Round, pink, and ready to save the world - that's Kirby! Since his debut in 1992's Kirby's Dream Land for the Nintendo Game Boy, Kirby has remained popular. With games across nearly all of Nintendo’s consoles, Kirby has become a Nintendo icon for many gamers.
There were a total of eight official Kirby games released for the Nintendo DS and 3DS systems, with four available for purchase on the DS eShop. From piloting mechas to crafting platforms out of yarn, let's find out which Kirby games stood the test of time and which ones got lost in Dream Land.
9 3D Classics: Kirby’s Adventure
A Timeless Classic
- Metacritic Score: 77
As part of the 3DS's collection of 3D remakes, Kirby’s Adventure is a port of the original NES game. The gameplay remains identical to the original, with added 3D capabilities thanks to the 3DS.
Reviews for this game were underwhelming, as the port brought very little new content to the already outstanding original game. Most critics found it good, but nothing groundbreaking compared to the original version.
8 Kirby Battle Royale
Kirby versus... Kirby?!
- Metacritic Score: 57
Kirby takes on multiple versions of himself in Kirby Battle Royale, a multiplayer arena-style game. The game features ten different game modes and a story mode explaining the multitude of Kirby clones.
Although Battle Royale is packed with content, reviews were fairly average. Perhaps watching Kirby defeat other Kirbys was a bit unsettling for some.
7 Kirby Squeak Squad
Anything For A Slice Of Cake, Right?
- Metacritic Score: 71
Kirby’s willing to do just about anything for a slice of cake, including saving the world. Kirby Squeak Squad takes players across Dream Land to recover Kirby’s stolen dessert from the nefarious Squeaks.
Reviews for Squeak Squad were average, particularly regarding the mini-games and lack of innovation compared to previous Kirby games for the DS.
6 Kirby Super Star Ultra
A Loyal & Enhanced Remake Of A Classic
- Metacritic Score: 76
King Dedede has stolen all the food in Dream Land, and it’s up to Kirby to retrieve it from the dastardly penguin king in this 2D platformer. Kirby Super Star Ultra is a remake of the original Kirby Super Star, released for the SNES in 1996. Super Star Ultra introduced several new gameplay modes, including a racing mini-game, a boss arena, and a story-driven mode about defeating Meta Knight.
While some reviewers criticized the game's easy difficulty, they lauded the fact that the remake remained a faithful and improved version of Kirby Super Star that also celebrated Kirby’s 15th anniversary.
5 Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn
A Kirby-Themed Crafting Adventure
- Metacritic Score: 79
Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn is a 3DS port of the Nintendo Wii’s Kirby’s Epic Yarn, featuring new content and copy abilities exclusive to the 3DS version. The port follows the same plot as the original Wii game, where Kirby, transformed into a soft yarn version of himself, must aid Prince Fluff in gathering magic yarn pieces to stitch Patch Land back together. Two new mini-games were introduced in the 3DS port, along with a more challenging game mode called Devilish Mode.
Reviews for both the Wii and 3DS versions were generally positive, as critics appreciated the new gameplay modes and interesting mechanics for the Kirby series. However, some reviews were irked by the introduction of Copy Abilities during levels where they were unnecessary.
4 Kirby: Triple Deluxe
A Game Not For Arachnophobes
- Metacritic Score: 80
Kirby: Triple Deluxe is the tenth mainline game in the Kirby series and lives up to expectations. The story follows Kirby as he travels through six worlds to rescue King Dedede from the arachnid antagonist Taranza, who mistakenly kidnaps him while in search of Kirby.
Kirby Triple Deluxe offers two mini-games after completing the main story: Kirby Fighters, a Kirby vs. Kirby battle royale, and Dedede’s Drum Bash, a rhythm game set to songs from the soundtrack. Both mini-games were later available for download on the Nintendo eShop.
Reviews showered Triple Deluxe with praise for its gameplay, use of 3D, and new Copy Abilities, but some noted the game's simplicity made it overly easy.
3 Kirby: Planet Robobot
Get In The Robot, Kirby
- Metacritic Score: 81
The series’ first venture into science fiction arrives with Kirby: Planet Robobot, where Kirby obtains a power suit to enhance his Copy Abilities and overcome heavy obstacles. This game includes nostalgic callbacks to earlier series antagonists, such as Meta Knight, Marx, and Galactic NOVA, while introducing new gameplay mechanics in Kirby’s Robobot Suit. Like Triple Deluxe, Planet Robobot’s mini-games, Team Kirby Clash Deluxe and Kirby Blowout Blast, were later available for download on the Nintendo eShop.
Reviews were generally positive, with critics drawing comparisons to various mecha anime, including Gurren Lagann.
2 Kirby Mass Attack
Kirby Teams Up With Kirby, Kirby, Kirby, and Kirby
- Metacritic Score: 83
After being divided into ten small Kirbys by Necrodeus, leader of the Skull Gang, Kirby (and the Kirbys) must collaborate to become one again in Kirby Mass Attack. Mass Attack eschews buttons for gameplay, relying entirely on the DS’s stylus for movement, combat, and maneuvering the player’s group of Kirbys through the Popopo Islands.
Reviews for this short and sweet platformer were generally positive, with critics praising the clever design and overall adorableness. Kirby's just too cute, especially as ten miniature Kirbys.
1 Kirby: Canvas Curse
Kirby Creates A Joyful Masterpiece
- Metacritic Score: 86
Players traverse a painted Dream Land in Kirby: Canvas Curse. Another Kirby game exclusively utilizing the stylus for gameplay, Canvas Curse revolves around drawing levels for a newly limbless Kirby to traverse, descend, and ride upon.
Canvas Curse was considered a touch-screen gaming marvel by numerous critics, who commended the innovative gameplay design. A Wii U sequel, Kirby And The Rainbow Curse, was released a decade later, but some critics found it lacking compared to the original DS game.