inhaling enemies to absorb their powers.)"
  3. Kotaku interview with Shinya Kumazaki about Kirby Star Allies; when asked about Dream Friends, he mentioned that "The rule was to select one character from each title in the main action games over the years, the so-called core Kirby games, the equivalent to numbered sequels."
  4. 4.0 4.1 Miiverse post mentioning that Kirby: Triple Deluxe is the "tenth traditional Kirby platformer"
  5. Archived Atlus products page
  6. Amusement Journal
  7. HAL Laboratory's Website
  8. Twitter link Twitter favicon.png (Wayback Machine snapshot) for the announcement; Twitter link Twitter favicon.png (Wayback Machine snapshot) showing the test machine in action
  9. 【BNAM公式】10月24日より順次稼働「星のカービィ ぱくぱくグルメレース」 PV - YouTube
  10. Twitter link Twitter favicon.png (Wayback Machine snapshot) of the namco rollout announcement; Twitter link Twitter favicon.png (Wayback Machine snapshot) calling back to the location test
  11. Twitter link Twitter favicon.png (Wayback Machine snapshot)
  12. Official website for Kirby: PakuPaku Gourmet Race (Wayback Machine snapshot)
  13. The Gourmet Race theme features prominently in promotional material for the game; other audio elements like the Invincible Candy theme are evident in unofficial videos of gameplay (from the Kawasaki location test and after official rollout).
  14. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2022/221108_8e.pdf
  15. 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 15.15 15.16 15.17 https://www.installbaseforum.com/forums/threads/nintendo-software-and-hardware-sales-data-from-1983-to-present.170/
  16. 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search
  17. 17.0 17.1 https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2023/231108e.pdf