Send Mario on Vacation, Let Kirby Lead Nintendo's Charge

The Legend Of Kirby, Our Puffy Balloon-Shaped Boy

Kirby first made his debut on the Game Boy in 1992 with Kirby’s Dream Land. This was followed a year later by Kirby’s Adventure on the NES. For many fans, this was their first encounter with the round, balloon-shaped hero. If you haven’t played it, I highly recommend checking it out—it's available in the Nintendo Classics app on Switch and Switch 2.

Kirby’s Adventure is not only one of the best examples of a late-cycle NES game but also one of the finest titles ever released for the console. It surpasses classics like Super Mario 3, Contra, and even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game. Its visuals are impressive, its gameplay is fun, and the variety of powers Kirby can absorb keeps the experience fresh and exciting.

The character was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who is more famously known as the creator of Super Smash Bros. With his wings, feet, and ability to suck up enemies to gain their powers, Kirby has become an iconic figure. His name was inspired by a lawyer at Nintendo of America, and he resides in Dream Land on Planet Popstar, where he constantly finds himself in wacky adventures.

The Kirby Library Is Massive

In total, there are 39 Kirby games, including the Switch 2 upgrade for Kirby and the Forgotten Land, which features a new Star-Crossed World campaign. Over 33 years, this means more than one Kirby game has been released each year across various Nintendo consoles. This consistency places him among the company's most prolific characters.

Despite this, Kirby often gets overlooked when discussing top-tier Nintendo heroes. One possible reason is that most of his games were released on handheld consoles. While Mario, Link, and Donkey Kong have had major adventures on mainline hardware, Kirby started on the Game Boy and had 21 games released on handhelds, from the Game Boy to the Nintendo 3DS. This includes remasters and rereleases.

Many people don't consider Kirby a top-tier character because of this, but it's unfortunate. While he has many handheld games, several of his mainline console titles are exceptional. Beyond Kirby’s Adventure on the NES, there’s Kirby’s Epic Yarn on the Wii, Kirby and the Forgotten Land on Switch and Switch 2, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards on the N64, and the underrated racing game Kirby Air Ride on the GameCube.

An upcoming title, Kirby Air Riders, is a sequel to the original game, which was somewhat forgotten due to being released the same year as Mario Kart: Double Dash.

He Already Has The Cool Kid Credentials

Even though Kirby may not be seen as equal to Nintendo’s top heroes, he has still made appearances in several of the company’s games. He has been included in every installment of Super Smash Bros., which could be attributed to his creator being involved in the game, but I believe it's a subtle signal from Nintendo to give him more respect.

Kirby has also appeared in cameos in games like Pokemon Stadium (N64), Arcana (SNES), and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (GameBoy). Additionally, he has starred in the anime series Kirby: Right Back At Ya! and multiple manga adaptations.

These appearances show that there is an existing audience for Kirby. I hope the Switch 2 upgrade for Kirby and the Forgotten Land helps grow that audience and brings more attention to the character. While I’m excited about the release of Kirby Air Riders later this year, I fear it might end up being another racer that doesn’t live up to the Mario Kart legacy. However, maybe 2025 could change that and become the year of Kirby—when a balloon-shaped hero finally gets the spotlight he deserves.