There’s more to this pink puffball than meets the eye.
Nintendo
Of course, if you played Kirby’s Dream Land on the Game Boy the year before, you already knew Kirby, but it was his NES debut that really put him on the map.
Nintendo
The biggest addition to Kirby’s Adventure, one that would come to define the series, is Kirby’s ability to absorb enemies’ powers after eating them, rather than just turning them into projectiles.
Though Kirby is known as a platforming series, half of the games featuring the delightful pink puffball are spinoffs of some kind.
Rivaling even Mario’s extracurricular activities, Kirby has starred in his own television show, pinball, fighting, racing, and puzzle games.
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Though he looks like a gust of wind would be enough to defeat him, Kirby has even proven himself as a top contender in Super Smash Bros.
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Not to indulge in conspiracy theories, but that may have something to do with Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai wanting to show some love for Kirby — a character he created for HAL Laboratory.
Kirby Café
He may look like little more than a smiling pink sphere, but Kirby is an ever-changing staple of Nintendo titles, able to carry his own games and brighten others with guest appearances.
As Nintendo’s favorite shapeshifter, Kirby may not get as much love as Link or Mario, but he’ll likely be cheerfully adapting to new powers for years to come.