Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context YMMV / Kirby

Go To

1!!YMMV subpages:
2* [[AndTheFandomRejoiced/{{Kirby}} And the Fandom Rejoiced]]
3* [[AwesomeBosses/{{Kirby}} Awesome Bosses]]
4* [[AwesomeMusic/{{Kirby}} Awesome Music]]
5* [[EnsembleDarkHorse/{{Kirby}} Ensemble Dark Horse]]
6* [[FandomEnragingMisconception/{{Kirby}} Fandom-Enraging Misconception]]
7* [[Fanon/{{Kirby}} Fanon]]
8* [[GameBreaker/{{Kirby}} Game Breaker]]
9* [[Memes/{{Kirby}} Memetic Mutation]]
10* [[ScrappyWeapon/{{Kirby}} Scrappy Weapon]]
11* [[ThatOneBoss/{{Kirby}} That One Boss]]
12-----
13* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
14** Kirby:
15*** Kirby is quite a cocky {{Jerkass}} in ''Kirby's Avalanche''. More famously: Kirby is a much less straightforward hero than most of them, notably [[ImAHumanitarian eating definitely sentient beings alive]], and sometimes, [[CuteAndPsycho going on quests and slaughtering people]] (a good number of them innocent and just being in his way) for rather... ambiguous reasons (in ''Squeak Squad'': '''CAKE'''). This led to many alternative interpretations of Kirby. Conversely, exactly ''what'' happens when Kirby inhales an enemy isn't entirely clear. Sometimes the specific individuals Kirby inhales can show up again later (mostly) unharmed, which in addition to alternate interpretation leads to some WildMassGuessing.[[note]]In the Literature/{{Kirby Light Novel}}s, enemies that Kirby eats return to normal after Kirby discards his Copy Ability, but since this takes place in an AlternateContinuity it likely doesn't apply to the games (where Copy Abilities turn into Ability Stars when Kirby discards them). In ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', the Inhaled opponent instead is released immediately... somehow, but is damaged in the process.[[/note]] Shinya Kumazaki would finally confirm in [[https://www.polygon.com/23652624/kirby-questions-answered-directors-nintendo-interview a 2023 interview]] that while the enemies Kirby swallows disappear, they aren't actually digested and do eventually "resurface somewhere else in the world".
16*** ''Webcomic/BrawlInTheFamily'', ''WebVideo/ThereWillBeBrawl'', ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'', and ''WebAnimation/SonicForHire'' all play with this, treating Kirby as anything from an EldritchAbomination to a SociopathicHero.
17*** AmericanKirbyIsHardcore is another good example of this in action. Classic ''Kirby's Dream Land 2'' ads featured Kirby and his animal friends ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqVVG4FCq7w starting a bar fight]]''.
18** Meta Knight squanders more than one opportunity to let Kirby know what's going on. Is he playing IdiotBall or does he have some ulterior motive, such as ensuring another rematch between the two of them? If he does, does Meta Knight really crave a rematch so badly that he's willing to risk an EldritchAbomination escaping into the world? Or alternatively, does he just not view telling Kirby everything as worth it and think Kirby is too stubborn to listen?
19** Galacta Knight has had no information released about him besides being so strong that he was sealed away and [[spoiler:possibly having destroyed several planets in the past]]. Literally every piece of fandom conversation outside those few facts is an ACI.
20* AnimationAgeGhetto: In Japan, ''Kirby'' is one of Nintendo's biggest franchises, up there with ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'', ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'', ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', and ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing''. Outside Japan, many view the ''Kirby'' series as being [[SweetnessAversion too cute]] and [[ItsEasySoItSucks easy]] — not helped by starring a pink blob in a SugarBowl setting — yet it doesn't have the same appeal to casual audiences as ''Pokémon'' or ''Animal Crossing''. Many reviews dismiss the series as being made for young children because of this, overlooking the deeper themes and more difficult side modes intended to appeal to older audiences. While ''Kirby'' has an active and vocal fanbase and is considered a SacredCow among Nintendo's series, it has a hard time attracting adult fans outside of Japan due to this stigma. The issue has lessened considerably over time due to growing acceptance of cuteness in the west, the games spawning many popular internet memes, and the series finding a consistent style and release schedule in the 2010s, culminating in 2022's ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'' becoming the series' best-selling game.
21* AntiClimaxBoss:
22** [[spoiler:Dark Nebula]] is laughably easy compared to the battle just before it. [[spoiler:0[[superscript:2]]]] is also easier than [[ThatOneBoss Miracle Matter]].
23** [[spoiler:Dark Crafter]] makes the above two bosses look difficult. It only has one, rather easy to dodge, attack and the strategy to defeat it is the same as '''[[WarmUpBoss Whispy Woods]].'''
24* AudienceAlienatingEra: The interim between Creator/MasahiroSakurai departing from HAL in 2003 and Shinya Kumazaki stepping in as series director in 2008 is considered to be the series' weakest period. Due to the main team at Creator/HALLaboratory being tied up in multiple failed attempts to continue the series, ''Kirby'' would be farmed out to various [[BTeamSequel outside teams]]. The two mainline games released during this period would garner receptions ranging from divisive (''[[VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror Amazing Mirror]]'') to underwhelming (''[[VideoGame/KirbySqueakSquad Squeak Squad]]''), while the spin-off ''[[VideoGame/KirbyCanvasCurse Canvas Curse]]'' would largely be overlooked as an insubstantial TechDemoGame despite being fairly well received. Kumazaki would eventually take control of the franchise after this period, starting with the ''Ultra'' remake of ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'', then using the work on that game to put together a vision that would properly continue the mainline ''Kirby'' games with ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand''.
25* BaseBreakingCharacter:
26** As Bandanna Waddle Dee has become a BreakoutCharacter and has started to be pushed as the fourth main character, fan opinion has started to become divided on him. Some love him for his adorable design, his use of a spear to round out Meta Knight's sword use and King Dedede's hammer use, his relationship with King Dedede, and for being built as an "underdog story" who was able to train and be on par with Kirby. Others dislike him for his design being little more than that of a generic enemy and having less interesting abilities than the other main characters. His detractors also feel that his position as the fourth main character would be better given to other characters like [[TokenHeroicOrc Gooey]] or [[TokenHuman Adeleine]].
27** Galacta Knight, the second most recurring character of the "modern" phase of the franchise, also gets this reaction from some. His fans love him for his [[LightIsNotGood angelic design]], [[AmbiguouslyEvil mysterious nature]], [[AutobotsRockOut heavy metal theme music]], and for [[DesignPreservationVillain keeping the template of Meta Knight's battles alive]] since the latter has otherwise become one of Kirby's allies. Detractors instead dislike his [[WolverinePublicity overexposure]] in many games of the series, [[GenericDoomsdayVillain having little personality]] other than to show up as a {{Superboss}}, and for being little more than a clone of Meta Knight.
28* BrokenBase:
29** Fans who prefer Masahiro Sakurai's faster paced, more action oriented games versus fans who prefer Shinichi Shimomura's slower paced, more puzzle oriented games. They usually stood behind specific examples, pitting ''Kirby's Adventure'' against ''Kirby's Dream Land 2'' or ''Kirby Super Star'' against ''Kirby 64''. No single game attempted to build on ''Super Star'' or ''64'', pleasing neither camp until the Shinya Kumazaki directed ''Return to Dream Land'', which took Kirby's controls from the Sakurai games and put them in the more puzzle-focused level designs of the Shimomura games.
30** The series has a bit of a broken base concerning the quality of the games between ''VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards'' and ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand''. This era saw the series dropping Kirby's recurring cast of friends (who wouldn't be brought back to the spotlight until ''VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies'') and experimenting a lot with different gameplay styles, even within in the main series. Some fans prefer the more experimental titles and [[FanPreferredCutContent wish the canceled GameCube game had been released]], while others prefer the more refined style started by ''Return to Dream Land'' and enjoy the focus on new and recurring characters.
31** While not to the extent of the ''[[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]]'' franchise's tug-of-war between TheyChangedItNowItSucks and ItsTheSameNowItSucks, there is a similar overarching debate for the ''Kirby'' series as well. Which ''Kirby'' experience is better? The classic-style platformers where Kirby absorbs enemies to gain their abilities, or the ones that innovate (spin-off titles such as ''VideoGame/KirbyCanvasCurse'', ''VideoGame/KirbysEpicYarn'', and ''VideoGame/KirbysBlowoutBlast'') where the gameplay is given an overhaul? Critics of the former feel the formula grows stale, while critics of the latter feel that it's too gimmicky. Of course, quite a few fans like both and want to see what Creator/{{Nintendo}} comes out with next, and ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'' seems to have found a happy medium by finally bringing the series into 3D.
32** Shinya Kumazaki stated during the ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'' [[https://kirbydevpostarchive.tumblr.com/tagged/eu+en+robobo Ask-a-thon]] that [[NewGamePlus Meta Knightmare Returns]] and [[BossRush The True Arena]] are [[WhatIf "what-if" scenarios]] and [[AlternateContinuity alternate storylines that aren't connected to the main story,]] which many fans have taken to mean the unlockable extra modes in general. Some would say it's a given because certain things happening in the extra modes would contradict what happened in the main story, while others lament that the events in those are too awesome not to be canonical. He did later clarify in a ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'' [[https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2022/03/25/kirby-forgotten-land-features/ interview]] that the ''Kirby'' series has [[LooseCanon no clear canon or timeline]], so elements of these stories can be considered canon; he believes having a concrete canon would limit the games' stories and settings, and focuses on [[CharacterDevelopment character progression]] and {{continuity nod}}s as threads that tie games together rather than a linear narrative. That said, this statement was also divisive, as while some fans enjoy that this means the canon is flexible, some would prefer for non-canon stories to be clearly delineated.
33* CanonFodder: While lots of story is given from FlavorText, [[AllThereInTheManual manuals]], and WordOfGod, lots of them are left unexplained and mysterious. [[spoiler:''[[VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies Star Allies]]'' hinted that many of the mysteries are tied to Void Termina and the ancients of Halcandra. However, there are still no solid answers.]]
34** Meta Knight. Where did he come from, and what is he trying to do? [[spoiler:Why does he look like Kirby? Is he the same species, or even related? Can he inhale or copy abilities? And why is Kirby suddenly content with letting him fly around in the Halberd after what happened ''last time''?]]
35** What ''is'' [[EldritchAbomination Dark Matter]], and where did it come from?
36** If Gooey is part of Dark Matter, why is he good? Why does he look so much different from all other Dark Matter? How did he meet Kirby?
37** What's the deal with Shiver Star? Why does it look like a frozen Earth? Is it AfterTheEnd? [[spoiler:What was that factory made for? What are the creatures in those tubes? Did the Haltmann Works Company invade the planet?]]
38** What are the "Soul" {{Final Boss}}es? Are they related, or even all [[DemonicPossession possessed]] by a common threat?
39** Who was responsible for [[spoiler:Drawcia's (and Paintra's) painting]] in ''Canvas Curse'' and ''Triple Deluxe''? And how exactly is [[spoiler:Vividria]] related to them (if she's even related in the first place)?
40** How did Dark Nebula [[spoiler:get into its chest]], and how did [[spoiler:Meta Knight (and possibly King Dedede)]] know about it?
41** Who is Galacta Knight? Why did people fear his power so much?[[note]]''Planet Robobot'' yields some information, casually implying him to be a PlanetDestroyer.[[/note]] How was he [[SealedBadassInACan sealed up]]? Where did he come from; where did he go? What happened to him in ''Star Allies''?
42** Why does HR-D3 vaguely resemble King Dedede? How did it "drift in" from AnotherDimension?
43** In ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land'', what was Magolor talking about when he said that someone on Halcandra may know Kirby? Or, when he said that the ancients created lots of artifacts? Who ''are'' those ancients? What does "clockwork stars" refer to?[[note]]Presumably beings of the same "family" as Nova from ''Super Star'' (of which there are two known).[[/note]]
44** What is the Master Crown? How was it created, and who created it? How many have worn it before Landia?[[note]]Magolor says the ancients created it alongside the 'clockwork stars'. However, in ''Star Allies'', Void Termina uses it as one of its attacks in bird form, so it could have created or worn the crown.[[/note]]
45** Magolor has a piece of dialogue where he notes that the Lor Starcutter is rumored to have a mind of its own, and hopes the ship will talk to him someday. When and under what conditions would this happen, if at all?
46** Who is [[MissingMom Susie's mother]]?
47** What other planets did the Haltmann Works Company visit? Did they take over them? Were [[VideoGame/KirbySuperStar Mecheye/Mekkai]], [[VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards Rock Star, Shiver Star]], and [[VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamland Halcandra]] just a few of these planets?
48** Just what is [[spoiler:Void Termina]] in relation to [[spoiler:Dark Matter/Zero]]? And for that matter, the many connections that it seems to have to ''other'' bosses opens up the question of how much of an influence [[spoiler:Dark Matter]] has ''had'' on the universe. On top of that, [[spoiler:Void Termina seems to link all of these things to ''Kirby himself'']].
49** Who or what is [[spoiler:Morpho Knight]]? How powerful is it, and what are its motives?
50* CheeseStrategy:
51** Using Stone against any boss is basically a free win: just attack from above, hide in your invulnerable rock shield until you're safe, and then repeat. This strategy requires a good deal of patience, though, and the developers have caught on in more recent games by making certain bosses difficult to combat in this manner.
52** Both ''VideoGame/KirbyTripleDeluxe'' and ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'' have Copy Abilities that make Kirby invincible. They are useable in the arenas, which make them far easier than they would be otherwise.
53** The Ultimate Choice in ''Star Allies'' is easily cheesed with CPU friends, since you can just hide while they attack the boss for you. The Three Mage-Sisters are an especially ideal partner for this strategy.
54* CommonKnowledge:
55** The ''Kirby'' games are developed by Creator/HALLaboratory, and HAL has a great deal of control over the franchise, but it's common for non-fans to assume that it's fully owned by Nintendo.
56** Even to this day, it's not uncommon for people to accredit the entirety of the ''Kirby'' franchise to Creator/MasahiroSakurai. While he is the original creator of Kirby and served as the director for many earlier titles, he hasn't had any direct involvement with the series since his resignation from HAL Laboratory back in 2003, with ''VideoGame/KirbyAirRide'' being the last ''Kirby'' game he ever personally worked on. Even before his resignation, he wasn't responsible for every single ''Kirby'' game, with Shinichi Shimomura directing nearly as many games as him. Inversely, articles talking about Shinya Kumazaki (the current series director) often refer to him as merely a "developer," downplaying his greater role in the series' modern era.
57** It was incorrectly thought for a time that, like with [[VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG Mallow and Geno]], legal issues were preventing characters from Shinichi Shimomura's games (the Animal Friends, Dark Matter, Adeleine, etc.) from returning. They are fully owned by HAL, and many have made cameos in later games. Relatedly, there was an odd {{fanon}} that Gooey was KilledOffForReal alongside the rest of Dark Matter at the end of ''VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards'', even though Gooey assisted Kirby in destroying Dark Matter in ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand3'' and nothing bad happened to him then. ''VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies'' put both of these to rest.
58** The "Gourmet Race" theme from ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'' is commonly thought to be the main theme of the series due to its use in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''. The series' actual theme is most likely "Green Greens," which has appeared in nearly every game in some form.
59** Kirby's nature as a baby Star Warrior is exclusive to [[Anime/KirbyRightBackAtYa the anime]], but it's often assumed to be canon to the games as well, when that isn't the case. "Star Warrior" also isn't Kirby's species, but a greater group that consists of many distinct species.
60** Though commonly assumed, Kirby isn't necessarily incapable of speech. This is also largely thanks to the anime, which establishes Kirby as unable to speak much. However, the games never actually establish this; [[http://www.thegameisafootarcade.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Kirbys-Dream-Land-Game-Manual.pdf the]] [[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clv/manuals/en/pdf/CLV-P-NAAPE.pdf manuals]] for [[VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand the]] first [[VideoGame/KirbysAdventure two]] games in the series show him speaking fully-formed and grammatically correct sentences. Additionally, in both the anime and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', he can [[CallingYourAttacks call his attacks]] when using certain Copy Abilities. Furthermore, he is portrayed as speaking certain quotes in ''VideoGame/KirbysEpicYarn'', though his dialogue is conveyed by the narrator. While modern games show less of Kirby's verbal side, it's often implied that he does have the ability to speak, and Kirby's side of the conversation is merely [[HeroicMime unheard by the player.]] He is also capable of full speech in most manga based on the series, as well as the light novel adaptations.
61** During the prerelease of ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'', a common theory circulating at the time was the idea that Elfilin was actually a BitchInSheepsClothing manipulating Kirby who was going to betray him and become the game's FinalBoss ([[spoiler:which ultimately turns out to be completely wrong aside from the FinalBoss part, and even then, not in the way [[DistressedDude fans were expecting]]]]). This led to some fans claiming this to be an incredibly common occurrence that happens regularly in the series, citing Marx from ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'' and Magolor from ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand'' as examples. The thing is that those two are the ''only'' examples of false friends manipulating Kirby, and there's an almost 15-year gap between their games. Though ''Super Star'''s remake, ''Super Star Ultra'', was released only three years before ''Return to Dream Land'', which might have made the similarities in the plots more obvious to newer players unfamiliar with the original ''Super Star''. But even then, previous FairyCompanion characters such as Ribbon or Elline are unambiguously heroic for the entire game, while antagonists such as Taranza or the Mage-Sisters are openly hostile to Kirby from the start [[spoiler:and ultimately pulled [[HeelFaceTurn heel-face turns]]]]. Yet those in the "Elfilin is evil" camp would have you believe that Kirby getting betrayed is a weekly occurrence for him.
62** A common misconception is the idea that ''Kirby'' takes place in a literal DreamLand since the primary setting of the series is known as… Dream Land. Not helped by the fact that [[NightmareWeaver Nightmare]] was arguably the series' most recognizable villain for most of the early 2000s due to the [[AdaptationDisplacement anime]], nor the fact that ''Kirby'' shares a very similar tone, aesthetic, and [[FriendlyFandoms fanbase]] to the ''VideoGame/{{Klonoa}}'' series, which ''does'' take place in a literal land of dreams. While dreams do play a major role in the overall lore, Dream Land itself is simply a country on Planet Popstar, which is in fact a physical location in the ''Kirby'' universe. This confusion is nonexistent in the Japanese fandom due to the Japanese name for Dream Land being Pupupuland, which is just a nonsense word. There is a "Fountain of Dreams" within Dream Land, which is the source of the dreams the characters have while sleeping, but there are several planets in the series with fountains of dreams on them.
63** Morpho Knight's design is often cited as being an unused concept design for Meta Knight from ''VideoGame/KirbysAdventure''. This isn't true; Morpho Knight was designed for the canceled [=GameCube=] ''Kirby'' game as a unique character. Even before this was directly confirmed within a ''Nintendo Dream'' interview, the concept art's complexity makes it apparent that it was designed for a 3D game rather than an 8-bit 2D one. The misconception stems from Morpho Knight's concept art being placed on a page about Meta Knight within the ''Kirby's Dream Collection'' booklet; with no other context, people had no reason to assume it was meant to be a unique character.
64** King Dedede is sometimes touted as the series' main villain by fans and other people less familiar with the series, though this hasn't actually been true for quite a while. While he ''does'' appear as the main antagonist in several spinoff games like ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamCourse'' and ''VideoGame/KirbyTiltNTumble'', he hasn't been the main villain or final boss of a main series game since the original ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand''. King Dedede would undergo a slow HeelFaceTurn following this game, gradually moving from Kirby's archnemesis to his friendly rival and ally over the course of the series, which is compounded by official material showing him having a largely cordial relationship with Kirby and his other friends. Nearly every one of the king's appearances since then has had him either conflict with Kirby as a rival, fight Kirby due to [[BrainwashedAndCrazy brainwashing]]/[[DemonicPossession possession]] or a misunderstanding, or as a playable hero. Some of this confusion might stem from the fact that Dedede takes an unquestionably villainous role in [[Anime/KirbyRightBackAtYa the anime]], which paints him as [[AdaptationalVillainy a much bigger jerk than in the games]] given that he hadn't quite solidified into his "friendly rival" characterization yet.
65** A very popular theory arose from ''Triple Deluxe'''s side mode Dededetour that [[TheManBehindTheMan Dark Meta Knight was the one to corrupt Queen Sectonia via the Dimension Mirror]], due to him being the final enemy of said side mode. This theory became so widely accepted throughout the fandom that it's often stated by fans to be canon, despite not being implied even in flavor text. All official statements have pointed to [[ArtifactOfDoom the mirror itself]] being what corrupted Sectonia.
66* ComplacentGamingSyndrome: When it comes to BossRush modes that offer abilities, many players will stick to only one ability throughout the entire run. Most of the time, they'd stick with abilities that can deal heavy damage as quickly as possible, such as Hammer, Plasma, Tornado, or Smash Bros. or abilities with great defensive options such as Stone, Leaf, or Archer.
67%%Do not add Complete Monster entries without approval from https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=6vic3f9h1cy5qivsenw8llok&page=1
68* ContinuityLockout: You don't have to be a long-time Kirby fan to understand the basic plot of most games, but a lot of the references, callbacks, and background lore will fly over your head if you don't read up. This is especially true for ''VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies'', what with so many past characters returning as playable Dream Friends[[spoiler:, as well as the BigBad's plan revolving around what is supposedly the source of ''every'' major antagonist's power, directly or indirectly]].
69* CultClassic: ''Air Ride'' has been getting more and more popular each year since its release thanks to its sandbox-like City Trial mode. Helps that it was the last ''Kirby'' game that ''Kirby'''s creator Creator/MasahiroSakurai worked on before leaving HAL Laboratory to start his own company.
70* DesignatedVillain: Dedede in ''Squeak Squad'' actually did nothing wrong, but becomes a boss anyway because Kirby accuses him of stealing his cake. In other games, he's often BrainwashedAndCrazy and becomes the "villain figurehead". In fact, the ''two'' times Dedede has ever done anything openly villainous were stealing all of the food from the citizens of Dream Land in the first game, which he tried again in ''Kirby Super Star''. Granted, these are some of the most influential games in the series, with ''Dream Land'' being [[FirstInstallmentWins the first and most well-known]]. Regardless, every other antagonistic action Dedede takes of his own free will is solely to mess with Kirby and is rarely intended to be harmful.
71* DracoInLeatherPants: Many ''Kirby'' fans think Zero is a lonely, sad being that [[IJustWantToHaveFriends just wants some friends]] — though this does have some basis in canon, as Dark Matter Blade is said to be a lonely being who wanted to destroy the world out of jealousy, this trait is often conflated onto Zero due to its TearsOfBlood making it look like a TragicMonster. While not an entirely invalid interpretation, this could just as easily be Zero's eye being bloodshot due to the fact it never closes, especially since [[BloodyMurder it attacks with]] literal [[VisualPun blood shots]] in ''Kirby's Dream Land 3''.
72* EvenBetterSequel: ''Kirby's Dream Land'' was a fairly standard side-scroller that was pretty enjoyable for what it was, but was laughably short and easy (although the latter is compensated by the unlockable Hard Mode — [[NintendoHard and it lives up to its name, all right]]) and didn't even allow you to copy abilities! ''Kirby's Adventure'' then came out on the NES and blew the original out of the water by offering more levels, the series-trademark [[PowerCopying Copy Abilities]], and a save feature! It also introduces the BreakoutCharacter Meta Knight. ''Kirby's Dream Land 2'', while slower and not quite as elaborate as ''Adventure'', at least brought these improvements down to a portable level, while also adding the Animal Friends to offer unique variations on ''Adventure''[='s=] pre-established gameplay and introducing the concept of {{multiple endings}} to the series.
73* FanNickname:
74** King Dedede is sometimes referred to as "DDD", "Triple-D", or "3D".
75** Meta Knight is often called "MK". He has several nicknames aside from that:
76*** The Japanese fans sometimes call him "Papa Knight" for his anime portrayal, i.e. being shown to care more for Kirby than in the games.
77*** The early fansite Kirby's Rainbow Resort often called Meta Knight's anime portrayal "Señor Noodle Arms", referring to his inexplicable Spanish theming and notably exaggerated RubberhoseLimbs in the series.
78*** He's also been called a "[[MemeticMutation borb]]."
79*** Fans of WebVideo/PeaTea64 call Meta Knight "Fernando".
80*** He's also referred to as "Kirby Franchise/{{Batman}}" or "Batkirby".
81** Bandana Waddle Dee is often shortened to just "Bandana Dee" or occasionally "Bandee." The former was what many called him back when he was only officially referred to as "Waddle Dee," and the latter was a name that the staff had considered, but rejected naming him for his appearance in ''Return to Dream Land.''
82** Chef Kawasaki is affectionately referred to as "KWSK" in Japanese communities.
83** The queen of the fairies on Ripple Star from ''VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards'' has NoNameGiven, so fans usually call her the Fairy Queen or Queen Ripple.
84** The sailor-capped Waddle Dee crewmember from Revenge of Meta Knight also originally had NoNameGiven, so they were given the name "Sailor Dee" among fan circles until a sticker in ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'' confirmed their name as the basically-identical [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Sailor Waddle Dee]]. Some fans shorten the nickname further to "Saidee", to match "Bandee".
85** ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand2'', ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand3'', and ''VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards'' are collectively known as the "Dark Matter Trilogy" due to the three games having Dark Matter as the main villain(s). All three games were directed by Shinichi Shimomura instead of series creator Masahiro Sakurai (who directed all other non-spinoff games in the series prior to his departure post-''Air Ride''), and have more of a focus on puzzle solving rather than combat. Other similarities these games share include:
86*** Collectible stars for extra lives.
87*** Having no traces of Meta Knight whatsoever.
88*** [[spoiler:Having King Dedede be possessed by Dark Matter, then fighting him.]]
89*** Having some form of Copy Ability mixing system.
90*** Having a TrueFinalBoss only accessed by collecting all of a certain collectible, which then form a weapon used to combat said boss.
91** Magolor is sometimes referred to as "Mags" by fans.
92** The pre-release version of Magolor was originally referred to as "Daizen" and treated as a separate character due to the filename of his picture. Eventually people figured out that "Daizen" actually referred to the book that the picture came from and switched to "Betalor".
93** "Blob" for the female Gooey in the international version of ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand2'', which allegedly originates from ''Magazine/NintendoPower''. It was actually Gooey himself that they called a "blob character", with the female being the "Girl blob".
94** The fandom tends to use "lore" as shorthand for the descriptions in pause menus during boss fights (which first started appearing in ''Super Star Ultra''), due to them being the main source of exposition in the Kumazaki-directed games.
95** Ever since ''VideoGame/TeamKirbyClashDeluxe'' where he served as a shopkeeper that sold gem apples for exorbitant prices (asking for real world currency), Magolor (or, at least, that version of him) has gained the nickname Microtransagolor. He's also commonly referred to as an egg, and Easter is now referred to as Magolor Day on Reddit since he's egg-shaped and Sundays were always Magolor days in ''Team Kirby Clash Deluxe''.
96** The Fairlight CMI's [="ARR1"=] sample, which is frequently used throughout the series' music, is often called "That Synth" by ''Kirby'' fans as a result of its distinctive sound (though it's technically not a synthesizer; it's a compressed recording of a woman singing MelismaticVocals).
97* FanPreferredCutContent: There are a number of fans who wish the 3 cancelled mainline Platform/NintendoGameCube games became a reality, with some preferring how they look over the game that did eventually get made, ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand''.
98* FandomSpecificPlot: Crossovers between Kirby's anime and Kirby's games. It sometimes portays the two continuities as two different universes, with characters from the games ending up in the anime-verse or vice versa; sometimes the universes are melded into one utilizing elements from both.
99* FanficFuel:
100** Kirby's PowerCopying ability technically gives him an unlimited array of potential powers. And with Kirby having Copy Abilities that range from martial arts and electricity to ringing bells and holding parasols, [[SailorEarth it's quite fun to imagine potential powers for the little guy]]. And what makes it even more fun is the possibility of them becoming [[AscendedFanon actual Copy Abilities]] in an official ''Kirby'' game.
101** What would happen if other characters found Nova [[spoiler:or another wish-granting machine]], and what wishes would they make?
102** What are the [[VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror Mirror World]] versions of characters we haven't seen yet?
103** If the [[VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot Robobot Armor]] can take the ability of its wearer, what would happen if someone other than Kirby used it? Related is the potential other powers (that don't appear in ''Planet Robobot'' but do in other games) that could be a Mode for the mech, and how they'll work; a similar thing happened for the Super Abilities in ''Return to Dream Land'', especially with how a "Super Cutter" was considered but then got DummiedOut.
104* FoeYayShipping:
105** Pairing Meta Knight with Susie took off after the release of the latter's introductory game, ''Planet Robobot''. Their main interaction in the game involves Susie forcibly mechanizing Meta Knight into what she describes as a "merciless fighting machine" who is made to fight Kirby twice. Susie describing being impressed with Meta Knight's strength and confidence likely fuels the pairing more, though a possible title screen interaction between the two in ''Star Allies'' implies Meta Knight still isn't over his mechanization.
106** Meta Knight and Galacta Knight make a semi-popular pairing, despite their only interactions being to fight with each other most of the time the latter shows up. Of course, this pairing is often used to fuel potential Galacta Knight redemption or character study plots as well.
107** Pairing together Kirby and Marx is fairly popular, though given Marx's implied HazyFeelTurn in ''Star Allies'' it's a bit ambiguous how much the "foe" part applies anymore.
108* FriendlyFandoms:
109** With ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', as both series were minded by Creator/MasahiroSakurai and share many mechanics. Many older ''Kirby'' fans (and some younger fans) were introduced to the series via ''Smash'', and without ''Smash'', ''Kirby'' would have a much harder time attracting fans of all ages.
110** Many ''Kirby'' fans are fans of HAL Laboratory's secondary franchise, ''VideoGame/BoxBoy'', as they share elements like cutesy aesthetics and unexpected lore. It helps that both series were prominent on the Platform/Nintendo3DS and like to cross-reference each other. Fans of both also tend to like HAL's mobile title ''VideoGame/PartTimeUFO'' (which later made it to the Nintendo Switch), which contains its own references to ''Kirby'' and ''[=BoxBoy=]''.
111** Many ''Kirby'' fans in general are also fans of ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' due to both being successful Nintendo [=IPs=] with [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter adorable characters]], some, like Jigglypuff, even resembling Kirby.
112** Oddly enough, ''Kirby'' fans have this relation with ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' fans, in spite of the two series having completely contrasting age demographics. This was briefly started back when Bayonetta was announced to be the last DLC Fighter for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'' as a DemographicDissonantCrossover character, but it really exploded when the September 2021 WebVideo/NintendoDirect featured both the announcement trailer for ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'' and the first real trailer for the M-rated ''VideoGame/Bayonetta3''. Since then, it's not uncommon to see fanart of the two title characters getting along well with each other.
113** ''Kirby'' fans also typically get along with ''VideoGame/{{Deltarune}}'' fans. Fanart depicting Magolor, Taranza, and Susie as the game's main trio (Magolor is Kris, Taranza is Ralsei, and Susie is Susie), along with Marx as Jevil has become very common. It helps that ''Kirby'' FandomVIP Gigi DG (creator of ''Webcomic/{{Hiimdaisy}}'' and ''Webcomic/CucumberQuest'') is a close affiliate of Creator/TobyFox.
114** Many ''Kirby'' fans quickly get along with fans of the ''VideoGame/{{Klonoa}}'' franchise by Creator/BandaiNamco due to both series having a [[SugarBowl similar cutesy tones]] combined with [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids some darker themes]]. Especially from fans who grew up with ''Door to Phantomile'' and ''Lunatea's Veil''. The news of ''[[CompilationRerelease Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series]]'' arriving a five months after the release of ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land'' only increased both fanbases overlapping with each other, also further helped by the announcement of ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamBuffet'' a few days after ''Phantasy Reveries Series's'' release. The fact that both franchises also had [[MilestoneCelebration milestone anniversaries]] in 2022 (25th for ''Klonoa'' and 30th for ''Kirby'', respectably) even helped.
115** Similar to ''Klonoa'', fans of Creator/OsamuTezuka's ''Manga/{{Unico}}'' also shares fanbases with ''Kirby'' fans (especially in Japan) due to both containing similar darker moments while both protagonists are adorable and badass. Nightmare (the BigBad of ''VideoGame/KirbysAdventure'') even shares similarities with one of the antagonists Unico faces in the manga (and [[Anime/TheFantasticAdventuresOfUnico 1981 feature film]]). Such as "The Baron" (one of the several villains Unico faces) sharing similarities with Nightmare where both characters have a OneWingedAngel form. This even extends to other villains Kirby faces in the series who also shares similarities with [[Anime/UnicoInTheIslandOfMagic other villains from Unico.]]
116* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: ''Kirby'' as a whole became very popular in Italy beginning in May 2014 when, to promote the recent release in stores of ''VideoGame/KirbyTripleDeluxe'', the TV channel K2 decided to air ''Anime/KirbyRightBackAtYa'' (a show whose only TV airing in the country before then was [[ScrewedByTheNetwork aired at 6 AM during the summer, basically in a timeframe when nobody could watch it]]) in the timeslot right after ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries''. As a result, it actually became as popular as ''Pokémon'', the aforementioned ''Kirby Triple Deluxe'' sold a lot of copies, they managed to dub the second half of the show 10 years after the first one (because for some reason the Italian dub originally stopped at episode 51), and [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros the Kirby amiibo]] is the hardest one to find in Italian stores.
117* HilariousInHindsight:
118** One look at [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-8db508yrE this commercial]] for ''Kirby's Adventure'' and suddenly the concept of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvULlC9c7xg Kirby's Epic Yarn]]'' becomes all the more hilarious.
119** Marx's mouth laser attack. [[Anime/DragonBallZ Imma Firin]] Ma [[MemeticMutation Lazah!]]
120** Rick the Hamster. With the Stone ability, he can [[JustForFun/{{Rickroll}} roll]].
121** ''Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble'' involves you rolling a round object through increasingly ridiculous and difficult (to the point of being hair-pulling) mazes via tilting the world around it. [[VideoGame/SuperMonkeyBall Fast forward to the 5th Generation of Consoles.]]
122** Meta Knight's very name became this when he ended up dominating the {{Metagame}} of ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl''.
123** One of the manga has Kirby as [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]], calling Princess Peach "Peaches". This was before ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie'' made "Peaches" Bowser's AffectionateNickname for Peach.
124** ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'' has [[spoiler:its TrueFinalBoss having a GoodCounterpart created from the former, and the latter accompanying the hero through his journey]]. ''Anime/PrettyCureAllStars F'' would feature a similar plot thread with [[spoiler:Preme and Puca]].
125* ItWasHisSled:
126** Meta Knight's identity as another member of Kirby's race is technically a spoiler on the grounds that you don't know anything about him until his defeat. The fandom's been talking about it for years, so never mind about that.
127** The existence of Dark Matter and Zero, as they're supposed to be {{True Final Boss}}es; by ''Dream Land 3'', Dark Matter is basically a LateArrivalSpoiler.
128** [[{{Superboss}} Galacta Knight]] is meant to be a major surprise in each game he appears in, but he's so widely talked about in the fanbase that his appearances don't come as much of a surprise anymore. ''Star Allies'' lampshades this by having his seemingly-gratuitous appearance actually be a BaitAndSwitchBoss. Funny enough, this continued bait and switch in later games has given a similar reputation to Morpho Knight and by extention, any seemingly incidential butterflies shown in any given cutscene.
129** Practically everyone knows about Marx being a TreacherousQuestGiver. Later games wouldn't even try to hide it, showing his FinalBoss form in cameos. His pause screen description in ''Star Allies'' outright states that "this final boss is here to help". Magolor's betrayal is similarly widespread -- ''Star Allies'' shows his final boss forms outright -- but the fanbase is divided roughly down the middle as to whether they try to hide it or just say it outright.
130* JerkassWoobie: King Dedede. Considering practically every game involves him being possessed, mind controlled, or duped into fighting Kirby and getting his ass kicked it's hard not to feel bad for him.
131* LauncherOfAThousandShips:
132** When it comes to Kirby character shipping, Meta Knight takes the cake. He's been paired with King Dedede, Kirby, Magolor, [[AlternateSelfShipping his mirror counterpart]], his foe Galacta Knight, Daroach, [[FoeYayShipping Susie]]... really, considering his popularity among the fanbase, this should come as no surprise.
133** Magolor is no slouch in terms of pairings either, also likely due to his popularity. In addition to being shipped with the aforementioned Meta Knight, he's most often paired with Marx, who is implied to be a friend of his, as well as Taranza and Susie, fellow "modern era" villains.
134* LGBTFanbase: Creator/{{Nintendo}}'s games in general tend to have large queer followings, but it's especially pronounced with ''Kirby''. Much of this is owed to the franchise's cutesy aesthetic, which veers far away from the perceived hypermasculinity of the rest of the gaming industry, its themes of friendship and unity, and the fact that many characters feature androgynous designs and don't fall into conventional gender roles. Kirby's genderfluid nature becoming more widely known particularly furthered the series' popularity with trans fans (even if it's mostly indicated in supplementary material).
135* MagnificentBastard: [[VideoGame/KirbySuperStar Meta Knight]], [[VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand Magolor]], and [[VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand Sillydillo]]. For more information, see those games' respective pages [[YMMV/KirbySuperStar here]], [[YMMV/KirbysReturnToDreamLand here]], and [[YMMV/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand here]].
136* MemeticBadass:
137** Kirby himself is this. There are Nintendo fans who firmly believe the pink puff's badassery is only rivaled by [[VideoGame/FZero Captain Falcon]]. The fact that ''Planet Robobot'' described him as having infinite power (which would technically make him ''god-like'') and the fact that ''Mass Attack'' concludes with Kirby killing the implied Death God has only amplified this, and it reached further extremes when ''Star Allies'' heavily implied that [[spoiler:Kirby is a reincarnated EldritchAbomination]]. The ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' community usually hype Kirby, [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1 Shulk]], VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}, Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog, and [[VideoGame/KidIcarus Pit]] as the five strongest characters due to them all canonically killing ''gods'' in their home series. It got an extra boost with the reveal of ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's]]'' Story Mode, which involves ''every single character'' apparently dying at the hands of a LightIsNotGood EldritchAbomination... except for Kirby.
138** King Dedede. His antics are continually over-the-top, and ups the ante with every new game. To quote a tip from ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'', Dedede doesn't need to copy abilities like Kirby because he "is already perfect".
139** Meta Knight, from his introduction, has been seen as really, really kickass. Three things have solidified it: him summoning [[WorldsBestWarrior Galacta Knight]] just to prove that he can beat him, his complete GameBreaker status in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', and a cover of his theme winning a Grammy.
140** During the BossRush in ''Super Star'', you will have to fight a Waddle Dee with at least ten times the health of a normal Waddle Dee. It's still a CurbStompBattle ZeroEffortBoss (he doesn't move, and you can still [[OneHitKill inhale him]]). [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5Uu0dyH9CU A video]] on the internet portrayed him as an unstoppable god of destruction (via a player who thought it would be hilarious) and the fandom's pumped him up ever since. In case anyone wants to argue, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0sZ7a1c_5A here]] is Waddle Dee proving his point. '''Contains spoilers!''' %% According to the Damage guide at [[https://www.gamefaqs.com/snes/588425-kirby-super-star/faqs/21360 GameFAQs]], The Arena's Waddle Dee has 200 health points, while standard enemy health is only 5 to 20. If Waddle Dee maxes out at 20 HP, then Arena Dee has 10x the stamina. If Waddle Dee bottoms out at 5, that's 20x as much.
141** While Whispy Woods is usually a MemeticLoser, he's sometimes portrayed as an ironic badass by fans. Even though he gets [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomped]] by Kirby in nearly every game, he [[{{Determinator}} keeps coming back for more]], and always brings flashy new attacks for each new battle. The fact that his spirit in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' is stronger than ''[[VideoGame/SonicForces Infinite]]'' helps.
142** Drawcia is the only boss to unambiguously beat Kirby, the only one to outright win. She only loses in round two because one of her own paint brushes, [[SummonMagic which she summoned]], decided it didn't like the artwork she was making, flew to the ''[[BreakingTheFourthWall player's]]'' hand and gave instructions on how to guide Kirby to victory. Even then she's invincible until the brush finds a way to remove her DeflectorShields at which point she goes mad, takes on a "soul" form and starts trying to direct attacks at the player on the other side of the screen in between token attempts to smash Kirby. While the opening cutscene states she mererly turned the country of Dream Land into a painting, as one plays through the game it's revealed her influence has spread [[GalacticConqueror to outer space itself]] and some fans go even further to suggest that she is a DimensionLord, given the last level takes place in a space separate from even that. If one wants to 100% ''Kirby Canvas Curse'' they'll learn her copy of Paint Roller is far more reslient than the original, becoming the longest MarathonBoss in the series and frequently the LastLousyPoint in the game. The only reason this is "memetic" is because there are other bosses that Kirby wouldn't be capable of beating without an EleventhHourSuperpower; Drawcia simply demonstrates what happens when one shows up [[DownerBeginning ten hours too early]]. Still, some fans like to portray Drawcia as the single most powerful foe Kirby has ever faced.
143** Freezy Rex, a slow moving glorified AdvancingWallOfDoom, more stage hazard than character, is hyped up as the most powerful foe Kirby has ever faced by the fandom, more so than ''Kirby Mass Attack'' FinalBoss Necrodeus, because Freezy Rex can destroy [[InvincibleMinorMinion Gordos]]. Such a feat had not been seen since the very first game, and that took multiple full sized members of Kirby's species working together to accomplish.
144* MemeticLoser:
145** Whispy Woods, the series's usual WarmUpBoss, is almost always incredibly easy, even by Warm-Up Boss standards. Fans frequently depict him as an IneffectualSympatheticVillain who constantly challenges Kirby, only to get [[CurbStompBattle crushed]] every single time (at least, when he isn't seen as a MemeticBadass, as mentioned above).
146** [[VideoGame/KirbySqueakSquad Dark Nebula]] tends to be a running joke among ''Kirby'' fans, due to [[AntiClimaxBoss how pathetically easy]] he is compared to other final bosses in the series.
147** Also, [[VideoGame/KirbyAndTheRainbowCurse Dark Crafter]], who dies in three hits and has one attack.
148** To a lesser extent, Paintra, and to a lesser extent Vividra, due to being the [[StrongerSibling weaker siblings]] of Drawcia.
149* MemeticPsychopath:
150** Kirby himself, since many of his enemies, especially Waddle Dees, are mostly harmless so long as you leave them alone. There are also a lot of jokes about how his main power revolves around [[CannibalismSuperpower eating people]].
151** [[VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand Elfilin]]. Before ''Forgotten Land'''s release, his [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter adorable looks]] and [[{{Keet}} energetic, friendly personality]] made fans immediately suspicious of him, since [[VideoGame/KirbySuperStar Marx]] and [[VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand Magolor]] were just as affable and turned out to be the FinalBoss of their respective games. It's commonly joked that Elfilin is a "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wxm5EAlLt0 dubious little creature]]" who will continue this trend, likely [[OneWingedAngel transforming]] into some kind of EldritchAbomination to fight Kirby as the [[TheChessmaster evil mastermind]] behind everything. [[spoiler:Turns out they were half-right; he gets absorbed as part of the final boss, but not of his own free will.]]
152** And of course, there's Dark Matter. While it was already a menacing force to begin with, whenever fans aren't portraying them as a [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Destroyer]] WoobieSpecies, they instead love to take their atrocities to the point where Dark Matter in fandom is often considered ANaziByAnyOtherName at best and basically the InUniverse equivalent to the [[UsefulNotes/FermiParadox Great Filter]] at worst.
153* {{Moe}}:
154** Kirby, obviously. His baby-like voice in the anime also helps. Many other characters, even a lot of the enemies, are also cute.
155** As the rather large amount of FanArt would show, Ribbon seems to get a lot of attention for her cuteness. She's a [[RoseHairedSweetie pink-haired]] [[FairyCompanion fairy girl]], after all.
156** This whole series could basically be called Moe: The Series, as almost everyone (minus the FinalBoss [[EldritchAbomination of most games]]) is utterly adorable. Even Meta Knight without his mask is pretty cute.
157* MoralEventHorizon: Pratically every final boss in the games crosses that at least once, but the most relevant are:
158** In ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'', [[MonsterClown Marx]] crosses it when he tricks Kirby into gathering the star pieces for him in order to become powerful enough to take over Pop Star, then left Kirby to die in space while gloating over his scheming and bragging of the fact that he will cause all the mischief he wants. Luckily, the pink puffball survives and kicks his rear. While Marx technically helps out Kirby later on, he's not doing it out of altruism, keeping this moment firmly as where he crossed the line.
159** In ''VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamLand'', Magolor appears to cross it when [[spoiler:he reveals he [[TreacherousAdvisor orchestrated Kirby's entire quest]] just so he could steal the Master Crown off Landia's head and use its power to [[GalacticConqueror take over the universe]].]] But in future appearances, he eventually [[TheAtoner pays for his sins]], subverting this.
160** In ''VideoGame/KirbyTripleDeluxe'', [[spoiler:Queen Sectonia]] crosses it [[EstablishingCharacterMoment right from the start]] when [[spoiler:she blasts Taranza off the highest tower of her castle after he and a puppeted Masked Dedede [[YouHaveFailedMe lose against Kirby]].]] If not that, then [[spoiler:she crosses it by fusing together with the Dreamstalk and sucking all the nutrients out of Planet Popstar, vowing that the entire planet will serve as her sustenance forever.]]
161** In ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'', [[spoiler:President Haltmann]] crosses it when he is defeated in his boss battle, [[spoiler:throwing a [[VillainousBreakdown violent temper tantrum]] and attempting to use [[DeusEstMachina Star Dream]] to "eradicate" all of the "savages" on Popstar.]]
162** In ''VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies'', Hyness more than crosses it when he [[spoiler:drains the life energy out of the Three Mage-Sisters, who are [[UndyingLoyalty fervently loyal to him]], and begins to use their unconscious bodies as [[GrievousHarmWithABody glorified baseball bats]].]] On top of that, he then [[spoiler:[[HumanSacrifice sacrifices them]] on the altar to Void Termina before throwing himself in for good measure, convinced that the [[DestroyerDeity Destroyer of Worlds]] will rise and annihilate everything.]]
163** In ''Videogame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'', [[spoiler:Fecto Forgo crossed this by revealing they mind-controlled Leongar into [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil enslaving hundreds of Waddle Dees]]. They immediately follow it up by [[TheAssimilator assimilating Leongar and several members of the Beast Pack]], without [[UngratefulBastard any care for their genuine efforts to help them]], just to get to Elfilin.]] And if, for some reason, that wasn't enough, then they ''definitely'' cross it when [[spoiler:they attempt to [[ColonyDrop collide Planet Popstar into the New World]] out of spite after Kirby saves Elfilin from assimilation.]]
164* MyRealDaddy:
165** While Creator/MasahiroSakurai is the one who created the franchise and directed some of the main games through its run in the 90s (''[[VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand Dream Land]]'', ''[[VideoGame/KirbysAdventure Adventure]]'' and its remake, ''[[VideoGame/KirbySuperStar Super Star]]''), two creators are seen as having refined Sakurai's base into something special:
166*** Shinichi Shimomura, director of the "Dark Matter Trilogy" (''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand2'', ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand3'', and ''VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards''), gave the franchise a much more coherent direction than the titles directed by Sakurai, introducing a focus on intricate puzzle solving, story-telling reliant on environments and wordless cutscenes, and surprisingly dark villains in the Dark Matter clan, all of which would carry over into the games after Sakurai's departure from HAL.
167*** Shinya Kumazaki, director and later general director of the franchise since ''Super Star Ultra'', was responsible for bringing the ''Super Star'' combat system[[note]]having abilities with multiple moves[[/note]] into the modern ''Kirby'' games, as well as reconciling the action-oriented combat of the Sakurai-directed games with the puzzle-oriented approach of the Dark Matter Trilogy, creating a direction that brought the best of both worlds. Kumazaki also greatly fleshed out the universe and lore of the series compared to both Sakurai and Shimomura, bringing together elements introduced by both directors and introducing several of his own additions such as Another Dimension and Galacta Knight.
168** Although Bandana Waddle Dee originally made his debut in the Creator/MasahiroSakurai-directed ''Super Star'', it is universally agreed that Shinya Kumazaki is the character's true creator, as he took who was originally just one of several opponents you face in ''Super Star''[='=]s Megaton Punch mini game and fleshed him out to be a unique character in his own right.
169* NeverLiveItDown:
170** In ''Kirby Squeak Squad'', Kirby goes on a quest (read: rampage) for his stolen piece of cake. In every other platform game, his goals are more noble, but some fans hang on to this one instance and insist Kirby is a SociopathicHero.
171** Meta Knight attempting to take over Dream Land in ''Kirby Super Star'' was [[CharacterizationMarchesOn very early on his characterisation]] but some fans would have you think he is still an outright villain despite being portrayed as an outright hero at best and a slight AntiHero at his absolute worst (except for ''VideoGame/KirbyFighters2'') in pretty much every game he appears in since.
172* OneTrueThreesome: Magolor, Taranza, and Susie are a decently popular trio in the fanbase, both platonically and romantically, mostly due to being popular villain characters from beloved 2010s ''Kirby'' games.
173* OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight: While few would say there's any outright ''bad'' game in the series, the games that aren't primarily developed by Creator/HALLaboratory are held in less regard than the ones that are.
174* PeripheryDemographic: Though the games are and remain mostly geared for people beginning to play video games, a good chunk of the fanbase are experienced gamers who grew up playing them and who gleefully return to each new installment, no matter how short or easy it is. It helps that the games tend to be well-made, and make up for the easiness by putting the difficulty into HundredPercentCompletion; in fact, their easiness and cuteness can be therapeutic for many people, and provide nice breaks for people who play "heavier" games.
175* RonTheDeathEater: Magolor is a PlayedForLaughs victim of this, since despite turning good after his defeat in ''Return to Dream Land'', fans enjoy painting him as a deceitful TokenEvilTeammate. The interpretation especially took hold after ''VideoGame/TeamKirbyClashDeluxe'' made him a shopkeeper; him managing {{microtransactions}} is joked to be a far greater evil than deceiving Kirby and pals so he could gain immense power with the Master Crown ever was. It also helps that he can be quite TheGadfly in later games.
176* SacredCow:
177** While ''Kirby'' may not be as popular as other Creator/{{Nintendo}} franchises, it has an extremely good reputation, and it's rare to find a Nintendo fan that outright hates the games. Furthermore, while some may call a few games "lacking", the opinion that Kirby has never had a truly "bad" game is common, which is a rarity among Nintendo series.
178** It's practically impossible to even criticize Kirby as a character. One artist, [[Webcomic/ShenComix Shenanigansen]], played on this by making a tweet claiming that Kirby was the worst Nintendo character. After severe backlash from fans, he immediately apologized and withdrew his statement. Later, he posted [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWIxQamVAAIMPrs.jpg:large this picture]], likely indicating it as a joke. The series' other characters, such as Meta Knight and Dedede, also have such a reputation due to their unique, charming designs and personalities and lack of controversial character traits, particularly for those who find Kirby to be boring in comparison.
179* ScrappyMechanic: Attacks that knock the ability out of you. It's been a mainstay for most games and can lead to a pretty bad cycle of getting hit over and over trying to recover the star, only for it to get knocked back out. Made worse by the fact that there's never actually any indication as to what will or will not, as even basic enemies can do it with contact damage occasionally. How often Kirby loses his ability from attacks varies by game. Recent games have many different enemy and boss attacks programmed to always knock out Kirby's ability, and in ''VideoGame/KirbysAdventure'', ''[[VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror Amazing Mirror]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/KirbySqueakSquad Squeak Squad]]'', ''every'' means of taking damage will make Kirby drop his ability. This can get truly aggravating when going for the fastest possible times in BossRush modes, as you can't afford to get hit too much or you'll waste time.
180* SeasonalRot: While not outright bad, ''VideoGame/KirbySqueakSquad'' is considered to be significantly inferior to previous Kirby platformers due to very little originality and difficulty, weak level design, lots of recycled music and sprites from the GBA games, an asinine plot involving a cake, half-baked new abilities, and lackluster bosses (especially the final boss), resulting in a lack of polish overall.[[note]]As one of the first traditional platformers where Masahiro Sakurai had no involvement in development, this was also the last game developed by Flagship before closing down.[[/note]]
181* {{Squick}}: In ''Super Star'' (and a few other games with co-op), a player can share the effects of a recently consumed food item by walking up to their ally, at which point the two get face to face for a second. There's really no other way to interpret this animation as anything but player 1 spitting up what they had just eaten into player 2's mouth... Or they share the health gain with [[ThePowerOfLove a kiss]]. Since healing items are food, Kirby's giving the chewed up remains to his sidekick. Meta Knight can do it too, through his mask. Somehow. This is joked a lot in fanarts, and if ''Kirby Super Star'''s manga adaptation is any indication, the creators are ''fully aware of this''. . All ambiguity is thrown out the window in ''VideoGame/KirbyFightersDeluxe'' and ''Kirby Fighters 2'', where sharing food between teammates is accompanied by a visible "SMOOCH!" effect. In ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'', it is replaced with a high-five, likely due to how difficult it would be to share food this way in 3D, especially when in Mouthful Mode.
182* SurpriseDifficulty:
183** [[BossRush The Arena and The True Arena]] in any game it appears.
184** Some of the more experimental games like ''Mass Attack'' and ''Rainbow Curse'' can become this due to the unusual control scheme.
185* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: Whether intentional or coincidental, the ''Kirby'' series has some pretty interesting motif similarities to other songs in them.
186** In ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'', the Revenge of Meta Knight ending theme bears similarities to The Animals' rendition of "House of the Rising Sun".
187** The game over screen in ''Kirby Super Star'' has a similar tune to the chorus of Queen's "You're My Best Friend".
188** Last but not least is the Kirby Dance theme, which sounds like a part of "[[WesternAnimation/AliceInWonderland The Walrus and the Carpenter]]".
189* SweetnessAversion: The entire series, until MoodWhiplash kicks in and you fight the [[VileVillainSaccharineShow final boss]]. ''VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot'' starts off DarkerAndEdgier than most other games, though.
190* ThemePairing:
191** Some ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' fans ship Yuyuko and Kirby because they share BigEater and ExtremeOmnivore tendencies.
192** King Dedede has been shipped separately with both the Ripple Star Queen and Queen Sectonia due to them also being royalty and the rulers of their own kingdoms.
193** Bandana Waddle Dee and the Sailor Waddle Dee from ''Super Star'' have been paired due to them both being Waddle Dees who work under one of Kirby's past foes (Dedede and Meta Knight, respectively).
194* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Ado and Adeleine are the franchise's only [[TokenHuman human characters]] (or [[AmbiguouslyRelated character]]), stated to be visiting Popstar to study. Given how unique they are, you would think the franchise would delve into who they are and where they came from. Despite this, however, the franchise never touches upon any of those topics. It doesn't help that Adeleine would be PutOnABus after ''Crystal Shards'' until ''Star Allies'' brought her (and Ribbon) back 18 years later.
195* ToyShip: Both Kirby/[[VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards Ribbon]] and Kirby/[[VideoGame/KirbysEpicYarn Prince Fluff]] have followings.
196* UnexpectedCharacter: Even if the two are just depicted as dolls in the artwork, nobody had expected the reappearance of Tiff and Tuff from ''Anime/KirbyRightBackAtYa'' in the [[https://assets.nintendo.eu/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/NAL/Software%20Nintendo%20Switch/Kirby%2030th%20Anniversary/2x1-NSwitch-KHub.jpg key artwork]] for the franchise's 30th anniversary, given how little HAL has acknowledged them outside of the anime.
197* ViewerGenderConfusion:
198** He's {{pink|MeansFeminine}} and his name's [[GenderBlenderName Kirby]], this was a given. Less so in Japan, however, as Kirby's gender is more ambiguous there.
199** For the longest time, many non-Japanese fans considered Ado from ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand3'' to be male. However, Japanese material, mostly manga adaptations, has always referred to her as female.
200* VindicatedByHistory: Not an uncommon occurrence with ''Kirby'' games, since they're often released on consoles just as they're about to be replaced by their successors.
201** ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand3'' was one due to coming after the ToughActToFollow ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'', and undoing many of the new mechanics from that game, such as multi-attack abilities, minigames, and a more elaborate BossRush. Instead, the slow-paced gameplay and Animal Friends from ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand2'' made a comeback. This was because the games were made by different development teams. It also was overlooked due to the release of the Platform/Nintendo64, and the "coloring book" art style. Now, it's seen as much of a classic as that game, especially due to it improving the ''Kirby'' series' MinimalistCast with Gooey and the Animal Friends, and being surprisingly DarkerAndEdgier than most games in the series. With its release at the launch of the Switch's SNES service, appearing on the console ''before'' Super Star, many people are experiencing the game for the first time without its more popular SNES outing to overshadow it.
202** ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'' itself was an AcclaimedFlop in Western regions, as it was released in those markets near-simultaneously with the launch of the Nintendo 64. Now it is almost unanimously considered to be one of the finest first-party Nintendo games and frequently cited as the ''best'' Kirby game period.
203** Similarly, ''VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards'' was disliked for many of the same reasons. Now, it's enjoyed for giving Kirby an ImpliedLoveInterest, and being an UnexpectedlyDarkEpisode. However, the ''Kirby'' series switched back to ''Adventure'' style, then back to ''Super Star'' style due to the initial poor reception of these two games. Many fans are eager to see another game like them.
204** ''VideoGame/KirbyAirRide'' met a lukewarm reception [[OvershadowedByAwesome due to being sandwiched between]] ''VideoGame/FZero GX'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKartDoubleDash'' Nowadays, it is considered a CultClassic and one of the highlights of the Platform/NintendoGameCube library, particularly for the City Trial mode. In fact, the Smash Run mode in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' was directly stated by Sakurai to be a SpiritualSuccessor to said mode.
205* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids:
206** The ''Super Star'' manga, which ran with the "[[HoYay Sharing Health]]" mechanic by making Kirby's helpers all CampGay stereotypes constantly fighting for his affections (Bonkers and Knuckle Joe especially) and had a number of other risque jokes, such as big-breasted female versions of Kirby and Dedede, the former having [[MultiBoobage six of them]], the latter wearing BDSM gear.
207** The German ''Club Nintendo'' "detective" comics, which showed Kirby smoking, drinking, reading porn, and discovering a recently murdered corpse. The comics' writer Claude M. Moyse was ostensibly invoking this trope out of an unexplained grudge towards Sakurai. Oh, and in one of these comics, Kirby even says "Shit".

Top