Speedrunning

This page covers a frequently-updated subject matter.
As such, continuous attention will be needed to ensure this page remains up to date.

Speedrunning (or when referring to a race, a Speedrun) is the act of completing a game quickly. While there are many rules and sub-categories that can pertain to the act of speedrunning, it is generally understood to be playing the game from start to finish in as little time as possible. Many sites, such as speedrun.com keep official run records for various games, with the top player of a given game holding its world record. While it was once forbidden by sites such as Twin Galaxies, players nowadays often make use of Glitches that allow them to run through the game faster, with the more severe ones getting their own categories.

Nearly every game in the Kirby series has been speedrun, though some more than others. Competing players will usually go for the world record for clearing the game as quickly as possible, without accessing any bonus material (referred to as an any% run), but there are other categories for runs that aim for 100% completion and sometimes categories devoted specifically to extra material, such as The Arena or Meta Knightmare.

World Record TableEdit

Records taken from speedrun.com except where noted. World records were last fully updated on October 1st, 2023. Please update this table if any records are out of date, and please only add runs once they are verified on the leaderboards.

Game Any% Record 100% Record Other % Records Extra Game Records Arena/True Arena/Boss Rush Records Misc. Records
Kirby's Dream Land 9m 51s by PTO - - 10m 39s by PTO - "All Items - Normal Mode" - 13m 44s by PTO
"All Items - Extra Mode" - 13m 28s by PTO
Kirby's Adventure 39s 720ms by shirokirby
"Any% No Major Glitches" - 42m 44s by swordsmankirby
"100% No Major Glitches" - 47m 39s by swordsmankirby
"100% Unrestricted" - 40m 41s by shirokirby
"100% Perfect" - 1h 19m 45s by shirokirby - "Any% No Stone Glitch" - 36m 59s by shirokirby
"Any% UFO" - 39m 49s by TheTerrificTracy
"Any% No Abilities" - 53m 18s by Pelurilu
Kirby's Adventure (3D Classics version) 52m 13s by Pelurilu 58m 58s by Demolition14 - - - -
Kirby's Pinball Land 5m 19s by LudwigVonKoopa - - - - -
Kirby's Dream Course "Normal Courses - RTA" - 33m 20s by r0bd0g "Normal + Extra - RTA" - 1h 12m 37s by chochiku "Normal Courses - Gold Medals" - 34m 15s by r0bd0g "Extra Courses - RTA" - 35m 06s by r0bd0g - "Extra Courses - Gold Medals" – 36m 00s by r0bd0g
"Normal + Extra - Gold Medals" - 1h 13m 21s by chochiku
"3-Key" - 47m 50s by kmbyukarin
"3-Key - Extra Courses" - 52m 30s by kmbyukarin
Kirby's Avalanche "Hardest" - 7m 29s by phoernian - "Hard" - 8m 26s by Surri
"Normal" - 8m 20s by Surri
"Easy" - 8m 36s by Surri
- - -
Kirby's Dream Land 2 36m 45s by Rioyner 50m 24s by Rioyner "Best Ending" - 42m 33s by Rioyner - - -
Kirby's Block Ball 39m 58s by LudwigVonKoopa - "Best Ending" - 56m 15s by LudwigVonKoopa - - -
Kirby Super Star 33m 01s by Yotta "Single Segment" - 1h 08m 51s by Yotta
"Resets Allowed" - 1h 04m 56s by Yotta
- - 3m 03s 900ms by Yotta "Any% - Resets Allowed" - 33m 28s by Yotta
Kirby's Star Stacker (Game Boy) "Normal" - 2m 07s by swordsmankirby
"Hard" - 9m 54s by Karisa
"Very Hard" - 17m 01s by Karisa
"Super Hard" - 23m 54s by Karisa
"Insane" - 2h 40m 12s by Karisa
4h 52m 14s by shirokirby
"All Round Clear" - 3h 38m 35s by Karisa - - -
Kirby's Dream Land 3 59m 01s by DarkRiolu27 1h 31m 03s by DarkRiolu27 "Best Ending (97%) - No 2P" - 1h 19m 16s by DarkRiolu27
"Best Ending (97%) - 2P" - 1h 16m 56s by DarkRiolu27
- - -
Kirby's Star Stacker (Super Famicom) "Story Mode Amateur" - 3m 48s by shirokirby
"Story Mode Professional" - 5m 05s by poka
3h 16m 16s by negitorox "Story Mode (100%) - Amateur" - 4m 07s by shirokirby
"Story Mode (100%) - Professional" - 5m 56s by myumyu
"Normal" - 3m 14s by swordsmankirby
"Hard" - 14m 24s by crazeyawesome
"Very Hard" - 38m 06s by crazeyawesome
"Insane" - 1h 11m 35s by crazeyawesome
"All Rounds Clear" - 2h 13m 26s by crazeyawesome
- - -
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards 58m 33s by Curtissimo 1h 06m 26s by Curtissimo - - - -
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble 14m 28s by swordsmankirby 1h 38m 03s by swordsmankirby "All Levels" - 39m 56s by swordsmankirby - - -
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land 36m 59s by miririi6 40m 57s by miririi6 "200%" - 1h 23m 45s by miririi6 "Meta Knightmare" - 27m 34s by miririi6
"MK 100%" - 32m 39s by Rox
"Boss Endurance" - 3m 25s by MusiQuil "No Copy Abilities" - 49m 47s by MusiQuil
Kirby Air Ride "Air Ride Any%" - 45m 15s by shirokirby
"Top Ride Any%" - 22m 41s by shirokirby
"City Trial Any%" - 43m 00s by Bluekandy
"City Trial 100%" - 2h 9m 27s by Bluekandy
"Top Ride 100%" - 57m 45s by Bluekandy
"Air Ride 100%" - 1h 10m 57s by shirokirby
"100%" - 4h 25m 30s by shirokirby
"Air Ride All Tracks" - 16m 57s 760ms by yokaze
"Top Ride All Tracks" - 3m 00s 040ms by monono8917
"Air Ride All Rides All Tracks" - 6h 35m 01s 780ms by Luka
"Triathlon" - 18m 20s by DarkRiolu27
- - "All Tracks No Duplicate Rides" - 18m 45s 740ms (IGT) by 1davidj
"5 Hot Dogs%" - 1m 08s 300ms (IGT) by Azurillkirby
"Max Stats (Slow Tempo)" - 4m 50s 990ms by Bluekandy
"Max Stats (Normal Tempo)" - 5m 55s 330ms by Bluekandy
Kirby Slide 3s 800ms by swordsmankirby - - - - -
Kirby & The Amazing Mirror 26m 56s by miririi6 1h 06m 14s by miririi6 - - "Boss Endurance" - 4m 50s by Makura_kirby -
Kirby: Canvas Curse 56m 12s (51m 00s IGT) by Wakaza 5h 45m 08s (5h 12m 55s IGT) by Wakaza - - - -
Kirby: Squeak Squad 38m 04s by Wakaza (Wii U Virtual Console)
45m 46s by cabbage_tamana (DS)
45m 09s by thomasyim99 (Emulation)
57m 05s by Wakaza (Wii U Virtual Console)
1h 09m 12s by cabbage_tamana (DS)
1h 32m 27s by Broedgeman (Emulation)
- - - -
Kirby Super Star Ultra "Beat RotK" - 48m 33s by Wakaza 2h 00m 19s by Mr_Shasta "Gourmet Race" - 1m 24s 990ms (IGT) by MuteD "Meta Knightmare Ultra" - 23m 56s 010ms (IGT) by Kinnin11 "The Arena" - 4m 29s 140ms (IGT) by bluelimits
"The True Arena" - 2m 56s 270ms (IGT) by moto
"The True Arena (1p2c)" - 2m 32s 820ms by moto
"Helper to Hero" - 3m 33s 440ms (IGT) by Neisan (using Bonkers; listed on cyberscore.me.uk)
"Any% The Great Cave Offensive" - 4m 25s 380ms by Wakaza
"100% The Great Cave Offensive" - 21m 02s by Wakaza
Kirby's Epic Yarn "1P" - 1h 30m 30s by inari80000
"2P" - 1h 29m 47s by Vier_ml
"1P" - 5h 03m 13s by Vier_ml
"2P" - 5h 31m 36s by shirokirby
"All Levels 1P" - 2h 19m 53s by yutadon
"All Levels 2P" - 2h 18m 23s by yutadon
"All Treasures 1P" - 2h 46m 24s by yutadon
"All Treasures 2P" - 2h 52m 22s by swordsmankirby
"NG+ - 1P" - 1:19:00 by yutadon
"NG+ - 2P" - 1:18:23 by yutadon
- - -
Kirby Mass Attack 3h 25m 10s by Wakaza 5h 10m 05s by Wakaza - - "Survival Rush" - 17m 42s by NerdyBoutKirby
"Brawlball (Full Game)" - 8m 39s by Wakaza
"Brawlball (Boss Rush)" - 4m 35s by Wakaza
-
Kirby's Return to Dream Land "Main Mode 1P" - 1h 35m 47s by Hachidori
"Main Mode 2P+" - 1h 32m 42s by shirokirby
"Main Mode 1P" - 2h 36m 32s by shirokirby
"Main Mode 2P+" - 2h 23m 45s by shirokirby
"Kirby Master 1P" - 5h 42m 20s by shirokirby
"Kirby Master 2P+" - 5h 13m 46s by shirokirby
"Unlock Extra Mode 1P" - 1h 45m 30s by Hachidori
"Unlock Extra Mode 2P+" - 1h 49m 09s by prohybrid
"Any% 1P" - 1h 42m 45s by Hachidori
"Any% 2P+" - 2h 00m 00s by prohybrid
"100% 1P" - 2h 52m 23s by Demolition14
"100% 2P+" - 2h 44m 28s by Demolition14
"Arena - Solo" - 4m 59s 250ms (IGT) by LouisWu
"Arena - Co-op" - 5m 02s 680ms by LouisWu
"True Arena - Solo" - 6m 46s 250ms by LouisWu
"True Arena - Co-op" - 6m 17s 080ms by LouisWu
-
Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition New Challenge Stages "any%" - 16m 21s by shirokirby "All Challenges" - 20m 30s by shirokirby
"All Challenges - King Trophy" - 24m 37s by shirokirby
- - - "All Classic Titles (Restricted)" - 4h 31m 48s by BeanQueenSol
Kirby: Triple Deluxe 1h 53m 51s by shirokirby 6h 34m 41s by shirokirby "All Sunstones" - 2h 49m 52s by shirokirby "Dededetour!" - 50m 40s 790ms (IGT) by shirokirby "Arena" - 4m 47s 640ms (IGT) by ooinuDK
"True Arena" - 6m 12s 270ms (IGT) by ooinuDK
-
Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe "Normal Ending" - 6m 48s by swordsmankirby "All Platinum Trophies" - 18m 41s by shirokirby - - - -
Kirby Fighters Deluxe "All Abilities - Easy" - 1h 08m 26s by Clomy17
"All Abilities - Normal" - 1h 17m 43s by Clomy17
"All Abilities - Hard" - 1h 32m 51s by Clomy17
"All Abilities - Very Hard" - 1h 47m 52s by Clomy17
- Fastest individual difficulty records:
  • Easy: 1m 27s 280ms by Shiny (using Hammer)
  • Normal: 2m 17s 350ms by Shiny (using Whip)
  • Hard: 2m 48s 280ms by Shiny (using Whip)
  • Very Hard: 3m 49s 550ms by yakibi-hun (using Hammer)
- - -
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse "No Level Skips" - 1h 32m 31s by yamukyu
"Any%" 50m 21s by yamukyu
"100%" - 3h 09m 49s by yamukyu "All Treasures" - 1h 56m 51s by yamukyu - - -
Kirby: Planet Robobot 1h 37m 39s by ooinuDK 6h 11m 32s by Demolition14 "All Code Cubes" - 2h 30m 07s by ooinuDK "Meta Knightmare Returns" - 42m 55s 810ms (IGT) by sokuno "Arena" - 7m 34s 600ms (IGT) by ooinuDK
"True Arena" - 11m 05s 020ms (IGT) by ooinuDK
-
Team Kirby Clash Deluxe 2h 32m 00s (IGT) by Demolition14 "All Quests" - 4h 20m 00s (IGT) by Garasunoherto - - - -
Kirby's Blowout Blast 22m 31s by Nakira_Nruff "All Platinum Trophies" - 1h 02m 52s by Nakira_Nruff - - - -
Kirby Battle Royale 2h 14m 57s by sokuno 12h 17m 34s by sokuno - - - -
Kirby Star Allies "4.0.0" - 1h 20m 58s by yanapppppu
"Heroes in Another Dimension - Any Rank" - 25m 52s by yanapppppu
"Heroes in Another Dimension - S-Perfect Rank" - 39m 21s by yanapppppu
3h 41m 59s by yanapppppu All Big Pieces and Switches - 2h 23m 32s by yanapppppu
"Crown%" - 5h 57m 36s by Craftygamers411
Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go! - 18m 56s 970ms by yanapppppu (using Dark Meta Knight) The Ultimate Choice - "Soul Melter (Secret) - Solo" - 6m 14s 720ms by ChillyIce (using Bomb Kirby)
"Soul Melter (Secret) - Co-op" - 5m 22s 520ms by ooinuDK, A box., Samidare, and のぞりゅー (using Ice Kirby and three King Dededes)
"Soul Melter (Extra) - Solo" - 6m 58s 100ms by ChillyIce (using Bomb Kirby)
"Soul Melter (Extra) - Co-op" - 5m 47s 320ms by oohannkirby, HalKing, Ritoankirby, and sunsansan
Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn 27m 04s (in-game time) by yutadon   "Any% No Level Skips" - 1h 28m 44s (in-game time) by yutadon - - "All Treasures" - 2h 38m 34s (in-game time) by yutadon
Super Kirby Clash 1h 26m 26s (real time) by sokuno - - - - -
Kirby Fighters 2 Story Mode: The Destined Rivals (all Chapters) - 1h 56m 36s by ykrin 32h 38m 39s by shirokirby Single-Handed Mode records:
  • Easy: 1m 12s 710ms by ykrin (using Hammer)
  • Normal: 2m 06s 960ms by Pengairxan (using King Dedede)
  • Hard: 2m 59s 860ms by Electrozauzage (using Hammer)
  • Very Hard: 3m 08s 350ms by yakibi-hun (using Whip)
- - -
Kirby and the Forgotten Land 1h 35m 42s by Terra
"Co-op" - 1h 57m 48s by Skiller_Killer_2003 and Larifaribabari
6h 11m 20s by poka
"Co-op" - 8h 52m 36s by StarWing and Avalon_The_Second
"True Ending" - 2h 21m 44s by poka
"True Ending Co-op" - 3h 24m 32s by chiee_candy and mama_candy
"All Waddle Dees" - 2h 24m 16s by Mariomaxx
"All Waddle Dees" (Co-op" - 3h 08m 53s by noatpad and SakuraWindsS
"All Waddle Dees + Souls" - 3h 20m 49s by poka
"All Waddle Dees + Souls" (Co-op) - 4h 19m 47s by noatpad and SakuraWindS
- "Meta Knight Cup" - 18s 420ms by ooinuDK (Buffs) / 19s 240ms by ooinuDK (No Buffs)
"Ultimate Cup" - 57s 750ms by ooinuDK (Buffs) / 1m 52s 540ms by KirbyQT (No Buffs)
"Ultimate Cup Z" - 2m 16s 780ms by wh55 (Buffs) / 3m 18s 820ms by TenkuKong (No Buffs)
"No Copy Abilities" - 1h 50m 51s by cloru
Kirby's Dream Buffet - 18h 33m 15s by shirokirby - - - -
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe "Restricted" - 1h 43m 22s by Demolition14
"Unrestricted" - 1h 46m 41s by shirokirby
"Restricted" - 2h 51m 17s by Demolition14
"Unrestricted" - 3h 05m 30s by shirokirby
"Kirby Master Restricted" - 10h 31m 39s by SptKira
"Kirby Master Unrestricted" - 14h 49m 35s by starwarsraph
"Magolor Epilogue Any%" - 37m 19s by BombHappy
"Magolor Epilogue All Stages" - 57m 47s by BombHappy
"Any% Restricted" - 3h 17m 52s by Rioyner
"Any% Unrestricted" - (empty)
"100% Restricted" - 3h 25m 08s by prohybrid
"100% Unrestricted" - (empty)
"The Arena - No Items Solo" - 5m 29s 080ms by wishcave
"The Arena - Items Solo" - 4m 42s 560ms by TonyXP
"The Arena - No Items Coop" - 9m 13s 030ms by SuperStarStudiosYT and Sister_T
"The Arena - Items Coop" - 9m 08s 330ms by SuperStarStudiosYT and Sister_T
"The True Arena - No Items Solo" - 10m 59s 060ms by haruHK
"The True Arena - Items Solo" - 13m 23s 010ms by Thanatoast01
"The True Arena - No Items Coop" - 25m 16s 130ms by RyanPlays and Makirby95
"The True Arena - Items Coop" - 21m 20s 000ms by SuperStarStudiosYT and Sister_T
"Magoland 100 Missions 1P" - 1h 31m 08s by AzuminoWasabi
"Magoland 100 Missions 2P+" - 1h 26m 51s by snrZora

Kirby's Dream LandEdit

This is the most speedran game in the series, according to speedrun.com. Reasons for that may include its short length, and the fact that it is the oldest game in the series (thereby the one with the longest exposure time). Two major categories exist here; one for Normal Mode, and one for the Extra Game. More minor categories exist such as using the Configuration Menu, or trying to collect every item, but these are not as popular.

While there are no real glitches utilized in this run, top players are able to eat the Superspicy Curry in Castle Lololo and get to Lololo & Lalala's room quickly enough to defeat them with it. Another trick to save time involves the short prelude areas in Mt. Dedede. Instead of collecting the Kirby image to remove the Gordo from the door to the boss, Kirby could instead get hit by the Gordo, and use the post-hit invincibility to enter the door. For reasons of efficiency, this trick is only used in the Bubbly Clouds prelude. For one last trick, Kirby can hit King Dedede twice after a Super Dedede Jump if Kirby is willing to get hit to reach the other Dropped Star.

Kirby's AdventureEdit

There are many different categories to run for this title, but the most popular by far is the Any% no major glitches category. The main reason for this is that the major glitch run causes the game to be completed in less than a minute, and is very tricky to perform. The 3D Classics version of the game is tracked separately from other versions, because it runs differently (it has less slowdown, but longer load times).

In the most popular category, the Tornado ability is favored for most areas of the game, for its speed and its ability to quickly defeat Bosses and Mid-Bosses. In some areas, wall clipping is utilized to slip by certain tunnels. While not a glitch, it is also common during fights with Mid-Bosses to have Kirby drop his ability just as the mid-boss in question makes a Dropped Star appear, then swallow them both to get an extra powerful Blaster Bullet that can dispatch the enemy much more quickly.

Kirby's Pinball LandEdit

Due to the game's simplicity, there is only one category which just involves beating all three levels the first time around, then defeating King Dedede.

To attain speed, the main aim is, instead of going for a high-score, to reach the top area in each level as quickly as possible, then defeating the bosses.

Kirby's Dream CourseEdit

There are many different categories to run in this game, but the most commonly run is the Normal Courses RTA. This involves completing all the standard courses in sequence from start to finish.

To save time, speedrunners will deliberately avoid getting holes in one, to avoid the fanfare. Runners will also save and quit to the menu whenever a course is completed to avoid additional fanfare.

Kirby's AvalancheEdit

Timing begins when the difficulty is selected, and ends when the last opponent is defeated.

Kirby's Dream Land 2Edit

There are three main categories run for this title; any%, Best Ending, and 100%. In any%, the Rainbow Drops are not required, and it ends on the last hit of Dedede. In Best Ending, the Rainbow Drops are collected, and it ends on the last hit of Dark Matter's second phase. In 100%, the file needs to be 100%, and the time ends when the 'The End' screen is shown.

In terms of strategy, the Burning ability and Coo are often utilized to gain the maximum speed. Some pit-stops will need to be made if the runner is aiming for the Rainbow Drops in order to go get them. Playing the 100% category also requires all the Bonus Chances to be performed, which can be done more quickly after the boss fight if the runner returns to the level hub just after dealing the last hit to the boss, rather than jumping on the Warp Star. During the last fight with Dedede, it is imperative to defeat him when he's standing as close to the center as possible, otherwise he will have to stagger over there before collapsing, potentially wasting a great deal of time (though this is not necessary in any%, as time is called when Dedede is defeated).

Kirby's Block BallEdit

There are two categories for this title, one for any% and another for Best Ending. Any% involves getting to the end of the 10th stage, and Best Ending involves getting through the hidden 11th stage, then viewing the credits.

Kirby Super StarEdit

Two major categories are run for this title, the any% and 100% categories. Any% involves getting through all necessary games to reach the end of Milky Way Wishes and defeat Marx. 100% involves completing every game with every objective met (such as collecting all the treasures in The Great Cave Offensive), then completing The Arena. There is a major glitch that allows Kirby to skip directly to the battle with Marx from areas like The Great Cave Offensive, but that skip is not allowed for these categories.

For most cases, the Jet ability is preferred for these runs, due to its speed and potential damage output against Bosses and Mid-Bosses. Wall clipping is used here and there to get through some rooms faster. The Jet ability can also be used to skip certain encounters if Kirby flies over the top of the screen. Intentional life-loss may also be incurred to 'death warp' back to certain areas.

Kirby's Star Stacker (Game Boy)Edit

There are categories for each round individually (from Normal to Insane), and there is a separate category for clearing every round in sequence. Strategy for this game entails little more than clearing the rounds as quickly as possible.

Kirby's Dream Land 3Edit

Three categories exist for this title; any%, Best Ending, and 100%. Any% just requires a run through the game without regard to the Heart Stars, and beats King Dedede at the end of Iceberg. Best Ending involves collecting all the Heart Stars, and beating Zero. 100% involves doing the Best Ending, then clearing MG-5, Jumping and Boss Butch.

For most areas of the run, Coo is preferred, due to his supreme speed in the air. The Coo-Clean combo is also favored for Boss fights, due to its damage output. There are no real glitches utilized during the runs, but some unintended strategies will get used here and there.

Kirby's Star Stacker (Super Famicom)Edit

There are four major categories, two devoted to the Story Mode, and two devoted to the standard rounds. The story mode involves 7 (or 8) opponents fought in sequence, and are themselves divided into amateur and professional categories. The standard rounds functions more like the original Kirby's Star Stacker, and can be run either in separate difficulties, or all in sequence.

Kirby 64: The Crystal ShardsEdit

There are two main categories for this title; any% (which finishes the game with Miracle Matter and the bad ending) and 100% (which collects all of the Crystal Shards and beats ). Unlike most other Kirby titles, the 100% category is the more commonly run of the two.

Right off the bat, one of the quickest ways for Kirby to move is by utilizing the singular Burning ability, then cancelling and spitting out an Air Pellet to avoid losing altitude before the next burn. Whenever Kirby has to land, a Slide can be immediately performed to save momentum. In certain areas, a trick is utilized to allow Kirby to fly higher than he otherwise could. If he gets hit while in mid-flight, his flight stamina resets. Headbutts are also used here and there to negate certain enemies or projectiles. In the 100% category, it will sometimes be necessary to briefly jump back to previous levels in order to get the Copy Abilities needed to get the shards in a level ahead in a speedy fashion. The Curling Stone is also a good way to move through the courses quickly.

There are a few more minor tricks which are utilized in these runs, but interestingly enough, there are no glitches known that can up the speed.

Kirby Tilt 'n' TumbleEdit

There are three categories for this title; any%, All Levels and 100%. Any% just gets to the end and defeats Dedede, using skips where they can be done. All Levels plays every level in the game, and 100% clears every level in both difficulty settings and collects 32 red stars and the one blue star in each mode.

Kirby: Nightmare in Dream LandEdit

Many categories exist for this title, but the most popularly run by far is any%. This simply involves Kirby getting through the levels and defeating Nightmare.

As all the major exploits present in Adventure were fixed, there are no real exploits used in the run. In addition, due to the generally different pace of the game and re-balancing of the abilities, several abilities are used throughout the run rather than only a few dominating the scene. When it comes to Boss and Mid-Boss fights, however, Ball is the most frequently used due to its potential damage output.

Kirby Air RideEdit

Being a racing game, this title is ripe for speedrunning. There are many categories, covering one or more of the different game modes, but the most popularly ran is the 'Air Ride All Tracks' mode, which requires the runner to complete every track in Air Ride once. The tracks can be played in any order, and are played in Time Attack.

When it comes to racing the courses, most runners opt to use the Wheelie Scooter, due to its great acceleration and turning, and its uncanny ability to speed up while Quick Spinning into a wall (although the Rocket Star is generally preferred for Magma Flows). When the goal is to fill the Checklist, naturally the aim will be to fill as many boxes in as few sessions as possible. Unlike in standard racing, however, City Trial is heavily randomized, making getting a world record in any category to do with it a matter of good luck as well as speed.

Kirby & The Amazing MirrorEdit

There are two major categories for this title; any% (defeat Dark Mind as quickly as possible) and 100% (explore every room, press every Big Switch, beat every Goal Game and open every Treasure Chest, then beat Dark Mind).

To gain maximum speed, the Wheel and Missile abilities are utilized in most areas. Boss fights tend to use different abilities, however, and most of these, when used correctly, can defeat a boss within seconds. Against Dark Mind in particular, a nifty strategy involves bringing in a secondary ability, then shedding it as an Ability Star, swallow it along with the Master ability, then spit at Dark Mind with the right timing to defeat his first forms in one shot.

Kirby: Canvas CurseEdit

This game is uniquely timed in both real time and in-game time, with real time being prioritized for the leaderboards. (In-game time excludes loading and menus, and can remove anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes off the final time.) There are two main categories for this title, any% (which aims to play through the stages and beat Drawcia Soul at the end as quickly as possible) and 100% (which aims to collect all 250 medals). Only any% sees regular competition, as a 100% playthrough of the game is excessively long; currently, the fastest 100% run is nearly six hours long in real time.

Kirby: Squeak SquadEdit

There are two major categories for this title; any% (defeat Dark Nebula as quickly as possible) and 100% (Collect all 120 Treasure Chests, then beat Dark Nebula).

While Squeak Squad looks very similar to its two main series predecessors, it does have a few key differences in how Kirby moves, and the Copy Abilities were rebalanced again. Sliding for instance, is much faster, and useful for covering ground when no quicker ability is equipped. Being able to store abilities in the Copy Palette also allows the runner to quickly and efficiently change Kirby's ability as needed, without any real back-tracking. The Wheel ability is still heavily favored, especially due to its ability to send Kirby even higher after a jump.

Kirby Super Star UltraEdit

This is the first entry in the series to have sub-games and modes more popularly ran than the main game itself. The most popular category to run is Meta Knightmare Ultra, with Gourmet Race and The True Arena following from there. There are a number of main game categories though, with 100% being the most commonly ran of these. With a few exceptions, most of these runs are usually done on the Japanese or Korean versions of the game, as these two have faster scrolling text speeds for the Computer Virus battle, Revenge of Meta Knight and The Revenge stage than the English, French, German, Italian and Spanish versions.

Beat Revenge of the KingEdit

This is considered the "Any%" route for Kirby Super Star Ultra, as Revenge of the King is the final main game. This entails clearing Spring Breeze, Dyna Blade, Gourmet Race, The Great Cave Offensive, Milky Way Wishes, and Revenge of the King as fast as possible. Any optional collectibles (i.e., Big Switches, Treasures, Copy Essences Deluxe) are ignored. In Milky Way Wishes, Skyhigh and Cavius are visited first to pick up the Jet and Hammer abilities and make the runner's life a bit easier. Real time is used, and timing ends on the final hit against Masked Dedede.

Meta Knightmare UltraEdit

This run involves clearing Meta Knightmare Ultra as quickly as possible, and uses the in-game timer. As this mode was made to be speedrun, it is no wonder so many runners play it. Among Meta Knight's tricks include the ability to temporarily increase his speed by consuming energy. He can also use Mach Tornado to quickly deal with certain Boss encounters if a lot of energy is saved up. As this run uses in-game time, there are also plenty of opportunities to take breaks during the run, and save time using the Mach Tornado (which stops the clock briefly when it is used).

Gourmet RaceEdit

This mode is also timed using the in-game timer, which is calculated from the sum of each stage. Collecting food is irrelevant to this category. The short nature of this mode means that it has been highly optimized, so perfect movement and high concentration are necessary in order to get a fast time in this category.

The Arena / The True ArenaEdit

Both of these categories are also timed using the in-game timer. Naturally, due to its high damage output, the Hammer ability is favored for these modes. A good amount of luck is needed to get the best time in both of them, as boss attack and movement patterns are somewhat randomized on a case-by-case basis.

Helper to HeroEdit

This category is also timed using the in-game timer. While not formally categorized on speedrun.com, there is a set of leaderboards for Helper to Hero on cyberscore.me.uk, which tracks the top times individually for each Helper. Unique strategies are required for each Helper to Hero run, due to each one effectively locking the player to a single ability. The most popular choice is Bonkers, who wields the Hammer ability and naturally accrues the fastest times as a result.

100% CategoryEdit

This category involves fully clearing every main game, as indicated by a medal appearing on its Corkboard entry. In this case, it entails the otherwise-optional tasks of hitting the Big Switches in Dyna Blade, collecting all the Treasures in The Great Cave Offensive, and obtaining every Copy Essence Deluxe in Milky Way Wishes; beating Helper to Hero with every Helper is not required. Time is called when the True Arena is cleared. Unlike the above categories, real time is used. Because of this, Meta Knightmare Ultra requires unique strategies in this run when compared to a standalone run, since Mach Tornado does not stop the clock.

Just like in the original Super Star, the Jet ability is preferred for most instances where Kirby has to travel, and is also useful against the bosses.

Kirby's Epic YarnEdit

There are a number of different categories for this title, but the most commonly run by far is any% (which beats Yin-Yarn from a new save file as quickly as possible). Other categories are 100% (fill all of the meters in Patch Plaza), all treasures (collect all the treasures in every level, including the secret stages), all levels (complete all stages, including the secret ones; this can be done in any order), and any% NG+ ("New Game+"; clear all stages from a completed save file in the same order as any%, ending with Yin-Yarn). Additionally, all categories have both 1P and 2P subcategories, with 1P being more common but 2P being slightly faster in most cases.

There are not many special techniques for speedrunning Kirby's Epic Yarn, as it largely relies on simply optimizing the game's standard movement. Kirby will spend most of his time in Car form and generally avoid making any unnecessary detours. When using the Yarn Whip, it is better to do so in midair rather than on the ground, as this will retain Kirby's forward momentum. Grabbing and throwing yarn balls in midair will actually give Kirby a small boost forward, which can be useful to cross gaps that normally would be out of reach. Beads do not matter much unless aiming for 100%; they also need to be kept in mind for the Boss stages in order to obtain the Area Patches that unlock the secret stages, if running a category that includes those.

Patches are a surprisingly crucial part of the run, as they can be thrown from anywhere on the level map, but throwing them from further away causes them to take longer to work. Because of this, it is necessary to throw Patches as close to their destination as possible, which can be complicated if that destination is a significant distance away from the door it opens. Kirby retains his momentum after he throws the patch, so careful planning is required to take the most optimal route to the next stage.

If playing in the 2P category, it is not necessarily required that Prince Fluff accompanies Kirby at all times. Rather, due to the drop-in/drop-out nature of the 2P mode, it is better to only summon him when he can be used to save time over the 1P category. For example, the Off-Roader form causes the second player to become a speed booster, which gives an extra advantage to keeping both players around. Kirby and Prince Fluff can stand atop of each other to reach higher areas, and throw each other as yarn balls to skip certain segments of the stages, while activating Angie allows one player to stay inactive when unneeded. The 2P run saves time over the 1P run in certain areas, but also requires more extensive coordination in others.

Kirby Mass AttackEdit

This title is not run very much, due in large part to its length (with even the quickest any% run taking close to 3-and-a-half hours to complete). The Survival Rush is run slightly more, however, and uses the in-game time.

Kirby's Return to Dream LandEdit

The most commonly ran category for this title is any% (which plays the normal game and beats Magolor at the end). Other categories include 100%, Extra Mode, Unlock Extra Mode, and The Arena & The True Arena.

When it comes to the main game, no ability beats Wing in terms of speed. Any% runs concern themselves only with flying through the stages as quickly as possible, without regard to the Energy Spheres or the Super Abilities whenever it can be gotten away with. Condor Bomb is the name of the game whenever a boss needs to be fought.

Kirby's Dream Collection Special EditionEdit

All Classic TitlesEdit

One significant area of speedrunning Kirby's Dream Collection is to speedrun all six of the classic titles included within the collection: 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. This mostly entails the same rules as the original games in question, just done in one timed session (breaks are allowed but the timer must keep running). It is split into two sub-categories: "Restricted" and "Unrestricted". In "Restricted", the credits warp for Kirby's Adventure, 2P mode for Kirby Super Star, and emulator use for Kirby 64 are disallowed; in "Unrestricted", these stipulations are allowed. Most runs are done any%, but there is also a 100% category that only has a single run done so far.

Additionally, it is not strictly required to use Kirby's Dream Collection to run these games, because loading from the disc between games may add unwanted time. The most common substitute is Nintendo Switch Online, which contains all six classic titles and has reduced loading times while not counting as emulation for Kirby 64. There is no need to play all of the games in release order, though it is most common to play Kirby's Dream Land first and Kirby 64 last regardless, due to them respectively being the shortest and longest games to beat.

New Challenge StagesEdit

Aside from the games featured in this collection, the main thing to run in this title is the New Challenge Stages mode. Categories include "All Challenges" (which completes every challenge in the game as quickly as possible, regardless of score), and "All Challenges - King Trophy" (which completes every challenge with a Platinum rank).

The name of the game when it comes to clearing the challenges with Platinum is deft movement and consistency. An expert runner should never have to retry a stage even once. This can get difficult to achieve, particularly near the end in chambers like the Smash Combat Chamber EX.

Kirby: Triple DeluxeEdit

Many categories exist for this title. When it comes to the Story Mode, there is 'any%' (which beats Flowered Sectonia as quickly as possible), 'All Sunstones' (which collects every Sun Stone in the game, then beats Queen Sectonia), and 100% (which completely clears Story Mode, Dededetour!, Kirby Fighters, Dedede's Drum Dash, The Arena and The True Arena, and also collects every Keychain). The other game modes have their own categories, with Dededetour! and the arenas being the most commonly ran.

Story Mode any% & All SunstonesEdit

Due to this title being largely similar to Kirby's Return to Dream Land, many of the same strategies are utilized. The Wing ability is not as often used, however, due to general rarity, and the fact that at least some Sun Stones need to be collected, even in any%. For Bosses, Fire and Hammer are generally preferred, due to high damage output.

Dededetour!Edit

Much like Meta Knightmare Ultra before it, this mode is specifically made to be a time attack, and the category uses in-game time. When traveling through the stages, there are many warp shortcuts that runners need to be mindful of. An optimal route is necessary, as some warps will take Dedede further than others.

The Arena & The True ArenaEdit

These two categories also use in-game time. Like with the other Arena playthroughs, the Hammer ability is preferred.

Kirby Fighters DeluxeEdit

There are two main categories, with 4 sub-categories in each. The two main categories are 'All Abilities' and '10 Abilities', with the only difference being whether or not the last two abilities (Bell and Beetle) are available to the runner. In each of these, the categories split into 'Easy', 'Normal', 'Hard' and 'Very Hard'. The goal is to clear all the rounds with all the abilities specified by the category on the specified difficulty as quickly as possible.

Dedede's Drum Dash DeluxeEdit

There are three categories for this title; 'any%' (clear the standard six rounds as quickly as possible), 'Secret Ending' (clear the standard six levels with at least gold medals, then clear the secret level) and 'All Platinum Medals' (clear all seven stages with Platinum, then clear all 7 EX versions with Platinum).

One important thing to note, particularly for the Platinum ranks, is that not all the bonuses are needed. For example, as long as King Dedede remains back-beat perfect, and does not get hit, he can clear the stage without grabbing every coin and still get a platinum score. Getting all the golden coins and sequence coins is still necessary, however.

Kirby and the Rainbow CurseEdit

There are three major categories for this title; 'any%' (defeat Dark Crafter from a new save as quickly as possible), 'any%, No Level Skips' (same as any%, but without using intentional life loss to skip levels) and 'All Treasures' (collect every Treasure, then beat Dark Crafter).

Use of amiibo is allowed in these runs, due to the limitations the game imposes (one use per figure per day). An interesting side effect of this is that the system clock is usually set in such a manner that the day changes in the middle of the playthrough, allowing for the limits on amiibo to "reset" during the run. The Kirby and Meta Knight amiibo are both ideal, due to the former allowing unlimited Star Dashes (allowing bosses to be taken down easily) and the latter enhancing Kirby's standard dash (allowing him to move faster). The King Dedede amiibo is usually not used, as it provides Kirby with two extra hit points, but a speedrunner should ideally not get hit at all.

Kirby: Planet RobobotEdit

This title is split into several different categories, in a manner much the same as Triple Deluxe. The most popular category by far is Meta Knightmare Returns, with the arenas following that, and the any% category following those. Use of amiibo is generally discouraged in these runs.

Meta Knightmare ReturnsEdit

This category uses the in-game timer, and plays very similarly to Meta Knightmare Ultra. Much like that mode, using the special attacks temporarily freezes the timer. A few key differences include MK's new arsenal of standard attacks, which includes the Shuttle Loop - one of the most important skills for the run.

The Arena & The True ArenaEdit

These two categories also use in-game time. Like with the other Arena playthroughs, the Hammer ability is preferred.

any% and All Code CubesEdit

These modes play through the Story Mode as Kirby, and complete it as quickly as possible (and collects every Code Cube along the way in the latter category). Unlike the previous categories mentioned, these runs use real time.

Like with Triple Deluxe, the Fire ability is preferred for its damage output and fireball speed, but Jet is also a favored ability for its dashes. As most Robobot Armor modes have the same speed where a choice is even available, Spark Mode is preferred due to its huge damage output.

Team Kirby Clash DeluxeEdit

Perhaps due to the necessity of buying Gem Apples to speed up game progression and the inability to reset the game without losing those purchases, Team Kirby Clash Deluxe has very few documented speedruns. Categories on speedrun.com explicitly forbid the purchase of Gem Apples or the use of amiibo. Passwords, however, are allowed. As of now, there are two categories, as follows:

  • any%: From a clean save file, defeat Landia EX and reach the first credits sequence.
  • All Quests: From a clean save file, defeat King D-Mind in "Toughest: The True Final Battle" and reach the second credits sequence.

So far, only one speedrun has been submitted per category.

Prior to Summer 2021, there was no game category for Team Kirby Clash Deluxe on speedrun.com. Despite this, its current "All Quests" record is over 3 years old.

Kirby's Blowout BlastEdit

There are two established categories for this title - any% and 'all platinum trophies'. Any% involves completing the five main levels as quickly as possible, regardless of score. 'All platinum trophies' is the 100% category, involving getting platinum rank on every stage, EX stage, and the Secret Path.

Kirby Battle RoyaleEdit

There are two established categories. The first is any%, which entails completing Dedede's Cake Royale as quickly as possible from a new save file. Timing begins when the game is started, and ends on the final hit of Dededestroyer Z. The second is 100%, which entails obtaining all Medals from a new save file. Online functionality is banned for both categories.

Kirby Star AlliesEdit

This game has seen many category changes over the years, particularly as the game itself updated several times to include more content. Across almost all categories, usage of amiibo or multiplayer is disallowed. The current categories are as follows:

For every category, use of versions prior to the latest release (4.0.0) are not allowed. With a few exceptions, runs are typically done on the Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, or Korean versions of the game, as these languages have the fastest text scrolling speed; this saves time during the dialogue present in the unskippable cutscene that plays right after Zan Partizanne's defeat in Heavenly Hall.

Kirby's Extra Epic YarnEdit

Four categories exist for this title, as follows:

  • Any%: Complete the game without any restrictions.
  • Any% No Level Skips: Complete the game without skipping any levels.
  • All Treasures: Complete the game after collecting every treasure in each level.
  • 100%: Complete the game after collecting all treasures, Furniture, Fabric, and completed Fuse Bead Mats, and completing all mini-games, including the neighbors' games, Slash & Bead, and Dedede Gogogo.

Super Kirby ClashEdit

Super Kirby Clash has very few documented speedruns, likely due to the same issues that affect speedrunning for its predecessor Team Kirby Clash Deluxe. As of now, the categories are 'any%' (reach the first credits sequence from a new save file) and 'All Quests' (defeat Aeon Hero (Dark)). These two categories specifically ban the use of any online features or amiibo, including buying Gem Apples, using passwords, or playing Party Quests online. Use of local multiplayer is also banned in these categories.

Given how long it would take to accrue the power necessary to defeat Aeon Hero (Dark) without any Gem Apple purchases or online Party Quest boosting, it may be a while before any record is set in the latter category.

Kirby Fighters 2Edit

There are currently two sets of categories for Kirby Fighters 2 speedrunning. The first involves completing all five chapters of Story Mode: The Destined Rivals from a new save file. The second is a leaderboard of records from Single-Handed Mode. For the sake of simplicity, only the fastest overall times for each difficulty of that mode are shown on the above record table.

Kirby and the Forgotten LandEdit

Kirby and the Forgotten Land features a small handful of categories which align more-or-less with those from previous main-series games. They are as follows:

  • any% - Complete the main story mode.
  • True Ending - Complete the story mode and clear Isolated Isles: Forgo Dreams.
  • All Waddle Dees - Complete the main story mode and save all 300 Waddle Dees (complete all missions).
  • All Waddle Dees + Souls - Complete the story mode and clear Isolated Isles: Forgo Dreams. All 300 Waddle Dees and all 300 pieces of Leon's Soul must be collected.
  • 100% - Attain 100% completion.
  • No Copy Abilities - Complete the main story mode without ever using a Copy Ability.
  • Colosseum - Complete a run of the Colosseum. This is divided into six sub-categories, based on which cup is chosen and whether or not support items are used.
  • Co-op Categories - Complete the story mode with two players playing.

For all categories, the use of amiibo is banned, as well as the use of any present codes that require an online connection. As such, the only allowed codes are the following:

  • FIRSTPASSWORD
  • KIRBYSTORY
  • KIRBYTHEGOURMET
  • THANKYOUMETAKNIGHT
  • THANKYOUKIRBY
  • BRAWLINGCOLOSSEUM

The Colosseum has particularly advanced strategies for speedrunning. The favored ability is Toy Hammer, as it has Hammer's high damage output while being faster and having distinct hitboxes that allow the player to skip boss invulnerability phases. However, it is often optimal to get Crash as a random ability in the lobby, and use that whenever possible. The ability selection only provides abilities that the player has used on their current save file. Therefore, the player sets up a save file where Crash and Hammer are the only manually obtained abilities — Cutter, Fire, and Sword are mandatory to obtain due to their blueprints. This gives the player a 20% chance of having Crash appear in the lobby.

Kirby's Dream BuffetEdit

As of now, only one leaderboard exists for Kirby's Dream Buffet; being the 100% category. For this category, the player needs to reach the maximum Gourmet Rank of 135 and obtain all 256 Character Treats from an initialized save file. Use of any online functionality is disallowed.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land DeluxeEdit

Speedruns of Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe are by and large similar to those of the original version, though with new options and factors to take into account, as well as new content to deal with. The main dividing line between most categories is "Restricted" VS. "Unrestricted": "Restricted" means the player is not allowed to use more than one controller or amiibo, while "Unrestricted" naturally means these are allowed.

Aside from the main categories seen in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe also sees categories for Magolor Epilogue and Merry Magoland content. For the former, the two categories are "any%" and "All Stages". For the latter, currently only completing the 100 main Missions is a category. This latter one in turn is subdivided into 1 player or 2+ players.

For The Arena and The True Arena, there are four subcategories for each, depending on whether there is 1 player or more, or if items were used or not (items meaning the use of souvenirs).

Multiple titlesEdit

Besides the All Classic Titles category for Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition, there are a number of speedruns that span multiple titles in the Kirby series played in a single session. These are generally more niche and only have a few runs each. They include the following (any% and in any order unless otherwise noted):

  • All titles in the main series (done as a relay with multiple runners passing off the run between games).
  • All sub-games in the Meta Knightmare series (Meta Knightmare, Meta Knightmare Ultra, and Meta Knightmare Returns).
  • All titles in the "Dream Land trilogy". This is sometimes done simultaneously with the Kirby's Dream Collection All Classic Titles category.
  • All titles in the "Flagship trilogy" (Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, and Kirby: Squeak Squad).
  • "400%" in the GBA and DS games (100% completing the "Flagship trilogy" plus Kirby Super Star Ultra).
  • All "modern" titles (Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Kirby: Triple Deluxe, Kirby: Planet Robobot, Kirby Star Allies, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land).
  • All titles in the "Switch trilogy" (Kirby Star Allies, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe).

In all cases, there are few concrete rules for these runs besides where timing starts and stops, as well as that the timer must always keep running until the end, even during breaks. It is generally understood that major glitches such as credits warps are forbidden.

External linksEdit