One of the most recognizable video game icons to come out of Nintendo in the ’90s has gotta be that pale pink copycat creampuff called Kirby.
Gamers less familiar with their retro roots still recognize Kirby from the battle royal-themed Smash Brothers saga, which has been going strong since its introduction on Nintendo 64. Kirby was an original member of Super Smash Bros (1999), where he was seen donning Link’s Phrygian cap or performing a high-pitched “Falcon Punch” thanks to his power-snatching abilities. In the fray Kirby lacked an all-important quickness that is essential to survival in battle, and the featherweight hero’s negligent center of gravity made him susceptible to projectiles and striking weaponry. Poor Kirby! In the ring he is far removed from a homeland where it is considered cataclysmic for a citizen to experience a night’s sleep sans beautiful dreaming.
Kirby hails from the aptly named Dream Land, a universe with places like Vegetable Valley and Ice Cream Island. After experiencing a dreamless night, Kirby takes on a quest to gather the broken pieces of the Star Rod, which King Dedede has scattered among his friends. However, when all the pieces are gathered, Kirby finds out that the true cause of Dream Land’s woes is a force far more menacing than silly King Dedede. With the newly assembled Star Rod in hand, Kirby takes on the Nightmare for the final showdown on Popstar’s moon.
Dream Land is a whimsical land which blends fantastical elements with the familiar. We have gravity, which Kirby can defy by sucking in a liter of atmosphere, as well as earth-like elements of water, woods and sky. Some of Kirby’s adversaries are of these natural elements, such as first boss “Whispy Woods” and the sun-and-moon tandem “Mr. Shine” and “Mr. Bright.” Many of the bosses Kirby faces are strange animatronic contraptions. There is also a nice triple-boss build-up in the final stage, where Kirby defeats the push-over Dedede before taking on the final Big Bad. In-level, Kirby quickly learns to distinguish between enemies who are nutritious in power and those who are just empty calories.
Gaining powers by inhaling enemies makes Dream Land an enjoyable environment to navigate. Part of what makes this so great is that certain items are more fun to use than they are utilitarian. Most powers are commonly encountered, but even the rarer ones can be accessed out of turn thanks to a randomizer triggered by swallowing multiple power-bearing enemies. When it comes to choosing favorite powers, I often take the rare and nonsensical over the practical:
UFO — Hands down my favorite copy ability of the game, UFO is also one of the rarest. It is uniquely the only vehicle Kirby can ride. I love zipping around in this thing and zapping enemies with my charged laser.
Hammer — Kirby can really get his ‘smash’ on with this mallet that is exactly his size. When it comes to everyday use it’s not as practical as the Sword, but there are situation-specific moments when the Hammer can make goodies accessible or even unlock secret areas.
Parasol — While it does supply a weak thrashing attack, Parasol is the most defensive copy item available to Kirby. It’s not merely sun rays he need defend against in Dream Land! The Parasol is also perfect for allowing Kirby to fall from great heights with style.
A huge factor in the success of Dream Land as an atmosphere is its music. Every track is a hit. With names like “Green Greens” (my favorite) or “Island Paradise,” they are less an emotive embodiment of the level theme than they are connected to Kirby as a positive, fun-loving hero. The easy-going, hummable soundtrack is yet another reason why Dream Land is enjoyable to peruse, and not just blaze through from screen to screen.
Kirby’s Adventure is a solid experience from top to bottom. One reason that might be given as to why it does not reach the top-tier of games on the NES console is its lack of gripping storyline. Sure, there is explanation for why Kirby must go on his adventure — Dedede has broken the star rod and dispersed it among friends — but there aren’t frequent checkpoints during the course of the game which remind Kirby to what end he adventures. The bosses seem quite random; a bit of dialogue regarding why they are protecting the shards from Kirby would have gone a long way. Instead, Kirby is left to drift sleepily from one world to the next — or to not, as Dream Land seems somewhat indifferent on the matter.
Another factor of Dream Land that makes it a less hostile place than it could be is its difficulty. Kirby’s Adventure is extremely easy. Part of this has to do with the fact that Kirby is so navigable and nearly always seems capable of performing what you need him to. Another reason is the ability to save your progress, a benefit Kirby’s Adventure gains from such a late release in the NES’s life. The difficulty does play out as an intentional part of the game’s design, however. Yet some gamers may wish there was an option to up the difficulty. Or how about this — especially since it’s established that he is benevolent, how about the option to play as King Dedede once the game has been beaten?
Kirby may not seem like the toughest adventurer on the NES console, but given that his default weapon is a gush of hot air, this little hero is nothing else but resourceful. He may ever be considered a lower-tier Smash contender, but he’ll always be one of my favorites. Maybe it’s his ability to become many things that attracts me. In my own traversing through life, I’ve found there’s not much that will get you further than malleability and a whimsical response to challenges.
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