TheKirbyseries is one of Nintendo’s most popular and best-selling IPs. Featuring a pink, spherical creature named Kirby as the main character, the franchise is known for its colorful settings, cute characters, and Kirby’s power to swallow enemies so he can copy their abilities. MostKirbygames are platformers where players must fight enemies, solve puzzles, and defeat bosses.
Over the years, however, theKirbyseries has also received a number of spin-offs that include puzzle, racing, pinball, and fighting games. For the most part, the mainlineKirbygames have stayed relatively similar, but spin-off games are where the franchise gets more experimental and innovative. Although there have been a couple misses throughout the years,Kirbyspin-offs are usually just as impressive as the mainline games thanks to their unique mechanics and gameplay.
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S Tier
Kirby Air Ridewas the franchise’s first and only racing gameto date, and despite its simplistic controls, it offered diverse stage design and an interesting implementation of Kirby’s copy abilities. It received mediocre reviews upon release, but the game has aged surprisingly well thanks to its unique City Trial mode where players must navigate a city collecting power-ups before facing off in a mini-game.
TheKirby Epic Yarngames are similar to the standard platformers, except Kirby loses the ability to inhale and float. Instead, Kirby gains the use of a yarn whip to explore the scrapbook-influenced world of crafts. One of the more visually impressiveKirbygames,Kirby Epic Yarnis proof that games don’t need to be challenging to be great. With its level design,Kirby Epic Yarneasily rivals the best mainlineKirbygames.
A Tier
WhileKirby: Canvas Cursewas a platformer,it differentiated itself from traditionalKirbygamesby relying on the Nintendo DS stylus and touchscreen to control Kirby. Incredibly innovative for its time, the game was one of the Nintendo DS’s earliest successes and paved the way for future platformers.
Kirby’s Dream Coursewas a mini-golf spin-off that featured clever level design and innovative mechanics. There was something satisfying about using every power to achieve a hole-in-one or having the careful planning of trial and error finally pay off.Kirby Mass Attackwas aPikmin-styled spin-offthat used only the Nintendo DS touchscreen and stylus. Although it could be difficult at times, it featured some of the best minigames in the franchise.
B Tier
The B-TierKirbyspin-offs usually have some minor issuesbut still manage to be exciting adventures for any fan of the franchise. Kirbyand the Rainbow Cursecame up a little short compared to its predecessor due to its controls, but the claymation aesthetic was just as breathtaking as the original. Spin-offs likeKirby’s Block BallandKirby’s Star Stackercombined the features of breakout and puzzle games together withKirby,though they didn’t always mesh together perfectly.
On the other hand,games likeKirby Tilt ‘n’ Tumbleshowcased potential with a accelerometerbuilt into the cartridge. Though it was a interesting concept, it feels like a product of its time, and the tilt controls weren’t always refined.Kirby Fighters DeluxeandKirby Fighters 2are recent spin-offs that are based on the fighting game genre. Although it can get repetitive once players are familiar with the game, they offer plenty of stages, copy abilities, and movesets for players to explore.
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C Tier
A lot of the C-TierKirbyspin-offs are still fun games but don’t always bring something new, and sometimes feel a little too experimental for their own good. For example,Kirby Avalancheis very much a reskin of aPuyo Puyogameand strangely decides to make Kirby into a mean, sarcastic version of himself. Games likeKirby’s Pinball Land,a combination ofKirbyand pinball, often feel clunky and far too distinct to work.
Games likeDedede’s Drum Dash DeluxeandKirby’s Blowout Blastare simply upgraded, standalone versions of minigames from the mainline series. Although they provide new content like levels, music, enemies, and bosses, they obviously lack the depth of a full game and won’t have enough content to last long.
A lot of the more recentKirbyspin-offs are also in the C-Tier as Nintendo begins shifting toward free-to-start models and an emphasis on online play. While theKirbyfranchise does have a few interesting multiplayer games,they simply don’t capture the platforming magic and exploration found in the single-player games. Games likeKirby Battle Royalehave fun concepts but the amount of content is quite limited, while games likeSuper Kirby Clashintroduces RPG-lite mechanics that are unfortunately held back by time gate mechanics and microtransactions.
D Tier
Kirby SlideandKirby’s Toy Boxaren’t particularly bad games, they’re justinaccessible and fairly boring as far asKirbyspin-offs go.Kirby Slidewas a simple sliding puzzle game for the e-Reader on the Game Boy Advance. More of a marketing tool,Kirby Slidecan barely be considered an actual game. On the other hand,Kirby’s Toy Boxwas a Japanese exclusive that featured a few minigames like baseball, pinball, and breakout, but could only be downloaded during an event and must be found through emulators now.
Team Kirby Clash Deluxeisn’t a badKirbyspin-off in terms of gameplay, but ithighlights the problems of Nintendo’s free-to-start modelsand microtransactions. Originally a sub-game inKirby: Planet Robobot,it was upgraded to a standalone version with new stages and bosses. Unfortunately, without microtransactions, the game quickly becomes a frustrating experience of waiting. In fact, without spending any money on the Gem Apples, it would take three years to 100 percent the game. As a result,Team Kirby Clash Deluxetakes theKirbyfranchise in a rather disappointing direction.
