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Kirby Super Star

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Kirby Super Star
North American box art featuring Kirby with the beam copy ability
Developer(s)HAL Laboratory
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)Masahiro Sakurai
Producer(s)
Designer(s)Tsuyoshi Wakayama
Programmer(s)Shigenobu Kasai
Composer(s)Jun Ishikawa
SeriesKirby
Platform(s)Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Release
  • JP:March 21, 1996
  • NA:September 20, 1996
  • PAL:January 23, 1997
Genre(s)Action,platform
Mode(s)Single-player,multiplayer

Kirby Super Star,[a]released asKirby's Fun PakinPALregions, is ananthologyplatformvideo gamedeveloped byHAL Laboratoryand published byNintendofor theSuper Nintendo Entertainment Systemin 1996. It is part of theKirbyseries of video games by HAL Laboratory. The game was advertised as a compilation featuring eight games: seven short subsections with the same basic gameplay, and twominigames.

The game was later released for theWiiandWii UVirtual Consoles.Nintendo re-releasedKirby Super Starin Japan, the United States and Europe in September 2017 as part of the company'sSuper NES Classic Edition.[1]The game was released on theNintendo Switch Onlineservice on December 12, 2019.

Anenhanced remaketitledKirby Super Star Ultrawas released for theNintendo DSin 2008 and 2009 to commercial and critical success, selling just under 3 million copies.[2][3]

Gameplay[edit]

See also:Gameplay of the Kirby series

Kirby Super Staris aside-scrollingplatform game.Similar to previous entries in theKirbyseries, the player controlsKirbyto complete variouslevelswhile avoiding obstacles and enemies. Kirby can walk or run, jump, swim, crouch, slide, and inhale enemies or objects to spit them out as bullets. He can fly for a limited time by inflating himself; while flying, Kirby cannot attack or use his other abilities, though he can release a weak puff of air. By eating certain enemies, Kirby can gain copy abilities,power-upsallowing him to take on the properties the enemy possessed. InKirby Super Star,Kirby gains the ability to guard so he can defend himself from weak attacks.

If Kirby uses a copy ability, he can produce a Helper, a character that can be controlled automatically orby another player.Like Kirby, Helpers can float continuously, but can only use the copy ability they were based on. The player can also grant the Helper a different form or revert them into apower-upin an emergency. Theplayer characterslosehealthif they are hit by enemies or hazards. If the Helper loses all their health, there is a short time for Kirby to grant it a new power before it disappears. If Kirby loses all of his health, the player will lose alife.Health can be replenished by eating food scattered across levels. Losing all lives results in agame over.

Game modes[edit]

Cutter Kirby (center middle) and Rocky (center right), fighting Dyna Blade (top right) in the unlockable gameThe Arena.Character health bars are displayed on the lower portion of the screen.

Kirby Super Staris split into seven smaller games, six primary and one supplemental, in addition to twominigames.While most retain the samegame mechanics,they have different stories and objectives. Some games must be unlocked by playing others, and all must be finished to complete the game.

  • Spring Breeze:an abridgedremakeof the firstKirbygame,Kirby's Dream Land(1992), with the gameplay enhancements ofKirby Super Star.Kirby must make his way to a castle to challengeKing Dedede,who has stolen food from the citizens of Dream Land. Several levels from the original have been merged, while someboss fightswere cut.
  • Dyna Blade:Kirby must stop Dyna Blade, a giant bird, from disturbing Dream Land's crops. The mode consists of four levels that the player must clear before facing off against Dyna Blade. There are also two secret areas and a mini-boss that moves across theworld map.
  • Gourmet Race:aracing gamein which Kirby races King Dedede while eating as much food as possible. It takes place across three levels of varying length; whoever earns the most points by the end of all levels wins, with bonus points awarded to the first to finish each race. Players can choose to race either King Dedede or a "ghost" (the player's best attempt at the race), or simply race alone for the fastest time.
  • The Great Cave Offensive:aMetroidvaniaadventure that sees Kirby explore a cave that he has fallen into for treasure. 60 treasure chests are hidden across four areas. Some treasures reference otherNintendofranchises, such as theTriforce(The Legend of Zelda),Captain Falcon's helmet (F-Zero), and Mr. Saturn (EarthBound); others reference valuable items that appear inrole-playing video games,such asOrichalcum.
  • Revenge of Meta Knight:a story-driven mode chronicling Kirby's efforts to stopMeta Knight,who attempts to take over Dream Land and end the inhabitants' "lazy" lifestyle by invading in his signature airship, the Battleship Halberd. Each level has atime limit,and Kirby will lose a life if the player does not finish in time. The Halberd takes damage after every level, and a meter at the bottom of the screen shows the ship's status. The player fights numerous bosses, and the mode culminates in a chase to escape the falling Halberd.
  • Milky Way Wishes:the largest mode in the game. Because the Sun and Moon around planet Popstar are fighting, ajester-like creature named Marx tells Kirby he must travel across nine planets and restore the giant wish-granting comet-clock Nova. In the end, Marx—who masterminded the conflict—wishes to Nova to control Popstar, but Kirby stops him. Unlike the other modes, Kirby cannot use copy abilities; instead, he collects "Copy Essence Deluxes". Once in Kirby's possession, they allow the player to select a copy ability from a list and are kept permanently. The mode also featuresscrolling shooterlevels.
  • The Arena:aboss attackmode that challenges the player to fight every boss in the game with only one life and a free selection of power-up at the start of the game. The player can replenish their health up to five times total between rounds, and are granted two power-ups at random. CompletingThe Arenaunlocks asound test.
  • Sub-games:two minigames that can be playedsingle-playerormultiplayer.They includeSamurai Kirby,a timing game reminiscent of a minigame fromKirby's Adventure(1993), andMegaton Punch,where players must punch a block (and Planet Popstar if the punch is strong enough) stronger than their opponent.[4]

Development[edit]

Development onKirby Super Starlasted longer than usual for the era, and as a result it released late in theSuper Nintendo Entertainment System's (pictured) life cycle.

Kirby Super Starwas developed in Japan byHAL Laboratory[5]and directed by Kirby creatorMasahiro Sakurai.It was the thirdKirbygame he directed, followingKirby's Dream LandandKirby's Adventure.[6]Although aSuper Nintendo Entertainment System(SNES) title, theKirby Super Starprototype was developed for the originalNintendo Entertainment System.According to Sakurai, although the prototype was for internal use only, it was almost complete and some of Kirby's animations were nearly identical in the final game. The prototype was used to test out ideas before implementing them in the final product; Sakurai said having the game operating on an internal build made it easier to develop ideas.[7]HAL presidentSatoru Iwatahad little involvement with the game, and left development under Sakurai's supervision.[6]

ForKirby Super Star,Sakurai "had three pillars in mind. One was two-playercooperative gameplayand another was including actions similar to those infighting games.The third was anomnibusformat. "[6]The addition of cooperative gameplay was somethingShigeru Miyamotorequested. While Sakurai knew a SNESKirbygame would mean bigger, more detailed characters and graphics, he wanted to hear from Miyamoto before thinking about the foundation and other important aspects. Sakurai and Iwata traveled toKyoto;there, Miyamoto told them he wanted cooperative gameplay, something uncommon in side-scrolling platform games. Miyamoto had dreamed of creating a cooperative game in hisSuper Mariofranchise for many years, but was unable to untilNew Super Mario Bros. Wiiin 2009 because of how fast the series' gameplay is.Kirby,on the other hand, is slower-paced, so Miyamoto figured it would be possible. Sakurai thought about it and came up with the idea to have a main player and an assisting one; this led to the conception of Helpers, which he thought opened the door for inexperienced players.[6]

As for why I made it an "omnibus," I did it because I thought we were seeing too many games that took too long to beat. At the time, more and more massive games kept hitting the market. And they all took a long time to finish. By creating an "omnibus" collection of quick-to-beat individual scenarios, each complete with their own unique gameplay, I thought I could provide a lot of content without causing players to grow tired of any one style.

— Masahiro Sakurai(translated)[8]

As for including fighting game-like moves, Sakurai made enemies stronger. He did this because "[t]he main player would simply hurl blades and lay waste to opponents while the Helper just watched."[6]Additionally, he expanded copy abilities' possibilities so players could perform multiple actions by pressing the same button, similar to fighting games.[6]The game was also the first in the series in which Kirby's appearance changed depending on his copy ability. The omnibus format was chosen because Sakurai noted most SNES and some NES games were of considerable length, and prices were high.Kirby Super Starserved as "the antithesis to that trend," with Sakurai hoping to create sections with different stories and gameplay that appealed to both experienced and inexperienced players.[6][9]Spring Breeze,a remake ofKirby's Dream Land,was designed for beginners and is thusSuper Star'sfirst mode. The title is a quote from theDream Landmanual that "describe[s] Kirby as a youth who came with the spring breeze," and was chosen to signify its simplicity.[6]Originally, Sakurai was going to remove copy abilities to remain faithful to the original game while teaching beginners how to play, but ultimately did not.[6]

Development lasted three years, longer than usual for the era. This was partially due to the influence ofRare'sDonkey Kong Country(1994), a game that incorporatedcomputer-generated (CG) graphics.Sakurai was certain using CG would be beneficial, so the team redid the artwork about halfway through development. HAL's development schedule also lengthened development. Sakurai planned to include an additional game mode,Kagero Mansion,which was discarded due to time constraints.Kagero Mansionwas ahorror gamewith an emphasis onactionandpuzzleelements; it saw Kirby stuck in a mansion and unable to inhale.[6]HAL also planned to add a move that allowed Kirby to create an explosion from guarding, but cut the idea.[9]The game'sworking titlewasKirby of the Stars: Active,which "suggest[ed] that the game was more proactive and had more active gameplay."[6]Motherseries creatorShigesato Itoicame up with the final title, which Sakurai said "convey[s] how rich it is in content".[6]

Release[edit]

The Japanese packaging ofKirby Super Starwas modeled after a traditional Japanese Paulownia wooden box.

Kirby Super Starwas one of the last SNES games, released just three months before the launch of the system's successor, theNintendo 64.[6]PublisherNintendoreleased the game in Japan on March 21, 1996,[10]in North America on September 20, 1996,[11]and in Europe on January 23, 1997.[12]In Japan, the title isKirby of the Stars: Super Deluxe,[6]while in Europe, it isKirby's Fun Pak.[12]The Japanese packaging was designed to resemble aPaulowniawooden box, an idea that originated from Itoi. In Japan, expensivesakeand silverware is often sold in Paulownia boxes; the team thought the packaging would convey that the game was special.[6][9]While noting that it seems unrelated to the game, Sakurai commented that this cover illustrated the heart ofKirby Super Starand praised Itoi's idea.[13]

Kirby Super Starwas rereleased on theWiiandWii Uvia Nintendo'sVirtual Consoledigital distributionservice. The Wii version was released in Japan in October 2009 and in the West in May 2010, and the Wii U version was released worldwide in May 2013.[5]The game was also included inKirby's Dream Collection(2012), a 20th anniversarycompilationofKirbytitles for the Wii.[14]Kirby Super Staris also included in theSuper NES Classic Edition.[1]Nintendo released the game on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System app via itsNintendo Switch Onlinesubscription service on December 12, 2019.[15]A special version with the secret modes unlocked was later released on June 9, 2022.[16]

Reception[edit]

Kirby Super Starwas both a critical and commercial success, selling over one million copies in Japan.[23]It received "favorable" reviews according to thereview aggregationwebsiteGameRankings,[22]and is widely regarded as one of the best games of the franchise.[24]The four reviewers ofElectronic Gaming Monthlyapplauded the large amount of content, simultaneous two-player mode, graphics, and Kirby's power-absorbing ability.[17]Captain Cameron ofGameProgave it a perfect 5 out of 5 in sound, control, and FunFactor, and a 4.5 out of 5 in graphics. He commented that "The perfect execution of the varied controls leads to simple-but-charming fun."[18]Reviewing the Virtual Console release,Nintendo Lifepraised the "impressive" musical score and "colorful" visuals.[21]

Accolades[edit]

Electronic Gaming MonthlynamedKirby Super Stara runner-up for Side-Scrolling Game of the Year (behindGuardian Heroes).[25]Gamesradarranked the game at number 19 in their "The Best SNES Game of All Time."[26]In 2018,Complexlisted Kirby Super Star number 51 in its "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time."[27]IGN rated Kirby Super Star 47th on their "Top 100 SNES Games." They praised the game calling it an incredible game and having incredible value.[28]

Legacy[edit]

Kirby Super Starwas given anenhanced remakein the form ofKirby Super Star Ultrato celebrate the series' 15th anniversary. The remake features four new modes, three new minigames, and multiple additions to the base game including new sub-bosses and enemies. The remake was released in North America on September 22, 2008 and released to critical and commercial success, selling just under three million copies worldwide.[3]

Many of the music tracks inKirby Super Starhave been remixed in various games, such as theSuper Smash Bros.series;the Nintendo 64 game, for instance, had a new version of the Gourmet Race theme as Kirby's theme song.

Meta Knight's battleship, the Halberd, would reappear in several games such asKirby: Squeak Squad,Super Smash Bros. Brawl,Kirby's Epic Yarn,Super Smash Bros. for Wii U,Kirby: Planet Robobot,andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.

A stage based onThe Great Cave Offensiveappears inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U.In reference to the scope of the mode of the same name, the arena is amongst the largest stages in the game's catalog, and thus supports up to eight players. It features a unique mechanic dubbed the "Danger Zones", stage hazards that instantly KO any fighter whose damage percentages exceed 100%. The stage was also included inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.

In 2021,Charlie Rosenand Jake Silverman arranged the composition "Meta Knight's Revenge" for The 8-Bit Big Band. Their cover was subsequently nominated for and won theGrammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella.[29]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Released in Japan asHoshi no Kirby Super Deluxe(Tinh のカービィスーパーデラックス,Hoshi no Kābī Sūpā Derakkusu,Kirby of the Stars Super Deluxe)

References[edit]

  1. ^ab"Super NES Classic Edition".Nintendo of America, Inc.September 29, 2017.Archivedfrom the original on September 28, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 29,2017.
  2. ^"Nintendo's Wario, Kirby Bring the Fun; Sleuths Get a New Mystery Case Files Game".Business Wire.June 25, 2008.Archivedfrom the original on January 9, 2016.RetrievedJune 25,2008.
  3. ^ab2020CESAゲーム bạch thư (2020 CESA Games White Papers).Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association.2020.ISBN978-4-902346-42-8.
  4. ^"Megaton Punch - WiKirby: it's a wiki, about Kirby!".wikirby.com.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-06-09.Retrieved2022-06-15.
  5. ^ab"Kirby Super Star (SNES / Super Nintendo) News, Reviews, Videos & Screenshots".Nintendo Life.Archivedfrom the original on August 29, 2019.RetrievedAugust 21,2019.
  6. ^abcdefghijklmnoSao, Akinori (October 10, 2017)."Kirby Super Star Developer Interview - SNES Classic Edition".Nintendo.Archivedfrom the original on April 24, 2022.RetrievedApril 27,2022.
  7. ^Yasuda, Toshiaki (April 4, 2017)."“Tinh のカービィ25 chu niên ký niệm オーケストラコンサート” đông kinh công diễn が khai thôi ".Impress Watch(in Japanese).Archivedfrom the original on August 17, 2019.RetrievedAugust 21,2019.
  8. ^Sakurai, Masahiro (2022-10-02).Kirby Super Star.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-10-04.Retrieved2022-10-04– viaYouTube.
  9. ^abcKirby's 20th Anniversary Celebration Book(included withKirby's Dream Collection).Nintendo.July 19, 2012. pp. 20–21.
  10. ^"Tinh のカービィ スーパーデラックス"(in Japanese).Nintendo Co., Ltd.Archivedfrom the original on August 20, 2019.RetrievedAugust 20,2019.
  11. ^Brown, Andrew; Hernandez, Pedro; Miller, Zachary (June 2, 2012)."Mainline Kirby Games: The Early Years".Nintendo World Report.Archivedfrom the original on September 12, 2019.RetrievedAugust 21,2019.
  12. ^ab"Kirby's Fun Pak I Super Nintendo I Games".Nintendo of Europe.Archivedfrom the original on January 31, 2019.RetrievedAugust 20,2019.
  13. ^Sakurai, Masahiro (host) (2023-04-30).Paint an Accurate Picture of Your Game [Marketing](Web Video) (in Japanese). Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-04-27.Retrieved2023-05-01– via YouTube.
  14. ^Dillard, Corbie (September 22, 2012)."Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition Review (Wii)".Nintendo Life.Archivedfrom the original on July 17, 2018.
  15. ^Andriessen, CJ (December 4, 2019)."Nintendo Switch Online is getting six more games and the Switch NES controllers are going on sale".Destructoid.Archivedfrom the original on November 28, 2020.RetrievedJuly 22,2020.
  16. ^Dent, Steve (2022-06-10)."Nintendo Switch Online gets three special version Kirby games".Engadget.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-05-01.Retrieved2023-05-01.
  17. ^abSmith, Shawn; Hsu, Dan; Boyer, Crispin; Sushi-X (September 1996)."Review Crew: Kirby's Super Star"(PDF).Electronic Gaming Monthly.No. 86.Ziff Davis.p. 30.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2019-08-21.
  18. ^abCaptain Cameron (November 1996)."ProReview: Kirby Superstar".GamePro.No. 98.IDG.p. 130.
  19. ^McNamara, Andy; Reiner, Andrew; Anderson, Paul (October 1996)."Kirby Superstar [sic]".Game Informer.No. 42. Archived fromthe originalon November 20, 1997.RetrievedOctober 12,2016.
  20. ^Thomas, Lucas M. (May 25, 2010)."Kirby Super Star Review (Wii)".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on January 31, 2013.RetrievedOctober 12,2016.
  21. ^abDillard, Corbie (May 20, 2010)."Review: Kirby Super Star (SNES)".Nintendo Life.Archivedfrom the original on June 16, 2016.RetrievedJune 6,2016.
  22. ^ab"Kirby Super Star for Super Nintendo Entertainment System".GameRankings. Archived fromthe originalon January 9, 2016.RetrievedOctober 12,2016.
  23. ^"Japan Platinum Game Chart".The Magic Box.Archivedfrom the original on October 17, 2012.RetrievedAugust 21,2008.
  24. ^dalmatianlover (2007)."Kirby's Most Memorable Games".Retro Junk.Archivedfrom the original on September 3, 2016.RetrievedOctober 12,2016.
  25. ^"The Best of '96"(PDF).Electronic Gaming Monthly.No. 92.Ziff Davis.March 1997. p. 88.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2020-06-06.
  26. ^"The best SNES games of all time".gamesradar.2017-04-19.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-05-12.Retrieved2021-09-30.
  27. ^"The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time".Complex.Archivedfrom the original on 2018-01-16.Retrieved2022-02-04.
  28. ^Top 100 SNES Games of All Time - IGN.com,archivedfrom the original on 2012-01-23,retrieved2022-08-25
  29. ^Colbert, Isaiah (November 24, 2021)."Poyo? Kirby Has Been Nominated For A Grammy".Kotaku.Archivedfrom the original on January 29, 2022.RetrievedNovember 24,2021.

External links[edit]

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