By Mary Curvey
To most, the Kirby franchise is simply a cute platforming video game series following a beloved pink mascot; however, the story within many of the titles is much darker and more sophisticated than you may realize. While the in-depth storyline of Kirby is quite long, I’m here to walk you through the very basics!
Kirby was created by Masahiro Sakurai for the 1992 title, Kirby’s Dream Land. Since then, the story has grown more complex as new games move forward and backward in the timeline. There are 39 Kirby games as of 2023. Kirby has a net worth of 4.98 billion dollars, making it one of the top 50 best selling game franchises of all time.
What exactly is Kirby? The answer is the key detail in understanding the lore of the Kirby games. When the universe was created, Kirby was born as an embodiment of love and hope. Consequently, something was created from hate and despair—the main villain of the series, Void Termina, who would be introduced in later games.
Kirby lives on Planet Popstar, where everything is peaceful—mostly. First, there was King Dedede, a tyrannical penguin of royalty who served as the villain at the beginning of the franchise. Later on, Meta Knight is introduced, and begins attacking Popstar for believing its residents are “too lazy.” These villains become not-so-evil characters that eventually join the cause against Kirby’s true enemies. Each game is different, but the most villainous characters are often giant eyeball monsters trying to rip apart time and space. A drastic shift from a glutenous penguin and a self-righteous knight against the kick-back-and-relax lifestyle, isn’t it? The player follows Kirby in each game, tackling the latest threat to reality with the help of friends made along the way.
For those wanting to play Kirby mainly for the lore, Kirby Star Allies is the game for you. Released in 2018, Star Allies brings together characters—good and evil—from all across the Kirby franchise for an ultimate battle, leading up to a fight against the ultimate villain: Void Termina. While most of the game is structured like a standard platformer, this game is centered around friendship. Whether playing with friends or alone, you will be accompanied by three other characters who help you through each level—including the final fight! On top of this, Star Allies is chock full of mini-games and secrets, making this the ultimate lore collector’s dream.
On the other hand, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a perfect choice for those looking for a contained story. Released in 2022, this is one of the most polished games of the series. The game has its own story and lore, although some familiar characters and enemies are present. No prior knowledge of the Kirby timeline is needed, and it is by far my favorite game of the franchise. Join Kirby to explore a dystopian landscape of buildings reduced to rubble, now being reclaimed by nature. On your journey, you can help Kirby transform into all sorts of found objects to help you progress; including cars, vending machines, and even lightbulbs!
While fending off enemies and rescuing Kirby’s allies, you’ll begin uncovering the truth of who or what destroyed the world.
If those two games aren’t your cup of tea, try out some of the earlier titles! Kirby’s Dream Land has two sequels and will give you the classic Kirby gameplay, while Kirby’s Dream Course is more of a puzzle game. Almost all of the games before 2000 were 2D pixel platformers. While there is an overarching story to take away from them, it is easy to let loose and have fun without worrying about all the details. All you need to do is help Kirby defeat the bad guys, just in time to get home for a slice of cake!
