"Ripple Star: Stage Select"^{[Japanese title]} is a recurring theme that first appeared inKirby 64: The Crystal Shards while selecting one ofRipple Star's stages. It has since been remixed several times over the course of the series.

Composition[edit]

"Ripple Star: Stage Select" follows a simple 4/4 time signature with a single melodic bar in its simplest incarnations. It is notable for being a short song in most cases despite its prevalence in the series, since it was originally composed for a stage select screen (an area the player is not meant to spend much time in). Most subsequent uses of the track keep it short, though the versions used inKirby's Epic Yarn andKirby: Triple Deluxe are notable exceptions.

Game appearances[edit]

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards[edit]

This theme first appeared here, as the stage select theme for Ripple Star. This version is somewhat loud and active in nature, featuring many layered flute-like instruments and percussion at a high tempo.

Kirby Super Star Ultra[edit]

This theme appears on theGame Over screen inRevenge of the King and inHelper to Hero's rest area, named"Helper's Rest" on theKirby's Dream Collection Special Edition Compilation Soundtrack (the Japanese name,ヘルパーたちの休息 orHelpers' Rest, first appeared on theKirby Ultra Super Deluxe Original Sound Track). This was the first instance of the theme being used in a more calm tempo with a relaxed instrumentation. It can be found as Music 93 in theSound Test.

Kirby's Epic Yarn /Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn[edit]

This theme appeared here asDream Land's stage select theme. The key has been moved a step down (B-flat major), and it follows the mellow tone from theKirby Super Star Ultra version. Aglockenspiel is used as the primary instrument, backed by piano.

Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition[edit]

When selectingKirby's Epic Yarn in theKirby's History mode, that game's arrangement of the theme plays.

Additionally, the "Helper's Rest" version fromKirby Super Star Ultra is reused as the file selection theme for theNew Challenge Stages mode. After clearing the mode, there's a rare chance for the original version fromKirby 64: The Crystal Shards to play on the file select menu instead.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe[edit]

This theme appears twice inKirby: Triple Deluxe, appearing as the rest area and Game Over themes in bothThe Arena andThe True Arena.

The version featured in The Arena is a rearrangement of the "Helper's Rest"Kirby Super Star Ultra version, with wind chimes playing at the start of the track. It features a bend in the tempo near the beginning and end of the track, and uses a flute and a harp as the primary instrumentation. This version is arranged byJun Ishikawa.^[1]

The version featured in The True Arena, named"A Well-Earned Rest" on theKirby: Triple Deluxe Soundtrack CD, follows the mellow tone from theKirby's Epic Yarn version, though it uses more elaborate instrumentation and is by far the longest iteration of the theme, lasting over two minutes before looping. Interestingly, the track features two distinct variations of the same tune back-to-back, with only the second variation playing when the music loops. This variation is arranged byHirokazu Ando.^[1]

Kirby: Planet Robobot[edit]

This theme appears as the results screen theme forThe True Arena under the name"Well-fed Victory". It is similar to the version fromKirby 64: The Crystal Shards, but with different digital-sounding instruments. This version is arranged byJun Ishikawa and can be found as Track 157 in that game'sJukebox.

Kirby Star Allies[edit]

This theme was combined with "Miracle Matter" and "0² Battle" for an arrangement inKirby Star Allies, used for the fight againstMorpho Knight when playing asAdeleine &Ribbon inGuest Star ???? Star Allies Go! or on Soul Melter difficulty or higher inThe Ultimate Choice. The track is named "The Girls Who Fought the Darkness" onNintendo Music, and was arranged byHirokazu Ando. As of Version 4.0.0, this remix can be heard as Track 178 in theJukebox.

Additionally, "Helper's Rest" is present in the game's files, but otherwise goes unused. As it shares a similar file name to a majority of theSoul Melter EX rest area themes, it can be presumed it was a potential candidate, but in the end was scrapped.

Kirby Fighters 2[edit]

In the game's Training Mode and Online waiting rooms, amedley of "Training" fromKirby 64: The Crystal Shards, "Green Greens", and "Ripple Star: Stage Select" plays. This medley has two distinct versions: an orchestral and chiptune version; the game selects one of the two at random to play. The regular version is arranged byYuki Shimooka.^[2]

Other arrangements[edit]

Variants of "Ripple Star: Stage Select" have appeared outside of the games themselves. Two in particular appear on theKirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert CD set. One comes from theKirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert and is featured as part of the "Kirby's Dream Land 3 / Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Medley", while another comes from theKirby Memorial Arrangements track "Epic Yarn". Both take cues from their respective versions from the games represented in the medleys.

An acoustic arrangement of "Helper's Rest" is also featured at the beginning and end of the bonus trackステージメドレー／アコースティックver. (Stage Medley / Acoustic ver.) on theKirby Ultra Super Deluxe Original Sound Track.

On theKirby 30th Anniversary Site, the original version of the theme plays when viewing Kirby number 07 ("Ripple Star").

• https://wikirby.com/wiki/File:KSSU_Stage_Medley_Helper%27s_Rest_sample.mp3
  "Helper's Rest" in "Stage Medley / Acoustic ver." from theKirby Ultra Super Deluxe Original Sound Track, arranged byTadashi Ikegami and performed by HAL Laboratory staff.
• https://wikirby.com/wiki/File:KDL3_and_K64_Medley_Ripple_Star_Select_Section.oga
  "Ripple Star: Stage Select" in "Kirby's Dream Land 3 / Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Medley" from theKirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert, arranged byShogo Sakai and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
• https://wikirby.com/wiki/File:K25AC_Epic_Yarn_Ripple_Star_Stage_Select_Section.oga
  "Ripple Star: Stage Select" in "Epic Yarn" fromKirby Memorial Arrangements byMegumi Ohara.

Names in other languages[edit]

Ripple Star: Stage Select[edit]

Helper's Rest[edit]

Dream Land[edit]

A Well-Earned Rest[edit]

Well-fed Victory[edit]

References

• Music in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
• Music in Kirby Super Star Ultra
• Music in Kirby's Epic Yarn
• Music in Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition
• Music in Kirby: Triple Deluxe
• Music in Kirby: Planet Robobot
• Music in Kirby Star Allies
• Music in Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn
• Music in Kirby Fighters 2
• Music from Kirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert
• Music in Kirby Memorial Arrangements

• Articles with titles from non-English languages
• Articles which list Japanese names
• Articles which list French names
• Articles which list German names
• Articles which list Italian names
• Articles which list Korean names
• Articles which list Spanish names