Kirby Super Star

Kirby Super Star North American box artGerman box artAustralian box artJapanese box art Box art of Kirby Super Star in various regions Details Developer(s) HAL Laboratory Publisher(s) Nintendo Designer(s) Masahiro Sakurai Release date(s) SNES: March 21, 1996 September 20, 1996 January 23, 1997 January 23, 1997 Virtual Console (Wii): October 13, 2009 May 17, 2010 May 28, 2010 May 28, 2010 Virtual Console (Wii U): May 1, 2013 May 23, 2013 May 23, 2013 May 23, 2013 SNES: Nintendo Switch Online December 12, 2019 December 12, 2019 December 12, 2019 December 12, 2019 Platform(s) Super Nintendo Entertainment System Wii (Virtual Console, Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition) Wii U (Virtual Console) SNES Classic Edition Nintendo Switch (SNES: Nintendo Switch Online) Supported languages Japanese, American English, British English Rating(s) ESRB: / PEGI: CERO:

Game chronology ← Kirby's Block Ball Kirby's Star Stacker (Game Boy) →

On affiliated sites Switcher.gg Find Kirby Super Star friends online StrategyWiki Walkthrough

This box: view • talk • edit

Kirby Super Star, inconsistently but occasionally known as Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe and Australia, and code-named Kirby Active during development, is a main-series Kirby game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System that was developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo. Unlike other games in the series, it is notable for not following a single storyline, but instead consisting of six different main games, one extra game in the form of a boss endurance mode, and two sub games, each with its own scenario and gameplay elements.

Kirby Super Star is often considered by fans to be the most important game in the Kirby series, as it defined several of the series' most enduring tropes, and its legacy stretches through most if not all subsequent games in the series. Kirby Super Star introduced the idea of giving (nearly) every Copy Ability a distinct hat and an expanded moveset which relies on specific controller inputs like in traditional fighting games. It also introduced several recurring characters (such as Dyna Blade, Chef Kawasaki, and Marx), several recurring abilities (such as Wing, Fighter, and Yo-Yo), and several recurring musical themes (such as the Gourmet Race theme, the full versions of the Green Greens theme and King Dedede's Theme, and the two themes associated with the Halberd), among other ideas. It was also the first main series Kirby game to feature multiplayer, allowing a second player to take control of a Helper that Kirby can call to his side by sacrificing a Copy Ability.

In 2008, the game received a remake named Kirby Super Star Ultra on the Nintendo DS.

Gameplay[edit]

Kirby makes his way through a common landscape in the Dyna Blade game.

Kirby Super Star is a two-dimensional side-scrolling action platformer game set in the fictional cartoon world of Planet Popstar (and neighboring planets by extension). There are six primary games (or stories) to choose from, and while each differs in theme, objective, and rules, they all share the same basic play-style. Each of them has the player playing as Kirby; a deceptively powerful pink ball-shaped denizen of Dream Land who can inhale his opponents and swallow them to gain their powers. Kirby also possesses the ability to puff up and fly, thus being able to surpass obstacles he would not be able to jump over normally. As such, the central focus of the gameplay is not on the platforming per se, but rather on combat, puzzle-solving, and exploration. The only real exception to this is Gourmet Race, which pits Kirby's speed against King Dedede's on a series of linear courses with relatively few hazards.

Kirby does battle with the Combo Cannon, a boss from Revenge of Meta Knight.

Using his Copy Abilities, Kirby has a massive variety of ways to fight his opponents, most of whom have relatively few ways of attacking in turn aside from simply running into Kirby (an action that also harms them in the process). Instead, more potent enemies known as Bosses and Mid-Bosses appear on occasion to block Kirby's path and provide a more substantial fight. These enemies typically have a high amount of durability, cannot be inhaled while standing, and will take several hits to defeat. Unlike standard enemies, they are also resistant to flinching or being knocked back, meaning Kirby has to find an opening to attack them or he will be hit in return. Each game in Kirby Super Star keeps a score, which increases whenever an enemy is defeated or a certain object destroyed. However, this score has very little bearing on the gameplay proper, and is not saved by the game after completion. If Kirby runs out of stamina, he will be defeated, losing whatever ability he may have had and having to start again from the point where he entered the area. Each defeat subtracts a 1-Up from his count, and if he loses all of them, a Game Over will occur, though this has little consequence aside from having the score reset.

Kirby Super Star was the first game to employ multiplayer in the main series. Whenever Kirby has a Copy Ability, he can use it up in order to call a Helper; a friendly character who resembles one of the ability-providing enemies. This character can then be controlled by a second player and can tag along with Kirby and help him in the fights, though the helper cannot venture off in their own direction. The helper is limited to whichever abilities the corresponding character has, and cannot inhale like Kirby can to gain a new one, instead relying on Kirby to change their ability through various means. Kirby and his helper can share recovery items they collect, and in some cases, perform combination moves, with the most famous example being the Wheelie Rider. While helpers have less stamina than Kirby, a defeated helper does not detract from Kirby's 1-Up count and can be brought back by using up another ability, using the Suppin Beam, or using some other method.

Controls[edit]

Kirby's moveset
Move	Image	Controls	Move	Image	Controls
Walk		←or→	Dash		←or→ (tap twice)
Sit		↓	Copy/Swallow		↓ or A
Enter a door		↑	Jump		B
Slide		↓ + B	Fly		B (continuously while jumping)
Swim		B (in water)	Inhale		Y
Exhale		Y	Shoot air bullets		Y (midair)
Water gun		Y (in water)	Use ability		Y
Create helper		A	Cancel helper		A
Guard		L or R

Game modes[edit]

The fully-unlocked "corkboard" menu for the game.

Kirby Super Star consists of six primary games, an extra boss endurance mode known as The Arena, and two Sub-Games. Only four of the main games are available at first, with the other two (Revenge of Meta Knight & Milky Way Wishes) unlocked as the former are completed. While all of the main games share the same basic play-style, their objectives and rules differ greatly, as well as their general tone and aesthetic.

Main games[edit]

Name	Difficulty	Caption	Unlock requirement	Description	Boss(es)	Notes
Spring Breeze	★	HELP! All the food from Dream Land has been stolen! Hurry, Kirby, or everyone will starve!	N/A	King Dedede and his goons have stolen all the food from Dream Land, prompting Kirby to go and get it back from them.	Whispy Woods, Lololo & Lalala, Kracko, King Dedede	This game is a truncated remake of Kirby's Dream Land. Clearing this game is not required.
Dyna Blade	★★★	Dyna Blade is destroying all the crops. She must be stopped. Master the different abilities and defeat her.	N/A	Dyna Blade is disrupting Dream Land's crops, and Kirby is tasked with finding out why.	Dyna Blade	This game features a world map and secret areas to discover. Clearing this game is necessary to unlock Revenge of Meta Knight.
Gourmet Race	?	Race through "Gourmet World" to the finish, gobbling up all the tasty treats you can find.	N/A	Kirby and King Dedede compete in three races while also grabbing Food along the way.	N/A	This game is a test of speed and accuracy, with the goal being to win by both reaching the end of the tracks first and/or collecting the most food. Clearing this game is not required.
The Great Cave Offensive	★★★★	Get through the deadly cave while collecting hidden treasures.	N/A	Kirby stumbles into a massive cavernous region. He will need to find his way out while nabbing the Treasures along the way.	Fatty Whale, Computer Virus, Ghameleo Arm, Wham Bam Rock	This game-mode features a more open map with the ability to freely move back and forth between the different areas. Unlike other modes, the game does not automatically save: Kirby must instead find Rest Areas to save his progress. There are a total of 60 treasures to collect, though actually collecting them is not necessary to complete the game. Clearing this game is necessary to unlock Milky Way Wishes.
Revenge of Meta Knight	★★★★	Save Dream Land! Defeat Meta-Knight and his giant warship Halberd!	Complete Dyna Blade	Meta Knight and his crew are seeking to take over Dream Land using their new toy - the Battleship Halberd. Kirby must stop them by bringing down their ship.	Whispy Woods, Twin Woods, Combo Cannon, Heavy Lobster, Halberd's Reactor, Meta Knight	This game has a chapter-based progression and a time limit on each stage, and Kirby will be defeated if he runs out of time. Additionally, this game features a real-time dialogue exchange between the Halberd crew members as they try to repulse Kirby from the ship. Clearing this game is necessary to unlock Milky Way Wishes.
Milky Way Wishes	★★★★★	HELP! You must stop the Sun and Moon from fighting!	Complete The Great Cave Offensive and Revenge of Meta Knight	The sun and moon over Pop Star are fighting. A strange jester-like creature named Marx tasks Kirby to find the stars from each Fountain of Dreams across the galaxy and summon the comet Nova to fix the situation.	Twin Woods, Fatty Whale, Kracko, Ghameleo Arm, Wham Bam Rock, Heavy Lobster, Computer Virus, Heart of Nova, Marx	This game does not allow Kirby to gain copy abilities from enemies under normal circumstances, and instead tasks him with finding Deluxe copy abilities on pedestals in order to freely switch between abilities at any time. Stages are selected from an outer-space map and most can be visited in any order. Clearing this game triggers the staff credits and unlocks The Arena.
The Arena	★★★★★	THE FINAL CHALLENGE! In his toughest battle yet, the Pink Wonder faces his strongest enemies.	Complete Milky Way Wishes	Kirby faces off against all of his enemies in a fighting tournament.	All previous bosses and mid-bosses (except for Kracko Jr.), plus Waddle Dee	This bonus game is a Boss Endurance mode in which Kirby picks a copy ability and fights against all the bosses in the game in a randomized order, always ending with Marx. Kirby is afforded a rest area between rounds where he can recover with a limited stock of Maxim Tomatoes. Clearing this game unlocks the Sound Test.

Sub-games[edit]

• Megaton Punch – A game of precision in which Kirby and an opponent face off in a tournament to create the greatest fissure in the ground.
• Samurai Kirby – A game that tests reaction time in which Kirby and an opponent compete in a single-hit samurai duel, similar to Quick Draw from Kirby's Adventure.

Copy Abilities[edit]

Kirby Super Star features 24 standard Copy Abilities and two special abilities. Unlike previous titles, these abilities often feature extensive movesets, with several different attacks that can be performed with specific inputs, including by holding the attack button, performing moves in midair, or while dashing, or inputting a specific direction while attacking. Additionally, this game was the first in the series to give almost every ability a special hat and/or color change which is applied to Kirby when he gains the ability.

Copy Abilities in Kirby Super Star
Name	Icon	Appearance	Obtained from	Helper	Description	Notes
New Abilities
Bomb			Jungle Bomb, Poppy Bros. Jr., Combo Cannon's bomb drops, Poppy Bros. Sr.	Poppy Bros. Jr.	Kirby can prep and toss bombs at his opponents.
Cook			Chef Kawasaki		Kirby pulls out a cooking pot and boils any enemies on screen, transforming them into food items.	Single-use ability.
Copy			T.A.C.	T.A.C.	Kirby can scan an enemy in order to steal its powers. Works on some enemies that cannot normally be inhaled.	Ability is replaced when another is copied. Kirby does not gain a physical change until using the ability.
Fighter			Knuckle Joe, Iron Mom	Knuckle Joe	Kirby can use a wide array of martial arts-based moves and can fire energy blasts from his hands.	Fighter Kirby's moveset is heavily inspired by the Street Fighter games.
Jet			Capsule J	Capsule J	Kirby gains a jet pack that can be used to fly quickly and perform tackles. The exhaust can light Fuses.
Mirror			Simirror	Simirror	Kirby can attack by throwing reflections of himself and reflecting projectiles from opponents.
Ninja			Bio Spark	Bio Spark	Kirby gains a wide arsenal of ninja-style weapons and techniques to battle opponents.
Paint			Ghameleo Arm's glob attacks, Heavy Lobster's goop projectiles		Kirby can splatter paint all over the place, defeating enemies and inflicting specific effects on some bosses. Ghameleo Arm changes color when hit, and Heavy Lobster is blinded.	Single-use ability. This is the only ability in the game with no enemy who specifically provides it.
Plasma			Plasma Wisp	Plasma Wisp	Kirby can build up static and fire various electric blasts at enemies.	Based slightly on Spark from earlier games, though without its signature barrier move.
Suplex			Bugzzy, Jukid	Bugzzy	Kirby can grab enemies and toss or slam them in several different ways.	Based on Backdrop.
Wing			Birdon	Birdon	Kirby gains a pair of wings and can attack by divebombing or shooting feathers.
Yo-Yo			Gim, Combo Cannon (cannonballs)	Gim	Kirby gains a yo-yo and can attack with many different tricks.
Returning Abilities
Beam			Laser Ball, Waddle Doo	Waddle Doo	Kirby can fire a magical beam whip and shoot spherical beam blasts.
Crash			Bomber, Scarfy (when scanned)		Kirby can cause a huge explosion, defeating all enemies on the screen.	Single-use ability. This ability has no hat, but Kirby flashes while he has it.
Cutter			Poppy Bros. Jr., Sir Kibble, Computer Virus (red dragon swipes), Marx (Shooter Cutter)	Sir Kibble	Kirby can toss bladed boomerangs which return to him.	This game introduced the iconic Final Cutter to the Cutter moveset.
Fire			Burnin' Leo	Burnin' Leo	Kirby can breathe fire and combust into a fireball.	First instance of Fire and Burning being fused into a single ability.
Hammer			Bonkers	Bonkers	Kirby gains a powerful mallet that can pulverize enemies and pound Stakes. Can be used underwater.	This game introduced the iconic Hammer Flip and Hammer Throw techniques. Kirby does not gain a hat with this ability (Hammer's headband would first appear in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.)
Ice			Chilly, Mr. Frosty	Chilly	Kirby can freeze enemies and kick them aside with his breath and with an aura.	First instance of Ice and Freeze being fused into a single ability.
Mike			Walky		Kirby can shout at enemies to defeat them with powerful sound waves. Each shout is more powerful than the last.	Three-use ability. The first instance of this ability gaining a different look and sound for each shout. The third shout was provided by Masahiro Sakurai.
Parasol			Parasol	Parasol Waddle Dee	Kirby gains a parasol which can be used to attack, defend, or gently glide downward.	Parasol first gained its Circus Throw and the ability to douse flames in this game.
Sleep			Noddy		Kirby falls asleep, and cannot do anything until he wakes up or is attacked.
Stone			Rocky, Fatty Whale's boulders, Wham Bam Rock's stones	Rocky	Kirby can transform into a stone and slide down slopes.	This was the first game where Kirby's stone transformations could vary.
Sword			Blade Knight, Meta Knight	Blade Knight	Kirby gains a sword and a large array of sword-fighting techniques. Can be used underwater.	Kirby's hat is based on Link from The Legend of Zelda.
Wheel			Wheelie	Wheelie	Kirby can transform into a wheel and ride through enemies at high speed.
Special Abilities
Wheelie Rider			Mounting a Wheelie Helper	N/A	Kirby and Wheelie move as one, riding extremely quickly and defeating enemies they run over.	Kirby can perform an Infinity Jump while riding Wheelie.
Starship			The Sparkling Stars	Unnamed Starship Helper	Kirby rides a starship that can move freely and fire star bullets at a rapid pace. Used to battle the Heart of Nova.	Similar to the Star Rod ability. Cannot be discarded while in use.

Helpers[edit]

The Beginner's Room introducing the concept of Helpers.

While in possession of an ability, Kirby can spend it to call a Helper to his side, who resembles an enemy who would normally provide that ability. The Helper gains access to all of the same moves as its corresponding ability on Kirby, and in most cases also gains an Infinity Jump, but has less health than Kirby most of the time. The Helper can be controlled by a second player for co-op play, but will normally be controlled by the CPU. At any time if Kirby is without an ability, he can use the Suppin Beam to transform his helper into an inanimate object which can be inhaled and swallowed for the original ability the helper was based on.

Helpers in Kirby Super Star
Name	Icon	Appearance	Copy Ability	Notes
Bio Spark			Ninja
Birdon			Wing
Blade Knight			Sword
Bonkers			Hammer	Cannot use Hammer Throw.
Bugzzy			Suplex
Burnin' Leo			Fire	Can breathe fire underwater.
Capsule J			Jet
Chilly			Ice
Gim			Yo-Yo
Knuckle Joe			Fighter
Parasol W. Dee			Parasol
Plasma Wisp			Plasma
Poppy Bros. Jr.			Bomb
Rocky			Stone
Simirror			Mirror
Sir Kibble			Cutter
Tac			Copy	Can attack enemies using its 'grab'.
Waddle Doo			Beam
Wheelie			Wheel	Can be mounted to form the Wheelie Rider ability.
Unnamed Starship Helper			Starship	Cannot be controlled by the CPU.

Enemies[edit]

Standard Enemies[edit]

During most of the main games (excluding Gourmet Race), Kirby encounters various enemies that he can interact with on his adventure, some of which may only be found in certain games. Most of these can be inhaled and either spat at other enemies to deal them damage, or swallowed. Swallowing certain opponents may grant Kirby a Copy Ability (except in Milky Way Wishes, where abilities cannot be acquired from foes in typical fashion).

Every enemy in the game, apart from those that are invincible, possesses a certain amount of health that Kirby must deplete if he decides to defeat it by using physical attacks instead of inhaling it. In all main games apart from The Great Cave Offensive, eliminating an opponent by inhaling or otherwise destroying it adds a certain amount of points to Kirby's score, which varies depending on the enemy.

(Legend: SB = Spring Breeze, DB = Dyna Blade, TGCO = The Great Cave Offensive , RoMK = Revenge of Meta Knight, MWW = Milky Way Wishes

Standard enemies in Kirby Super Star
Name	Appearance	Copy Ability	Health	Score	Description	SB	DB	TGCO	RoMK	MWW
Neutral enemies
Blipper		None	8	260	A fish that follows Kirby in water or helplessly flops around outside of it.	1	1	1	1	1
Bounder		None	8	140	Runs back and forth in front of Kirby, always keeping at a distance from him and climbing walls in its way, tossing harmful stars from time to time.	3	3	1	1	3
Bronto Burt		None	8	300	A magenta, winged creature that flies in wave motions or up and down, follows Kirby or walks or stands on the ground, taking off and flying forward or in Kirby's direction when he gets near.	1	1	1	1	1
Broom Hatter		None	16	200	This small, pointy-hatted creature walks left and right, cleaning the floor with its broom at briefly increasing its speed with every sweep.	1	1	1	1	1
Cappy		None	12	200 (cap), 200 (body)	Attempting to inhale this hopping enemy will first remove its mushroom cap, unmasking it. Sometimes stops to blow its cap high into the air.	1	1	1	1	1
Coconut		None	1	0	Coconuts hang on ceilings until Kirby walks under them, then they fall down and explode.	1	1	1	3	1
Gator		None	16	400	This alligator pounces on Kirby, trying to bite him. This attack cannot be guarded against.	3	1	1	3	1
Glunk		None	16	300	A sea anemone that sticks to the ground or ceiling and periodically launches projectiles upwards or downwards.	3	1	1	1	1
Gordo		None	N/A	N/A	Invincible spike balls that move horizontally or vertically, bounce around, follow walls or remain in one place, causing harm to Kirby when touched.	1	1	1	1	1
Grizzo		None	55	600	This large bear hops around or charges at Kirby, causing a massive amount of damage if it rams him. Can sometimes be found asleep.	1	1	1	3	1
Kabu		None	16	200	A spinning stone head that jumps, slides or floats up and down. The sliding variety eventually rockets into the sky, while the floating type teleports around, eventually falling down, sliding towards Kirby and exploding.	1	1	1	1	1
Lovely		None	28	800	A large flower that sprouts from the ground or the ceiling, occasionally launching its head towards Kirby to try and grab him. Cannot be inhaled or guarded against.	1	1	1	1	1
Magical Sweeper		None	9	500	This glowing disc follows walls or floats up and down, releasing rapid salvos of projectiles, or flies in a straight line, dropping singular, large projectiles on Kirby when he moves under it.	3	3	1	1	3
Moto Shotzo		None	26	500	A mobile cannon that rolls and jumps around, aiming and firing cannonballs at Kirby.	3	3	3	1	1
Shotzo		None	N/A	N/A	An invincible cannon that aims at Kirby and fires singular cannonballs or always faces the same direction, but gives off three consecutive shots.	1	1	1	1	1
Slippy		None	16	400	A spherical toad that swims in water or bounces around outside of it.	3	1	1	1	1
Squishy		None	16	300	This white squid can walk and jump on land or swim in water.	1	1	1	3	1
Tookey		None	6	220	This hen flies towards Kirby, often waiting on the ground for him to come near before taking off.	1	1	1	1	1
Twizzy		None	6	180	A little bird that either hops around or flies up and down or in wave motions.	1	1	1	1	1
Waddle Dee		None	12	200	The most basic enemy, all a Waddle Dee does is walk and occasionally jump.	1	1	1	3	1
Ability-providing enemies
Bio Spark		Ninja	8	300	A fast-moving ninja that jumps back and forth, tossing daggers or rapidly stabbing at Kirby, as well as grabbing him and slamming him onto the ground when he touches him, regardless of whether Kirby is guarding.	3	1	1	1	1
Birdon		Wing	16	500	This bird flies left and right or hops along the ground, shooting its feathers at Kirby or diving at him.	3	1	1	1	1
Blade Knight		Sword	26	500	This armor-clad knight walks back and forth in a small area, slashing or rapidly stabbing at Kirby with its sword if he comes too close. Can destroy projectiles fired by Kirby with its blade.	1	1	3	1	1
Bomber		Crash	1	0	When this walking bomb falls off the edge of a platform, it explodes, harming friend and foe alike.	1	1	1	1	1
Burning Leo		Fire	16	500	Similarly to Hot Head in other Kirby games, Burnin' Leo breathes flames or spits singular, large fireballs at Kirby. Referred to in this game as "Burnin' Leo".	1	1	1	1	1
Capsule J		Jet	18	400	Walks and hovers around and attempts to charge into Kirby, causing massive damage. Eventually flies off the screen if Kirby does not destroy it.	3	3	1	1	1
Chilly		Ice	20	400	This snowman does not move fast, but can freeze Kirby if he gets too close or cause three icicles to fall down in front of itself.	1	1	1	1	1
Gim		Yo-Yo	16	300	This robot walks slowly, but uses its yo-yo as a fast weapon, throwing it at different angles depending on Kirby's position.	3	1	1	1	1
Jungle Bomb		Bomb	16	300	A pineapple with a helmet that either spits up to three bombs at Kirby at a time or lays one on the ground and runs away.	3	1	1	1	1
Knuckle Joe		Fighter	30	500	This martial artist fires small and rapid or singular large blasts of energy at Kirby when he comes to close, as well as jumping backwards, forwards or straight into the air to kick at him.	1	1	1	1	1
Laser Ball		Beam	4	200	Floating through the air, this orb attempts to get in front of Kirby to fire a laser at him.	3	3	1	1	1
Noddy		Sleep	12	100	Always tired, Noddy alternates between slowly walking and sleeping. Swallowing it causes Kirby to immediately fall asleep as well.	3	1	1	1	1
Parasol		Parasol	8	300	On its own, this parasol simply floats away or in circles. Usually held by Waddle Dees or Waddle Doos to slow their fall.	1	1	1	3	1
Plasma Wisp		Plasma	10	500	This will-o-the-wisp flies in small circles, firing needles, arrows or large, long-range blasts of energy from its hands, depending on Kirby's distance from it.	3	1	1	1	1
Poppy Bros. Jr.		None, Bomb, Cutter	16	200	A simple enemy that makes small hops and sometimes balances on an apple. May carry and attack with bombs or a cutter boomerang, yielding the ability associated with the respective weapon if it does.	1	1	1	1	1
Rocky		Stone	44	400	This living rock slowly walks left and right, jumping into the air when Kirby gets close and attempting to fall on him.	1	1	1	1	1
Scarfy		Crash	16*	1000	Floating up and down, a Scarfy poses little threat unless Kirby hurts or tries to inhale it, causing it to transform, chase him and eventually explode. Some specimens also follow Kirby while his back is turned to them.	1	1	1	1	1
Simirror		Mirror	20	500	With its wand, this small wizard can create barriers that reflect Kirby's attacks, as well as create copies of itself. Sometimes, it attempts to teleport to safety when attacked.	1	1	1	3	1
Sir Kibble		Cutter	20	400	A small knight that stands in one place and tosses the top part of its helmet like a boomerang, sometimes jumping over it as it returns.	1	1	1	1	1
Tac		Copy	8	1000	This masked cat attempts to steal Kirby's copy ability, running away with it if it is successful. Kirby can only recover it by defeating the Tac that took it. Referred to in this game as "T.A.C."	3	1	1	1	1
Waddle Doo		Beam	18	300	Waddle Dee's one-eyed cousin walks and jumps like its weaker relative, but may fire a beam whip from its singular eye. In The Great Cave Offensive, some Waddle Doos swing on chains.	1	1	1	1	1
Walky		Mike	16	890	A walking stage microphone that stops from time to time to sing, generating three harmful notes that fly out of its mouth.	1	1	1	1	3
Wheelie		Wheel	14	200	A tire that rolls after Kirby, accelerating at times and attempting to run him over. Colliding with a wall causes it to briefly stop and bounce upwards.	3	1	1	3	1

*A transformed Scarfy explodes instantly when attacked in any manner.

Mid-Bosses[edit]

Mid-Bosses are stronger opponents encountered at different points throughout many of the game's stages. When Kirby engages in battle with one or multiple Mid-Bosses, he usually cannot progress further until all Mid-Bosses on the screen have been destroyed. Like bosses, each possesses a health meter; once its health reaches zero, it is defeated. Apart from Kracko Jr. and the Meta-Knights, all Mid-Bosses can be inhaled after their defeat and swallowed for a Copy Ability. Unlike regular enemies, most of them are invulnerable to Kirby's slide attack or Air Bullets.

All Mid-Bosses apart from Kracko Jr. and the Meta-Knights have to be re-fought in The Arena.

(Legend: SB = Spring Breeze, DB = Dyna Blade, TGCO = The Great Cave Offensive, RoMK = Revenge of Meta-Knight, MWW = Milky Way Wishes)

Mid-Bosses in Kirby Super Star
Name	Appearance	Copy Ability	Health	Score	Description	SB	DB	TGCO	RoMK	MWW
Bonkers		Hammer	150	2300	Tosses Coconuts at Kirby - singular ones or three at a time - which can be inhaled and spat back, or attempts to pound him with its hammer after running towards him, creating a star that can be used as ammunition.	1
Bugzzy		Suplex	160	2600	A giant bug that may charge at Kirby, trying to grab him and slam him onto the ground, or release two ladybugs, which fly in a wave motion and can be inhaled for ammunition. Can also jump into the air and glide towards Kirby, trying to drop on him.	3	1		3	1
Chef Kawasaki		Cook	100	1800	This cook tries to grapple Kirby with his extendable frying pan, briefly cooking him if he manages to do so. He may also toss plates at him - singular ones or three at a time - which can be inhaled and spat back. Referred to in this game as "Cook Kawasaki".	3	1		3	1
Iron Mam		Fighter	140	2200	Walks back and forth, occasionally stopping to throw a long-range punch at Kirby or pound the ground four times, creating stars that can be inhaled and spat out. Slowly walks towards Kirby while pounding if its health has dropped below 50%. Referred to in this game as "Iron Mom".	3	1	3	1
Jukid		Suplex	130	2500	A martial artist that launches blasts of energy - which can be inhaled for ammunition - at Kirby or attempts to grab him, slamming him onto the ground repeatedly if it is successful.	1		1
Kracko Jr.		N/A	128	10000	A weaker form of Kracko encountered in Bubbly Clouds. Swoops at Kirby or drops three bombs on him, which are worth 100 points each and can be spat back. May also create Waddle Doos. Unlike most Mid-Bosses, Kracko Jr. is instantly destroyed when defeated (and thus cannot be inhaled).	1	1
Meta-Knights		None	Varies	Varies	A group of up to four types of Mid-Bosses - Axe Knight, Trident Knight, Mace Knight and Javelin Knight - which attack in different ways and need to be defeated separately, despite all sharing a health meter, often multiple times in succession. At least two are usually fought at the same time. Unlike other Mid-Bosses, all four can be inhaled before being defeated, but doing so takes longer than inhaling a regular enemy. They are also vulnerable to Kirby's slide and air bullets.	3	1
Meta-KnightsAxe Knight		None	64	700	Part of the Meta-Knights. Chops as Kirby with its axe, either once or multiple times while pushing towards him, or throws the axe like a boomerang.	3	1
Meta-KnightsJavelin Knight		None	46	700	Part of the Meta-Knights. Hovers around and either spins rapidly while holding a javelin or tosses burning javelins at Kirby.	1			1
Meta-KnightsMace Knight		None	84	800	Part of the Meta-Knights. Swings a large spiked ball at Kirby or walks towards him while attempting to slam him with it.	3	1
Meta-KnightsTrident Knight		None	64	700	Part of the Meta-Knights. This small samurai tosses pitchforks at Kirby or charges at him, repeatedly stabbing at him with its trident when it gets close.	3	1
Mr. Frosty		Ice	110	1700	This walrus tosses blocks of ice, which are worth 100 points, at Kirby, pounces on him or runs towards him, attempting to swallow him and spit him against a wall. Its ice cubes can be used against it.	1		3	1
Poppy Bros. Sr.		Bomb	80	1500	Hops back and forth and tosses bombs at Kirby, which are worth 100 points and can be spat back. May occasionally charge at Kirby or increase the distance of its jumps to bound over him.	1

Bosses[edit]

Bosses are very powerful opponents who tend to lay at the end of levels and stages in the various games. Unlike previous games, however, bosses are not always fought at the end of levels, with some being entirely skippable. They can be distinguished from proper mid-bosses however by their distinct battle music, their on-screen appearances, and the fact that they cannot be inhaled under any circumstances.

All bosses are re-fought in The Arena, so the 'Appearance' category will not include that mode for the sake of brevity.

Bosses in Kirby Super Star
Name	Appearance	Copy Abilities	Appears in	Description	Notes
Whispy Woods			Spring Breeze Revenge of Meta Knight	A stationary tree boss who attacks Kirby by dropping Apples and blowing Air Bullets at him. His apples can be inhaled and spat back to deal damage.
Lololo & Lalala			Spring Breeze	A duo boss who attacks by pushing emerald frames along corridors. These frames can be inhaled. Sometimes they push Gordos instead.	Lololo & Lalala have separate health from each-other.
Kracko		Beam (from dropped Waddle Doos)	Spring Breeze Milky Way Wishes	A spiky cycloptic cloud that attacks by swooping, firing beams from its eye, and dropping Waddle Doos.
King Dedede			Spring Breeze Gourmet Race	Kirby's eternal rival; a gluttonous robed penguin-like figure who wields a hammer in combat and can inhale and take in air. Kirby races against him in Gourmet Race.	Final boss of Spring Breeze.
Dyna Blade			Dyna Blade Revenge of Meta Knight	A giant metal bird who attacks by swooping, striking with her beak, and grabbing with her talons. She comes to Kirby's aid in Revenge of Meta Knight.	Final (and only) boss of Dyna Blade.
Fatty Whale		Stone (dropped boulders)	The Great Cave Offensive Milky Way Wishes	A large whale in a sailor's outfit who attacks with body slams and by causing objects to fall.
Computer Virus		Random (from Copy Essences)	The Great Cave Offensive Milky Way Wishes	A hostile computer program that forces Kirby to fight three opponents in succession in a pseudo turn-based combat.	In The Great Cave Offensive, Kirby fights the Slime, the Dancing Doll, and the Witch. In Milky Way Wishes, he fights the Witch, the Evil Knight, and the Red Dragon.
Chameleo Arm		Paint (glob projectiles)	The Great Cave Offensive Milky Way Wishes	A misshapen chameleon-like entity that comes in many different colors and attacks with its tongue and claws. Referred to in this game as "Ghameleo Arm".	This boss can be skipped in The Great Cave Offensive.
Wham Bam Rock		Stone (dropped stones)	The Great Cave Offensive Milky Way Wishes	A disembodied face that controls two hands made of stone. Only the hands can be attacked.	Final boss of The Great Cave Offensive. May have served as the inspiration for Master Hand and Crazy Hand.
Heavy Lobster		Paint (glob projectiles)	Revenge of Meta Knight Milky Way Wishes	A giant mechanical lobster tank that pursues Kirby several times. It is invulnerable during the pursuit, but it can be attacked once it stops chasing. It fights by spewing flames from its claws, charging forward, and sending out smaller robotic minions.	This boss can be blinded by using the Paint ability on it.
Twin Woods			Revenge of Meta Knight Milky Way Wishes	A pair of Whispy Woods who can attack by throwing sections of their trunks into each-other and spinning to cause poisonous Caterpillars and Gordos to drop from their combined canopies.	Each Whispy has separate health.
Combo Cannon		Bomb (dropped bombs) Yo-Yo (cannonballs)	Revenge of Meta Knight	An automated turret attached to a laser cannon and extendable robotic arm. The turret fires projectiles while the hand tries to grab Kirby or drop bombs, and the laser cannon will go off periodically with part of the floor lifting up to try and push Kirby into it.	While other parts can be destroyed, the Combo Cannon can only be defeated by attacking the turret.
Reactor			Revenge of Meta Knight	The power core of the Halberd. It attacks Kirby by shooting out flamethrowers from the floor, shooting blasts from its main cannon, and firing a laser that it will try to aim at Kirby. The reactor core is invulnerable to everything except its own laser fire. Referred to in this game as "Halberd's Reactor".	The flamethrowers and cannon can be destroyed, but this does not deal damage to the reactor proper.
Meta Knight		Sword (mostly forced, but if waited long enough it will disappear)	Revenge of Meta Knight	The admiral of the Halberd; this masked swordsman forces Kirby to pick up a Sword before they may fight. When he is defeated, his mask breaks.	Final boss of Revenge of Meta Knight. After his defeat, he tries to stop Kirby from escaping the Halberd by hounding him from the air.
Galactic Nova Nucleus		Starship (forced)	Milky Way Wishes	The core of Nova. Kirby must fly around as the pillars spin and break the central pieces of each pillar to defeat this boss. The main hazard comes from avoiding colliding with the pillars. Referred to in this game as "Heart of Nova".	First example in the series of a boss arena which loops on itself.
Marx		Cutter (Shooter Cutter projectiles) Ice (ice bombs)	Milky Way Wishes	This twisted jester betrayed Kirby to gain great power and a pair of radiant wings. He attacks using all manner of bizarre movements and weaponry and teleports around the arena.	Final boss of Milky Way Wishes and The Arena. Defeating him initiates the staff credits.

Other displays[edit]

In addition to the icons of Copy Abilities and Helpers, a number of extra portraits can appear in the heads-up display, signifying additional effects, or representing other characters. These are as follows:

Additional icon displays in Kirby Super Star
Name	Icon	Description	Notes
Normal		This icon displays under normal circumstances when Kirby is without an ability or status effect.
Nothing		This icon displays briefly if Kirby swallows an object which does not grant him an ability.
Ouch		This icon displays briefly whenever Kirby takes a hit that is not lethal.
Call Helper		This icon appears whenever Kirby calls for a Helper.
Super		This icon appears whenever Kirby is under the effect of an Invincible Candy.
Mix		This icon appears whenever a mix is triggered by swallowing two or more ability-providing enemies at once.	The icon is represented by mixed drinks.
Out of health		This icon appears whenever Kirby runs out of health and tumbles off the screen.
Cannon		This icon appears whenever Kirby hops into a Fuse Cannon.	Does not apply for rotating cannons.
Trolley		This icon appears whenever Kirby hops into a Trolley.
Warp Star		This icon appears whenever Kirby hops on to a Warp Star.
Enemy		This icon appears when a boss or mid-boss appears and its life bar is shown.	This icon only appears in The Arena.
Character portraits
King Dedede		Various reaction portraits for King Dedede in Gourmet Race.
Axe Knight		Various dialogue portraits for Axe Knight in Revenge of Meta Knight.
Captain Vul		Various dialogue portraits for Captain Vul in Revenge of Meta Knight.	Vul has by far the most portraits of any character.
Mace Knight		Various dialogue portraits for Mace Knight in Revenge of Meta Knight.
Meta Knight		Various dialogue portraits for Meta Knight in Revenge of Meta Knight.
Sailor Waddle Dee		Various dialogue portraits for Sailor Waddle Dee in Revenge of Meta Knight.

Development[edit]

Development of Kirby Super Star began soon after the completion of Kirby's Adventure, as soon as the team at HAL Laboratory had a suitable SNES development environment. Masahiro Sakurai has shared many details about the game's development over the years, much of which can be found in this video released on his official YouTube channel. In this video, Sakurai explains that there were two primary prerogatives behind designing Kirby Super Star: the first was the emphasis on two-player co-op, and the second was the "omnibus" format.

The emphasis on multiplayer was given to Sakurai and his team by Shigeru Miyamoto, who'd had trouble implementing such a system for the Super Mario games because he felt the fast-paced gameplay got in the way, and hoped that it could be done in a "slower" game like Kirby. Sakurai described this request as a "tall order", as he understood that it was not that simple, particularly given the fact that Kirby's Copy Ability could radically change the "speed" of the gameplay. Noting that traditional two-player co-op games which place equal emphasis on both players often resulted in them pulling on each-other too much, and that this might get in the way of a platformer experience, Sakurai ended up creating the Helper system, which places the main emphasis on player 1, and pulls player 2 back via a Space Jump if they wander off-camera. Notably, in the original draft for this concept, the P2 character would gradually lose health if they wandered off-screen, similar to how damage can accumulate on characters in the Super Smash Bros games if they are off-screen.^[1] This general concept would then be tied into the Copy Ability system by allowing Kirby to create allied versions of enemy characters by using an item associated with the ability. From here, Sakurai explains that this was how he came up with the idea of giving Kirby his ability hats, which he proclaims greatly increased Kirby's character appeal. In relation to this addition, as well as due to Kirby's expanded Copy Ability movesets, Sakurai and his team decided to beef up the HP of regular enemies so that they would not just be defeated in one hit by most attacks, adding versatility to Kirby's moves.

The second prerogative, that of the "omnibus" format, was driven by Sakurai's desire to create a more approachable game that would not take too long to complete, as he felt there were too many games out at the time with big time demands placed on their players. To that end, he conceived the cork-board system of having several smaller games with differing themes, stories, and gameplay styles all together in one package. He also touched upon a scrapped concept for an additional horror-themed game which was planned to be included, which he had before mentioned in an interview for the SNES Classic Edition. In this game, Kirby chases a butterfly into a spooky forest and there finds a magical wall clock that belonged to a wizard who perished centuries ago. The wall clock curses Kirby by sealing his mouth shut, leaving him unable to inhale, hover, or eat food. To break the curse, Kirby would then have to venture into a haunted mansion in the forest that belonged to the late wizard.^[2] Instead of Copy Abilities, Kirby would have used items to emulate their effects; for example, a candle would give him the Fire ability. The game was titled "Heat Haze Mansion" (Kagero Mansion in the interview's official translation). No work was done on this game, as it needed to be deprioritized due to time and game memory constraints. The omnibus format of the game would eventually inform its Japanese title, Kirby of the Stars Super Deluxe, which was suggested by celebrity copywriter Shigesato Itoi; Sakurai found the idea properly evocative of "how rich [the game] is in content." Said richness would also serve as the basis for the Japanese box art, which, also at Itoi's suggestion, is designed after paulownia wood boxes typically used in Japan to package luxury alcohol and tableware.^[3]

Despite generally meeting Sakurai's vision, there were a few aspects of Kirby Super Star as a finished product which he felt detracted from the experience. For instance, Sakurai explained that he had originally wanted Spring Breeze to be completely without Copy Abilities, to distinguish it from Dyna Blade, but he was urged to add them in at the request of one of the producers at Nintendo. To this day, he still wishes he had been allowed to do without them for that mode. Additionally, he described how the CGI-rendered backgrounds in the game were, in his opinion, not a great match to the style of Kirby, though he values the learning experience that implementing those backgrounds provided.

Animation sprites of Yo-Yo, Fighter, and Cutter from the NES prototype of Kirby Super Star

A prototype of the game on the NES was revealed during the Kirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert in April 2017. According to Sakurai, this prototype was only meant for internal use and not as a released product. It was "fairly feature-complete" and used as a template for the final game.^[4][5]

Legacy[edit]

Kirby Super Star was a massively influential game in the Kirby series, establishing a large number of tropes and features that would persist throughout most of the subsequent main-series games, as well as some games outside of the series. Some of the main influences include:

• The addition of a hat or costume to Copy Abilities, along with the expanded fighting game-related movesets.
  • Increased focus on combat and boss fights.
  • The introduction of certain abilities that would become mainstays, including Fighter, Bomb, Ninja, and Wing.
• Many of the musical themes from this title would be reused throughout the series, most notably the Gourmet Race theme and the Green Greens theme paired with the ending motif to Milky Way Wishes.
• Meta Knight's Halberd originated in this title. Kirby Super Star is also the first game where Meta Knight has wings.
• Kirby having a health bar instead of his health being measured in pieces. This would become standard in later main series games starting with Kirby: Squeak Squad.
• Many of the tropes from this game would be explored again or referenced in Kirby Star Allies. This is most notable in the design of the level Far-Flung Starlight Heroes, which is heavily inspired by Milky Way Wishes.
• Many elements were taken to develop the original Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo 64, including thin floors, simple directional inputs for attacks, midair jumps, and Guarding with a bubble shield.
  • Likewise, most of the Kirby stages and other content featured in the Super Smash Bros. series are derived from this title.

Staff[edit]

Staff of Kirby Super Star
Position		Developer(s)
	Director	Masahiro Sakurai
	Programmer	Tetsuya Abe Junichi Aoyagi Masakazu Ebibara Teruyuki Gunji Isao Takashi Akio Hanyu
	Chief Programmer	Shigenobu Kasai
	Designer	Kazu Ozawa Hiroo Takeshita Tetsuya Mochizuki
	CG Designer	Hitoshi Kikkawa Tatsuhiro Tanuoue Shigeru Hashiguchi Tadashi Hashikura
	Chief Designer	Tsuyoshi Wakayama
	Sound Composer	Jun Ishikawa Dan Miyakawa
	Mapper	Shinichi Shimomura Tomomi Miyami
	Special Thanks	Hiroaki Suga Tetsuo Kujiraoka Hidetoshi Seki Yoshiaki Shinohara Shigeru Hirayama Seiji Otoguro Atsushi Kakuta Takashi Saito Yoshimi Takahashi Satoshi Ishida Chieko Obikane Hiro Yamada Jim Wornell Kayomi McDonald
	Adviser	Kensuke Tanabe Takao Shimizu
	Project Manager	Ryuki Kuraoka
	Producer	Satoru Iwata Shigeru Miyamoto
	Executive Producer	Hiroshi Yamauchi
NINTENDO,Ltd. HAL Laboratory,INC.

Localization[edit]

In North America, the game was given the name Kirby Super Star, while the game was originally named Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe and Australia. Despite this regional name difference, various European and Australian sources have used both titles interchangeably to refer to the original version, as follows:

• The Kirby's Fun Pak title has been used in the European and Australian versions of Super Smash Bros. (misspelled Kirby's Fan Pak^[sic]), Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, Kirby: Planet Robobot and the Nintendo Music app, alongside other European/Australian localized names (such as Kirby's Adventure Wii). The game was even referred to as such via an official upload of the "Kirby Super Star Medley" on the European Nintendo YouTube channels.
• The Kirby Super Star title has been used in the British English version of Kirby: Triple Deluxe, the non-English European versions of Kirby Star Allies, and the European/Australian versions of Kirby Air Ride, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Kirby's Dream Buffet, despite using European/Australian localized names for other games as mentioned above.
• The DS remake Kirby Super Star Ultra uses the Kirby Super Star title for all Western language versions and refers to the original version as such on the back cover.
• One of the tips in the European versions of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate states that Kirby Super Star was "originally known as Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe". Furthermore, the European and Australian Virtual Console versions on Wii U and Nintendo Switch alongside the Super NES Classic Edition are actually the North American version of the game, listed with the Kirby Super Star title.
• Since Kirby Star Allies only has one English localization used for the game, it uses the American English names for all mentioned games in the English version, not just Kirby Super Star.

Descriptions[edit]

Nintendo eShop[edit]

That awful King Dedede is at it again—he's stolen all the food in Dream Land! It's up to Kirby to get it back and ultimately save Popstar from being taken over! Our round, pink hero will have to journey through six main games and two minigames, finishing with the ultimate showdown in the Arena. Each game offers its own story and variation of platforming action, as well as unique environments and an assortment of enemies. Swallowing an enemy allows Kirby to copy the abilities of that enemy, granting him the power to perform special attacks and giving him a new hat to don. Kirby can also give up an acquired ability and use it to create a helper. The helper will follow Kirby around and automatically fight as his ally—or offer a second player the chance to join in the game by controlling it. There's never a dull moment as Kirby dashes, flies, and fights!

(This description was reused for the game on Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online.)

Special version from Nintendo Switch Online[edit]

Meta Knight's revenge!

You can play Milky Way Wishes, and the Arena too!

In this special version of Kirby Super Star, the secret modes are all unlocked! Revenge of Meta Knight, Milky Way Wishes, and the Arena are all available—plus the Sound Room menu, a staple of the Kirby series. In Milky Way Wishes, you can't copy abilities from enemies like you normally would, but you can collect abilities by using the Deluxe Copy Ability. Then you can use an ability you've collected as much as you want, so there's no need to hold back!

Trivia[edit]

Mario, Luigi, Toad and Birdo cheering at Stone Kirby transformed into a statue of Mario in the battle against King Dedede

• Not counting special abilities, Kirby Super Star introduced the highest number of new Copy Abilities to the series since Kirby's Adventure, adding 12 to the game. Games that have introduced new abilities since then have not added more than five standard abilities at a go.
• Several Mario series references are made, such as a Mario statue appearing rarely for one of Stone Kirby's transformations, or Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Birdo appearing in the background of Megaton Punch and the King Dedede battle in Spring Breeze.
• The Japanese and European/Australian versions of the Beginner's Room feature an SNES controller with red, yellow, green and blue A, B, X and Y buttons to match the design of the Japanese Super Famicom and European/Australian SNES controllers' button layouts. However, the text in the European/Australian version wasn't altered in the game's tutorial to match, and thus still refers to the controller as having purple buttons.

Quotes[edit]

Main article: List of Kirby Super Star quotes

Gallery[edit]

Main article: Kirby Super Star/gallery

• 

  Part of the opening movie for Kirby Super Star

• 

  Part of the opening movie for Kirby Super Star

• 

  Part of the opening movie for Kirby Super Star

• 

  American title screen

• 

  File select (with a 100% file)

Names in other languages[edit]

References

External links[edit]

• Official Japanese website
• Interview with Sakurai about Kirby Super Star
• Official Translation of Interview with Sakurai (Wayback Machine snapshot)
• Kirby Super Star on Kirby Informer
• English manual (official digital reproduction of the original printed manual)
• Japanese manual (official digital reproduction of the original printed manual)