Game profile
Kirby Super Star
This collection of several short adventures took Kirby's copy abilities and the cooperative helper mode to a new level and is playable today through Nintendo Switch Online. Its accessibility and creative abilities make it a fan favorite.
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What kind of game this is
At its core this is Platformer / Action, set in a fantasy world. Visually it is built on pixel art, and the overall tone stays light and upbeat. The structure is guided rather than open, so you are moved along instead of dropped into a map. It is built around short sessions, which makes it easy to pick up for half an hour.
Difficulty stays forgiving, so progress rarely depends on your reflexes. Story exists mostly as background texture rather than a reason to keep going. Co-op is supported, so you can bring someone along. It is available on one platform. It sits in the budget bracket.
What stands out
- Varied copy abilities
- Co op helper characters
- Several short adventures
This fits you if
- you want to wind down rather than be tested
- you would rather build something than be told what to do
- you usually have thirty to sixty minutes and want that to be enough
- you want zero frustration and no difficulty wall
- you have someone to play with
- you are watching your budget
Look elsewhere if
- you need real difficulty to stay interested
- you want something that lasts, this is over after 6 hours
- pixel art puts you off
- you specifically want an open world to roam
How long is Kirby Super Star?
About 6 hours in total. At two hours per evening that is around 3 evenings, so about a week of casual play.
How the rating ranks
Critics settled on 86 out of 100, which puts it above 66 percent of the 1276 games here and at rank 403 overall. That is mid-table for this database. Not a standout at the top, but solidly rated.
For comparison, Platformer averages 83 points across the database, so this one sits 3 points above its own genre. The figure rests on 139 collected ratings.
Released in 1996, which makes it 30 years old. A genuine classic, and worth checking how the version you buy holds up today.
The facts
- Release year
- 1996
- Genres
- Platformer, Action
- Playtime
- approx. 6 hrs.
- Difficulty
- Relaxed, forgiving
- Story weight
- Background flavour
- Play with
- Solo, Co-op
- Setting
- Fantasy
- Visual style
- Pixel art
- Price bracket
- Budget
- Platforms
- Switch
- Critic rating
- 86 / 100
Direct comparison
| Genres | Release year | Playtime | Critic rating | Price bracket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirby Super Star | 1996 | approx. 6 hrs. | 86 | Budget |
| Kirby und das vergessene Land | 2022 | approx. 12 hrs. | 87 | Mid price |
| Sackboy: A Big Adventure | 2020 | approx. 9 hrs. | 85 | Mid price |
| Yoshi's Crafted World | 2019 | approx. 10 hrs. | 79 | Mid price |
If you liked this, try these
- 87/100 Kirby und das vergessene Land Shared: Platformer, Action, Fantasy, longer
- 85/100 Sackboy: A Big Adventure Shared: Platformer, Fantasy, longer
- 79/100 Yoshi's Crafted World Shared: Platformer, Fantasy, longer
- 92/100 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Shared: Platformer, Fantasy, rated higher
- 84/100 Kena: Bridge of Spirits Shared: Platformer, Action, Fantasy, longer
- 89/100 UFO 50 Shared: Platformer, Action, longer, rated higher