Nintendo is responsible for numerous gaming franchises that have left their marks on the industry, but the adorable platforming antics of Kirby have kept audiences entertained for more than three decades. The Kirby franchise first started to gain traction during the 1990s, and it didn’t take long for it to emerge as one of Nintendo’s most versatile properties.
New Kirby titles continue to grace each piece of Nintendo hardware, but the 2000s were a curious decade for the pink puffball protagonist. Some of the most unusual Kirby outings were released during the 2000s, and they’re even more interesting when they’re looked back on now.
8 Kirby Air Ride Turns The Quirky Platformer Into An Unreal Racer (Score: 61)
The 2000s were a bit of a time of transition for the Kirby franchise. The series becomes a mainstay on Nintendo’s handhelds of the decade, but the only Kirby game to make it onto the GameCube is a racing spin-off, Kirby Air Ride.
Most Nintendo fans are going to default to Mario Kart over Kirby Air Ride, but the cult classic’s secret weapon is that it’s directed by Masahiro Sakurai, who’s responsible for masterminding the crossover fighting series, Super Smash Bros. There’s the same level of detail, copious unlockables, and extra content that pushes Kirby Air Ride beyond a standard racing game.
7 Kirby: Squeak Squad Is A Classic DS Platformer With Lots Of Charm (Score: 71)
Kirby: Squeak Squad is another Nintendo DS title that's fairly traditional in comparison to the many other DS Kirby games that are built around touch screen functionality. Squeak Squad returns the series to its roots, but despite the cute titular rodent characters, it's a fairly forgettable Kirby platformer.
Squeak Squad would please anyone who’s playing Kirby for the first time, but seasoned fans of the franchise will want more. The ability to upgrade Copy Abilities is a fun feature, but there are other better handheld Kirby games.
6 Kirby Super Star Ultra Remasters And Improves Upon A Compilation Classic (Score: 76)
Kirby Super Star was a standout entry in the series for the Super Nintendo that packages together nine mini-games of various lengths that celebrate Kirby's many abilities and the large cast of characters he's come to meet across the years.
Kirby Super Star Ultra is a remastered port of the SNES classic for the Nintendo DS that truly goes above and beyond. Not only does it graphically update and improve upon other details in the original nine games, but it also adds seven new ones into the mix. With that much new content, it's practically a sequel.
5 Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Brings The Series’ Platforming To 3D Heights (Score: 77)
During the ‘90s, there were all sorts of genre spin-offs and reinventions of the Kirby formula, but the mainline platformer series were still met with the most acclaim. A few years after the Super Nintendo’s Kirby’s Dream Land 3 came the character’s big debut on the Nintendo 64.
2000’s Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards doesn’t have the depth of other N64 platformers like Super Mario 64 or Banjo-Kazooie, but it’s a satisfying evolution of the Kirby formula. The 3D transition feels natural, and the complexity behind Kirby’s Copy Abilities continues to advance.
4 Kirby & The Amazing Mirror Incorporates Metroidvania Design Elements (Score: 80)
Kirby is such a malleable character that many of the core platforming titles in the series still adopt major changes to the usual formula. The Metroid and Castlevania series found major success on the Game Boy Advance.
Because of that, Kirby & the Amazing Mirror takes a page out of their books with its Metroidvania design. Players have the option to tackle the game in whatever order they want and this freedom is a natural fit for Kirby's world, which could sometimes feel closed off in the past.
3 Kirby: Nightmare In Dream Land Remakes Kirby’s First NES Outing (Score: 81)
The Game Boy Advance was an excellent handheld console for ports and remakes of older Nintendo titles. Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land is a thorough remake of Kirby's Adventure for the original Nintendo.
This is the best way to experience this early Kirby quest for those who have never experienced the NES original. The addition of multiplayer modes and mini-games is a fun but largely superfluous touch. Challenging unlockables also become a staple of the series, but Nightmare in Dream Land is still one of the shorter Kirby games.
2 Kirby Tilt 'N' Tumble Is Built Around Cutting Edge Game Boy Color Motion Technology (Score: 83)
Kirby has been transformed into pinball, mini-golf, a Breakout clone, and more, but the 2000 Game Boy Color release Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble showcases unique technology. Certain Game Boy titles would include a built-in rumble pack, but Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble incorporates a sophisticated accelerometer.
Using the accelerometer, players can control Kirby by tilting and flicking the Game Boy Color rather than by using traditional button controls. Kirby Tilt ‘n’ Tumble feels fully formed and not like some unpolished tech demo, which allows it to open the doors for even more inventive Kirby titles on the Nintendo DS.
1 Kirby: Canvas Curse Is A Stylus-Exclusive Experience (Score: 86)
The Nintendo DS' dual-screen design with touch screen capabilities was a major breakthrough for Nintendo. Many of the titles early on in the DS' run make heavy use of the stylus and touch screen features as proof of the console's concept and to offer a gaming experience that can't be found anywhere else.
Kirby: Canvas Curse is played exclusively with the stylus, and it's one of the best and most enjoyable examples of what the DS can accomplish. Traditional Kirby fans might be disappointed, but it's a fitting evolution of how this character can be used in unconventional ways.