This was inspired by the Triple Deluxe thread.

Kirby is such a weird character. Who stars in weird, non-traditional games. I have a feeling that a lot of people don't really have a handle on what he's all about. But the games still sell tons of copies, at least worldwide. (It might be interesting to rank the Nintendo franchises by sales per entry. I bet Kirby would be pretty high on the list.)

So what do you guys think about Kirby? Are you a fan? Think his games are for kids? Exclusively play the spinoffs?

I'm a Kirby convert. I really never gave half a shit about the character until I played Kirby's Tilt and Tumble. Even after that, I was more interested in the weird, experimental spinoff games. It wasn't until I dedicated some transit time to 100%-ing Nightmare in Dreamland on the GBA that I gained some appreciation for Kirby's bread and butter (and flesh and skin and bone and soul, all of which he consumes with a peaceful smile on his face). Kirby games are platformers, but they play NOTHING like other platformers. (Except for Starfy, I guess, but Kirby did it first!) The movement is floaty, the enemies become friends, his powers are so expansive that rigorous game balance isn't even a consideration, UP jumps, and everything is a dream...

But it's a fun dream! My appreciation deepened when, in my long, arduous quest to wean my nephews off of Burnout Paradise and Blur, I introduced them to Kirby: Return to Dreamland, which finally succeeded where the Marios and Donkey Kongs of the world had absolutely failed and became their favorite game. It really is fun for all ages, and it was a blast to play through with them. Apparently, it's super-rare and kind of valuable now, which is kind of surprising, but kind of not, because it's awesome. It gives so many options to the player, and it just oozes charm. I can almost understand how each Kirby game takes, like, eight years and two to three fully upended tea tables to develop! (Poor HAL... Who would think a tiny, squishy pink ball could have such a difficult birth?)

I've since played some of the earlier games, like the very first one on the e-Shop. It was just a skeleton of the Kirby framework, but it was still pretty fun. Impressive for a game that Sakurai developed while still in his mother's womb.

The spinoffs have always been fascinating to me, as well. Kirby Air Ride is not my favorite game, but I'm so happy that it exists. And that the amazing and bizarre City Trial is getting a second chance at the big leagues with Smash 3DS. Tilt and Tumble might be my favorite handheld game ever. Mass Attack is cool, and Canvas Curse was also very interesting and innovative, although Yoshi's Touch and Go ate its lunch. (Before it started eating, even!)

Epic Yarn is jaw-droppingly beautiful, but I'm a bit conflicted on it. It certainly is whimsical and pleasant, but it might be a bit too free of repercussion.

Still, I'll always be anticipating the next Kirby game, be it a cutesy platformer or a bizarre take on golf. Triple D even has a surprisingly robust (and unsurprisingly unbalanced) little arena fighter packed in! I have no definitive way to prove this statement, but it'll probably go down as the cutest arena fighter ever created. You just can't keep that little puffball down.

And, really, why would you want to?

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I used to hate Kirby, and then I played his Adventure on NES and liked it a bunch. I was ok with him for years, felt like playing against a beachball in Smash Bros. Fun to knock around.

Enter NES Remix 2. I now hate Kirby again.

@nate38
For me, Donkey Kong's spinoffs were pretty high quality, as well. Most of Nintendo's spin-offs are high quality, really. Pokemon probably has the shakiest spinoff track record.

@Anand I wasn't as big on Jungle Beat as most people, but I thought Jungle Climber was quite good.

Pokemon definitely has some stinkers, but even there you've got Pokemon Pinball, Pokemon Conquest, and the wonderful Pokemon Snap! I also enjoyed the Pokemon TCG Game Boy game, the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 3DS demo was surprisingly fun, and Pokemon Rumble has the bones of a great game, though nearly enough meat.

Kirby games are just plain fun. They never take themselves too seriously, and even though they're all generally very easy, they never feel cheap or any less fun than a game with a little more challenge. The music is nearly always top notch, some of Nintendo's best, and the colors (non GB) explode off the screen. Kirby games just beg for your attention - and they never ask for your hand to hold. No long drawn out tutorials, no hour long cut scenes, no dialogue to endlessly scroll through. Just pick up and play. It's one of the most perfect at instant gaming gratification.

I believe my first Kirby game was Kirby's Pinball Land, and I was hooked instantly (probably because of the music). I bought (or was given) every single Kirby game since (and those before it), and each felt unique, and charmingly addicting. Out of all the Kirby games I have played (which is all of them), only three have I not enjoyed - Kirby's Epic Yarn (awful music, super boring gameplay), Kirby's Mass Attack (not sure why, it just didn't click (need to revisit)), and Kirby's Air Ride (mainly because I was/am a loser without anyone to play it with). That's pretty good! And these three games weren't bad games, I just didn't like them.

Kirby can really do no wrong. Golf? Puzzles? Stylus control? Gyroscopic play? Just about everything the pink power puff puts his name to turns to gold. Or, rather, pink.

Here's to a Kirby Wii U announcement at E3!

Kirby's awesome. Also home to some of Nintendo's greatest soundtracks.

I tend to like the Kirby games that let you do lots of things with one ability, like in Kirby Super Star. Kirby's Adventure just never really did it for me.

Kirby's Pinball Land, one of my favorites. My brother has to have the world record in that game or something. I think I still have the cart.

It's kind of funny to me how many people love Kirby from Smash but, not really from his actual video games! My wife is one of those people and has absolutely no shame in admitting it. =)

I looooooove Kirby's Adventure for the NES. It is one of my favorite NES games. I played the two Wii games, RtD and EY. I found them both fantastic. EY was the better game, in my eyes. But, not because of the art style. Even though I loved the art style, I wish Nintendo would save crazy art styles for new IPs. That's just me though, some people see it as a way to breathe new life into existing IPS. OK, I get that, I just don't share the opinion. =)

Anyway, until recently, I hadn't actually played many of the other Kirby games. I very excitedly purchased the 20th Anniversary collection on Wii when it came out. I'm very proud to own it, but, most of the games are rather lackluster, in my opinion. I don't think it's just how the games have aged or their simplicity either, after all, I still love Kirby's Adventure as I stated above. The Kirby games with the animal friends? Gawd, I really didn't like those!! Lucky for Kirby he got his animal friend phase out of the way before internet forums really picked up steam! Sonic wasn't so lucky. =P

As fate would have it, I actually just got back into the 20th Anniversary disc this past week. I started the much anticipated Kirby 64 -- one of the bigger reasons for me purchasing the disc in the first place. The game shares some of the gripes I've had about previous games in the series... the movement is too slow for my liking, and overall, the inhale/jump mechanics do not feel as smooth as they were in Kirby's Adventure or on the Wii games.

But, I do really like all the infusions of character that you get through the many short cutscenes! Let's admit it, cuteness is a big draw with Kirby, right? Those cutscenes really let the cuteness, charm, and tenacity of Kirby shine through -- better than the little vignettes that often accompany new worlds in the other Kirby games.

So, yea, that's where I'm at. This is the last game I have to play on this disc. I don't know if I'll pick up Kirby Triple Deluxe. I would like to, but I don't know what the right price would be for me.

Full disclosure: I have not played a lot of the high profile handheld games. Amazing Mirror, Squeak Squad, Mass Attack, Canvas Curse, none of 'em. So, I don't know how those would factor into my assessment of the franchise.

@NinSage
Amazing Mirror is so good. Probably my favorite Kirby game.

@Pokefreak911

How would you describe the mechanics? Is there another Kirby game that I listed having played that you'd say it plays most similarly to? I could look on youtube but I'd rather ask a friend (that's you in this case!) =)

@NinSage
It's kinda like Cave section in Kirby Super Star, but more fleshed out. Atleast, that's how I look at it.

@nate38
Yeah, that's right. You're the OTHER Jungle Climber fan. I love that series. It's the Super Nintendo Clu Clu Land sequel that we never received! I love Jungle Beat, too. And Konga is one of the most fun versus games ever, even with the POW Block in every song that freaking reduces the opponents score to ZERO.

Also, if you like that Mystery Dungeon demo, get Shiren the Wanderer (DS), by the same devs. You'll love it!

@NoName
Very eloquent!

Kirby inspires eloquence.

@NinSage
Tilt and Tumble, Tilt and Tumble!

Haven't played any of his games and I don't really feel the need to change that. He's fine in smash though.

Just finished Kirby 64 on the 20th Anniversary disc. Really good! A great way to end my time with that disc. I also took in some of the special features on the disc. It's surprisingly robust between the on-disc videos and information, and the little book that came with the game. Really a well done tribute to a character that I think maybe went a little unnoticed. *shrug* Ah well.

@NinSage
I really wanted it but for some reason it didn't get an EU or Aus release.

@NinSage
I remember people comparing it favorably to Super Mario All-Stars (which they viewed unfavorably).

@Stephen
At least try the crazy spin-offs!

I want Kirby's Tilt 'n Tumble just so I can try it out on my Game Boy Player.

Kirby's one of my favorite video game series, period, right up there with Mario and Mega Man.

Strange as it sounds, I think the easy nature of his games is the main draw, in addition to the Copy Abilities; Kirby games (mostly the Sakurai-developed and inspired ones) encourage you to storm in and progress at your own pace. In essence, rather than the game saying "Here's a level! Can you beat it?", it says, "Here's a level! Go nuts!".