A Star Turns 30: The Sparkling Legacy of the ‘Kirby’ Franchise

Thirty years ago, 19-year-old Masahiro Sakurai created a star.

Sakurai, a new employee at the Japanese game development company HAL Laboratory, was tasked with directing his first game: “a game that anyone could enjoy,” he later recalled.

“Kirby’s Dream Land,” alternatively known as “Kirby of the Stars” in Japan, released for the Game Boy in 1992 and went on to become the first entry in the “Kirby” franchise. 30 years later, with over 35 games, an anime, and several manga, comics, and novels under his belt, Kirby’s still going strong as one of the most recognizable — and cutest — video game characters ever. And through the core philosophy of accessibility and variety that permeates the design of the games, the “Kirby” franchise has left an indelible mark on gaming history.

Among the “Kirby” franchise’s innovations, “Kirby Super Star” is especially notable. Its fighting game-inspired controls went on to form the core gameplay of Sakurai’s “Super Smash Bros.” series a few years later, which Kirby appears in as a fan-favorite character.

The “Kirby” series itself consists of two halves: the mainline games and the more experimental spin-offs. The mainline games are fairly traditional sidescrolling platformers — Kirby must traverse stages by running, jumping, flying, and using his iconic power to inhale enemies and copy their abilities. The spin-offs feature a variety of innovative gameplay styles spanning genres like puzzle, racing, and RPG. The entire series, however, shares the same basic premise: colorful worlds with a whimsical atmosphere, wrapped up in the philosophy of Kirbyism.

Kirbyism, coined by Sakurai, is a design philosophy that has come to define the series. Stemming from Sakurai’s desire to create games that all players can enjoy, Kirbyism dictates that players should be able to choose their own individualized experience.

By puffing himself up into a balloon, Kirby can fly infinitely; some players will choose to fly over the entire stage and reach the goal unchallenged, while others will want to stay on the ground and fight through the enemies and obstacles. Some players will use Copy Abilities that allow them to attack at range, while others will gravitate towards abilities that force them to fight up close, and so on. In this way, players can ensure that they have fun, enjoying an experience unique to them.

The “Kirby” series, in many ways, represents an act of resistance. Whereas many games of the NES and Game Boy era made themselves unfairly difficult to keep people playing, “Kirby” games broke the industry trend by emphasizing accessibility and fun. Whereas other games were gritty and serious, the “Kirby” series proved the value of joy and artistic creativity.

In particular, Kirby challenged conceptions of what a protagonist should be. His design consists of nothing more than a circle with stubby arms and feet. The introduction to “Kirby’s Adventure” puts it best: “First you draw a circle, then you dot the eyes. Add a great big smile and presto, it’s Kirby!”

In fact, this is what many children did: Following the release of “Kirby’s Dream Land,” Sakurai noticed chalk drawings of Kirby appearing in parks.

Kirby’s universal appeal, crossing gender and age demographics, comes from this simplicity and versatility. While Kirby is a cute pink puffball from the country of Dream Land on Planet Popstar, he’s an unparalleled warrior with infinite potential. While he spends his days childishly oblivious to everything around him — he can’t even speak or read — he springs into action whenever someone is in trouble, with his naïve sense of justice sometimes leading him to rash conclusions. Differing from the blank avatars and stock heroes of early video games, Kirby displays a defined personality while still offering something for everyone. His character itself, his metaphorical Copy Ability, encapsulates the core tenants of Kirbyism.

In fact, Kirbyism informs not only the gameplay but also every aspect of the series. The soundtracks, for instance, possess a unique adaptability and deep simplicity which the developers refer to as “Kirby sound.” They rightly define “Kirby” music as being “anything goes.” While much of it is cheerful, with the ability to put a smile on anyone’s face, players can also find everything from jazz to dubstep to hard metal.

The plots of the games, too, exemplify Kirbyism through their presentation. Starting back in “Kirby’s Dream Land 2,” people who only want to play to the end can enjoy a surface-level look at the plot, while those who choose to dive deeper into the world receive a more complete picture.

Consequently, the innocent appearance of the series masks surprising darkness.

“You get drawn in by the cuteness, and find yourself playing until suddenly you and Kirby are ready to face the final battle with the fate of the world on the line,” current series director Shinya Kumazaki explained.

Kirby’s cute design stands in contrast to the terrifying threats he’s protected Popstar from, including witches, several deity-level beings, and a supercomputer bent on eradicating all life in the universe.

In these struggles, although he doesn’t realize it himself, Kirby encounters profound sadness. He often fights to save his enemies from themselves — from their self-corruption, pain and grief. And because of Kirbyism’s malleability, from this despair comes a reaffirmation of the beauty of the world.

“The stars were so beautiful,” the ending of “Kirby Mass Attack” narrates, as Kirby flies home through space after a long journey. “Darkness had its place just as much as light. For the stars sparkled twice as bright in the dark depths of space!”

For only underneath tranquil innocence can tragedy strike with full force, and only in the midst of heartache can love truly shine. This duality marks the ultimate testament to Kirby’s legacy of joining disparate concepts, even as he unites diverse players.

On March 25, “Kirby and the Forgotten Land” will launch as the first mainline 3D “Kirby” game, beginning the “next stage” of the franchise.

Until Kirby lights up screens and smiles once again, players can reflect on 30 years of naptimes and snacks, and they can gaze up at the sparkling stars, each in their own unique way.