Kirby (Franchise)

“

First you draw a circle,

Then you dot the eyes.

Add a great big smile

And presto, it's Kirby!

„

~ Intro to Kirby's Adventure

Many of the in-depth details used are from the Kirby Wiki.

Background

The Kirby series is an ongoing franchise of video games starring the eponymous character, Kirby, and created by Masahiro Sakurai and developed by the HAL Laboratory. It is one of Nintendo's most popular and best-selling franchises, selling over 35 million units since its debut. The series is known for its bright and artistic setting, cute characters, cheerful and upbeat music, and, most notably: the ability to inhale, swallow, and copy the abilities of enemies.

All the titles in the Kirby series feature a pink, spherical creature named Kirby as the main playable character, hero, and protagonist. The most recurring character in the series besides Kirby is King Dedede, the greedy, hammer-wielding, self-proclaimed ruler of Dream Land; he has appeared in almost every Kirby game. Meta Knight is another major recurring character. He appears to be the same species as Kirby (though this is not known), and is a chivalrous but enigmatic warrior who assists the hero on many occasions. Depending on the situation, he sometimes fights Kirby to get the things he desires, or to prevent him from causing a much larger problem. He respects a certain code of honor, and always offers Kirby a sword when fighting with him. Bandana Waddle Dee is the fourth main character in the series, becoming one in the more recent games. He is Kirby’s best friend and is always willing to help when someone is in need. He also has strong ties with his leader, King Dedede. He wields a spear and a blue bandana to separate himself from the others.

The games' fictional setting, Planet Popstar, includes many regions of different climates and terrain, which are home to many different creatures. The areas in each game have unique names, but they fall into categories such as fiery caverns, open meadows, water-filled or submerged areas, icy mountains, and similar nature-based environments.