Kirby Conversations | Exploring Kirby, Nintendo, and More

First announced in 2004, Kirby for Nintendo GameCube (which never received an official title beyond that) looked to be an ambitious Kirby adventure for a new console generation. But despite several exciting announcements, screenshots, and trailers that had Kirby fans of the 2000's eagerly anticipating its arrival, the game was quietly canceled, and it would be years before Kirby saw another non-ha...

Gigi, one of our co-hosts and the Editor-in-Chief of WiKirby, is back from a long trip to Japan. During the last episode we talked with her about her more Kirby-centric experiences, like the Kirby Cafes, and for this show we're moving the conversation more generally to the other Nintendo things she saw--including the Nintendo Museum. There are some parts of the museum they don't let visitors photo...

Gigi recently spent several weeks in Japan, and she's back to tell us all about it! In this episode we mainly focus on the Kirby experiences, including a detailed discussion of her time at the Kirby Cafes. She has plenty to share on how to secure a reservation at one of these massively popular theme restaurants, her thoughts on the food and décor, and how it all compares to the similarly popular P...

Drumroll please...it's time for an episode on drumming to Kirby music in non-Kirby games. Music class is in session as Bridget introduces Sean and Ky to the history of the Taiko no Tatsujin series, some of which contain Kirby songs and cameos. They also reflect on the iconic DK bongos and the Kirby songs that were playable in the GameCube's Donkey Konga series. The 2000's saw a surprising boom of...

In this episode, Sean and Bridget are joined by special guest Nic McConnell, Age Ratings Manager at Riot Games, to discuss his favorite Kirby game: Kirby Canvas Curse. Together they reflect on Canvas Curse's amazing visuals and level design, the enduring appeal of the DS's touchscreen controls, and the unique background of the game's director Motomi Katayama (who worked on a surprising range of se...

Ky "Captain Dangerous" Parker has been away from the podcast for a bit, so in this episode we're catching up with her on her latest miniature projects, current photography work, and what it's like to be a Nintendo Ambassador during the quiet period before a new console launch. Speaking of which, the Switch 2 was just revealed, so we've got some thoughts and reflections to share on that as well—par...

For this episode, Sean sits down with composers Megan Kelz ( https://diamondthorns.bandcamp.com ) and Duncan "PixelTea" Smith ( https://duncansmith.carrd.co/ ) for a conversation all about the music of Kirby. They go in-depth on the artists behind Kirby's famous songs, highlighting many of their favorite tracks along the way, and explore the actual music theory and instrumentation behind what make...

As you gather with friends and family for the holidays, you may consider returning to 2022's Kirby's Dream Buffet—a budget-friendly party game that packs a lot of fun into $15. While not a traditional Kirby game (he's just rolling in ball form here), Dream Buffet still has tons of unlockables and more than twenty food-inspired stages of racing, battles, and mini-games. For this episode, Bridget, S...

For this episode we're heading back to 1990--and forward to 2056--for Kabuki: Quantum Fighter, a pre-Kirby sci-fi platformer that marked the first time HAL Laboratory published a game they did not develop themselves. Sean and Bridget are here to discuss this bizarre adventure, in which a kabuki actor (actually a colonel who got uploaded into Earth's main defense computer) flips and hair-whips his...

It's almost 2025, and while the biggest announcements for the Switch's successor are still shrouded in mystery, there's already a lot we know about what's coming for Kirby next year. In this episode, Sean and Gigi break down what for sure is coming, what is likely coming based on our best estimates, and even a few more wild predictions toward the end. Want to reach out? You can email us at mail@ki...

Did you know Kirby's Avalanche is the only Kirby game never to release in Japan? That's because it's the Western version of Super Puyo Puyo, redesigned with Kirby characters instead of the usual Puyo Puyo crowd. (This also explains why Kirby is a little sassier in this one, as his personality is modeled after Puyo Puyo protagonist Arle Nadja.) For this episode of Kirby Conversations, Sean, Bridget...

With Halloween approaching for our staff and listeners in the U.S., for this episode we decided to explore our favorite scarier or high-tension moments from Kirby games. From frightening final bosses to surprisingly sophisticated moments that explore themes like death or colonialism, the Kirby series is no stranger to going to some darker places. (Lest this sound like a heavy episode, we have plen...

For this episode, we're flashing back to the original Kirby's Return to Dream Land on Wii with Gooey and McKenna of the Nintendo 64 podcast Flashback 64. Even with the KRtDL remake out on Switch, the original still holds up with its distinct art style, motion controls, and even some unique content. And for fans of retro Kirby games, it may come the closest of any of them to capturing that spirit o...

Gigi has been translating Japanese developer interviews from the Kirby Star Allies artbook, and with it she's discovered some intriguing new insights about the history of KSA's extensive DLC. So for this episode, we're talking all about KSA's final DLC mode Heroes in Another Dimension and all the character additions the game received throughout 2018. How do we feel about DLC in Kirby games, and ho...

In this episode, Bridget, Ky, Sean, and our new team member Gigi share their picks for other games we think Kirby fans would like. From games that involve copying enemy abilities to inclusive platformers with similar vibes and themes, we cover more than a dozen games in this episode—including some pretty deep cuts you may not have heard of before. What unexpected or lesser-known non-Kirby games wo...

Hi everyone. There's no regular episode this week, but we've got a few updates about the show to share. Most importantly, we are happy to announce that we will now be joined by Gigi, WiKirby Editor-in-Chief and avid translator of non-English Kirby content, as a new official member of the Kirby Conversations team! Welcome Gigi! And among other news, we also have a new giveaway running, where you ca...

If you've ever read an English translation of a Kirby article or developer interview that was originally published in Japanese, chances are you've encountered the work of Gigi. We've cited her work several times on this podcast in the past and also refer frequently to WiKirby, the massive Kirby wiki for which she serves as editor-in-chief. So it's an honor to have her join us on this episode for a...

There are so many ways to approach the Magolor Epilogue in Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe. Along with completing the story, you can earn medals, speedrun it, or even take advantage of its brilliant combo system to go for amazing, triple-digit runs through each level. So for this episode, Sean and Bridget are breaking down all the gameplay possibilities for this ambitious subgame. Sean played...

Part Time UFO arrived in 2017 as the first game from HAL Laboratory's new mobile gaming brand HAL Egg. Clever, funny, and full of inventive crane game-inspired puzzles, it's an easy recommendation for anyone interested in what other recent games have come from Kirby's longtime developer. So for this episode, we're discussing the history, gameplay, and some of our favorite animal-balancing, cheerle...

Today we're talking about Kirby in esports new and old. In Act 1, Bridget tells us about the Kirby's Adventure speedrunning challenges in Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition. Then for Act 2, Sean is back from Evo, the major Las Vegas fighting game tournament and convention, to talk about the surprising presence of Kirby at an event partially owned by Sony. What are your thoughts on Nintendo...

Happy Friday! Here's a podcast recommendation for your weekend: an episode of Flashback 64 about Treasure's cult classic Mischief Makers. If you liked Kirby 64, we think you'll really dig Mischief Makers, a 2.5D platformer that follows robot maid Marina on an adventure to rescue the kidnapped Prof. Theo. Marina can grab, throw, and shake most of the enemies and objects she encounters, so if you en...

Exploding shurikens. Fireworks. A...refrigerator. The Power Combo system in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards lets you combine Kirby's copy abilities with dozens of inspired and hilarious results. So in this episode, we're looking back at some of our favorite abilities from Kirby's Nintendo 64 outing, while also exploring some abilities and originally playable characters that didn't make the final cut...

Today we're discussing Kid Kirby, a canceled Kirby title from the 90s developed by DMA Design Limited, the Scottish company that would go on to become Rock Star North of Grand Theft Auto fame. While Kid Kirby was never finished, many assets from this unique Angry Birds-esque platformer can still be found, and they show a strikingly different take on Kirby from anything you might've seen in his off...

Over the past two episodes, we've been covering the thriving competitive scene around Kirby Air Ride's City Trial mode--a community of over 11,000 members . This episode is part two of our two-part interview series, and Sean and Bridget continue to speak with our guests drcKARGaming, one of the top Kirby Air Ride players, and Protag, a community leader and developer on updates to the game's compet...

Over the past few years, a loyal group of players have built a thriving competitive scene around Kirby Air Ride's City Trial mode. Featuring regular tournaments for significant cash prizes and a Discord with over 11,000 members , it's a prime example of how dedicated fans can revive a classic game for a modern audience. So for a two-episode interview series, we're speaking with master Air Ride com...