Popstar
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Planet Popstar (Pop Star in older games) is the iconic home of Kirby in the Kirby series. It is known throughout the Kirby universe and even outside the series: its cartoon-like, yellow, ringed appearance made popular by Kirby Super Star. Its beautiful, vibrant landscapes also make it a well-represented Nintendo locale akin to Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda series and the Mushroom Kingdom in the Super Mario series.
Overview
Popstar is a somewhat flat yellow star-shaped planet with two (sometimes more) rings orbiting it. It gives off a very strong light from outer space (considered the brightest star in the universe by Daroach in Kirby Mass Attack), though on the surface, it looks much more earth-like and has a regular day-night cycle (usually). While not usually visible, Popstar has at least one Sun and Moon in its orbit, the latter of which can be visited with relative ease.
Characteristic to Popstar is its relatively untamed natural environment, brimming with life of all sorts. Landscapes include lush green meadows and forests, deserts with towering dunes, extensive tropical coastlines and deep oceans, icy mountain chains, volcanic regions, and - most strikingly - extensive cloudscapes which can be walked upon, dotted by floating landmasses. Though most of Popstar is undeveloped, there are numerous ruins which dot the planet's surface, which can be found in every biome (including the cloudscapes). The builders of these ruins are unknown, but some of them may have been left behind by the Ancients, who considered Popstar an important enough planet to leave a Fountain of Dreams there.
While most of Popstar's sentient inhabitants live free on the planet's surface, there are at least four established groups on Popstar. These groups are the kingdoms of Dream Land (which King Dedede leads) and Floralia (where the Floralians live), the Meta-Knights (which Meta Knight himself leads), and the Squeaks.
Game Appearances
Though most of Kirby's adventures take place in and around Dream Land, which is de-facto part of Popstar, the following will only discuss titles where the planet itself is a destination or plot point:
Kirby Super Star (Ultra)
Planet Popstar was first named in-game (in all capitals as "POPSTAR" in the SNES version, and "Pop Star" in the DS version) in Kirby Super Star. Most of Kirby's adventures take place on it, except for Milky Way Wishes, where Kirby only visits it in the intro. In this chapter, the sun and moon suddenly start fighting. A strange jester-like being named Marx asks Kirby and his helpers to stop the sun and moon from fighting. He explains that Kirby needs to gather the seven stars on each of the surrounding planets to call Nova who will be able to make peace between the sun and moon. Kirby accepts and hops on a Warp Star.
After he calls NOVA, he is just about to make peace when Marx reappears, bumping into Kirby. His wish is "Well, I want to control Pop Star!". A KO'd Kirby is helplessly floating in the atmosphere when the seven stars transform into the Starship and he chases Nova and Marx. The sun and moon hold Nova back so Kirby battles it and later Marx himself.
Kirby's Dream Land 3
Pop Star is the main setting of the game Kirby's Dream Land 3. During the game, the peaceful planet is attacked by Zero and Dark Matter, which possesses some of the residents and spreads over the whole planet's surface in a black cloud. Kirby and his friends set out to stop Dark Matter by traveling through five regions of Pop Star and destroying its influence in these lands. The five different areas of Pop Star are called Grass Land, Ripple Field, Sand Canyon, Cloudy Park, and Iceberg in this game.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
- Main article: Pop Star (Crystal Shards)
Pop Star is the Template:Colourful, first world encountered by Kirby and Ribbon during their mission to relinquish their realm from Dark Matter in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. As Kirby's home planet, Pop Star is relatively far from the grasp of Dark Matter, however, the popular, and familiar tree-boss, Whispy Woods seems to be one of the only beings in the realm to be influenced severely by such dark forces. This region is known for its seasonal variety and its beautiful landscape, boasting a vivid autumn-like stage, and a grand castle (most likely Dedede's) that Kirby must infiltrate in his search for Crystal Shards
Like in all worlds of The Crystal Shards, the first three stages within the Pop Star hide three Crystal Shards, while the final stage rewards only one after the defeat of the boss. Nevertheless, all shards within one level need not to be collected before Kirby is granted access to the next; Kirby must simply complete the level.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Planet Popstar reappears in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, as the site where the Lor Starcutter (under Magolor's possession) crashes in the opening cutscenes of the game. Popstar constitutes the majority of the early and middle stages of game play, and is the planet where Kirby, along with Bandana Waddle Dee, King Dedede, and Meta Knight must find the missing parts to the Lor Starcutter. Popstar in this game consists of the first five levels of the game: Cookie Country, Raisin Ruins, Onion Ocean, White Wafers, and Nutty Noon. The remaining two main levels are located in Halcandra, Magolor's homeworld.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Just after Kirby defeats Queen Sectonia in their initial battle, she merges with the Dreamstalk. As she does, the planet can be seen briefly, as the Queen's roots begin to strangle the life out of it. Kirby has to defeat her again to save the planet.
Kirby: Planet Robobot
In this installment, Popstar is invaded by a spaceship (the Access Ark) roughly the same size as the planet itself, and mechanized by its robots under the command of the Haltmann Works Company. Kirby is tasked with stopping this invasion by smashing each of the legs of the ship, then boarding it to deal with its president. In the process, the ancient computer aboard the ship - Star Dream - goes berserk and takes control, forcing Kirby to battle it and the entire spaceship with the help of Meta Knight and the Halberd. Once Star Dream is defeated, all the mechanization the planet underwent is undone.
Kirby Star Allies
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“ | Chase the dark hearts across the world of miracles! Hold ↑ to wield mighty Friend Abilities as Kirby and pals continue their journey of companionship across the vast seas and rolling hills. | ” | — Level description in Kirby Star Allies |
World of Miracles - Planet Popstar is the second level in Kirby Star Allies. As the name implies, all the stages in this level take place on Popstar, in the lands surrounding Dream Land. Kirby can access up to seven stages in this level, as well as a Dream Palace. At the end, Kirby will need to fight Meta Knight. That done, Jambastion will appear.
From Version 3.0.0 onward, after clearing Story Mode, Dragoon the Legendary Air Ride Machine occasionally can be found flying in space on the world map.
Stages
For details on each stage individually, click the name of the stage.
Stages in Planet Popstar | |||||
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Stage | EX Stage? | Unlock Req. | Big Switch? | Boss(es) | Notes |
Friendly Field | This stage is the first to feature a formation Friend Ability - in Friend Circle. Pressing the Big Switch here unlocks the Dream Palace. | ||||
Reef Resort | Complete Friendly Field. | Pressing the Big Switch here unlocks Inside Islands. | |||
Echo's Edge | Complete Reef Resort. | ||||
Nature's Navel | Complete Echo's Edge. | Pressing the Big Switch here unlocks Duplex Dream. | |||
Sacred Square | Complete Nature's Navel. | Meta Knight | Completing this stage unlocks Jambastion. | ||
Inside Islands | Press the Big Switch in Reef Resort. | ||||
Duplex Dream | Press the Big Switch in Nature's Navel. |
- Popstar World Map.jpg
Kirby explores the Planet Popstar world map.
- Dragoon Star Allies.jpg
The Dragoon occasionally orbits around Planet Popstar.
Places found on Popstar
The following continents, lands and landmarks can be found on Popstar, though it is not always clear where all these places are relative to each-other, of if all these names refer to distinct locations. Some of these places also existed at one point, but no longer do:
Places on Planet Popstar | ||||
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Trivia
- Popstar looks to be relatively flat, yellow and star-shaped from outer space, but when near the planet's surface, it looks more curved and Earth-like. This dichotomy in shape is still unexplained, but it has persisted even to the modern games in the series.
Gallery
- KSuSt PopStar.png
Pop Star as it appears during Megaton Punch in Kirby Super Star.
- PopStarLand.jpg
A vibrant Pop Star landscape in The Crystal Shards.
- PopStarFall.jpg
Autumn brings the falling of leaves in The Crystal Shards version of Pop Star.
- PopStarCastle.jpg
The Crystal Shards' Pop Star includes a grand castle, as well.
Names in other languages
Language | Name | Meaning |
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Japanese | ポップスター Poppu Sutā |
Pop Star |
Chinese | 波普之星 bō pǔ zhī xīng |
Pop Star |
Dutch | Planeet Popstar | Planet Popstar |
French | Planète Pop | Planet Pop |
German | Planet Pop | Planet Pop |
Italian | Pianeta Pop | Planet Pop |
Spanish | Planeta Pop | Planet Pop |
The starry path in Kirby Super Star (Ultra) | |
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