Feature 33 Kirby Facts 078 THE OFFICIAL NINTENDO MAGAZINE ONM74.feat_kirby.indd 76 9/5/11 2:22:26 PM Feature 33 Kirby Facts THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT KIRBY The complete lowdown on gaming’s hungriest character or nearly two decades, Kirby has been a cult favourite among Nintendo fans. F Although he’s never really reached the same heights as Mario and Link, Kirby’s adventures have always had their own unique appeal. As we approach his 20th anniversary next year, the greedy pink blob is set to star in his 19th and 20th games. First he’ll be arriving in Kirby: Mass Attack on DS (reviewed next month), then in December he’ll turn his attention to the Wii in Kirby’s Adventure Wii. Created by Satoru Iwata’s HAL Laboratory studio in 1992, the Kirby series – unlike those of Link and Mario – has never really been picked apart in great detail and obsessed over. Until now, that is. We raided the Nintendo vaults to br ing you thirty-three factoids about Kirby that ’ll blow your mindbox. THE OFFICIAL NINTENDO MAGAZINE 079 ONM74.feat_kirby.indd 77 9/5/11 2:22:27 PM Feature 33 Kirby Facts What’s pink and A Twinkle Pinky In The Brain yellow and red all It’s Knight Time 1 In Our Eyes 2 Kirby’s colour was the subject over? These guys. 3 That Meta Knight, he’s an odd Kirby very nearly didn’t exist. of much debate during Kirby’s one. One minute he’s Kirby’s He was originally a placeholder sprite for Dream Land’s development. Sakurai was deadliest rival, the next his staunchest a game HAL Laboratory was working on adamant from the start that Kirby should ally. What’s perhaps more intriguing is called Twinkle Popopo. While designer be pink, whereas Shigeru Miyamoto just what’s under that mask (Pictured Masahiro Sakurai was refi ning the main thought he should be yellow. Eventually above). It seems Meta Knight is a character he made a basic design so that pink was decided upon, but when member of Kirby’s species, although development could continue. Over time, Nintendo Of America started advertising instead of being pink with black eyes, though, he grew fond of the little guy. the game, they made him white. Jokers. he’s blue with white eyes. And Breathe Out Cheer Up, Mate Sounds Good To Us 7 In most games, Kirby can 8 If you want a perfect example 9 Although he doesn’t say much, breathe in for as long as you of what sells in different Kirby does have a voice actor. hold the inhale button. He must be a countries, you need only take a look at Makiko Ohmoto has been the voice of little worse for wear in The Amazing the box art of recent Kirby games. Some Kirby ever since he fi rst spoke in Super Mirror, however, because it’s the only bright spark at Nintendo decided that Smash Bros on N64. Not only has she game in which his inhale ability is limited. cute and cuddly sells in Japan, while voiced every game since, she was also Keep holding the button and eventually mean and nasty is more likely to do well Kirby’s voice in the animated series Kirby will get tired, meaning you have to in the US and Europe. That’s why Kirby Kirby: Right Back At Ya!, which is currently get near enemies before trying it. always looks happier on Japanese covers. available on the Wii Kirby TV Channel. The Air Up There Playing For Keebs The One You 13 Kirby has the ability to inhale 14 Everyone loves Kirby, but how 15 Haven’t Played air and fl oat in the sky for many gamers have a similar Reckon you’ve played every as long as he wants, but you may be love for Keeby? He’s a yellow version of Kirby game to date? Kirby’s Toy Box says annoyed at how slowly he moves when Kirby who appears in the two-player otherwise. It was a downloadable game he does this. This was a deliberate action mode of Kirby’s Dream Course. He’s the for Nintendo’s Satellaview system, which by the development team to encourage equivalent of Luigi, and just as rubbish. was used to beam time-limited games to He wasn’t always experienced players to challenge There are a few other games in which a Japanese SNES owners. Kirby’s Toy Box going to be a themselves by staying on foot. “As long second player can play as a yellow Kirby, consisted of eight mini-games that were rosy-cheeked pink as you kept fl ying, anyone could reach but since he’s never name-checked we available at different times of the day, blob, you know. the goal,” says Iwata-san. can’t say for certain if that’s Keeby, too. including pinball and baseball. 080 THE OFFICIAL NINTENDO MAGAZINE ONM74.feat_kirby.indd 78 9/5/11 2:22:30 PM Feature 33 Kirby Facts The Evil Awakens The Name Game A Toothless Reply 4 Kirby wasn’t always a good guy. 5 Here’s a fun fact: almost every 6 We all know Kirby has a knack In The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s one of Kirby’s 20 games has for munching his enemies, but Awakening he actually appears as an had at least one name change between one question remains – does he chew enemy. It’s one of a handful of Nintendo its release in Japan, the US and the UK. them or swallow them whole? We can cameos in the game, some of which This started with Kirby’s Dream Land happily answer that it’s the latter. One show characters acting differently to (Kirby Of The Stars in Japan) and episode of the Kirby cartoon (A Dental usual. Even though he’s a bad guy, Kirby continued all the way through to the DS. Dilemma) tells the story of a Demon still has the same moves here, so stay The only game to have the same name Beast who goes to drill Kirby’s mouth, away if you don’t want to be eaten. in every region was Kirby’s Block Ball. but is stunned to fi nd no teeth inside. How Cheeky Smash Bros. A Smashing Time Weepy Crawlie gives Kirby the 10 We all know Kirby for his huge chance to mimic 11 Kirby’s one of a handful of 12 Kirby will eat anything, that eyes and red cheeks, but those Nintendo’s fi nest. Nintendo favourites who have much is already clear. What’s cheeks weren’t always like that. There starred in all three Super Smash Bros. most impressive is that no matter how was once a time (in Kirby’s Dream Land, games, and he’s retained his ability- unhealthy the thing he’s eating – rotten to be precise) when he had no cheeks at stealing powers throughout. This means pumpkins, jagged enemies, you name it all. He did get some in NES sequel Kirby’s that over the course of the series Kirby – he never seems to fl inch. That’s except Adventure, but they were only two small has been able to take on the appearance for Mariel, a nasty-looking spider from black lines – the current incarnation and abilities of no less than 43 different Kirby’s Dream Land 3 and Kirby 64. If Kirby didn’t appear until Kirby’s Dream Land 3. characters, from Mario to Solid Snake. tries to eat it, he’ll take damage. We Hardly Knew Ye 16 Games get cancelled. It’s sad but true, but over the years several Kirby adventures simply never saw the light of day. Here are four Kirby games that got the boot… Kid Kirby Kirby Bowl 64 Kirby Tilt ‘N’ Tumble 2 Kirby This SNES puzzler was being When the Nintendo 64 was A GameCube game that looked Another GameCube affair, Kirby developed by DMA Design, who announced, Nintendo showed off a bit like a top-down version of was going to be a four-player were famous for the Lemmings a snowboard-like game called Super Monkey Ball. The game was platformer similar to the games. It starred a baby version Kirby Bowl 64. It later got a name played using the Game Boy upcoming Wii one. The engine of Kirby, but was cancelled. DMA change to Kirby Air Ride, but was Advance as a controller, with a laid the groundwork for the eventually made it big with a little never released. Kirby’s Air Ride for special cartridge containing a tilt Subspace Emissary in Super game called Grand Theft Auto. GameCube was very different… sensor used to control Kirby. Smash Bros Brawl. THE OFFICIAL NINTENDO MAGAZINE 081 ONM74.feat_kirby.indd 79 9/5/11 2:22:31 PM Feature 33 Kirby Facts Poyo Stick Alright mate, we What’s In A Name? Stunted Growth 17 When the animated series was can see you. Put 18 Some claim Kirby was named 19 Kirby hasn’t made as many in its design stage, Sakurai your hand down. after John Kirby, the lawyer cameos as the likes of Mario insisted that Kirby shouldn’t be able to who helped stop Universal Pictures suing and Link, but he’s seen his fair share of speak. He felt that being mute would Nintendo over Donkey Kong. In reality, appearances. One of the earliest is in make Kirby easier for people everywhere the name was already an option before Stunt Race FX for the SNES.