Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble Box art ofKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble from various regions Details Developer(s) Nintendo R&D2 Publisher(s) Nintendo Designer(s) Toshiaki Suzuki Release date(s) August 23, 2000 April 11, 2001 Nintendo Switch Online June 6th, 2023 June 5th, 2023 June 6th, 2023 June 6th, 2023 June 6th, 2023 June 6th, 2023 Platform(s) Game Boy Color Nintendo Switch(Game Boy:Nintendo Switch Online) Supported languages Japanese, American English Rating(s) ESRB: CERO:

Game chronology ←Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land →

On affiliated sites StrategyWiki Walkthrough

This box: view • talk • edit

This article is about the spin-off title for theGame Boy Color, and should not be confused withTilt-and-Roll Kirby.

Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble is a spin-offKirby game released for theGame Boy Color, being the only game in the series to be released for that specific system. It was first released in 2000 in Japan and then the following year, 2001, in North America. In the February 8, 2023Nintendo Direct,Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble was shown as one of the games slated to appear in theNintendo Switch Online Game Boy service, being released on June 5th, 2023 in the Americas and June 6th in other time zones (marking its first release in Europe and Australia).

InKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble,King Dedede is once again responsible for stealingDream Land'sSparkling Stars, andKirby is tasked with setting out and recovering them. Instead of running,hovering, orinhaling, however, Kirby traverses his world by rolling around like a marble in a top-down environment, where the biggest obstacles arebottomless pits and any enemy or object which threatens to bounce Kirby into one. Uniquely,Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble uses atilt sensor built into the game cartridge allowing the player to move Kirby around through physical movement of the Game Boy Color console, rather than using any of the face buttons. Additionally, the player can flick the console to make Kirby bounce into the air, which also has an effect on enemies and objects in the game. In the Nintendo Switch Online version, players tilt either the Joy-Con or Pro Controllers when playing in TV or Tabletop Mode and tilt the system itself in Handheld Mode.

The game was developed byNintendo R&D2, Nintendo's primary hardware-developing division, which was later merged intoNintendo SPD. It was originally planned to have a direct follow-up for theNintendo GameCube - titledKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble 2 - which would have been controlled from aGame Boy Advance with a connected game cartridge (used solely for motion detecting) via the link cable.Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble 2 was ultimately canceled for unknown reasons, however.

Story[edit]

Kirby is sleeping on a cloud, when he is awoken by aWaddle Dee andKing Dedede walking past him carrying strange objects. Kirby is curious as to their intentions, so he hops on aWarp Star, only to find thatDream Land has been robbed of its stars. Kirby sets out all across PlanetPop Star to get the stars back from King Dedede, eventually defeating him in an unorthodox battle involvingcannons.

Gameplay[edit]

InKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, Kirby does not move as he normally would in the main series, but instead rolls around like a marble. To control him, the player will need to tilt the system in the appropriate directions. As such, the stages are built like rolling marble courses in a top-down view similar to that of olderThe Legend of Zelda games, and Kirby can easily lose a life if he goes over an edge. The main challenge comes from getting Kirby safely over pits and obstacles. This can be aided by having the player flick the system upward to make Kirby bounce over open pits. Other methods of traversal include using items and stage devices likeBumpers,Jump Holes, andBalloons which grant temporary flight, among other objects. Enemies also appear on the stage, though Kirby cannot inhale them, and touching them will usually deal him some damage. Kirby will need to make use of temporary invulnerability or a special item - such as theMicrophone - to defeat them. Against bosses, Kirby can fight back by using various methods, usually by launching into their weak points.

Each stage also has a time limit, which can be extended by collectingStopwatches or passing checkpoint gates on the stage. When the timer drops below 50 seconds, an alarm sounds, along with a message saying "HURRY UP!!", and the music changes to a more fast-paced version. If the timer reaches zero before Kirby reaches the stage's end, he loses a life.

There are also a couple of bonus stars which are optional to obtain. Depending on their color, these can have various effects:Warp Stars can take Kirby to bonus areas to get additional 1-Ups,Blue Stars allow Kirby to play aSub-Game after completing the stage, andRed Stars contribute to unlocking theExtra Game and attaining100% completion.

Controls[edit]

Tilt - Move, Flip

Up, Down, Left, or Right - Move Camera

A - Jump out of a hole, Shoot air bullets (while flying), Paddle faster (on raft), Make floor sections appear in Red Outlined Tiles

B - Make floor sections appear in Blue Outlined Tiles

Levels & Stages[edit]

Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble consists of eight levels, each containing four stages. It is possible to skip levels and stages by visitingWhispy Woods in certain areas. Each stage has aRed Star to collect, which are necessary to earn100% completion.

Levels inKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble
Level No.	Stages	Boss(es)	Notes
Level 1	Lvl 1-1 Lvl 1-2 Lvl 1-3 Lvl 1-4	Orbservor	The Orbservor at the end of this level is green, and moves fairly sluggishly compared to its later cousins.
Level 2	Lvl 2-1 Lvl 2-2 Lvl 2-3 Lvl 2-4	Orbservor	The brown Orbservor is fought here initially, but the gray one is fought in the Extra Stage.
Level 3	Lvl 3-1 Lvl 3-2 Lvl 3-3 Lvl 3-4	Kracko	Kracko uses his Lil' Krackos to attack in his fight here.
Level 4	Lvl 4-1 Lvl 4-2 Lvl 4-3 Lvl 4-4	Orbservor	The gray Orbservor is fought here initially, but the brown one is fought in the Extra Stage.
Level 5	Lvl 5-1 Lvl 5-2 Lvl 5-3 Lvl 5-4	Orbservor	This Orbservor is blue and fought in an icy arena.
Level 6	Lvl 6-1 Lvl 6-2 Lvl 6-3 Lvl 6-4	Kracko	Kracko shoots lightning in his boss fight here, which deals twice as much damage as the Lil' Krackos.
Level 7	Lvl 7-1 Lvl 7-2 Lvl 7-3 Lvl 7-4	Orbservor	The gray Orbservor is fought in this level.
Level 8	Lvl 8-1 Lvl 8-2 Lvl 8-3 Lvl 8-4	King Dedede	The icon of this level changes to a statue of Kirby when it is completed.

Once the game is cleared 100%, theExtra Stage opens up, which is a re-run of the regular stages with increased difficulty and less time.

Sub-Games[edit]

There are fiveSub-Games inKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, which can be played if Kirby collects aBlue Star and then completes the stage. After beating the game, they can also be replayed freely by selecting the Bonus Star on the world map. On the "Bonus Star!" sub-game menu, the player can choose from any of the five sub-games:

• Kirby's Burst-A-Balloon - A sub-game where the player uses tilt controls to help Kirby aim and shoot arrows at incoming balloons.
• Kirby's Hurdle Race - A sub-game where Kirby races againstKing Dedede while jumping over hurdles to avoid slowing down.
• Do The Kirby - A sub-game where the player has to copy a sequence of arrows to make Kirby dance.
• Kirby's Roll-O-Rama - A sub-game where the player has to guide Kirby balls using tilt controls into holes, while avoidingGordos around the course.
• Kirby's Chicken Race - A sub-game where Kirby has to race against a chicken using a wind-up car that must be charged by shaking the player's system.

Enemies[edit]

Enemies inKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble
Enemy	Description	Notes
Big Kabu	A big floating Kabu that pounds the ground when Kirby approaches, shaking the stage and potentially throwing Kirby off-balance. It can be defeated by crashing into it while invincible.
Blinkbat	A flying cycloptic bat creature that will pursue Kirby if it sees him. It can be defeated using theMicrophone.
Blockbot	Slowly-moving robots that block Kirby's path until they get out of the way. Red and blue ones can be influenced by flipping or bumping them, but yellow ones only move in response toswitches.
Booler	A mischievous ghost that can be seen drifting toward Kirby, flying around in circles with other Boolers, or can appear out of nowhere in certain locations. If Kirby is hit by one, the Booler will laugh and then vanish.
Bronto Burt	A flying foe who holds position or moves back and forth, and can trail items behind him. Defeating Bronto Burt also rewards a star piece.
Broom Hatter	Broom-wielding enemies who sweep the ground back and forth and hurt Kirby if he hits them. They can be turned into stars with a flip of the system.
Cappy	A hapless and harmless mushroom-like creature that can pop in and out of the sand or water, or linger insideJump Holes.	Unlike in other games, Cappy has no cap in this title.
Cloud Cannon	Shotzos with balloons attached to them that track Kirby and try to fire at him from the air. They can be defeated with threeAir Bullets and dropBalloons when taken out.
Flotzo	Large red octopuses which emerge from bodies of water and shoot up to three small projectiles in a straight line at Kirby. They can be defeated using the Microphone.
God Hand	A disembodied floating gauntlet that catches and throws Kirby around in bonus games. The gray ones can be guided by tilting the system.	Not really an enemy; more similar toZebon or aCannon.
Gordo	These spikeballs float in various areas and will harm Kirby on impact. They cannot be defeated.
Kabu	A small stone idol who mainly sits in place, acting as a roadblock. It can be turned into a star with a flip of the system.
Mr. Frosty	This big overalls-wearing walrus rides along the water on a surfboard, and will try to get away from Kirby when he sees him. If the two collide, Mr. Frosty will simply bump Kirby away rather than harming him. InLvl 3-1, Mr. Frosty is carrying aRed Star with him.
Poppy Bros. Jr.	Mischievous little clowns who ride back and forth on balls in halfpipe areas. They do not hurt Kirby on impact, but they move quickly and can bump him quite a lot. The red ones move more quickly than the blue ones.
Shotzo	A stationary invulnerable black cannon which tracks Kirby and tries to fire shots at him.
Snipper	An invincible bug with giant mandibles that lurks in sand and will hurt Kirby if he touches it.
Squishy	A white squid-like creature that pops out of the water in riverways. It can be defeated and turned into a star if Kirby rams it with theRaft, but will otherwise harm him and throw him off the raft.
Starman	This rare enemy can be seen soaring slowly through the sky in various places. He can be shot down using anAir Bullet.
UFO	An erratically-flying saucer who takes twoAir Bullets to defeat. It can drop aBalloon when defeated.
Waddle Dee	"Bothersome" wandering creatures which will hurt Kirby on contact. They can be easily defeated by flicking the system to make Kirby jump, causing these guys to be popped up as well, turning them intostar pieces as they come back down.
Waddle Doo	A cycloptic creature similar in appearance to Waddle Dee that can attack by firing a beam whip from his eye. He can be defeated by flipping the system to turn him into a star piece.

Bosses[edit]

Bosses inKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble
Boss	Level(s)	HP	Description
Orbservor	Level 1,Level 2,Level 4,Level 5,Level 7	3	A big spherical enemy with a single eye on top that serves as its weak point. There are four different varieties of Orbservor - distinguished by color - which attack in different patterns.
Kracko	Level 3,Level 6	6	A cycloptic cloud enemy who attacks by filling the arena withGordos while shooting Co-Krackos and lightning at Kirby. He can be attacked usingAir Bullets after picking up theBalloon.
King Dedede	Level 8	10	Kirby's arch-rival and the thief who stole Dream Land's stars. He attacks by swinging his hammer, throwing it like a boomerang, and trying to charge at Kirby. Kirby can attack him by blasting at him with aCannon while his guard is down.

Compatibility with other Game Boy models[edit]

Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble is not compatible with the originalGame Boy or theSuper Game Boy. However, the game's cartridge is unusual in that, unlike other Game Boy Color-exclusive titles, it sports a notch on the top-right corner like a Game Boy-compatible game. It is unknown why the notch is present, as attempting to play the game on a Game Boy brings up an error screen.

While theGame Boy Advance is backward compatible withKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, the game cannot be played properly from a Game Boy Advance SP unit, where the game cartridge must be inserted from the bottom and facing backward. As a result, playingKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble on a Game Boy Advance SP inverts the controls. However, a workaround for properly calibrating the controls is to insertKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble onto a GameShark and then into the SP unit, therefore properly reorienting the cartridge.

Similarly,Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble can also be played using theGame Boy Player peripheral of theNintendo GameCube. The game is not convienent to play this way, as it requires the player to pick up the GameCube console itself and tilt it during gameplay. Aside from its impracticality, doing so can also damage the console and the Game Boy Player start-up disc (although the start-up disc can be taken out once the game is booted up).

Staff[edit]

The following is a list of staff who have worked onKirby Tilt 'n' Tumble:

Nintendo Switch Online description[edit]

When you move, Kirby moves!

This action game was released for the Game Boy™ Color system in 2001 and features the ever-adorable Kirby! In this game, though, it's all about how Kirby tilts and tumbles! This twist on classic Kirby gameplay adds a whole new level of fun. Kirby moves left, right, forward, and backward based on the movement of the system you hold in your hands! Go, Kirby, go!

◆ This version replicates the motion controls from the original Game Boy Color version. Tilt your Nintendo Switch system or controller to play.

Trivia[edit]

• This game reportedly almost got rebranded as aPokémon game in the west, due to said series' huge popularity at the time. However, in the end the change didn't come to light, and it retained theKirby brand.^[1][2]
• This is the lastKirby game to have 8-bit graphics. It is also the lastKirby game to use the original English logo, which was replaced by the one used inthe anime starting withKirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.
  • Similarly, this is the last game to feature Kirby's "whisker blushes" and his overall classic design outside of cameos.
• Most ofKirby's voice clips in this game were taken directly from his appearances inSuper Smash Bros. andKirby 64: The Crystal Shards, though heavily bit-crushed to fit on the Game Boy cartridge. Aside from theSuper Smash Bros. series and some minor uncredited instances, there would be a nearly decade-long gap until his next fully-voiced appearance,Kirby's Epic Yarn in 2010.
• The way levels and stages are structured in this game is strikingly similar to the layout of the originalSuper Mario Bros., with eight levels consisting of four stages each, each fourth stage being a castle setting with a boss at the end, and two hidden places where the player can skip ahead to later levels, similar to two of the Warp Zones inSuper Mario Bros. Additionally, this game was developed by the same team that worked onSuper Mario Bros. Deluxe, the Game Boy Color remake ofSuper Mario Bros. which was released a year earlier.
• Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble won the 2001 Nintendo Power Award for "Most Overlooked Game", as voted by readers of the magazine.

Gallery[edit]

Main article:Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble/gallery

• 
  English logo
• 
  Japanese logo
• 
  Artwork ofKirby
• 
  Kirby tilt 'n' tumbling
• 
  Kirby in aCloud
• 
  Kirby in aJump Hole
• 
  Kirby hitting aCappy
• 
  Kirby getting launched from theGame Boy Color
• 
  TwoOrbservors

Names in other languages[edit]

References

External links[edit]

• Official site (Japanese)
• Official Japanese website (archive)
• Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble on Kirby Informer
• English manual (external archive)

• Good pages
• Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble
• Spin-off games
• Games on Game Boy Color

• 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