Kirby Super Star Box art ofKirby Super Star in various regions Details Developer(s) HAL Laboratory Publisher(s) Nintendo Designer(s) Masahiro Sakurai Release date(s) SNES: March 21, 1996 September 20, 1996 January 23, 1997 January 23, 1997 Virtual Console (Wii): October 13, 2009 May 17, 2010 May 28, 2010 May 28, 2010 Virtual Console (Wii U): May 1, 2013 May 23, 2013 May 23, 2013 May 23, 2013 SNES: Nintendo Switch Online December 12, 2019 December 12, 2019 December 12, 2019 December 12, 2019 Platform(s) Super Nintendo Entertainment System Wii(Virtual Console,Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition) Wii U(Virtual Console) SNES Classic Edition Nintendo Switch(SNES: Nintendo Switch Online) Supported languages Japanese, American English, British English Rating(s) ESRB: / PEGI: CERO:

Game chronology ←Kirby's Block Ball Kirby's Star Stacker (Game Boy) →

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Kirby Super Star (originally released asKirby's Fun Pak in Europe and Australia, and originally known under the working titleKirby of the Stars: Active) is a main-seriesKirby game for theSuper Nintendo Entertainment System that was developed byHAL Laboratory and published byNintendo. Unlike other games in the series, it does not follow a single storyline: instead, being developed with an "omnibus" approach, it consists of six different main games, one extra game in the form of aboss endurance mode, and twoSub-Games, all with their own unique scenarios, theming, and gameplay elements.

Kirby Super Star introduces the idea of giving mostCopy Abilities expanded movesets that revolve around specific inputs, like in most fighting games, as well as a distinct appearance. It also introduces several recurring characters (such asDyna Blade,Chef Kawasaki, andMarx), several recurring abilities (such asWing,Fighter, andYo-Yo) and several recurring musical themes, such as "Gourmet Race", the full versions of themes like "Green Greens" and "King Dedede's Theme", and thetwothemes associated with theHalberd. It is also the first main-seriesKirby game to featuremultiplayer, allowing a second player to take control of aHelper that Kirby can call to his side by sacrificing a Copy Ability. It was the penultimate main-seriesKirby game to be directed by series creatorMasahiro Sakurai, followed only byKirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.

In 2008, the game received a remake namedKirby Super Star Ultra on theNintendo DS.

Gameplay[edit]

Building off ofKirby's Adventure,Kirby Super Star is an action platform game that also features a wide assortment of Copy Abilities and wider environments in comparison toKirby's Dream Land.

Perhaps its most notable element is its focus on an "omnibus" approach. Rather than featuring one mainStory Mode, the game serves as a collection of smaller games—more specifically, six primary games and one extra game (See#Main games) and two Sub-Games (Megaton Punch andSamurai Kirby). Though the six primary games share central gameplay mechanics and rules, they develop the concept in many different ways; for example,The Great Cave Offensive sees Kirby escape a sprawling labyrinth with lots of obtainabletreasure, whileGourmet Race is a racing game that focuses more on a total score. While its central gameplay largely resembles that ofKirby's Adventure andKirby's Dream Land at a glance, it builds off of their mechanics in various ways.

Firstly, almost every Copy Ability now sports a wide array of moves and attacks, executed with sometimes-situational button presses and command inputs; this was a decision directly inspired by the wide movesets in fighting games, and allows for more versatility and depth in combat and exploration.^[1] Additionally, almost every Copy Ability now also features some distinctive change to Kirby's appearance; though typically in the form of headwear or a hat, some—such asFire,Ice, andPlasma—will also change Kirby's color. Though limited-use abilities—such asCrash,Mike, andCook—lack any distinct addition or change to Kirby's appearance in normal gameplay, Kirby will flash a bright yellow when they are not currently being used.

Additionally, simultaneousmultiplayer in the main series is first introduced in this game, with the most prominent example being theHelper system. Helpers can only be called if Kirby has a Copy Ability, though he will lose it in the process, and can either be controlled by the CPU or a second player. Each helper—with the exception ofTac and the unnamedStarship helper—corresponds to a standard Copy Ability, and will only possess their respective Copy Ability's moves and techniques, though with the addition of theInfinity Jump andSpace Jump. Unlike additional characters in other games (such asKirby's Return to Dream Land andKirby and the Forgotten Land), the Helper will not simply disappear when running out of health, and will instead burst into flashes of red for a period of time before ultimately being KO'd; if the Helper makes contact with an enemy or projectile of a different Copy Ability while in this state, they will transform into the Helper of that respective ability, regaining all of their health. Though the Helper could be seen as another "player 1", Kirby is ultimately the one in the lead; the Helper cannot venture too far away from Kirby, and both Kirby and the Helper will be defeated if Kirby is KO'd.

Kirby Super Star also introduces gameplay developments and tweaks that would become staples of the series, such as a greatly-expanded main menu in the corkboard, a more analog health bar for all characters (in place of distinct pips), increased enemy durability, and the addition of commonfood items (along withFeed Me, the technique which shares them).

Controls[edit]

Kirby's moveset
Move	Image	Controls	Move	Image	Controls
Walk		←or→	Dash		←or→ (tap twice)
Sit		↓	Copy/Swallow		↓ or A
Enter a door		↑	Jump		B
Slide		↓ + B	Fly		B (continuously while jumping)
Swim		B (in water)	Inhale		Y
Exhale		Y	Shoot air bullets		Y (midair)
Water gun		Y (in water)	Use ability		Y
Create helper		A	Cancel helper		A
Guard		L or R

Game modes[edit]

"Corkboard" redirects here. For information about the musical theme, seeCorkboard (theme).

Kirby Super Star consists of six primary games, an extra boss endurance mode known asThe Arena, and twoSub-Games. Only four of the main games are available at first, with the other two (Revenge of Meta Knight &Milky Way Wishes) unlocked as the former are completed. While all of the main games share the same basic play-style, their objectives and rules differ greatly, as well as their general tone and aesthetic.

Main games[edit]

Name	Difficulty	Caption	Unlock requirement	Description	Boss(es)	Notes
Spring Breeze	★	HELP! All the food from Dream Land has been stolen! Hurry, Kirby, or everyone will starve!	N/A	King Dedede and his goons have stolen all the food fromDream Land, prompting Kirby to go and get it back from them.	Whispy Woods,Lololo & Lalala,Kracko,King Dedede	This game is a truncated remake ofKirby's Dream Land. Clearing this game is not required.
Dyna Blade	★★★	Dyna Blade is destroying all the crops. She must be stopped. Master the different abilities and defeat her.	N/A	Dyna Blade is disrupting Dream Land's crops, and Kirby is tasked with finding out why.	Dyna Blade	This game features a world map andsecret areas to discover. Clearing this game is necessary to unlockRevenge of Meta Knight.
Gourmet Race	?	Race through "Gourmet World" to the finish, gobbling up all the tasty treats you can find.	N/A	Kirby and King Dedede compete in three races while also grabbingFood along the way.	N/A	This game is a test of speed and accuracy, with the goal being to win by both reaching the end of the tracks first and/or collecting the most food. Clearing this game is not required.
The Great Cave Offensive	★★★★	Get through the deadly cave while collecting hidden treasures.	N/A	Kirby stumbles into a massive cavernous region. He will need to find his way out while nabbing theTreasures along the way.	Fatty Whale,Computer Virus,Ghameleo Arm,Wham Bam Rock	This game-mode features a more open map with the ability to freely move back and forth between the different areas. Unlike other modes, the game does not automatically save: Kirby must instead findRest Areas to save his progress. There are a total of 60 treasures to collect, though actually collecting them is not necessary to complete the game. Clearing this game is necessary to unlockMilky Way Wishes.
Revenge of Meta Knight	★★★★	Save Dream Land! Defeat Meta-Knight and his giant warship Halberd!	Complete Dyna Blade	Meta Knight and his crew are seeking to take overDream Land using their new toy - the BattleshipHalberd. Kirby must stop them by bringing down their ship.	Whispy Woods,Twin Woods,Combo Cannon,Heavy Lobster,Halberd's Reactor,Meta Knight	This game has a chapter-based progression and a time limit on each stage, and Kirby will be defeated if he runs out of time. Additionally, this game features a real-time dialogue exchange between the Halberd crew members as they try to repulse Kirby from the ship. Clearing this game is necessary to unlockMilky Way Wishes.
Milky Way Wishes	★★★★★	HELP! You must stop the Sun and Moon from fighting!	Complete The Great Cave Offensive and Revenge of Meta Knight	The sun and moon overPop Star are fighting. A strange jester-like creature namedMarx tasks Kirby to find the stars from eachFountain of Dreams across the galaxy and summon the cometNova to fix the situation.	Twin Woods,Fatty Whale,Kracko,Ghameleo Arm,Wham Bam Rock,Heavy Lobster,Computer Virus,Heart of Nova,Marx	This game does not allow Kirby to gain copy abilities from enemies under normal circumstances, and instead tasks him with findingDeluxe copy abilities on pedestals in order to freely switch between abilities at any time. Stages are selected from an outer-space map and most can be visited in any order. Clearing this game triggers thestaff credits and unlocksThe Arena.
The Arena	★★★★★	THE FINAL CHALLENGE! In his toughest battle yet, thePink Wonder faces his strongest enemies.	Complete Milky Way Wishes	Kirby faces off against all of his enemies in a fighting tournament.	All previous bosses and mid-bosses (except forKracko Jr.), plusWaddle Dee	This bonus game is aBoss Endurance mode in which Kirby picks a copy ability and fights against all the bosses in the game in a randomized order, always ending with Marx. Kirby is afforded a rest area between rounds where he can recover with a limited stock ofMaxim Tomatoes. Clearing this game unlocks theSound Test.

Sub-games[edit]

• Megaton Punch – A game of precision in which Kirby and an opponent face off in a tournament to create the greatest fissure in the ground.
• Samurai Kirby – A game that tests reaction time in which Kirby and an opponent compete in a single-hit samurai duel, similar toQuick Draw fromKirby's Adventure.

Copy Abilities[edit]

Kirby Super Star features 24 standardCopy Abilities and two special abilities. Unlike previous titles, these abilities often feature extensive movesets, with several different attacks that can be performed with specific inputs, including by holding the attack button, performing moves in midair, or whiledashing, or inputting a specific direction while attacking. Additionally, this game was the first in the series to give almost every ability a special hat and/orcolor change which is applied to Kirby when he gains the ability.

Copy Abilities inKirby Super Star
Name	Icon	Appearance	Obtained from	Helper	Description	Notes
New Abilities
Bomb			Jungle Bomb,Poppy Bros. Jr.,Combo Cannon's bomb drops,Poppy Bros. Sr.	Poppy Bros. Jr.	Kirby can prep and toss bombs at his opponents.
Cook			Chef Kawasaki		Kirby pulls out a cooking pot and boils any enemies on screen, transforming them intofood items.	Single-use ability.
Copy			T.A.C.	T.A.C.	Kirby can scan an enemy in order to steal its powers. Works on some enemies that cannot normally be inhaled.	Ability is replaced when another is copied. Kirby does not gain a physical change until using the ability.
Fighter			Knuckle Joe,Iron Mom	Knuckle Joe	Kirby can use a wide array of martial arts-based moves and can fire energy blasts from his hands.	Fighter Kirby's moveset is heavily inspired by theStreet Fighter games.
Jet			Capsule J	Capsule J	Kirby gains a jet pack that can be used to fly quickly and perform tackles. The exhaust can lightFuses.
Mirror			Simirror	Simirror	Kirby can attack by throwing reflections of himself and reflecting projectiles from opponents.
Ninja			Bio Spark	Bio Spark	Kirby gains a wide arsenal of ninja-style weapons and techniques to battle opponents.
Paint			Ghameleo Arm's glob attacks,Heavy Lobster's goop projectiles		Kirby can splatter paint all over the place, defeating enemies and inflicting specific effects on some bosses.Ghameleo Arm changes color when hit, andHeavy Lobster is blinded.	Single-use ability. This is the only ability in the game with no enemy who specifically provides it.
Plasma			Plasma Wisp	Plasma Wisp	Kirby can build up static and fire various electric blasts at enemies.	Based slightly onSpark from earlier games, though without its signature barrier move.
Suplex			Bugzzy,Jukid	Bugzzy	Kirby can grab enemies and toss or slam them in several different ways.	Based onBackdrop.
Wing			Birdon	Birdon	Kirby gains a pair of wings and can attack by divebombing or shooting feathers.
Yo-Yo			Gim,Combo Cannon (cannonballs)	Gim	Kirby gains a yo-yo and can attack with many different tricks.
Returning Abilities
Beam			Laser Ball,Waddle Doo	Waddle Doo	Kirby can fire a magical beam whip and shoot spherical beam blasts.
Crash			Bomber,Scarfy (whenscanned)		Kirby can cause a huge explosion, defeating all enemies on the screen.	Single-use ability. This ability has no hat, but Kirby flashes while he has it.
Cutter			Poppy Bros. Jr.,Sir Kibble,Computer Virus (red dragon swipes),Marx (Shooter Cutter)	Sir Kibble	Kirby can toss bladed boomerangs which return to him.	This game introduced the iconicFinal Cutter to the Cutter moveset.
Fire			Burnin' Leo	Burnin' Leo	Kirby can breathe fire and combust into a fireball.	First instance ofFire andBurning being fused into a single ability.
Hammer			Bonkers	Bonkers	Kirby gains a powerful mallet that can pulverize enemies and poundStakes. Can be used underwater.	This game introduced the iconicHammer Flip and Hammer Throw techniques. Kirby does not gain a hat with this ability (Hammer's headband would first appear inKirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.)
Ice			Chilly,Mr. Frosty	Chilly	Kirby can freeze enemies and kick them aside with his breath and with an aura.	First instance ofIce andFreeze being fused into a single ability.
Mike			Walky		Kirby can shout at enemies to defeat them with powerful sound waves. Each shout is more powerful than the last.	Three-use ability. The first instance of this ability gaining a different look and sound for each shout. The third shout was provided byMasahiro Sakurai.
Parasol			Parasol	Parasol Waddle Dee	Kirby gains a parasol which can be used to attack, defend, or gently glide downward.	Parasol first gained its Circus Throw and the ability to douse flames in this game.
Sleep			Noddy		Kirby falls asleep, and cannot do anything until he wakes up or is attacked.
Stone			Rocky,Fatty Whale's boulders,Wham Bam Rock's stones	Rocky	Kirby can transform into a stone and slide down slopes.	This was the first game where Kirby's stone transformations could vary.
Sword			Blade Knight,Meta Knight	Blade Knight	Kirby gains a sword and a large array of sword-fighting techniques. Can be used underwater.	Kirby's hat is based onLink fromThe Legend of Zelda.
Wheel			Wheelie	Wheelie	Kirby can transform into a wheel and ride through enemies at high speed.
Special Abilities
Wheelie Rider			Mounting aWheelieHelper	N/A	Kirby and Wheelie move as one, riding extremely quickly and defeating enemies they run over.	Kirby can perform anInfinity Jump while riding Wheelie.
Starship			TheSparkling Stars	Unnamed Starship Helper	Kirby rides a starship that can move freely and fire star bullets at a rapid pace. Used to battle theHeart of Nova.	Similar to theStar Rod ability. Cannot be discarded while in use.

Helpers[edit]

While in possession of an ability, Kirby can spend it to call aHelper to his side, who resembles an enemy who would normally provide that ability. The Helper gains access to all of the same moves as its corresponding ability on Kirby, and in most cases also gains anInfinity Jump, but has lesshealth than Kirby most of the time. The Helper can be controlled by a second player for co-op play, but will normally be controlled by theCPU. At any time if Kirby is without an ability, he can use theSuppin Beam to transform his helper into an inanimate object which can be inhaled and swallowed for the original ability the helper was based on.

Helpers inKirby Super Star
Name	Icon	Appearance	Copy Ability	Notes
Bio Spark			Ninja
Birdon			Wing
Blade Knight			Sword
Bonkers			Hammer	Cannot use Hammer Throw.
Bugzzy			Suplex
Burnin' Leo			Fire	Can breathe fire underwater.
Capsule J			Jet
Chilly			Ice
Gim			Yo-Yo
Knuckle Joe			Fighter
Parasol W. Dee			Parasol
Plasma Wisp			Plasma
Poppy Bros. Jr.			Bomb
Rocky			Stone
Simirror			Mirror
Sir Kibble			Cutter
Tac			Copy	Can attack enemies using its 'grab'.
Waddle Doo			Beam
Wheelie			Wheel	Can be mounted to form theWheelie Rider ability.
Unnamed Starship Helper			Starship	Cannot be controlled by theCPU.

Enemies[edit]

Standard Enemies[edit]

During most of the main games (excludingGourmet Race),Kirby encounters various enemies that he can interact with on his adventure, some of which may only be found in certain games. Most of these can be inhaled and either spat at other enemies to deal them damage, or swallowed. Swallowing certain opponents may grant Kirby aCopy Ability (except inMilky Way Wishes, where abilities cannot be acquired from foes in typical fashion).

Every enemy in the game, apart from those that are invincible, possesses a certain amount of health that Kirby must deplete if he decides to defeat it by using physical attacks instead of inhaling it. In all main games apart fromThe Great Cave Offensive, eliminating an opponent by inhaling or otherwise destroying it adds a certain amount of points to Kirby's score, which varies depending on the enemy.

(Legend:SB =Spring Breeze,DB =Dyna Blade,TGCO =The Great Cave Offensive ,RoMK =Revenge of Meta Knight,MWW =Milky Way Wishes

Standard enemies inKirby Super Star
Name	Appearance	Copy Ability	Health	Score	Description	SB	DB	TGCO	RoMK	MWW
Neutral enemies
Blipper		None	8	260	A fish that follows Kirby in water or helplessly flops around outside of it.	1	1	1	1	1
Bounder		None	8	140	Runs back and forth in front of Kirby, always keeping at a distance from him and climbing walls in its way, tossing harmful stars from time to time.	3	3	1	1	3
Bronto Burt		None	8	300	A magenta, winged creature that flies in wave motions or up and down, follows Kirby or walks or stands on the ground, taking off and flying forward or in Kirby's direction when he gets near.	1	1	1	1	1
Broom Hatter		None	16	200	This small, pointy-hatted creature walks left and right, cleaning the floor with its broom at briefly increasing its speed with every sweep.	1	1	1	1	1
Cappy		None	12	200 (cap), 200 (body)	Attempting to inhale this hopping enemy will first remove its mushroom cap, unmasking it. Sometimes stops to blow its cap high into the air.	1	1	1	1	1
Coconut		None	1	0	Coconuts hang on ceilings until Kirby walks under them, then they fall down and explode.	1	1	1	3	1
Gator		None	16	400	This alligator pounces on Kirby, trying to bite him. This attack cannot be guarded against.	3	1	1	3	1
Glunk		None	16	300	A sea anemone that sticks to the ground or ceiling and periodically launches projectiles upwards or downwards.	3	1	1	1	1
Gordo		None	N/A	N/A	Invincible spike balls that move horizontally or vertically, bounce around, follow walls or remain in one place, causing harm to Kirby when touched.	1	1	1	1	1
Grizzo		None	55	600	This large bear hops around or charges at Kirby, causing a massive amount of damage if it rams him. Can sometimes be found asleep.	1	1	1	3	1
Kabu		None	16	200	A spinning stone head that jumps, slides or floats up and down. The sliding variety eventually rockets into the sky, while the floating type teleports around, eventually falling down, sliding towards Kirby and exploding.	1	1	1	1	1
Lovely		None	28	800	A large flower that sprouts from the ground or the ceiling, occasionally launching its head towards Kirby to try and grab him. Cannot be inhaled or guarded against.	1	1	1	1	1
Magical Sweeper		None	9	500	This glowing disc follows walls or floats up and down, releasing rapid salvos of projectiles, or flies in a straight line, dropping singular, large projectiles on Kirby when he moves under it.	3	3	1	1	3
Moto Shotzo		None	26	500	A mobile cannon that rolls and jumps around, aiming and firing cannonballs at Kirby.	3	3	3	1	1
Shotzo		None	N/A	N/A	An invincible cannon that aims at Kirby and fires singular cannonballs or always faces the same direction, but gives off three consecutive shots.	1	1	1	1	1
Slippy		None	16	400	A spherical toad that swims in water or bounces around outside of it.	3	1	1	1	1
Squishy		None	16	300	This white squid can walk and jump on land or swim in water.	1	1	1	3	1
Tookey		None	6	220	This hen flies towards Kirby, often waiting on the ground for him to come near before taking off.	1	1	1	1	1
Twizzy		None	6	180	A little bird that either hops around or flies up and down or in wave motions.	1	1	1	1	1
Waddle Dee		None	12	200	The most basic enemy, all a Waddle Dee does is walk and occasionally jump.	1	1	1	3	1
Ability-providing enemies
Bio Spark		Ninja	8	300	A fast-moving ninja that jumps back and forth, tossing daggers or rapidly stabbing at Kirby, as well as grabbing him and slamming him onto the ground when he touches him, regardless of whether Kirby is guarding.	3	1	1	1	1
Birdon		Wing	16	500	This bird flies left and right or hops along the ground, shooting its feathers at Kirby or diving at him.	3	1	1	1	1
Blade Knight		Sword	26	500	This armor-clad knight walks back and forth in a small area, slashing or rapidly stabbing at Kirby with its sword if he comes too close. Can destroy projectiles fired by Kirby with its blade.	1	1	3	1	1
Bomber		Crash	1	0	When this walking bomb falls off the edge of a platform, it explodes, harming friend and foe alike.	1	1	1	1	1
Burning Leo		Fire	16	500	Similarly toHot Head in otherKirby games, Burnin' Leo breathes flames or spits singular, large fireballs at Kirby. Referred to in this game as "Burnin' Leo".	1	1	1	1	1
Capsule J		Jet	18	400	Walks and hovers around and attempts to charge into Kirby, causing massive damage. Eventually flies off the screen if Kirby does not destroy it.	3	3	1	1	1
Chilly		Ice	20	400	This snowman does not move fast, but can freeze Kirby if he gets too close or cause three icicles to fall down in front of itself.	1	1	1	1	1
Gim		Yo-Yo	16	300	This robot walks slowly, but uses its yo-yo as a fast weapon, throwing it at different angles depending on Kirby's position.	3	1	1	1	1
Jungle Bomb		Bomb	16	300	A pineapple with a helmet that either spits up to three bombs at Kirby at a time or lays one on the ground and runs away.	3	1	1	1	1
Knuckle Joe		Fighter	30	500	This martial artist fires small and rapid or singular large blasts of energy at Kirby when he comes to close, as well as jumping backwards, forwards or straight into the air to kick at him.	1	1	1	1	1
Laser Ball		Beam	4	200	Floating through the air, this orb attempts to get in front of Kirby to fire a laser at him.	3	3	1	1	1
Noddy		Sleep	12	100	Always tired, Noddy alternates between slowly walking and sleeping. Swallowing it causes Kirby to immediately fall asleep as well.	3	1	1	1	1
Parasol		Parasol	8	300	On its own, this parasol simply floats away or in circles. Usually held by Waddle Dees or Waddle Doos to slow their fall.	1	1	1	3	1
Plasma Wisp		Plasma	10	500	This will-o-the-wisp flies in small circles, firing needles, arrows or large, long-range blasts of energy from its hands, depending on Kirby's distance from it.	3	1	1	1	1
Poppy Bros. Jr.		None,Bomb,Cutter	16	200	A simple enemy that makes small hops and sometimes balances on an apple. May carry and attack with bombs or a cutter boomerang, yielding the ability associated with the respective weapon if it does.	1	1	1	1	1
Rocky		Stone	44	400	This living rock slowly walks left and right, jumping into the air when Kirby gets close and attempting to fall on him.	1	1	1	1	1
Scarfy		Crash	16*	1000	Floating up and down, a Scarfy poses little threat unless Kirby hurts or tries to inhale it, causing it to transform, chase him and eventually explode. Some specimens also follow Kirby while his back is turned to them.	1	1	1	1	1
Simirror		Mirror	20	500	With its wand, this small wizard can create barriers that reflect Kirby's attacks, as well as create copies of itself. Sometimes, it attempts to teleport to safety when attacked.	1	1	1	3	1
Sir Kibble		Cutter	20	400	A small knight that stands in one place and tosses the top part of its helmet like a boomerang, sometimes jumping over it as it returns.	1	1	1	1	1
Tac		Copy	8	1000	This masked cat attempts to steal Kirby's copy ability, running away with it if it is successful. Kirby can only recover it by defeating the Tac that took it. Referred to in this game as "T.A.C."	3	1	1	1	1
Waddle Doo		Beam	18	300	Waddle Dee's one-eyed cousin walks and jumps like its weaker relative, but may fire a beam whip from its singular eye. InThe Great Cave Offensive, some Waddle Doos swing on chains.	1	1	1	1	1
Walky		Mike	16	890	A walking stage microphone that stops from time to time to sing, generating three harmful notes that fly out of its mouth.	1	1	1	1	3
Wheelie		Wheel	14	200	A tire that rolls after Kirby, accelerating at times and attempting to run him over. Colliding with a wall causes it to briefly stop and bounce upwards.	3	1	1	3	1

*A transformed Scarfy explodes instantly when attacked in any manner.

Mid-bosses[edit]

Mid-bosses are stronger opponents encountered at different points throughout many of the game's stages. When Kirby engages in battle with one or multiple mid-bosses, he usually cannot progress further until all mid-bosses on the screen have been destroyed. Likebosses, each possesses a health meter; once its health reaches zero, it is defeated. Apart fromKracko Jr. and theMeta-Knights, all mid-bosses can be inhaled after their defeat and swallowed for aCopy Ability. Unlike regular enemies, most of them are invulnerable to Kirby'sslide attack orAir Bullets.

All mid-bosses apart from Kracko Jr. and the Meta-Knights are re-fought inThe Arena, so the 'Appearance' category will not include that mode for the sake of brevity.

(Legend:SB =Spring Breeze,DB =Dyna Blade,TGCO =The Great Cave Offensive,RoMK =Revenge of Meta-Knight,MWW =Milky Way Wishes)

Mid-bosses inKirby Super Star
Name	Appearance	Copy Ability	Health	Score	Description	SB	DB	TGCO	RoMK	MWW
Bonkers		Hammer	150	2300	TossesCoconuts at Kirby - singular ones or three at a time - which can be inhaled and spat back, or attempts to pound him with its hammer after running towards him, creating a star that can be used as ammunition.	1
Bugzzy		Suplex	160	2600	A giant bug that may charge at Kirby, trying to grab him and slam him onto the ground, or release two ladybugs, which fly in a wave motion and can be inhaled for ammunition. Can also jump into the air and glide towards Kirby, trying to drop on him.	3	1		3	1
Chef Kawasaki		Cook	100	1800	This cook tries to grapple Kirby with his extendable frying pan, briefly cooking him if he manages to do so. He may also toss plates at him - singular ones or three at a time - which can be inhaled and spat back. Referred to in this game as "Cook Kawasaki".	3	1		3	1
Iron Mam		Fighter	140	2200	Walks back and forth, occasionally stopping to throw a long-range punch at Kirby or pound the ground four times, creating stars that can be inhaled and spat out. Slowly walks towards Kirby while pounding if its health has dropped below 50%. Referred to in this game as "Iron Mom".	3	1	3	1
Jukid		Suplex	130	2500	A martial artist that launches blasts of energy - which can be inhaled for ammunition - at Kirby or attempts to grab him, slamming him onto the ground repeatedly if it is successful.	1		1
Kracko Jr.		N/A	128	10000	A weaker form of Kracko encountered inBubbly Clouds. Swoops at Kirby or drops three bombs on him, which are worth 100 points each and can be spat back. May also createWaddle Doos. Unlike most mid-bosses, Kracko Jr. is instantly destroyed when defeated (and thus cannot be inhaled).	1	1
Meta-Knights		None	Varies	Varies	A group of up to four types of mid-bosses -Axe Knight,Trident Knight,Mace Knight andJavelin Knight - which attack in different ways and need to be defeated separately, despite all sharing a health meter, often multiple times in succession. At least two are usually fought at the same time. Unlike other mid-bosses, all four can be inhaled before being defeated, but doing so takes longer than inhaling a regular enemy. They are also vulnerable to Kirby's slide and air bullets.	3	1
Meta-KnightsAxe Knight		None	64	700	Part of the Meta-Knights. Chops as Kirby with its axe, either once or multiple times while pushing towards him, or throws the axe like a boomerang.	3	1
Meta-KnightsJavelin Knight		None	46	700	Part of the Meta-Knights. Hovers around and either spins rapidly while holding a javelin or tosses burning javelins at Kirby.	1			1
Meta-KnightsMace Knight		None	84	800	Part of the Meta-Knights. Swings a large spiked ball at Kirby or walks towards him while attempting to slam him with it.	3	1
Meta-KnightsTrident Knight		None	64	700	Part of the Meta-Knights. This small samurai tosses pitchforks at Kirby or charges at him, repeatedly stabbing at him with its trident when it gets close.	3	1
Mr. Frosty		Ice	110	1700	This walrus tosses blocks of ice, which are worth 100 points, at Kirby, pounces on him or runs towards him, attempting to swallow him and spit him against a wall. Its ice cubes can be used against it.	1		3	1
Poppy Bros. Sr.		Bomb	80	1500	Hops back and forth and tosses bombs at Kirby, which are worth 100 points and can be spat back. May occasionally charge at Kirby or increase the distance of its jumps to bound over him.	1

Bosses[edit]

Bosses are very powerful opponents who tend to lay at the end of levels and stages in the various games. Unlike previous games, however, bosses are not always fought at the end of levels, with some being entirely skippable. They can be distinguished from proper mid-bosses, however, by their distinct battle music, their on-screen appearances, and the fact that they cannot beinhaled under any circumstances.

All bosses are re-fought inThe Arena, so the 'Appearance' category will not include that mode for the sake of brevity.

Bosses inKirby Super Star
Name	Appearance	Copy Abilities	Appears in	Description	Notes
Whispy Woods			Spring Breeze Revenge of Meta Knight	A stationary tree boss who attacks Kirby by droppingApples and blowingAir Bullets at him. His apples can be inhaled and spat back to deal damage.
Lololo & Lalala			Spring Breeze	A duo boss who attacks by pushing emerald frames along corridors. These frames can be inhaled. Sometimes they pushGordos instead.	Lololo & Lalala have separatehealth from each-other.
Kracko		Beam (from dropped Waddle Doos)	Spring Breeze Milky Way Wishes	A spiky cycloptic cloud that attacks by swooping, firing beams from its eye, and droppingWaddle Doos.
King Dedede			Spring Breeze Gourmet Race	Kirby's eternal rival; a gluttonous robed penguin-like figure who wields a hammer in combat and can inhale and take in air. Kirby races against him in Gourmet Race.	Final boss ofSpring Breeze.
Dyna Blade			Dyna Blade Revenge of Meta Knight	A giant metal bird who attacks by swooping, striking with her beak, and grabbing with her talons. She comes to Kirby's aid in Revenge of Meta Knight.	Final (and only) boss ofDyna Blade.
Fatty Whale		Stone (dropped boulders)	The Great Cave Offensive Milky Way Wishes	A large whale in a sailor's outfit who attacks with body slams and by causing objects to fall.
Computer Virus		Random (fromCopy Essences)	The Great Cave Offensive Milky Way Wishes	A hostile computer program that forces Kirby to fight three opponents in succession in a pseudo turn-based combat.	In The Great Cave Offensive, Kirby fights the Slime, the Dancing Doll, and the Witch. In Milky Way Wishes, he fights the Witch, the Evil Knight, and the Red Dragon.
Chameleo Arm		Paint (glob projectiles)	The Great Cave Offensive Milky Way Wishes	A misshapen chameleon-like entity that comes in many different colors and attacks with its tongue and claws. Referred to in this game as "Ghameleo Arm".	This boss can be skipped in The Great Cave Offensive.
Wham Bam Rock		Stone (dropped stones)	The Great Cave Offensive Milky Way Wishes	A disembodied face that controls two hands made of stone. Only the hands can be attacked.	Final boss ofThe Great Cave Offensive. May have served as the inspiration forMaster Hand andCrazy Hand.
Heavy Lobster		Paint (glob projectiles)	Revenge of Meta Knight Milky Way Wishes	A giant mechanical lobster tank that pursues Kirby several times. It is invulnerable during the pursuit, but it can be attacked once it stops chasing. It fights by spewing flames from its claws, charging forward, and sending out smaller robotic minions.	This boss can be blinded by using thePaint ability on it.
Twin Woods			Revenge of Meta Knight Milky Way Wishes	A pair of Whispy Woods who can attack by throwing sections of their trunks into each-other and spinning to cause poisonousCaterpillars andGordos to drop from their combined canopies.	Each Whispy has separatehealth.
Combo Cannon		Bomb (dropped bombs) Yo-Yo (cannonballs)	Revenge of Meta Knight	An automated turret attached to a laser cannon and extendable robotic arm. The turret fires projectiles while the hand tries to grab Kirby or drop bombs, and the laser cannon will go off periodically with part of the floor lifting up to try and push Kirby into it.	While other parts can be destroyed, the Combo Cannon can only be defeated by attacking the turret.
Reactor			Revenge of Meta Knight	The power core of the Halberd. It attacks Kirby by shooting out flamethrowers from the floor, shooting blasts from its main cannon, and firing a laser that it will try to aim at Kirby. The reactor core is invulnerable to everything except its own laser fire. Referred to in this game as "Halberd's Reactor".	The flamethrowers and cannon can be destroyed, but this does not deal damage to the reactor proper.
Meta Knight		Sword (mostly forced, but if waited long enough it will disappear)	Revenge of Meta Knight	The admiral of the Halberd; this masked swordsman forces Kirby to pick up aSword before they may fight. When he is defeated, his mask breaks.	Final boss ofRevenge of Meta Knight. After his defeat, he tries to stop Kirby from escaping the Halberd by hounding him from the air.
Galactic Nova Nucleus		Starship (forced)	Milky Way Wishes	The core ofNova. Kirby must fly around as the pillars spin and break the central pieces of each pillar to defeat this boss. The main hazard comes from avoiding colliding with the pillars. Referred to in this game as "Heart of Nova".	First example in the series of a boss arena which loops on itself.
Marx		Cutter (Shooter Cutter projectiles)Ice (ice bombs)	Milky Way Wishes	This twisted jester betrayed Kirby to gain great power and a pair of radiant wings. He attacks using all manner of bizarre movements and weaponry and teleports around the arena.	Final boss ofMilky Way Wishes andThe Arena. Defeating him in the former mode initiates the staff credits.

Other displays[edit]

In addition to the icons of Copy Abilities and Helpers, a number of extra portraits can appear in the heads-up display, signifying additional effects, or representing other characters. These are as follows:

Additional icon displays inKirby Super Star
Name	Icon	Description	Notes
Normal		This icon displays under normal circumstances when Kirby is without an ability or status effect.
Nothing		This icon displays briefly if Kirby swallows an object which does not grant him an ability.
Ouch		This icon displays briefly whenever Kirby takes a hit that is not lethal.
CallHelper		This icon appears whenever Kirby calls for aHelper.
Super		This icon appears whenever Kirby is under the effect of anInvincible Candy.
Mix		This icon appears whenever amix is triggered by swallowing two or more ability-providing enemies at once.	The icon is represented by mixed drinks.
Out of health		This icon appears whenever Kirby runs out ofhealth and tumbles off the screen.
Cannon		This icon appears whenever Kirby hops into aFuse Cannon.	Does not apply for rotating cannons.
Trolley		This icon appears whenever Kirby hops into aTrolley.
Warp Star		This icon appears whenever Kirby hops on to aWarp Star.
Enemy		This icon appears when a boss or mid-boss appears and itshealth bar is shown.	This icon only appears inThe Arena.
Character portraits
King Dedede		Various reaction portraits for King Dedede inGourmet Race.
Axe Knight		Various dialogue portraits for Axe Knight inRevenge of Meta Knight.
Captain Vul		Various dialogue portraits for Captain Vul inRevenge of Meta Knight.	Vul has by far the most portraits of any character.
Mace Knight		Various dialogue portraits for Mace Knight inRevenge of Meta Knight.
Meta Knight		Various dialogue portraits for Meta Knight inRevenge of Meta Knight.
Sailor Waddle Dee		Various dialogue portraits for Sailor Waddle Dee inRevenge of Meta Knight.

Development[edit]

Development ofKirby Super Star began soon after the completion ofKirby's Adventure, as soon as the team at HAL Laboratory had a suitable SNES development environment.Masahiro Sakurai has shared many details about the game's development over the years, much of which can be found inthis video released on his official YouTube channel. In this video, Sakurai explains that there were two primary prerogatives behind designingKirby Super Star: the first was the emphasis on two-player co-op, and the second was the "omnibus" format.

The emphasis on multiplayer was given to Sakurai and his team byShigeru Miyamoto, who'd had trouble implementing such a system for theSuper Mario games because he felt the fast-paced gameplay got in the way, and hoped that it could be done in a "slower" game likeKirby. Sakurai described this request as a "tall order", as he understood that it was not that simple, particularly given the fact that Kirby's Copy Ability could radically change the "speed" of the gameplay. Noting that traditional two-player co-op games which place equal emphasis on both players often resulted in them pulling on each-other too much, and that this might get in the way of a platformer experience, Sakurai ended up creating the Helper system, which places the main emphasis on player 1, and pulls player 2 back via aSpace Jump if they wander off-camera. Notably, in the original draft for this concept, the P2 character would gradually losehealth if they wandered off-screen, similar to how damage can accumulate on characters in theSuper Smash Bros. games if they are off-screen.^[2] This general concept would then be tied into the Copy Ability system by allowing Kirby to create allied versions of enemy characters by using anitem associated with the ability. From here, Sakurai explains that this was how he came up with the idea of giving Kirby his ability hats, which he proclaims greatly increased Kirby's character appeal. In relation to this addition, as well as due to Kirby's expanded Copy Ability movesets, Sakurai and his team decided to beef up the HP of regular enemies so that they would not just be defeated in one hit by most attacks, adding versatility to Kirby's moves.

The second prerogative, that of the "omnibus" format, was driven by Sakurai's desire to create a more approachable game that would not take too long to complete, as he felt there were too many games out at the time with big time demands placed on their players. To that end, he conceived the cork-board system of having several smaller games with differing themes, stories, and gameplay styles all together in one package. He also touched upon a scrapped concept for an additional horror-themed game which was planned to be included, which he had before mentioned in an interview for theSNES Classic Edition. In this game, Kirby chases a butterfly into a spooky forest and there finds a magical wall clock that belonged to a wizard who perished centuries ago. The wall clock curses Kirby by sealing his mouth shut, leaving him unable to inhale, hover, or eat food. To break the curse, Kirby would then have to venture into a haunted mansion in the forest that belonged to the late wizard.^[3] Instead of Copy Abilities, Kirby would have used items to emulate their effects; for example, a candle would give him theFire ability. The game was titled "Heat Haze Mansion" (Kagero Mansion in the interview's official translation). No work was done on this game, as it needed to be deprioritized due to time and game memory constraints. The omnibus format of the game would eventually inform its Japanese title,Kirby of the Stars Super Deluxe, which was suggested by celebrity copywriterShigesato Itoi; Sakurai found the idea properly evocative of "how rich [the game] is in content." Said richness would also serve as the basis for the Japanese box art, which, also at Itoi's suggestion, is designed after paulownia wood boxes typically used in Japan to package luxury alcohol and tableware.^[4]

Despite generally meeting Sakurai's vision, there were a few aspects ofKirby Super Star as a finished product which he felt detracted from the experience. For instance, Sakurai explained that he had originally wantedSpring Breeze to be completely without Copy Abilities, to distinguish it fromDyna Blade, but he was urged to add them in at the request of one of the producers at Nintendo. To this day, he still wishes he had been allowed to do without them for that mode. Additionally, he described how the CGI-rendered backgrounds in the game were, in his opinion, not a great match to the style ofKirby, though he values the learning experience that implementing those backgrounds provided.

Animation sprites of Yo-Yo, Fighter, and Cutter fromthe NES prototype ofKirby Super Star

A prototype of the game on theNES was revealed during theKirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert in April 2017. According to Sakurai, this prototype was only meant for internal use and not as a released product. It was "fairly feature-complete" and used as a template for the final game.^[5][6]

Legacy[edit]

Kirby Super Star was a massively influential game in theKirby series, establishing a large number of tropes and features that would persist throughout most of the subsequent main-series games, as well as some games outside of the series. Some of the main influences include:

• The addition of a hat or costume to Copy Abilities, along with the expanded fighting game-related movesets.
  • Increased focus on combat and boss fights.
  • The introduction of certain abilities that would become mainstays, includingFighter,Bomb,Ninja, andWing.
• Many of the musical themes from this title would be reused throughout the series, most notably theGourmet Race theme and theGreen Greens theme paired withthe ending motif toMilky Way Wishes.
• Meta Knight'sHalberd originated in this title.Kirby Super Star is also the first game where Meta Knight has wings.
• Kirby having a health bar instead of his health being measured in pieces. This would become standard in later main series games starting withKirby: Squeak Squad.
• Many of the tropes from this game would be explored again or referenced inKirby Star Allies. This is most notable in the design of the levelFar-Flung Starlight Heroes, which is heavily inspired byMilky Way Wishes.
• Many elements were taken to develop the originalSuper Smash Bros. on theNintendo 64, includingthin floors, simple directional inputs for attacks, midair jumps, andGuarding with a bubble shield.
  • Likewise, most of theKirby stages and other content featured in theSuper Smash Bros. series are derived from this title.

Staff[edit]

The following is a list of staff who have worked onKirby Super Star:

List of staff inKirby Super Star
Position		Developer(s)
	Director	Masahiro Sakurai
	Programmer	Tetsuya Abe Junichi Aoyagi Masakazu Ebibara Teruyuki Gunji Isao Takashi Akio Hanyu
	Chief Programmer	Shigenobu Kasai
	Designer	Kazu Ozawa Hiroo Takeshita Tetsuya Mochizuki
	CG Designer	Hitoshi Kikkawa Tatsuhiro Tanuoue Shigeru Hashiguchi Tadashi Hashikura
	Chief Designer	Tsuyoshi Wakayama
	Sound Composer	Jun Ishikawa Dan Miyakawa
	Mapper	Shinichi Shimomura Tomomi Miyami
	Special Thanks	Hiroaki Suga Tetsuo Kujiraoka Hidetoshi Seki Yoshiaki Shinohara Shigeru Hirayama Seiji Otoguro Atsushi Kakuta Takashi Saito Yoshimi Takahashi Satoshi Ishida Chieko Obikane Hiro Yamada Jim Wornell Kayomi McDonald
	Adviser	Kensuke Tanabe Takao Shimizu
	Project Manager	Ryuki Kuraoka
	Producer	Satoru Iwata Shigeru Miyamoto
	Executive Producer	Hiroshi Yamauchi
NINTENDO,Ltd. HAL Laboratory,INC.

Localization[edit]

In North America, the game was given the nameKirby Super Star, while the game was originally namedKirby's Fun Pak in Europe and Australia. Despite this regional name difference, various European and Australian sources have used both titles interchangeably to refer to the original version, as follows:

• AllSuper Smash Bros. games (prior toSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate),Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, andKirby: Planet Robobot useKirby's Fun Pak in all European localizations, including British English. In the originalSuper Smash Bros., the game is mistakenly referred to as "Kirby's FAN PAK".
• Kirby Air Ride,Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, andKirby's Dream Buffet refer to the game asKirby Super Star in all European localizations, despite the latter two accounting for other European title differences such asKirby's Adventure Wii. One of the tips in the European localizations ofSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate states thatKirby Super Star was "originally known asKirby's Fun Pak in Europe".
• The DS remakeKirby Super Star Ultra uses theKirby Super Star title for all Western language localizations and refers to the original version as such on the back cover.
• Kirby: Triple Deluxe refers to the game asKirby Super Star in its British English localization, while the other European localizations useKirby's Fun Pak. The British English version correctly accounts for other games with distinct European titles.
• The Wii UVirtual Console, Super NES Classic Edition, andNintendo Switch Online feature the American English ROM ofKirby Super Star even in Europe and Australia. By contrast, the Wii Virtual Console used the British EnglishKirby's Fun Pak ROM in Europe and Australia.
• Kirby Star Allies has a universal English localization, which uses the American English names for all games, includingKirby Super Star. The European localizations, on the other hand, refer toKirby: Mouse Attack andKirby's Adventure Wii as such, but still use theKirby Super Star name in reference to that game specifically.
• An official limited-time release of theKirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert referred to the "Kirby Super Star Medley" as the "Kirby's Fun Pak Medley" on the European YouTube channels.
• Nintendo Music uses both names in its British English listings: theKirby Star Allies soundtrack usesKirby's Fun Pak, while theKirby's Dream Buffet soundtrack usesKirby Super Star (likely to maintain parity with the in-game text).

Descriptions[edit]

Nintendo eShop[edit]

That awful King Dedede is at it again—he's stolen all the food in Dream Land! It's up to Kirby to get it back and ultimately save Popstar from being taken over! Our round, pink hero will have to journey through six main games and two minigames, finishing with the ultimate showdown in the Arena. Each game offers its own story and variation of platforming action, as well as unique environments and an assortment of enemies. Swallowing an enemy allows Kirby to copy the abilities of that enemy, granting him the power to perform special attacks and giving him a new hat to don. Kirby can also give up an acquired ability and use it to create a helper. The helper will follow Kirby around and automatically fight as his ally—or offer a second player the chance to join in the game by controlling it. There's never a dull moment as Kirby dashes, flies, and fights!

(This description was reused for the game onSuper Nintendo Entertainment System -Nintendo Switch Online.)

Special version from Nintendo Switch Online (Kirby Super Star Meta Knight's revenge!)[edit]

You can play Milky Way Wishes, and the Arena too!

In this special version of Kirby Super Star, the secret modes are all unlocked! Revenge of Meta Knight, Milky Way Wishes, and the Arena are all available—plus the Sound Room menu, a staple of the Kirby series. In Milky Way Wishes, you can't copy abilities from enemies like you normally would, but you can collect abilities by using the Deluxe Copy Ability. Then you can use an ability you've collected as much as you want, so there's no need to hold back!

Trivia[edit]

• Not counting special abilities,Kirby Super Star introduced the highest number of new Copy Abilities to the series sinceKirby's Adventure, adding 12 to the game. Games that have introduced new abilities since then have not added more than five standard abilities at a go.
• SeveralMario series references are made, such as a Mario statue appearing rarely for one of Stone Kirby's transformations, or Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Birdo appearing in the background ofMegaton Punch and theKing Dedede battle in Spring Breeze.
• The Japanese and European/Australian versions of theBeginner's Room feature an SNES controller with red, yellow, green and blue A, B, X and Y buttons to match the design of the Japanese Super Famicom and European/Australian SNES controllers' button layouts. However, the text in the European/Australian version wasn't altered in the game's tutorial to match, and thus still refers to the controller as having purple buttons.

Quotes[edit]

Main article:List of Kirby Super Star quotes

Gallery[edit]

Main article:Kirby Super Star/gallery

• 
  Part of the opening movie forKirby Super Star
• 
  Part of the opening movie forKirby Super Star
• 
  Part of the opening movie forKirby Super Star
• 
  North American title screen
• 
  File select (with a 100% file)

Names in other languages[edit]

Kirby Super Star[edit]

Kirby Super Star™ Meta Knight's revenge![edit]

External links[edit]

• Official Japanese website
• Interview with Sakurai about Kirby Super Star
• Official Translation of Interview with Sakurai (Wayback Machine snapshot)
• Kirby Super Star on Kirby Informer
• English manual (official digital reproduction of the original printed manual)
• Japanese manual (official digital reproduction of the original printed manual)

References

• Featured pages
• Kirby Super Star
• Main series games
• Games on Super Nintendo Entertainment System

• Pages using Tabber parser tag
• Articles which list Japanese names
• Articles which list Chinese names
• Articles which list Dutch names
• Articles which list French names
• Articles which list German names
• Articles which list Italian names
• Articles which list Korean names
• Articles which list Portuguese names
• Articles which list Russian names
• Articles which list Spanish names