(no subject)
This post covers the basics of the Kirby series: who the character is and where he comes from, as well as the notable games in his series. That post did not answer the burning question smoldering within some of you:
WHY THE FUCK DO YOU LIKE KIRBY SO MUCH?
BECAUSE I DO?
I understand that this interest of mine is random. My previous fandoms (the Persona series, the James Bond series, Lost, 24, Harry Potter) don't have much, if anything, in common with the Kirby series: if they don't have depth, they have grit. Kirby has neither. Kirby is one of Nintendo's many cute critter franchises, one designed with gaming beginners in mind--quite different from my other vidya game franchise fandom, Persona, created by a company known for games so difficult that TV Tropes has its own page dedicated to the company's bosses. Whereas other series are fueled by the need to protect a kingdom or an important person, Kirby games are so light on plot that a slice of missing cake is motivation enough for an entire game. Indeed, there's little about the series that would suggest any hidden depths, anything that might nudge it towards the objective realm of pop culture art. But simplicity is part of the series' charm.
Other games may punish you for being an average or sub-par player. Kirby does not. Even Game Over screens are treats to the player; in many cases, you'll want to end the game, just to see the cute/humorous results (and hear the music, but I'll talk about that later). You don't have to search for a tutorial on how to play the game; it's often offered to you as soon as you begin, though recently the tutorials have been embedded in the background. And if anyone gives you a hard time about not being up to snuff with any of the games, it's easy to just play and forget that anyone has high standards for Kirby. After all, it's freaking Kirby! He can cause damage with rainbows and flowers! He's a pink little boy who loves to eat and sleep! He can't sing for shit!
It's no secret the gaming community eats its own. You can't show that you're a sub-par or even average player, especially if you're female. Female gamers have to prove they're the hardcorest of hardcore gamers if they don't want to have even the slightest ineptitude at gaming credited to their gender. Inexplicably, this attitude prevails among the Kirby fanbase, as people flock to boast how quickly they cleared the Arena with such-and-such an ability (usually hammer), and spend more time than they ought rating Kirby's abilities as a whole, as if the experience of playing a Kirby game is the same for everyone. Even HAL disagrees with that:
Iwata
When you came to work on this project, what did you think was the essence of Kirby?
Hattori
It's difficult to say. I listened to a lot of people, but everybody says something different.
Iwata
I know. They're as different as they are for The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. But everyone thinks their idea of the essence of Kirby is the right one! (laughs)
Kawase
They feel rather strongly about it.
Iwata
I feel like Kirby contains a lot. After all, he can inhale just about anything, so anything fits! (laughs)
Hattori
I agree! His appearance and abilities are ever-changing, which should be his greatest attribute, but he doesn't need to transform and can cruise along just fleeing his enemies. That flexibility is a part of Kirby. I think "Anything is possible," sums up Kirby.
I think that whatever we add or subtract, Kirby is Kirby, so I don't insist on any one particular thing. What each person thinks is probably right, so I think that the essence of Kirby is that which is not determined, but at the same time doesn't budge.
Iwata
How about you Kawase-san?
Kawase
In games like Kirby's Dream Course, Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, and Kirby Mass Attack, Kirby can do anything depending on the game's materials. So I think the essence of Kirby is the player being able to turn at any time into whatever form he or she wishes.
Iwata
Kumazaki-san?
Kumazaki
At first glance, it has mass appeal and casts a broad net, but you can enjoy feverous action. A lot of a Kirby game's appeal is in its cute and amusing appearance, but the action is surprising and the setting deep and the developments thrilling.
I think the essence of Kirby lies in its broad appeal and the way both adults and children can enjoy its depth. When we make a game, we pay attention to ease in play in the first half and sudden increased tension in the second half.
Iwata
Nakano-san?
Nakano
This isn't a very developerly way to put it, but for me, Kirby is about super duper excitement! That was my impression as a child playing Kirby. It surprised you and stimulated your imagination, so you thought "What's this?!" and "Kirby can do that too?!" As you're playing, you grow elated. To me, that is the essence of Kirby.
Iwata
Yes, just like you said, that comment isn't very developerly. (laughs)
Everyone
(laughs)
Iwata
What do you think, Kamitake-san?
Kamitake
Like Hattori-san, I think Kirby is about anything being possible. There's easier play for small children and plenty of fun elements for hard-core gamers like me.
Iwata
Since people who can play comparatively challenging games can also enjoy reaching the goal rather easily in a Kirby game, there must be an element that allows players the freedom to play a variety of ways at their own skill level.
Kamitake
Yes. There are many ways clear one map. The developers imagine one particular solution, but we have a good time on the team when someone says, "Did you know there's this way, too?" Another characteristic is the large variety of Copy Abilities.
As someone who often gives up on games due to the pressures of being THE BEST, it's refreshing to see a game's development team state plainly that there is no one way to play Kirby. And it's these very same people--the people of HAL Laboratory--that contribute to my fascination with the series. A lot of games feel churned out by an anonymous team of developers overshadowed by the big name directors, character designers and sound composers. Even if HAL has big name luminaries of its own (the series' creator, Masahiro Sakurai; sound composers Jun Ishikawa and Hirokazu Ando; and former president Satoru Iwata, currently president of Nintendo), reading the interviews, and playing the games, give the sense of a genuine team effort. These people take their Kaabii seriously--so seriously that three home console games were scrapped as being Insufficient prior to the development of Kirby's Return to Dream Land. And then they turn around and cheekily reference one of the cancelled games not just in Return to Dream Land, but in Kirby: Mass Attack, too!
HAL may be srs about their Kaabii, but not too serious to throw in more than a few referential gags throughout the game. That, too, is refreshing, considering that if you want the same kind of references in a Mario game you have to go digging through one of the series' many spin-offs. The Kirby series presents clever gags in its most major release of the year (ressurecting music from the deaaad). Hell, the folks at HAL put in a lot of effort for games that weren't originally theirs! Kirby's Epic Yarn, originally supposed to center around the character Prince Fluff, features several of the best remakes of classic themes, done by the original composers themselves--all because they wanted to match the sound GoodFeel's in-house composer had made for Fluff's Yarn.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO ONE OF, IF NOT THE BIGGEST REASON WHY I LOVE ME SOME KAABII: DAT FUCKING MUSIC.
Similar to James Bond, I was drawn into the Kirby series through its music. Mom had gotten us hooked on Mario as kids so I never came within an inch of Kirby. Then I was browsing through YouTube, as I am wont to do, looking at Mario hacks, and came across one called Mario Fantasy. That only has one boss: Marx. For the next few...forever, I guess, I went wild looking for MP3s of that battle music. I stumbled on the soundtracks for Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl, downloaded their renditions of Vs. Marx, Butter Building and Gourmet Race (as well as Checker Knights and Frozen Hillside, although those weren't new renditions at all), as well as the renditions of Vs. Marx found in Super Star and its DS remake.
I doubt I can adequitely explain why the music captured my attention. There was just something...haunting about it. And beautiful, for all of its menace. The complexity of its melody and rhythm threw me for a loop, too, as I had grown used to the Mario series music, which tends to be relatively simple.
Anyway, from there I stumbled upon remixes of the theme, and remixes of other themes, too. This bought me to iR2-X's remix of Zero's battle theme in Kirby's Dream Land 3. Enamored with the theme as I was, I figured why not see the original in context? I regretted doing that for the rest of the night. But that told me something else I hadn't known about Kirby: his games weren't as cute and fluffy as the covers depicted them to be.
And that's the final reason I'm enamoured with Kirby. On the surface, it may appear to lack depth, but exploring the games further unveils unexpected darkness hidden within the sugar bowl. Kirby games may be fueled on super effective cuteness and cheer, but they're no stranger to dealing with betrayal and evil itself. The reason why King Dedede is not considered to be made of bad is because he was protecting "his" kingdom from being haunted by nightmares (from, well, Nightmare). It becomes clear, then, that Dream Land isn't some cute, idyllic name given to Kirby's home country; it stands in contrast with the pure, nightmarish evils that exist in this universe.
The epilogue of Kirby Mass Attack sums this contrast up nicely:
The Kirbys finally defeated Necrodeus -- thanks to the heroic heart that had guided them every step of the way! Necrodeus faded into oblivion, leaving his staff floating in space. The heroic heart called out to the Kirbys...
"Now! Everyone, grab the staff! Use its magic!"
The Kirbys... became one whole Kirby again! A Warp Star soared into view and picked up Kirby! As Kirby flew home, he looked out across the cosmos. The stars were so beautiful. Darkness had its place just as much as light, he thought. For the stars sparkled twice as bright in the dark depths of space!
As Kirby soared onward, he saw Pop Star in all its glory! Pop Star had never looked so wonderful. It shone like a brilliant beacon of hope. Kirby left the darkness of space behind, glad to be home at long last.
It's a simple theme, but effective. And it's that simplicity of protecting something as comforting as home that keeps me coming back.
Among other things.
tl;dr: they're endearing, cute, simple, and fun to play, and Jun Ishikawa like a boss.
WHY THE FUCK DO YOU LIKE KIRBY SO MUCH?
BECAUSE I DO?
I understand that this interest of mine is random. My previous fandoms (the Persona series, the James Bond series, Lost, 24, Harry Potter) don't have much, if anything, in common with the Kirby series: if they don't have depth, they have grit. Kirby has neither. Kirby is one of Nintendo's many cute critter franchises, one designed with gaming beginners in mind--quite different from my other vidya game franchise fandom, Persona, created by a company known for games so difficult that TV Tropes has its own page dedicated to the company's bosses. Whereas other series are fueled by the need to protect a kingdom or an important person, Kirby games are so light on plot that a slice of missing cake is motivation enough for an entire game. Indeed, there's little about the series that would suggest any hidden depths, anything that might nudge it towards the objective realm of pop culture art. But simplicity is part of the series' charm.
Other games may punish you for being an average or sub-par player. Kirby does not. Even Game Over screens are treats to the player; in many cases, you'll want to end the game, just to see the cute/humorous results (and hear the music, but I'll talk about that later). You don't have to search for a tutorial on how to play the game; it's often offered to you as soon as you begin, though recently the tutorials have been embedded in the background. And if anyone gives you a hard time about not being up to snuff with any of the games, it's easy to just play and forget that anyone has high standards for Kirby. After all, it's freaking Kirby! He can cause damage with rainbows and flowers! He's a pink little boy who loves to eat and sleep! He can't sing for shit!
It's no secret the gaming community eats its own. You can't show that you're a sub-par or even average player, especially if you're female. Female gamers have to prove they're the hardcorest of hardcore gamers if they don't want to have even the slightest ineptitude at gaming credited to their gender. Inexplicably, this attitude prevails among the Kirby fanbase, as people flock to boast how quickly they cleared the Arena with such-and-such an ability (usually hammer), and spend more time than they ought rating Kirby's abilities as a whole, as if the experience of playing a Kirby game is the same for everyone. Even HAL disagrees with that:
Iwata
When you came to work on this project, what did you think was the essence of Kirby?
Hattori
It's difficult to say. I listened to a lot of people, but everybody says something different.
Iwata
I know. They're as different as they are for The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. But everyone thinks their idea of the essence of Kirby is the right one! (laughs)
Kawase
They feel rather strongly about it.
Iwata
I feel like Kirby contains a lot. After all, he can inhale just about anything, so anything fits! (laughs)
Hattori
I agree! His appearance and abilities are ever-changing, which should be his greatest attribute, but he doesn't need to transform and can cruise along just fleeing his enemies. That flexibility is a part of Kirby. I think "Anything is possible," sums up Kirby.
I think that whatever we add or subtract, Kirby is Kirby, so I don't insist on any one particular thing. What each person thinks is probably right, so I think that the essence of Kirby is that which is not determined, but at the same time doesn't budge.
Iwata
How about you Kawase-san?
Kawase
In games like Kirby's Dream Course, Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, and Kirby Mass Attack, Kirby can do anything depending on the game's materials. So I think the essence of Kirby is the player being able to turn at any time into whatever form he or she wishes.
Iwata
Kumazaki-san?
Kumazaki
At first glance, it has mass appeal and casts a broad net, but you can enjoy feverous action. A lot of a Kirby game's appeal is in its cute and amusing appearance, but the action is surprising and the setting deep and the developments thrilling.
I think the essence of Kirby lies in its broad appeal and the way both adults and children can enjoy its depth. When we make a game, we pay attention to ease in play in the first half and sudden increased tension in the second half.
Iwata
Nakano-san?
Nakano
This isn't a very developerly way to put it, but for me, Kirby is about super duper excitement! That was my impression as a child playing Kirby. It surprised you and stimulated your imagination, so you thought "What's this?!" and "Kirby can do that too?!" As you're playing, you grow elated. To me, that is the essence of Kirby.
Iwata
Yes, just like you said, that comment isn't very developerly. (laughs)
Everyone
(laughs)
Iwata
What do you think, Kamitake-san?
Kamitake
Like Hattori-san, I think Kirby is about anything being possible. There's easier play for small children and plenty of fun elements for hard-core gamers like me.
Iwata
Since people who can play comparatively challenging games can also enjoy reaching the goal rather easily in a Kirby game, there must be an element that allows players the freedom to play a variety of ways at their own skill level.
Kamitake
Yes. There are many ways clear one map. The developers imagine one particular solution, but we have a good time on the team when someone says, "Did you know there's this way, too?" Another characteristic is the large variety of Copy Abilities.
As someone who often gives up on games due to the pressures of being THE BEST, it's refreshing to see a game's development team state plainly that there is no one way to play Kirby. And it's these very same people--the people of HAL Laboratory--that contribute to my fascination with the series. A lot of games feel churned out by an anonymous team of developers overshadowed by the big name directors, character designers and sound composers. Even if HAL has big name luminaries of its own (the series' creator, Masahiro Sakurai; sound composers Jun Ishikawa and Hirokazu Ando; and former president Satoru Iwata, currently president of Nintendo), reading the interviews, and playing the games, give the sense of a genuine team effort. These people take their Kaabii seriously--so seriously that three home console games were scrapped as being Insufficient prior to the development of Kirby's Return to Dream Land. And then they turn around and cheekily reference one of the cancelled games not just in Return to Dream Land, but in Kirby: Mass Attack, too!
HAL may be srs about their Kaabii, but not too serious to throw in more than a few referential gags throughout the game. That, too, is refreshing, considering that if you want the same kind of references in a Mario game you have to go digging through one of the series' many spin-offs. The Kirby series presents clever gags in its most major release of the year (ressurecting music from the deaaad). Hell, the folks at HAL put in a lot of effort for games that weren't originally theirs! Kirby's Epic Yarn, originally supposed to center around the character Prince Fluff, features several of the best remakes of classic themes, done by the original composers themselves--all because they wanted to match the sound GoodFeel's in-house composer had made for Fluff's Yarn.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO ONE OF, IF NOT THE BIGGEST REASON WHY I LOVE ME SOME KAABII: DAT FUCKING MUSIC.
Similar to James Bond, I was drawn into the Kirby series through its music. Mom had gotten us hooked on Mario as kids so I never came within an inch of Kirby. Then I was browsing through YouTube, as I am wont to do, looking at Mario hacks, and came across one called Mario Fantasy. That only has one boss: Marx. For the next few...forever, I guess, I went wild looking for MP3s of that battle music. I stumbled on the soundtracks for Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl, downloaded their renditions of Vs. Marx, Butter Building and Gourmet Race (as well as Checker Knights and Frozen Hillside, although those weren't new renditions at all), as well as the renditions of Vs. Marx found in Super Star and its DS remake.
I doubt I can adequitely explain why the music captured my attention. There was just something...haunting about it. And beautiful, for all of its menace. The complexity of its melody and rhythm threw me for a loop, too, as I had grown used to the Mario series music, which tends to be relatively simple.
Anyway, from there I stumbled upon remixes of the theme, and remixes of other themes, too. This bought me to iR2-X's remix of Zero's battle theme in Kirby's Dream Land 3. Enamored with the theme as I was, I figured why not see the original in context? I regretted doing that for the rest of the night. But that told me something else I hadn't known about Kirby: his games weren't as cute and fluffy as the covers depicted them to be.
And that's the final reason I'm enamoured with Kirby. On the surface, it may appear to lack depth, but exploring the games further unveils unexpected darkness hidden within the sugar bowl. Kirby games may be fueled on super effective cuteness and cheer, but they're no stranger to dealing with betrayal and evil itself. The reason why King Dedede is not considered to be made of bad is because he was protecting "his" kingdom from being haunted by nightmares (from, well, Nightmare). It becomes clear, then, that Dream Land isn't some cute, idyllic name given to Kirby's home country; it stands in contrast with the pure, nightmarish evils that exist in this universe.
The epilogue of Kirby Mass Attack sums this contrast up nicely:
The Kirbys finally defeated Necrodeus -- thanks to the heroic heart that had guided them every step of the way! Necrodeus faded into oblivion, leaving his staff floating in space. The heroic heart called out to the Kirbys...
"Now! Everyone, grab the staff! Use its magic!"
The Kirbys... became one whole Kirby again! A Warp Star soared into view and picked up Kirby! As Kirby flew home, he looked out across the cosmos. The stars were so beautiful. Darkness had its place just as much as light, he thought. For the stars sparkled twice as bright in the dark depths of space!
As Kirby soared onward, he saw Pop Star in all its glory! Pop Star had never looked so wonderful. It shone like a brilliant beacon of hope. Kirby left the darkness of space behind, glad to be home at long last.
It's a simple theme, but effective. And it's that simplicity of protecting something as comforting as home that keeps me coming back.
Among other things.
tl;dr: they're endearing, cute, simple, and fun to play, and Jun Ishikawa like a boss.