January2019
News Nintendo Shares Special Artwork To Celebrate First Anniversary Of Kirby Battle Royale
Party time
Think of a battle royale game and the last title you will probably consider is Kirby Battle Royale for Nintendo 3DS. Even so, the title is now one year old. In celebration of this epic milestone, Nintendo of America has shared special artwork for the game, over on its Twitter account: If you haven't played Kirby Battle Royale, here's a...
November2018
News Kirby Star Allies Update Introduces New Dream Friends And Adds Challenge Mode
Arrives 30th November
Later this month on 30th November, Kirby Star Allies on Nintendo Switch is receiving its 'wave three' update which will add a bunch of new characters and a special challenge mode to the game for free. After teasing much of this DLC content in Japanese, Nintendo has now released a prolonged video in the west which runs for...
News The Japanese Name For Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's World Of Light Mode Holds a Cool Easter Egg
Kirby takes the spotlight one more time
As we already know, Kirby is the sole surviving hero at the beginning of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's "World of Light" adventure mode. However, in another twist, the Japanese title for World of Light hides a Kirby-themed easter egg. The name in Japanese is Tomoshibi no Hoshi (灯火の星). If you reverse the...
July2018
News HAL President Satoshi Mitsuhara Reminisces On His Close Friendship With Satoru Iwata
"We were very close friends"
Many will remember Satoru Iwata as the late president of Nintendo, and particularly as the warm and gentle face of some fantastic Nintendo Direct moments but, of course, he is also well known for his time at Kirby developer HAL Laboratory. While technically being an independent studio, HAL has always been very closely...
News Adeleine And Ribbon Are the Newest Dream Friend In Kirby Star Allies
Update goes live later this month
A couple days ago, we shared an image that had popped up on Twitter showcasing a silhouette of the next Dream Friend that would be coming to Kirby Star Allies this summer. There were plenty of good guesses, although it seemed all too likely that this would be a “Jigglypuff, viewed form above” bait and switch...
June2018
News Three Kirby Soundtracks Are Now Available For Streaming
Take your pick
Over it’s multi-decade run, the Kirby series has accrued quite a collection of memorable tunes, many of which get revisited time and again in latter releases. Indeed, there’s a certain kind of wondrous playfulness to much of Kirby’s music; there’s nothing else out there quite like it. In celebration of this long musical...
March2018
Guide Kirby Star Allies Dream Friends List
Spoilers abound!
Friends are dime a dozen, but Dream Friends are absolutely worth treasuring. What are we talking about? Friends in Kirby Star Allies, of course – what did you think? Dream Friends are extra special friends that you can't find knocking about in an ordinary level. No, to grab these you have to first unlock them, then go and enlist...
Guide Kirby Star Allies Big Switch Locations
It's time to switch
If you plan on completing every single level in Kirby Star Allies, you're going to need to find the hidden big switches. Not only do these unlock Dream Fortresses, but they reveal completely new levels as well. Finding a big switch does typically involve mastering a specific ability or combination. While we've tried to point you...
Guide Kirby Star Allies Special Picture Piece Locations
Find the missing pieces
Special picture pieces are the quintessential collectible in Kirby Star Allies just like the Moons in Super Mario Odyssey. Well, they're not quite as tricky to find as the latter, and there are nowhere near as many, but you get the picture (geddit?!). Most involve mastering a specific Kirby ability or combination, and for...
Guide Kirby Star Allies Beginner's Guide
Kick it to the Kirby
Writing a beginner's guide for Kirby Star Allies almost feels like a practical joke. That's how easy it is. But while writing our guides for the special picture piece and big switch locations, we realised that there are some of you that don't like to be walked through everything and just want a few tips on what to look out for...
Guide Kirby Star Allies Compatible amiibo And What They Unlock
Just tap it in
It probably won't come as an enormous surprise to you that Kirby Star Allies supports amiibo. It wouldn't really be a Nintendo game without them! But, as is usually the case with amiibo support, it's never really clear what happens when you tap them. It's also unclear which amiibo you can use. Fear not though, because that's why...
Feature A Kirby Retrospective: From Game Boy To Nintendo Switch
Kirby your enthusiasm
The upcoming Kirby Star Allies marks a triumphant return to 2D platforming for everyone's favourite inflatable pink ball, so we figured it was high time we had a good long look at the franchise to see just how far it's come. Kirby's adventures started all the way back in the early nineties on the Game Boy, and his latest...
November2017
Video BOXBOY! Trailer Hints At Possible New Title
An all-new Switch release, or a collection of previous games?
BOXBOY! studio HAL Laboratory has published a video which hints that the series will continue. The video - shown above - ends with a graphics that says "To be continued". Box Boy! was something of a sleep hit on the 3DS eShop and the character was popular enough to gets his own amiibo...
August2017
News HAL Laboratory Opens HAL Egg, a Mobile Game Development Branch
And no, they aren't making a Kirby game yet
HAL Laboratory is a studio that is primarily known for one thing: Kirby. The series has arguably never been doing better, and with a new Kirby game due out on Switch next year, one would think that the company would be focusing all its resources on the super tuff pink puff, but a new announcement today has...
May2017
News Kirby Director Shares a Few Words on the Series’ 25th Anniversary
Happy birthday, Kirby!
It’s hard to believe, but this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Kirby franchise. The super tough pink puff has arguably proved himself to be Nintendo’s most flexible character yet, showing up in spinoffs spanning a wide variety of genres over the years. His latest game—Kirby: Planet Robobot—was pretty darned...
April2017
News Satoshi Ishida Hints at the Upcoming Kirby Multiplayer Game
An action fighting game?
Kirby: Planet Robobot was a standout release on the 3DS last year, polishing the gameplay of Kirby: Triple Deluxe even further while adding in some interesting new elements. As per series tradition, Planet Robobot also had some fun minigames that offered something a bit different form the core gameplay, and both are being...
News BYE-BYE BOXBOY! Says Farewell to the Trilogy in North America
Series trilogy demo now available on the Nintendo 3DS eShop
The BoxBoy! trilogy says its final goodbye as BYE-BYE BOXBOY! is now available in North America on the Nintendo 3DS eShop; it arrived in Europe in late March. Featuring creative new puzzles and gameplay mechanics, this one has HAL Laboratory put in all of its creativity into this last game...
News New Kirby Titles Releasing In Honor Of 25th Anniversary
You're going to need to bring some friends
Today on the Nintendo Direct showcasing 3DS and Nintendo Switch titles, not one, not two, but three new Kirby titles were announced for the Nintendo 3DS. Retaining the stereotype that Nintendo likes to mark the end of its console support with a multitude of Kirby titles. The first of which is releasing...
March2017
Video This BYE-BYE BOXBOY! Overview Trailer Shows Off the Clever Puzzles and Cuteness
One final unboxing
HAL Laboratory may be best known for the Kirby series, but it's a studio more than capable of applying its sense of whimsy to new ideas. The BOXBOY! series has done just that, and the third entry - BYE-BYE BOXBOY! - is now right around the corner in PAL territories. Out this week on the eShop (priced £4.49 / €4.99), the new...
January2017
News Goodbye! BOXBOY! Has Some Lovely Kirby-Related amiibo Support
A Game Boy screen filter, too
Slowly and surely, heading towards its third release in Japan, HAL Laboratory's BOXBOY! series continues to gain fans and momentum. Though a Western release is yet to be confirmed, early February will see the release of Goodbye! BOXBOY! in Japan, known locally as Sayonara! BOXBOY!, with a physical retail edition on the...
December2016
News Goodbye! BOXBOY! Has Been Announced for Nintendo 3DS
New Qbby amiibo will be sold alongside a collector's edition
A side project from HAL Laboratory, of Kirby fame, the BOXBOY! games have been a nice puzzle-platforming addition to the 3DS eShop, offering a diverse array of thought provoking levels. So far, we've gotten BOXBOY! and its follow up, BOXBOXBOY!, and now it's been announced that HAL will be...
September2016
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Director Discusses How Copy Abilities Are Chosen
Balancing is key
Though the Kirby series is well known for branching out frequently into new and different gameplay styles, the core platforming series still firmly remains centered around Kirby's cope abilities. Ever since Kirby's Adventure, dozens of copy abilities have made their debut, though many have a tendency to disappear for a few games...
June2016
Video Nintendo Opts for a Scientific Approach to Promote Kirby: Planet Robobot, Sort Of
The latest effort under the 'Play Nintendo' banner
Play Nintendo, the Nintendo of America promotional channel setup to grab the interest of young gamers and their parents, has published its latest quirky video - this time it's advertising Kirby: Planet Robobot. It adopts a 'quirky scientist' vibe, with a father and son doing their best Albert...
E3 2016 BOXBOXBOY! is Coming to the 3DS eShop on 30th June
No longer boxed into the Japanese eShop
During the Nintendo Treehouse live stream from E3 we got a good look at BOXBOXBOY!, the sequel to the rather charming BOXBOY!. This HAL Laboratory follow-up has been available in Japan for a little while, so fans of the original will no doubt be glad to see it roll out in the West - it's coming to both Europe...
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Transforms Into Top 20 Title in UK Charts
Yo-kai Watch clings on to top 40 spot
We're big fans of Kirby: Planet Robobot, the 3DS sequel that ups the ante on its original and introduces clever ideas to a classic formula. Since its launch it appears to have had a reasonable sales start in the UK, too, securing chart placings similar to its predecessor - Kirby: Triple Deluxe. It its first...
