Cover artwork I generate from the game data. I do not use publisher artwork.
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
What it costs you in time
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 90 out of 100, which puts it above 85 percent of the 1206 games here and at rank 151 overall. That is a strong score, comfortably above what most releases manage.
For comparison, Platformer averages 84 points across the database, so this one sits 6 points above its own genre. The figure rests on 138 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
- 90 / 100
Direct comparison
| Genres | Release year | Playtime | Critic rating | Price bracket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirby Super Star | 1996 | approx. 6 hrs. | 90 | 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
- Kirby und das vergessene Land Shared: Platformer, Action, Fantasy, longer
- Sackboy: A Big Adventure Shared: Platformer, Fantasy, longer
- Yoshi's Crafted World Shared: Platformer, Fantasy, longer
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Shared: Platformer, Fantasy, rated higher
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits Shared: Platformer, Action, Fantasy, longer
- UFO 50 Shared: Platformer, Action, longer