Kirby's Dream Land came out on the Game Boy in 1992, and the pink puffball has been eating his way through Dream Land ever since. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai and is made by HAL Laboratory. Kirby inhales enemies and objects, then spits them out as a projectile or swallows them. Swallow the right enemy and he gets a Copy Ability, so a fire-breathing enemy lets him breathe fire. He can also puff up with air and fly. Kirby's Adventure had 25 Copy Abilities to try.
That is a hard mix to replace, but a few games come close. The top four here are the games players recommend most to Kirby fans, ranked by how many different people named each one. The other four are games that game writers tie to Kirby, ordered by how many of them do. Kirby games themselves are left out.
8 Games Like Kirby Where Cute Heroes Win the Day
Trip World (1992)
Trip World is a 1992 platform game from Sunsoft for the Game Boy, and its clean, very cute art direction recalls the Kirby games. Its character designer drew everyone in round shapes. You play Yakopoo, a bunny-like hero who can switch between three forms at any time. In one he kicks enemies, in another his ears turn into wings so he can glide, and in the third he becomes a fish who swims well. Kirby fans will feel right at home changing shape to get past a stage.
The big difference is how short and gentle it is. Critics knocked its low difficulty and short length, and most enemies do not even hurt you when you touch them. One review called it ideally suited for inexperienced players. Play it on Game Boy, or the Trip World DX remaster on Switch.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995)
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island is a 1995 platform game from Nintendo for the Super Nintendo. Ask who Nintendo's cutest platforming star is, and if the answer is not Kirby, it is probably Yoshi. He swallows enemies with his long tongue, then spits them out as projectiles or stores them as eggs to throw. Some foods work a lot like a Copy Ability. Watermelons let Yoshi shoot seeds like a machine gun, and fire enemies turn his mouth into a flamethrower.
The big difference is the passenger. Yoshi carries baby Mario across the island to rescue his brother Luigi from the wizard Kamek. The whole game has a hand-drawn, paper-and-crayon look, and the levels get more difficult as you go. Critics call it one of the greatest video games of all time. Play it on SNES, or the GBA version.
New Super Lucky's Tale (2019)
New Super Lucky's Tale is an expanded version of Super Lucky's Tale, a 2017 platform game from Playful Studios. You play Lucky Swiftail, a curious and brave fox who helps his sister protect the Book of Ages from Jinx. It is a vibrant and fun adventure platformer with thousands of items to collect. Each level hides four clovers, one for finishing it, one for collecting 300 coins, one for finding the letters that spell LUCKY and one secret clover.
The big difference is the third dimension. The gameplay has been described as reminiscent of 90's-era 3D platformers like Banjo-Kazooie and Super Mario 64. Each world also has mini-levels, like Sokoban-style puzzles and mazes where Lucky rolls around trapped in a marble. The New version came to Switch in 2019 and to PS4 in 2020. Play it on Switch or PS4.
A Hat in Time (2017)
A Hat in Time is a 2017 platform game from the Danish studio Gears for Breakfast, funded through Kickstarter. You play Hat Kid, a little alien girl in a top hat whose Time Pieces fell out of her spaceship onto the planet below. Like Kirby and the Forgotten Land, each level is visually appealing and full of life, and the bosses are a challenge without being too difficult. Each hat grants Hat Kid a different ability, such as a faster sprint or brewing explosive potions.
The big difference is the old-school 3D design. It is a collect-a-thon platformer inspired by Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie. Its director made it because he felt there were too few 3D platformers from Nintendo. Look under the bright colors and there is a kind of melancholy you would never find in a Nintendo game. Play it on PS4 or Switch.
Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010)
Donkey Kong Country Returns is a 2010 platform game from Retro Studios for the Wii. Players suggest it to Kirby fans who want a game they can play with someone else. A second player controls Diddy Kong, and if one of you dies, the other can hit a floating DK Barrel to bring them back. Stay alive and you are chasing a banana hoard stolen by the Tiki Tak Tribe. It was a hit, with over 6.53 million copies sold.
The big difference is the difficulty. Critics were mixed on its high difficulty, and this is a much harder game than any Kirby. If you lose eight lives in a level, a white Super Kong can take over and finish it for you, though he will not grab the collectibles. Play it on Wii, the 3D version on 3DS, or the HD version on Switch.
The Legendary Starfy (2008)
The Legendary Starfy is a 2008 platform game from Tose for the Nintendo DS. It was the fifth game in the series and the first released outside Japan, after Nintendo of America had found the earlier games too Japanese. Reviews commented on its similarities to Kirby, and players who suggest it keep calling it a cute platformer for Kirby fans. Starfy fights with his signature Star Spin, and the story is just as sweet, with a rabbit named Bunston whose planet needs saving.
The big difference is the water. It has been described as a sea platformer, and most levels take place underwater, where Starfy can swim at will. Critics praised the size and depth of its world but criticized its low difficulty, which puts it squarely in Kirby territory. Play it on DS.
Rayman Origins (2011)
Rayman Origins is a 2011 platform game from Ubisoft, and it is a favourite pick for Kirby fans who want to play with friends. Up to four local players can drop in or out at any time, as Rayman, Globox or two Teensies. Kirby fans will love the stages where you ride a mosquito, since you can inhale enemies and fire them back out. IGN gave it a 9.5 and called it the best looking platformer of its generation.
The big difference is that Rayman does not copy anyone. He gains new abilities as the game goes on, like running up walls and gliding in midair. It was highly praised for its graphical style and sense of humor, and it is a lot of fun to look at on a big screen. Play it on Wii, PS3, 3DS or Vita.
Yoshi's Woolly World (2015)
Yoshi's Woolly World is a 2015 platform game from Good-Feel for the Wii U, and it serves as the spiritual successor to Kirby's Epic Yarn. Like Epic Yarn, the characters and the world are made of yarn and cloth, and Yoshi can transform into new forms the same way Kirby did in that game. Players recommend it to Kirby fans more than any other game, and two players can play it together.
The big difference is the yarn ball. Yoshi still swallows enemies with his tongue, but instead of eggs he makes balls of yarn, which tie up enemies or fill in platforms. Reviewers praised the art style but criticized the easy difficulty. If even that is too much, Mellow Mode gives Yoshi wings so he can fly through a stage forever, a lot like Kirby. Play it on Wii U, or Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World on 3DS.
Which one to play
There you have it, the whole list of games like Kirby. Two of them even star Yoshi.
If you loved Epic Yarn, play Yoshi's Woolly World first. For a game to share with friends on the couch, Rayman Origins is the one, and Donkey Kong Country Returns is the pick if you want a real challenge. On a handheld, The Legendary Starfy is the closest match. If Forgotten Land got you into 3D, try A Hat in Time. And for a hidden pick, dig out Trip World on the Game Boy.
