Do note, however, this list is subject to change over time, with the first update scheduled in March when I review Kirby: Star Allies for Hey Poor Player. I'm planning to embark on a 100% run of the Kirby series over the next year or so, so expect the first changes within that time -- the Great/Good categories are especially shaky, so you may see certain titles shift about.
Please also bear in mind the reviews for Kirby's Dream Land and Kirby's Dream Land 2 do not reflect my current writing standards, so expect updated versions in the future. Finally, spin-offs (Kirby Air Ride) and compilations (Kirby's Dream Collection) are not included; this is strictly for the mainline games, although the two remakes are included.
To review a better understanding of Leave Luck to Heaven's scoring system, please visit this page.
Masterpiece (10/10)
Kirby Super Star (SNES, 1996) / Kirby Super Star Ultra (DS, 2008): The highest ranking is decided at a tie, but when both titles are some of the greatest co-op side-scrolling experiences gaming has to offer, why complain? Later Kirby titles may surpass it in length, challenge and even gameplay, but Kirby Super Star's series of vignettes remains his freshest, grandest, and just the most magical all these years later, with Kirby Super Star Ultra building upon that in one of Nintendo's greatest remakes.
Kirby's Adventure (NES, 1993): Most hail Super Mario Bros. 3 as NES's Holy Grail, but I know it's not just bias that I instead elect HAL Laboratory's swan song. It's not just the platform's greatest technical accomplishment but its most sugary-sweet, befriending even the most fledgling of players frustrated by Mario and Sonic. Yes, even they can reach the ending, and Kirby's Adventure is never not having the funnest time ensuring they do so.
Kirby's Adventure (NES, 1993): Most hail Super Mario Bros. 3 as NES's Holy Grail, but I know it's not just bias that I instead elect HAL Laboratory's swan song. It's not just the platform's greatest technical accomplishment but its most sugary-sweet, befriending even the most fledgling of players frustrated by Mario and Sonic. Yes, even they can reach the ending, and Kirby's Adventure is never not having the funnest time ensuring they do so.
Near-Masterpiece (9/10)
Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii, 2010): Good-Feel's bending of the series rules doesn't operate anything like the typical Kirby sugar rush, but it doesn't need to: in its heart lies the very same "anyone can reach the ending" philosophy that was the genesis for the series, a theme echoed by how soft and inviting Epic Yarn is. Accompanied by the series' most inspired set-pieces and a wonderfully pleasant score by Tomoya Tomita, Epic Yarn's habits of apartment-building and swinging on fabric trees transcend Kirby to become a sort of unique relaxation simulator I've yet to see matched anywhere else.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land (Wii, 2011): Kirby Super Star Ultra may've set the gears in motion, but Kirby's Return to Dream Land, HAL's first original home console effort in over a decade, proved HAL still had it in them to craft a Super Star/Adventure-level title. True to its American name, what's old is new again in a sea of Kirby's Adventure-inspired level design, much-needed Copy Abilities updates, and the embracing of series lore. Combined with the success of what's new (Super Abilities!), and you have what's responsible for the current Golden Age of Kirby.
Kirby: Planet Robobot (3DS, 2016): It's only natural the game featuring mechs is Kirby's most bombastic yet, what with Copy Ability-imbued Robobots with a touch of pseudo-3D experimentation. That the Robobots are a constant, organic force within the level design displays HAL's evolution of technical craft, right down to what's easily the most showstopping climax in Kirby history. Did I mention it's really hard to 100%?
Kirby: Canvas Curse (DS, 2005): Often hailed as the first genuine proof of concept for DS, Canvas Curse was the first time the gaming public/media really took notice of Kirby, and it's hard not to see why: the exclusive focus on touch control brought forth an entirely new breed of platforming that was both engaging and difficult, and coupled with ever-shifting abstractness in art and the techno arrangements, it's unlike anything else Kirby has to offer.
Really Great (8.5/10)
Kirby: Triple Deluxe (3DS, 2014): Over-familiarity with Return to Dream Land and the relative inadequacy of the Supernova ability render Triple Deluxe a tad weaker than its Golden Age counterparts, but the 3D-effect emphasis leads to some truly inventive design alongside a strong score and nostalgic aesthetic. It also helps Kirby Fighters and the keychains remain the strongest sub-game/collectibles, respectively.
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land (GBA, 2002): This Kirby's Adventure remake fights a constant tug-and-pull battle of superiority over the original it doesn't always win, but for any failures in graphical adaption and awkward parallax scrolling replacements, the loving heart of NES's best game remains as approachable as ever (It also began the unfortunate "Angry Kirby" trend, but, well, that's not the game's fault)
Great (8/10)
Kirby's Dream Land (GB, 1992): Don't let the brevity of Masahiro Sakurai's directorial debut fool you: tight, professional design lends to replayability book-ended by insurance in the form of what's probably still the series's toughest Extra Mode. Hard to believe Kirby began without his trademark Copy Ability, but that you walk away more satisfied than its meatier sequels proves less can be more in this Anyone's First Platformer.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64, 2000): Shinichi Shimomura's final Kirby game remains his strongest not merely in that it doesn't lean too heavily upon Kirby's "made for beginners" directive (although it's still a tad slow), but that the addictive experimentation is multi-layered in everything from combining Copy Abilities to discovering what holding a Bronto Burt above Kirby will accomplish. Still in possession of one of the series' best soundtracks, too.
Kirby: Mass Attack (DS, 2011): Perhaps even more alien than Epic Yarn is what's easily HAL's most bizarre concept for the series: rampaging the lands with up to ten Kirbys Any disappointments in the lack of a memorable score or uneven level pacing don't undermine the joy of piledriving, tackling even hot-air balloon maneuvering via mob in what's easily Kirby's most difficult game. May I also cite the veritable collection of sub-games?
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (Wii U, 2015): It's no Canvas Curse, and the phoned-in Challenge Mode still stings, but this claymation-themed entry is so pleasant we almost don't care it's a budget title. Despite the absence of Copy Abilities, the level design is still inspired enough to carry it through, and the collectibles in models and Elline's diary are perhaps Kirby at its most adorable (and cynical, if we count the former's descriptions).
Good (7/10)
Kirby's Dream Land 3 (SNES, 1997): Dream Land 3's mesh of pastel, crayon scribbles, and watercolors are an unbelievably perfect fit for Kirby (and SNES's final visual stunner), but the static level design fails to take advantage of it. Thankfully, the animal buddies' Copy Abilities and the challenging Heart Stars keep us engaged until the very end.
Kirby's Dream Land 2 (GB, 1995): A shockingly poor introduction via the first two worlds threaten to undermine what's generally a solid platformer, and that the following worlds ramp up in intensity -- right down to one of the most satisfying climaxes in Kirby history -- make us wonder if they tried too hard to hook beginners. Still, those two worlds don't last for very long, so the rest of the game still shines through.
Kirby's Dream Land 2 (GB, 1995): A shockingly poor introduction via the first two worlds threaten to undermine what's generally a solid platformer, and that the following worlds ramp up in intensity -- right down to one of the most satisfying climaxes in Kirby history -- make us wonder if they tried too hard to hook beginners. Still, those two worlds don't last for very long, so the rest of the game still shines through.
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror (GBA, 2004): The first of Flagship's collaborations with HAL provides an interesting concept in placing Kirby within Metroidvania, and while there's enough highs to warrant such a venture, it remains clumsy: it fails to properly disclose its progression system, the Four Kirby AI is too poor to rely upon, and Kirby's Copy Abilities are either too inconvenient or too gimmicky to function within a Metroidvania environment. Still worth a play, but more polish was needed.
Okay (6/10)
Kirby: Squeak Squad (DS, 2006): If there was any evidence Flagship was the wrong developer for Kirby, this was certainly it. While hardly deserving of scorn, Squeak Squad tries far too hard in appealing to beginners and it shows within the uninspired level design. The recycled soundtrack and lame touch-screen function further cement its half-baked identity.
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