Kirby — one of the most famous faces (with little podgy arms and feet attached) in Nintendo's stable of stars — has been wowing players with his impressive abilities and sheer versatility for nearly thirty years now. Created by Smash Bros. boss Masahiro Sakurai, the pink one built up a very impressive library of games across a variety of genres since his 1992 Game Boy debut, Kirby's Dream Land.
In fact, Kirby and his catalogue represent an odd dichotomy. He's a super approachable platforming protagonist ready to onboard novices and younger gamers with his sedately iterative adventures, but he is also (and perhaps fittingly seeing as he's the product of a company named HAL Laboratory) the subject of numerous madcap gameplay experiments; a guinea pig for new game mechanics and ideas. Kirby is all-at-once video gaming's blandest and most exciting character. Perhaps such adaptability is to be expected from an individual who can transform at will and adopt the characteristics of literally anyone or anything he comes into contact with.
We recently asked Nintendo Life readers to rate their favourite Kirby games and the result is the ranked list you see below. For the sake of comprehensiveness, this selection includes every spin-offs, 'Deluxe' re-release and upgrade, compilation and port of his previous hits — thirty-five by our count.
Importantly, the results are updated in real time according the each game's corresponding User Rating in the Nintendo Life game database. Therefore, it's totally possible to influence the ranking below as you read this. If you haven't rated your favourites yet, simply click the star on the game you wish to rate and assign an appropriate score.
Enough chatter. Jump aboard your warp star and hold on tight — we're about to take you through every single Kirby game ranked from best to worst. Well, worst to best, actually. There's nothing wrong with a little suspense...
35. Kirby Battle Royale (3DS)
Kirby Battle Royale falls into a 'B' or 'C-list' category of releases. While the main games in the series on 3DS offer creativity, smart design and generous amounts of content, this one falls short on all counts. It's not a bad game, but it is mediocre. For families and mini-game enthusiasts able to dabble in local multiplayer, there's some fun to be had, but a repetitive Story Mode and sparsely populated online servers will sap anyone else's enthusiasm. Kirby may have many of his iconic abilities here, but the copy-paste approach and limited mini-games mean this doesn't come close to the quality and fun of the mascot's other games.
34. Team Kirby Clash Deluxe (3DS eShop)
A free release based on the Team Kirby Clash mode in Kirby: Planet Robobot, Team Kirby Clash Deluxe was a neat free-to-start multiplayer experience combining the action-RPG gameplay of that mode with a peppering of F2P mechanics (battle limitations and Gem Apples as a currency, for example). It also used the 3DS' Streetpass feature — oh how we miss it! — which enables the Kirby's of people you pass in the street to join you in battle.
33. Kirby Fighters Deluxe (3DS eShop)
Expanding on the original Kirby Fighters mini-game from Kirby: Triple Deluxe with team battles, boss fights, collectable cosplay and several new stages, Kirby Fighters Deluxe is both a worthwhile upgrade and a great game in its own right. The lack of online play is a let-down, but this one’s worth finding friends for; local multiplayer is an amazingly good time, and simple controls, helpful handicaps and Download Play make it accessible for all.
32. Super Kirby Clash (Switch eShop)
An upgraded version of fellow free-to-start Kirby game, Team Kirby Clash Deluxe, Super Kirby Clash holds up the series' standard with its impressively diverse boss roster, straightforward RPG-lite mechanics, and deep potential for replayability. Online multiplayer is unstable and unreliable, but as a free-to-play release, Super Kirby Clash handles its monetisation smartly and doesn’t hold back too much, offering you a fair amount of time-gated content relative to how much you feel like paying. There's little reason not to give this a try if it passed you by.
31. Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe (3DS eShop)
Another standalone update of a mode from a previous game, Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe is a hit for rhythm game fans; short but very sweet, it offers wonderful tunes, clever levels, and tons of trademark Kirby charm. It’s also an excellent expansion of the original mini-game, with all new stages and lots of fun gameplay tweaks. Anyone looking for a fresh take on musical platforming should hunt this one down. It's Dedede-lightful.
30. Kirby's Blowout Blast (3DS eShop)
A standalone version of the Kirby 3D Rumble sub-game from Planet Robobot, Kirby’s Blowout Blast leans back into the series’ Dream Land roots despite its added third dimension. Blowout Blast looks beautiful, controls well and is easy to pick up, play, and replay. It's also just a bit too simple in its construction, and could have benefited from some surprises to spice things up in the main stages. Younger players will likely have a blast, and there's still plenty of Kirby love for completionists, but anybody not fully down with the score-chasing element might find the experience a tad deflating.
29. Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble (GBC)
Released in 2000 in Japan and the following year in North America, this GBC spin-off never came to PAL shores. The cartridge included a tilting sensor which enabled you to control Kirby by rolling him around levels, guiding him to the goal. Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble isn't ground-breaking, but it's a fun Kirby curio and worth playing if you can track it down.
Make sure you're playing it in a regular GBC or GBA, though — the accelerometer doesn't like being held upside down in a GBA SP, and you won't get very far plugging it into a Game Boy Player, either.
28. Kirby's Star Stacker (GB)
If you enjoy falling block puzzlers, then Kirby's Star Stacker is a fun little one-of-those. The Round Clear mode gives you some fixed levels to play through, after which you'll be left with high score attempts, just like most puzzlers. It got a Japan-exclusive Super Famicom remake very late in that system's life, although it never came to the West because the mainstream market for SNES games had disappeared by 1998. All told, it's quite fun.
27. Kirby's Avalanche (SNES)
Relabelled as Kirby's Ghost Trap in Europe, this is simply Compile and Banpresto's Super Puyo Puyo with a lick of pink paint from HAL. In the battle of the 16-bit Puyo puzzlers, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine arguably has a slight edge over Kirby's Avalanche (for casual players, at least) due to the password system and a better soundtrack. It's hard to go too far wrong with Puyo Puyo, though, and this one's got Kirby in it. Score!
26. Kirby Fighters 2 (Switch eShop)
Given that it arrived with practically zero fanfare, Kirby Fighters 2 is a surprisingly brilliant Smash Bros.-style platform fighter spin-off that simplifies its big brother's control system but still offers a healthy amount of depth with its twenty-two-character roster. Its Story mode, in particular, is a clever and compelling way to make each battle feel important, and that mode alone lasts long enough to make it worthwhile for solo and co-op gamers looking for a meaty Kirby experience. Scrappy, but in a good way.
25. Kirby's Block Ball (GB)
A first playthrough of Kirby’s Block Ball lasts about three hours — it’ll take most players longer to surmount each world’s benchmark high score and unlock the final world — and there’s replay value to be found in score-making. The classic gameplay of Breakout and the delightful Kirby presentation, music and unique power-ups come together well, even if there can be a tad too much waiting and hoping in later worlds. Still, Block Ball is a decent chunk of entertainment.
24. Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (Wii U)
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon: a pleasant roll through a gorgeous world, with some novel concepts, and one of the most beautiful games on the Wii U. However charming the game may be, though, Rainbow Curse is a few strokes from greatness: overly repetitive mechanics, underused ideas, and a failure to integrate its clay theme into gameplay in any meaningful way keep it from reaching the lofty heights its art style promises. Well-crafted, then, but not a masterpiece.
Comments (82)
Robobot got the #1 spot. I am very pleased with this result
I knew Robobot was number 1. Happy with that.
Robobot definitely deserve the First spot. By a mile.
The best Kirby game is obviously Smash Ultimate. Also I had no idea there were so many Kirby games.
Super Star Ultra DS is my fave. The music! Why can't we get that rereleased for Switch? Only one physical Kirby game for Switch and it's a bit of a dud. The DS had FOUR. And they were all good!
Kirby's Adventure my #1
Surprised to see Robobot at number one. Even more annoying that I'm struggling to get my hands on it.
Kirby’s Adventure on NES was the game the unlocked my completionist habits. I remember putting in some serious time as a kid just to beat the final boss only to see a ~70% completion on the save final. Going back through those levels and finding the secret exits was a freaking blast and quite challenging too. No other Kirby game feels quite as magical to me as the that one.
I'm not super surprised Robobot is at first, everyone seems to like that one. But I was kinda hoping for SuperStar Ultra or Return To Dreamland to make first, they've always felt like the definitive Kirby games to me. Pretty solid list, though.
I definitely agree with number one Robobot really surprised my expectation the first time that I played it, and this time the top ten is good but the rest have a weird order like Kirby battle Royal it’s definitely not one of the worse Kirby games
Yesssss. Robobot totally deserves first place. One of the best platformers on the 3DS.
Saw that one Swedish online retailer have Robobot back in stock, might buy it!
I had no idea there were this many Kirby games 😲
Good list, but, in my opinion, there is no way Dreamland 3 and Squeak Squad are better than Star Allies, unless the lower framerate is reason enough for you to put it there, which I don't think it is.
Squeak Squad is depressingly safe, and I actually think Dreamland 3 looks pretty bad for a SNES game, and it's so much more barebones than Super Star. I think comparing it to Yoshi's Island is laughable.
I agreed with the list. But l am surprised the original isn't closer to 1#
Kirby Planet Robotbot for me is the pinnacle of the franchise and my favorite Kirby game, hyping waiting for the first 3D mainline Kirby game, that could be the pinnacle of the franchise that Hal Laboratory mentioned in 2019.
Think amazing mirror is a little low but, to be honest, a lot of good, good games there. Not very much between them at all. What a consistent little pink dude.
THE METAL PUFFBALL PREVAILS!
Star Allies deserves higher. It may not be as innovative as other Kirby platformers, and the mini-games are much weaker than the 3DS ones, but it does what it does well, and there’s oodles of replayability in the Guest Star mode.
Amazing Mirror also deserves better. And Dream Land 1 deserves lower, it really doesn’t hold up as well as any of the other core platformers.
@GigaMermaid I quite like Squeak Squad, but it’s clearly using GBA assets and not pushing the hardware at all. But yes, Star Allies is better. And Dream Land 3 is worse than both.
But the best Kirby game is Link's Awakening...
Looks like the DS family and Wii had many of the highlights for Kirby. Personally, I was very disappointed by the Switch games.
Is Planet Robobot much better than Triple Deluxe? I always thought it was the opposite XD
Trudging through the painfully low scores was annoying, but seeing Robobot in #1 paid off in the end.
@Solomon18 AGREED! I wish we had a physical collection of the DS games that got ported/remastered on Switch. ESPECIALLY that one.
@TurtleTurtle your pfp perfectly fits that comment haha!
"Robobot" is good, but it's let down by its areas of stupid plane-jumping gameplay that ruined "Triple Deluxe." Thankfully, the plane-jumping is at least toned down in this one and also has the excellent mech sections mixed up with the usual stellar standard Kirby gameplay.
Anyway, "Return to Dreamland" is the best in the series as far as I'm concerned, with "Super Star (Ultra)" and "(3D Classics) Adventure" rounding out the Top 3 on my list.
Kirby's return to dreamland is my all time favorite, but I've only played three games on this list now I really want to see what Robobot is like. I hope they would port 3ds games for 20 bucks on switch and not the deluxe price of 60.
Wow the dream collection never came out in PAL regions? To be fair I imagine Kirby sells in PAL regions about as well as Samus in Japan.
Personally, I prefer the Kirby games that stick more to his standard style of gameplay rather than the lame experimental controls in games like "Canvas Curse," "Mass Attack," or "Epic Yarn." I also don't like how the animal helpers control in "Dream Land 2 and 3."
BB at #30?! Come now....
Also, I found it funny how the top 10 games all have 8 or higher!
Aw, no Kirby’s Toy Box?
I’m pleased Pinball Land beat Star Allies.
An excellent ranking! Personally Return to Dreamland is my favorite but happy to see Planet Robobot at #1. Star Allies was sadly a disappointment, hopefully the next mainline Kirby game is better!
Good list, my personal top 3 would be Superstar, Epic Yarn, and Robobot.
Glad to see the rightful #1 winner claim it’s spot.
Yikes, Canvas Curse deserves better. It's so fun and unique, and it's one of the few games that really justifies Nintendo's touch screen shenanigans
This list is definitely a little off with all the ports of Kirby's Adventure. How is the original version higher than both the gba remake and the 3D version?
@Aerona It's definitely strange choices - but it's apparently what this community chose - go figure
Gotta agree with Robobot taking the number 1 spot. I want a new Kirby game now.
@Solomon18 Well, there's Kirby Super Star on Switch you can play.
By the way, Super Star, Air Ride, and Dream Course are too low. And while Robobot is great, Super Star Ultra is easily the best one, come on.
Its all about kirby superstar
@Aerona I guess the original in 1993 was a more influential and better game than the remakes/ports were years later.
Edit: It's like... Kirby's Adventure is easily a 10/10 NES game. Nightmare in Dream Land is not necessarily a 10/10 GBA game, though.
Let’s go! Im so glad Planet Robobot it #1. It is definitely my favorite Kirby game and the first one I played. Probably going to boot up the 3ds today and play it.
Hmm a few eshop games left for me to buy. Good to know.
A collection that doesn't remaster the originals shouldn't be on the list.
The 3d version should be higher than the original.
But everything else is good. It's actually impressive the amount of Kirby games released
Very pleased with #1 and #2. But why on earth do people like triple deluxe so much? That game is not good and is super generic. Hell, star allies is better.
Quite different from how I'd rank them but it seems we can all agree that Robobot deserves the top spot.
If they would put half of such effort in a more meaningful series like Metroid!
Disappointed to see Kirby 64 so low, as that's probably my favorite one. Kirby Super Star Ultra is my second favorite, so that was spot on for me. (Still need to play Planet Robobot, though.)
On another note, there are a lot of Kirby games I haven't even heard of, which was surprising.
@GigaMermaid You're speaking fighting words there for Dreamland 3
Robobot was a deserving winner and I'm glad RtDL and TD ranked high too...but Rainbow Curse, Fighters 2, and Star Allies all deserved much, much better.
Pretty satisfied with the list although I think Kirby's Dream Course should've been a bit higher imo
I truly don’t understand the popularity of Robobot. I looks great and sounds great but it wasn’t as fun as many other Kirby games. Not sure what didn’t click with me.
Robobot is deserved winner but I’m a bit sad about Amazing Mirror being overlooked as it’s actually challenging and actually does something different in possibly Nintendo’s stalest series.
Woah, Planet Robobot took the #1 spot? I've never heard anybody talk about it. I never played it, I assumed it would be similar in quality to Triple Deluxe (which I liked, just not as much as other Kirby games)
For me personally, Kirby's Adventure is still the best game on the NES.
I consider it better then even SMB3.
What I find quite striking about this list, is that so many of Nintendo Life's own reviews give a 7/10, even for the likes of Triple Deluxe.
@Final_Fantasy_Kirby Probably because it was too easy (even by Kirby standards), the game didn't have a lot to offer at launch, it didn't really try anything new with the series when it came to Switch (like how Mario/Zelda did with Odyssey/BOTW), it runs at 30fps when the 3DS games run at 60fps.
Still hoping to see Epic Yarn on the Switch. That game would look beautiful in HD, and I feel like it's a Platformer where online co-op would be playable since the game is so chill and doesn't require super precise actions most of the time.
We are definitely due a new Kirby game on Switch. And we are definitely due a decent Kirby game on Switch! 2021 could be a good Kirby year.
I know there's very little between them on the scores, and I know Wii U games had a far lower install base, but Star Allies ahead of Rainbow Curse is just wrong. Rainbow Curse ain't a top 10 Kirby game... but it's significantly better than Star Allies in so many ways!
@Final_Fantasy_Kirby Why would you compare Kirby to Animal Crossing gameplay-wise? That's really stupid.
I'd rank star allies closer to number one, easily on the top ten but other than that fair list
Damn I’d love some direct sequels to Robobot! Glad it got top spot!
@Chowdaire Not sure I see how Triple Deluxe is in any way generic, I always found it to be the complete opposite, which is why I was so pleasantly surprised by it. It's probably one of the least generic games in the series, and pushes the boundaries for level design in Kirby. It's my second favorite in the series for that reason, and certainly leagues beyond Star Allies. (In my opinion, of course)
So happy to see Robobot #1 I’ve played many Kirby games and this is the best one I’ve ever played in my opinion
@Krisi So better for its time. I guess so
I don’t really like Kirby games. But I really like Robobot.
Also, you’d never think this site was UK/Europe based going from these game names.
Robobot? Really?
I mean it was good the best handheld game by far, but there are some truly fantastic console titles.
@nessisonett The maze gameplay in "Amazing Mirror" is too confusing and even worse when you can't open certain paths that require multiple players. It's still good, but the lousy level design puts it behind many other Kirby games.
@ZeroRVL I honestly don't see it. The big gimmick mechanic was completely wasted. The "big suck" or whatever it was called is entirely scripted, only playing in designated areas of the game, and there is no actual gameplay hook to it. It doesn't challenge the player or open new ways to play, its literally a cutscene. The rest of the game, while having good level design, is nothing we haven't seen a million times since kirby's adventure.
When I think of the best kirby games I think of the games that introduce a fun new gameplay hook (planet robobot), mix up the traditional platforming with variety (superstar and its remake) or take the principles of a kirby game and apply it to a different genre (dream course)
Kirby Super Star SNES is my personal favorite but the top 2 on this list are acceptable. Planet Robobot is probably the game I’d recommend most. Especially to new players. It’s pretty great.
Well...I still stick with Superstar SNES and Nightmare in Dreamland as series highlights 😑 Robotobot is fine but...just that. Another entry that doesn't do much innovation in game mechanics.
@GravyThief - Thank you! I was starting to feel like I was the only person who owned "Kirby's Fun Pack" XD
I feel like Kirby's Epic Yarn has been grossly under-estimated by fans. I'm still hoping for a triple pack re-lease on Switch of Epic Yarn, Yoshi's Wooly World packed in with Yoshi's Crafted World. That would be epic.
Amazing Mirror is #21. Piece of POYO
Eh, pretty decent list. Not surprised by #1, though. As amazing Planet Robobot was, it still can't beat Epic Yarn, Star Allies, Super Star (SNES), Return to Dream Land, and Triple Deluxe for me. Speaking of Star Allies...
Though I'll admit that the game is "too easy", the same could be said for just about any other mainline game in the series. The Dream Land trilogy is too easy, Adventure is too easy, Kirby 64 is too easy, Return to Dream Land is too easy...I have nothing against this franchise being "too easy" since that's the main selling point of the mainline games.
Here's my ranking:
1) Kirby Super Star/Kirby's Return to Dream Land/Kirby Triple Deluxe (9.5/10)
2) Kirby Star Allies (9.2/10)
3) Kirby's Epic Yarn (9.1/10)
4) Kirby Planet Robobot (9/10)
5) Kirby's Dream Land 2 (8.5/10)
6) Kirby Mass Attack (8/10)
7) Kirby's Dream Land (7.8/10)
8) Kirby's Adventure (7.5/10)
9) Kirby Super Star Ultra (7/10)
10) Kirby Squeak Squad (6.8/10)
11) Kirby and the Amazing Mirror (6.6/10)
12) Kirby's Dream Land 3 (6.5/10)
13) Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (4/10)
I am aware that there other games beyond this list of mine, but either I haven't played them enough to rank them or haven't played them at all.
Also, to explain on why I gave Kirby 64 a 4/10, it's simply due to the game being weak in many aspects in my book. As neat of an idea the Mix Ability system was, it is horrendously unbalanced (you can literally get the Bomb + Cutter ability from the first stage of Pop Star and you've practically beaten the game from that point on). There are a few good parts such as cutscenes and multiplayer mode, but simply put: Kirby has seen better days elsewhere beyond the N64.
The top 5 were all directed by Shinya Kumazaki. I like his games, but it's interesting that they beat out the originals by Masahiro Sakurai.
My favourites are Canvas Curse, Nightmare in Dreamland, Kirby Superstar Ultra and my favourite favourite is Return to Dreamland. Can't think of a Kirby game that I really dislike and have played most of them. Haven't played Planet Robobot or Star Allies yet.
Also like a lot of the Kirby spin off games and have played Kirby games since I was a kid. Still need to try Air Ride as that looks fun.
My son has had Robobot on his 3DS pretty much since it came out, and I never even bothered to try it. Maybe I should.
Bruh y'all really sleepin on 64 and Dreamland 3 huh. Actually have the best OSTs of any Kirby game easily. Robobot at #1 is fine, nice to see RtDL so high, but Star Allies was not a good game and it deserves to be so low. New songs were average (but the remixes of old songs, like Nightmares theme, were really good), really boring level design, and the "puzzles" provide actually 0 challenge because the buddies automatically solve them for you. Y'all complain about Squeak Squad being milquetoast but then praise Star Allies? Makes no sense.
Yes ! Robobot deserves it !
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