List of Kirby media

The Kirby video game series is a franchise of platform games and other genres (including puzzle and racing games) published and produced by Nintendo. The games have been developed by Japan-based HAL Laboratory, a Nintendo second-party developer.[1] All Kirby video games have been developed exclusively for Nintendo video game consoles and handhelds dating from the Nintendo Entertainment System to the current generation of video game consoles. The series debuted in Japan on April 27, 1992 with Hoshi no Kirby (星のカービィ, lit. "Kirby of the Stars"), which later was released in the North American and PAL regions on August 1992 as Kirby's Dream Land.[2]

The series revolves around Kirby, the series' protagonist, and his adventures in the fictional world of Pop Star. A common gameplay element is Kirby's ability to copy enemy skills, allowing him to use them to progress through levels. This and other changes in gameplay from traditional platform games distinguish the series from other entries in the genre.[3][4][5] Currently, the series contains twenty games. A one-hundred episode anime series based on the video games, Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, was created in Japan and formerly distributed by 4Kids TV in North America.[6] The Kirby series is among the best-selling video game franchises with over twenty million games sold worldwide.[7] The franchise was conceived by Masahiro Sakurai as a game series for beginners, for which he partially attributes the series' success.[8]

Video games

Platform games

Title Details

Original release date(s):
 Release years by system:
1992 – Game Boy[2]
2011 – Nintendo 3DS (Virtual Console emulation)
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby (星のカービィ Hoshi no Kābī, lit. "Kirby of the Stars").[2][9]
  • Re-released for download over the Nintendo Power system in Japan.[2][10]

Original release date(s):[11]
  • JP March 23, 1993
  • NA May 1, 1993
  • PAL December 1, 1993
 Release years by system:
1993 – Nintendo Entertainment System[11]
2007 – Wii (Virtual Console emulation)[12]
2013 – Wii U (Virtual Console emulation)
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby: Yume no Izumi no Monogatari (星のカービィ夢の泉の物語 Hoshi no Kābī: Yume no Izumi no Monogatari, lit. "Kirby of the Stars: The Story of the Fountain of Dreams")[11][13]

Original release date(s):[14]
  • JP March 21, 1995
  • NA May 1, 1995
  • PAL July 31, 1995
 Release years by system:
1995 – Game Boy[14]
2012 – Nintendo 3DS (Virtual Console emulation)
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby 2 (星のカービィ2, lit. "Kirby of the Stars 2")[14][15]
  • Re-released for download over the Nintendo Power system in Japan.[10][14]

Original release date(s):[16]
  • JP March 21, 1996
  • NA September 20, 1996
  • PAL January 23, 1997
 Release years by system:
1996 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System[16]
2009/2010 – Wii (Virtual Console emulation)
2013 – Wii U (Virtual Console emulation)
Notes:
  • Known in Europe as Kirby's Fun Pak and in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby Super Deluxe (星のカービィ スーパーデラックス, lit. "Kirby of the Stars Super Deluxe")[16][17]
  • The game is split into six shorter stories with events that interweave between them.[3]

Original release date(s):
  • JP March 27, 1998[18]
  • NA November 1, 1997[19]
  • PAL July 24, 2009 (Wii Virtual Console version)
 Release years by system:
1997 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System[20]
2009 – Wii (Virtual Console emulation)[21]
2013 – Wii U (Virtual Console emulation)
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby 3 (星のカービィ3, lit. "Kirby of the Stars 3")[18][22]

Original release date(s):[23]
  • JP March 24, 2000
  • NA June 26, 2000
  • PAL June 22, 2001
 Release years by system:
2000 – Nintendo 64[23]
2008 – Wii (Virtual Console emulation)[24]
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby 64 (星のカービィ64, lit. "Kirby of the Stars 64")[23][25]

Original release date(s):[26]
  • JP April 15, 2004
  • NA October 18, 2004
  • PAL July 2, 2004
 Release years by system:
2004 – Game Boy Advance[26]
2014 – Wii U (Virtual Console emulation)
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby: Kagami no Daimeikyuu (星のカービィ 鏡の大迷宮, lit. "Kirby of the Stars: The Great Labyrinth of the Mirror")[26][27]

Original release date(s):[28]
  • JP March 24, 2005
  • NA June 13, 2005
  • EU November 25, 2005
 Release years by system:
2005 – Nintendo DS[28]
Notes:
  • Known in Europe as Kirby: Power Paintbrush and in Japan as Touch! Kirby (タッチ!カービィ)[27][28]

Original release date(s):[29]
  • JP November 2, 2006
  • NA December 4, 2006
  • EU June 22, 2007
 Release years by system:
2006 – Nintendo DS[29]
Notes:
  • Known in Europe as Kirby Mouse Attack and in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby: Sanjō! Dorocche Dan (星のカービィ 参上! ドロッチェ団, lit. "Kirby of the Stars: Calling on the Dorocche Gang!")[27][29]

Original release date(s):[30]
  • JP October 14, 2010
  • NA October 17, 2010
  • EU February 25, 2011
 Release years by system:
2010 – Wii[30]

Original release date(s):[31]
JP August 4, 2011
NA September 19, 2011
EU October 28, 2011
AUS October 27, 2011
 Release years by system:
2011 – Nintendo DS[31]
Notes:
  • Released in Japan as Atsumete! Kirby (あつめて！カービィ Atsumete! Kābī, lit. "Gather! Kirby")

Original release date(s):[30]
  • JP October 27, 2011
  • NA October 24, 2011
  • EU November 25, 2011
 Release years by system:
2011 – Wii[30]
Notes:
  • Released in Europe as Kirby's Adventure Wii and in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby Wii (星のカービィWii Hoshi no Kābī Wii, lit. "Kirby of the Stars Wii")

Original release date(s):[32]
  • JP January 11, 2014
  • NA May 2, 2014
  • EU May 16, 2014
 Release years by system:
2014 – Nintendo 3DS

Original release date(s):[33]
  • JP January 22, 2015
  • NA February 20, 2015
  • EU May 8, 2015
 Release years by system:
2015 – Wii U

Remakes

Title Details

Original release date(s):[34]
  • JP October 25, 2002
  • NA December 2, 2002
  • PAL September 26, 2003
 Release years by system:
2002 – Game Boy Advance[34]
2014 - WiiU
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby: Yume no Izumi Deluxe (星のカービィ 夢の泉デラックス, lit. "Kirby of the Stars: The Fountain of Dreams Deluxe")[34][35]
  • Remake of Kirby's Adventure.[36]

Original release date(s):[37]
  • JP November 6, 2008
  • NA September 22, 2008
  • EU September 18, 2009
 Release years by system:
2008 – Nintendo DS[37]
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby: Ultra Super Deluxe (星のカービィ ウルトラスーパーデラックス, lit. "Kirby of the Stars Ultra Super Deluxe")[27][37]
  • Remake of Kirby Super Star.[38]
  • The game includes full-motion video, a graphical upgrade, and touch-screen support, all of which were not available in the original.[3]

Original release date(s):[39]
  • JP July 19, 2012
  • NA September 16, 2012
 Release years by system:
2012 – Wii[39]
Notes:

Other genres

Title Details

Original release date(s):[40]
  • JP November 27, 1993
  • NA November 1993
  • PAL 1993
 Release years by system:
1993 – Game Boy[40]
2012 – Nintendo 3DS (Virtual Console emulation)
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Kirby no Pinball (カービィのピンボール)[40][41]
  • Re-released for download over the Nintendo Power system in Japan.[10][40]

Original release date(s):[42]
  • JP September 21, 1994
  • NA February 1, 1995
  • PAL August 24, 1995
 Release years by system:
1994 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System[42]
2007 – Wii (Virtual Console emulation)[43]
2013 – Wii U (Virtual Console emulation)
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Kirby Bowl (カービィボウル)[42][44]
  • A Kirby golf game[42]
  • Re-released for download over the Nintendo Power system in Japan.[10][42]

Original release date(s):[45]
  • NA April 25, 1995
  • PAL February 1, 1995
 Release years by system:
1995 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System[46]
2007 – Wii (Virtual Console emulation)[47]
Notes:

Original release date(s):[49]
  • JP December 14, 1995
  • NA May, 1996
  • EU December, 1995
 Release years by system:
1995 – Game Boy[49]
2011/2012 – Nintendo 3DS (Virtual Console emulation)
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Kirby no Block Ball (カービィのブロックボール)[49][50]
  • A breakout clone skinned with the Kirby franchise.[51]
  • Re-released for download over the Nintendo Power system in Japan.[10][49]

Original release date(s):[52]
  • JP January 1, 1996
 Release years by system:
1996 – Satellaview (a Super Famicom add-on)[52]
Notes:

Original release date(s):[53]
  • JP March 18, 1997
  • NA July 7, 1997
  • EU August 28, 1997
 Release years by system:
1997 – Game Boy[53]
1998 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System[54]
2010 – Wii (Virtual Console SNES emulation)
2012/2013 – Nintendo 3DS (Virtual Console Game Boy emulation)
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Kirby no Kirakira Kids (カービィのきらきらきっず)[53][55]
  • Later released exclusively in Japan for the Super Famicom under the same title.[53][56][57]
  • A Kirby puzzle game in the vein of Puyo Puyo and Tetris[51]
  • Re-released for download over the Nintendo Power system in Japan.[10][53]

Original release date(s):[58]
  • JP August 26, 2000
  • NA April 9, 2001
 Release years by system:
2000 – Game Boy Color[58]
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Koro Koro Kirby (コロコロカービィ)[58][59][60]
  • The first Game Boy Color game to use motion control.[58]

Original release date(s):[61]
  • JP July 11, 2003
  • NA October 13, 2003
  • EU February 27, 2004
 Release years by system:
2003 – Nintendo GameCube[61]
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as Kirby Air Ride (カービィのエアライド)[61][62]
  • A Kirby arcade racing game.[63]

Cancelled titles

Title Details

Cancellation date:
N/A		 Proposed system release:
Nintendo 64
Notes:

Was later released on the Gamecube

Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble 2

Cancellation date:[64]
2002		 Proposed system release:
GameCube/Game Boy Advance[64]
Notes:
  • Sequel to Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble for the Game Boy Color.[64]
  • Used the Game Boy Advance as a controller for the GameCube game using the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable to connect the two together; the Game Boy Advance is used as a motion sensor as it was in the first Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble.[64]

Other media

Title Details

2001–2003 – 100-episode television series[65]		 Notes:
  • Distributed in North America by 4Kids Entertainment for a four-year run showing all one hundred episodes, from 2002 to 2006.[65]

1995 – – Manga series[66]		 Notes:
  • Long-running Kirby manga series.[66]

References

  1. ↑ "HAL Laboratory". IGN. Retrieved December 3, 2008.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Kirby's Dream Land for Game Boy - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Harris, Craig (September 22, 2008). "Kirby Super Star Ultra Review". IGN. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  4. ↑ Navarro, Alex (December 5, 2006). "Kirby Squeak Squad Review". GameSpot. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  5. ↑ Harris, Craig (December 5, 2006). "Kirby Squeak Squad Review". IGN. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  6. ↑ 星のカービィ ストーリー (in Japanese). HICBC. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  7. ↑ Nintendo (September 18, 2008). "Nintendo's Kirby Floats Through the Skies (Press Release)". IGN. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Interview with Masahiro Sakurai" (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 星のカービィ (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Robinson, Andy (November 29, 2008). "Nintendo closes Nintendo Power". CVG. Retrieved July 16, 2007.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Kirby's Adventure for NES - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  12. ↑ "Kirby's Adventure for Wii - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 28, 2008.
  13. ↑ "VC 星のカービィ夢の泉の物語" (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 "Kirby's Dream Land 2 for Game Boy - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  15. ↑ 星のカービィ2 (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "Kirby Super Star for SNES - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  17. ↑ 星のカービィ スーパーデラックス (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 星のカービィ3 (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  19. ↑ "Kirby's Dream Land 3: Cheats". IGN. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  20. ↑ Kirby's Dream Land 3 - Overview. Allgame. Retrieved on November 29, 2008.
  21. ↑ "One WiiWare Game and One Virtual Console Game Added to Wii Shop Channel". Nintendo of America. 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  22. ↑ "Kirby's Dream Land 3 (Virtual Console)". IGN. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  24. ↑ "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards for Wii - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  25. ↑ "星のカービィ64". Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 "Kirby & the Amazing Mirror for GBA - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 星のカービィ 鏡の大迷宮 (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 "Kirby: Canvas Curse for DS - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 "Kirby Squeak Squad for DS - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 Harris, Craig (June 15, 2010). "E3 2010: Kirby's Epic Yarn is Awesome Patchwork". IGN. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Tanner, Nicole (2011). "E3 2011: Nintendo Teases More Games - UPDATE". IGN Entertainment. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  32. ↑ Gera, Emily. "Kirby: Triple Deluxe coming to Japan on Jan. 11". Polygon. Retrieved November 2013.
  33. ↑ Gera, Emily. "Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is heading to Wii U in 2015". Polygon. Retrieved June 2014.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 "Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  35. ↑ 星のカービィ 夢の泉デラックス (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  36. ↑ Provo, Frank (December 9, 2002). "Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 "Kirby Super Star Ultra - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  38. ↑ Pfister, Andrew (September 23, 2008). "Kirby Super Star Ultra Review". 1up.com. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 "Kirby's Dream Collection Release Date Announced". Game Informer. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 "Kirby's Pinball Land for Game Boy - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  41. ↑ カービィのピンボール (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 42.3 42.4 "Kirby's Dream Course for Super Nintendo - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  43. ↑ Provo, Frank (September 4, 2007). "Kirby's Dream Course for Wii Review". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  44. ↑ カービィボウル (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 Thomas, Lucas M. (September 26, 2007). "Kirby's Avalanche Review". IGN. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
  46. ↑ "Kirby's Avalanche for SNES". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 Provo, Frank (October 2, 2007). "Kirby's Avalanche for Wii Review". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  48. ↑ "Kirby's Rainbow Resort: Kirby's Avalanche". GameSpy. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 49.2 49.3 "Kirby's Block Ball for Game Boy". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  50. ↑ カービィのブロックボール (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 IGN Nintendo Team. "Kirby Compared". Nintendo. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 52.2 52.3 "BS Kirby no Omotya Bako Baseball". IGN. Retrieved December 3, 2008.
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 53.2 53.3 53.4 "Kirby's Star Stacker for Game Boy". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  54. ↑ "'Kirby's Star Stacker'". NinDB. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  55. ↑ カービィのきらきらきっず (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  56. ↑ "Kirby no KiraKira Kids for SNES". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  57. ↑ カービィのきらきらきっず (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  58. ↑ 58.0 58.1 58.2 58.3 Harris, Craig (April 10, 2001). "Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble Review". IGN. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  59. ↑ IGN Staff (August 22, 2001). "Spaceworld 2001: Koro Koro Kirby Cube". IGN. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  60. ↑ コロコロカービィ (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  61. ↑ 61.0 61.1 61.2 "Kirby Air Ride for GameCube - Release Summary". GameSpot. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  62. ↑ カービィのエアライド (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  63. ↑ Casamassina, Matt (October 13, 2003). "Kirby Air Ride Review". IGN. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
  64. ↑ 64.0 64.1 64.2 64.3 Harris, Craig (August 22, 2001). "Space World 2001: Game Boy Advance to GameCube Connectivity". IGN. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
  65. ↑ 65.0 65.1 "Kirby's Rainbow Resort". GameSpy. Archived from the original on May 6, 2009. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  66. ↑ 66.0 66.1 "Kirby - Manga: Vol. 01". Nippon Export. Retrieved December 15, 2008.

External links