Our pick of the best Kirby games bring together the most memorable adventures we've seen in the series over years. With 39 games starring the beloved pink puffball over the course of three decades, HAL Laboratory has brought us a host of delightful experiences, so settling on just 10 highlights is not easy. But as a true Nintendo icon - who I maintain is one of the best Super Smash Bros fighters (got to show some appreciation for at Kirby's best Super Smash Bros Ultimate looks) - it's only right that we put Kirby in the spotlight here.
Looking back over the classics, to some of the latest adventures that are among the best Switch exclusives, there are plenty of gems to consider. And while the last Kirby game released in 2023 with the remake of Kirby's Return to Dream Land, we're set to see some more new games come our way featuring the pink blob, with upcoming Switch 2 games like the racing sequel Kirby Air Riders, and the Switch 2 game upgrade for Kirby and the Forgotten Land.
But while we await what's next for Kirby, it's a great time to reflect back on some of the best Switch games and the best DS games Kirby brought us, along with more highlights across other console generations. So, join us as we show some love for puffball's long legacy with our pick of the best Kirby games.
10. Kirby Mass Attack
Release: 2011
Platform(s): Nintendo DS
Released for the Nintendo DS in 2011, Kirby Mass Attack applied the more is merrier approach to sequels by releasing an innovative puzzle platformer featuring a lot of Kirbys. In it, players help the Kirby swarm exact revenge upon the evil wizard Necrodeus by manipulating them, their enemies, and key level items using the DS's stylus and touchscreen controls.
Kirby Mass Attack accomplished two things for Nintendo. It demonstrated that Kirby's team still had the drive to try new ideas, and it offered DS fans a game that made creative use of the handheld's touchscreen tech. It isn't the strongest entry on Kirby's resume, but it was a sign that the series hadn't lost its oddball edge. Read our Kirby Mass Attack review.
9. Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
Release: 2004
Platform(s): Game Boy Advance
Kirby and The Amazing Mirror cemented the Kirby series as one of Nintendo's most creative. In it, the pink puffball finds himself split into four separately colored entities and given the job of reassembling the pieces of a magic mirror to save the inhabitants of Mirror World.
In a refreshing twist on his usual side-scrolling format, Kirby and The Amazing Mirror played as a Metroidvania adventure that had players unlocking new areas with different abilities and discovering all the secrets, hidden pathways, mini-games, and bonuses within the title's nine worlds. Adding to its appeal, Kirby and The Amazing Mirror featured the ability to call Kirby's other personas via cellphone to lend their unique skills to any given situation.
8. Kirby's Dream Land 2
Release: 1995
Platform(s): Game Boy
The success of Kirby's Adventure for the NES in 1993 earned Kirby enough gaming cred to branch out into two side projects: Kirby's Pinball Land and Kirby's Dream Course. By 1995, however, fans were itching for a return to Kirby's roots, and Nintendo delivered in spades with Kirby's Dream Land 2 for Game Boy.
Kirby's Dream Land 2 pushed the series forward with gameplay improvements, design tweaks, and some of the best 2D platforming the Game Boy had to offer. Old abilities were fine-tuned, and new allies like Rick the Hamster, Kine the Ocean Sunfish, and Coo the Owl were introduced to lend a hand. HAL Laboratory's return to Dream Land was an all-around success, launching Kirby's Dream Land 2 into the Game Boy's top seller list and securing it a top spot in Best Game Boy games lists for all eternity.
7. Kirby 64: the Crystal Shards
Release: 2000
Platform(s): Nintendo 64, Nintendo Switch
Kirby's debut on the Nintendo 64 didn't rock the gaming world, but it did carry the Kirby flame forward in some new and innovative ways. Though still a side-scrolling platformer at heart, Crystal Shards' 2.5D environments and the illusion of Super Mario 64-esque freedom were a refreshing change of pace. What's more, the N64's beefier processing power gave the pink puffball a fresh, modern look compared to that of his Game Boy Advanced titles.
Above the graphical improvements, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards improved upon Kirby's traditional moves. In addition to inhaling and assuming his enemy's traits, Kirby was upgraded with the ability to combine different powers for various effects. Swallowing an electric enemy and a sword, for instance, created a lightsaber; while gobbling electricity and ice created a healing refrigerator. The combo system brought more substance to Kirby's 64-bit upgrade.
6. Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Release: 2011
Platform(s): Wii
Kirby's Return to Dream Land brought the pink hero back to his roots in a delightfully colorful adventure on the Wii. It offers a 2.5D platforming game reminiscent of Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards in both visual style and gameplay mechanics. This was partly due to the fact that production on Kirby's Return to Dream Land actually began immediately after Kirby 64, but it took HAL and Nintendo nearly 11 years to bang it into shape for a Wii release.
And the investment paid off. Nintendo put a pause on innovating the series to put out a solid platforming adventure featuring Kirby doing what he does best: inhaling foes, spitting them out, and occasionally copying their style. New features like super abilities and drop-in cooperative multiplayer only added to the fun. Kirby's return may have taken place on an alien planet, but it felt close to home. Read our Kirby's Return to Dream Land review for more.
5. Kirby and the Rainbow Curse
Release: 2015
Platform(s): Wii U
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse really brought the Wii U to life with its delightful claymation-style offering. With gameplay reminiscent of Kirby: Canvas Curse on the DS, Rainbow Paintbrush sees you draw out Kirby's path through each stage or shield him from enemies on the Wii U touchpad.
Taking the form of a little clay ball, the colorful adventure once again shows off the creativity of the series, with an eye-catching world that brings renewed life to the platforming. It really is a memorable treat.
4. Kirby's Epic Yarn
Release: 2010
Platform(s): Nintendo DS, Wii
Kirby's Epic Yarn took full advantage of its unique look, incorporating the game's arts-and-crafts aesthetics into every aspect of gameplay. Items crinkled, backgrounds folded, and enemies fell apart as if they were put together by felt, string, and glue sticks.
Gone were Kirby's standard moves and, in their place, the ability to reshape his yarn body into whatever vehicle or device the situation demanded. It was a refreshing twist on an aging formula with bundles of charm. Find out more in our Kirby's Epic Yarn review.
3. Kirby Super Star Ultra
Release: 2008
Platform(s): Nintendo DS
1996's Kirby Super Star for SNES was an all-you-can-eat buffet of awesome, offering eight meaty Kirby games in one delicious cartridge. As the first Kirby game to introduce co-op, it was packed with sixteen games. Every one of its offerings feels like a polished, standalone entry.
Whether it's spelunking in the Great Cave Offensive, rising through the ranks in Helper to Hero, or going back to basics in Spring Breeze, there's very little that feels tacked on to increase the remake's game count. Dripping with fan service, Kirby Super Star Ultra reminds us why we've grown to love Nintendo's puffball over the years. Read our Kirby Super Star Ultra review for more.
2. Kirby: Planet Robobot
Release: 2016
Platform(s): Nintendo 3DS
In 2016, Kirby landed on the 3DS in a memorably mechanized way. Kirby: Planet Robobot made the most of the handheld's 3D functionality to deliver a platforming adventure that played around with the depth of field by moving the pink puffball back and forth between the levels.
The generous variety of abilities on offer is also endlessly fun to play around with and copy. But what really sets Planet: Robobot apart is the introduction of the mech suit Kirby can pilot. As well as giving Kirby new powers in combat, the armor also comes into play to solve puzzles in inventive ways.
1. Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Release: 2022
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Kirby and the Forgotten Land brought the inhaling hero back for a new adventure entirely in 3D. With more open platforming, a mysterious setting with visually striking stages, and a host of features, Forgotten Land is a big step up for the pink puffball. And to add to its charm, the Waddle Dee Town homebase is a delight, offering a variety of mini-games, collectibles, stores, a cinema, a colosseum, and more.
Kirby's latest entry (excluding the 2023 remake of Kirby's Return to Dream Land) is a refreshing take on a series that never really strayed from its side-scrolling formula. Showing off the creativity of HAL Laboratory with inventive level designs and the addition of new skills like Mouthful Mode, Forgotten Land takes Kirby to new heights. We can hardly wait to see where the series will go next. Read our Kirby and the Forgotten Land review.
Looking for more adventures? Why not check out our roundup of the best Switch indie games and all the upcoming Switch games heading our way?
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