History ReferencedBy / Kirby

* 'Manga/SuperMarioBrosMangaMania'': While being chased by Boos, Mario notices a circular character. This character happens to be Kirby, who swallows the enemies chasing Mario.

* The Nekopara Vol.1 Music/Silvagunner rip Hot Blooded-Undying Perseverance (True Arena) is a reference to how Kirby games give bosses a different theme for their battles in The Arena or The True Arena.

* ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'': Kirby appears in a sketch titled Kirby's Secret Problem in Robot Chicken's sixth season, alongside [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Yoshi]].

* One of the NPCs in Lost Tower from ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' is a Roughneck named Kirby and uses Cleffa, a pink spherical Pokémon that is associated with stars.
* The Unibo enemy from ''SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins'' is based off of the Gordo enemy.
* One of the posters in the Yoshi Theater from ''MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'' features Kirby.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{RobotChicken}}'': Kirby appears in a sketch titled Kirby's Secret Problem in Robot Chicken's sixth season, alongside [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Yoshi]].

* The ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' romhack Randomiser Super Version has a bonus area called The True Arena, though it contains only a few mini-bosses and a [[BulletHell lot of projectiles aimed at you.]] Completing it does net you a nice item though.
* ''VideoGame/MakeAGoodMegaManLevelContest'' has a BossRush mode styled after the Kirby games, though it has more than 2 versions due to the many bosses in the game. For the most part, the final boss in the True Arena does parody the series "Soul Boss" formula by making [[spoiler: Zero's]] final form an [[AnticlimaxBoss utter joke]], though some games such as Episode Zero's [[spoiler: Gamestop Duck]] and Remaster's [[spoiler: Zero Soul]] play their fights straight.
* ''VideoGame/MegaManMaker'', similar to the VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker2 example below has a custom level called The True Arena. You fight several bosses, with even a mid-boss team and a "Final Four" at the end.

* ''VideoGame/RaymanRedemption'''s Boss Rush and True Boss Rush modes are modelled after The Arena and The True Arena from VideoGame/KirbySuperStarUltra respectively; the latter mode even has a [[TrueFinalBoss "Soul" boss]] in the form of [[spoiler: Darkest Mr Dark.]]
* There are several references to the series in ''VideoGame/Rockman4MinusInfinity'':
** A lot of music from the series is used.
** Spark Manbow is Kine's Spark ability from ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand2''.
*** Likewise, Hell Wheel is basically just Wheel, except you're not totally invincible and can jump.
** The trio of Ring-Rings in Ring Man's stage have the same AI patterns as Lalala and Lololo.
** Using Recycle Inhaler on the purple Up'N'Down enemies causes them to give chase to Mega Man for a while before exploding, much like the Scarfies.
** In its final form, Nightmare Suzy surrounds its central eye with four blocks ala Kracko Jr.
** [[spoiler:Shadow Man's BonusBoss appearance uses some moves from [[VideoGame/KirbySuperStar the Ninja ability.]]]]
** [[spoiler:The very end of the game is an EscapeSequence in the style of ''[[VideoGame/KirbySuperStar Revenge of Meta Knight]]'', with Hell Wheel (much like how Kirby used Wheelie Rider in that game).]]
** [[BossRush The Mechanical Arena]] is modelled after its The Arena and The True Arena modes, and even has an exclusive boss at the end of the True Mechanical Arena: [[spoiler: Cockroach Omega]]
* The fangame ''Super Mario Dimensions'' has 2 Arena modes as a reference to VideoGame/KirbySuperStarUltra's The Arena and The True Arena, the latter of which has bosses with new colours, arenas and harder attack patterns.
* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker2'' due to its nature as a custom level maker, has a level based off the Kirby series called Kirby Boss Rush which pits you against bosses simulating Whispy Woods, [[DualBoss Lololo and Lalala]], Kracko, Meta Knight, King Dedede and [[FinalBoss Nightmare]].
* ''VideoGame/SonicRoboBlast2''
** It has Arena Temple Zone (aka the True Arena), pitting you against every boss in the game with a new boss at the end [[spoiler: Egg Anima]].
** Sonic Robo Blast 2 did have a mod whose boss is called Star Genesis, referencing the final boss of ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'', though it has yet to appear in a boss rush mode.