Kirby's Dream Land

Kirby's Dream Land
File:Kdl1ussmall.jpg
Developer(s)	HAL Laboratory, Inc.
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Designer(s)	Masahiro Sakurai
Platform(s)	Game Boy
Release	JP April 27, 1992 NA August 1, 1992 AU May 6, 1993
Genre(s)	Platform game
Mode(s)	Single player

Kirby's Dream Land, known in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby (星のカービィ, Hoshi no Kābī, lit. "Kirby of the Stars"), is a platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory, Inc. and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld video game console. It is the first game in the Kirby series of video games and the first game to feature Kirby. It was released April 27, 1992 in Japan, August 1, 1992 in North America, and May 6, 1993 in Australia.

Kirby's Dream Land was designed by Masahiro Sakurai (an ex-employee of HAL Laboratory, Inc.), who is considered to be the father of the Kirby series. Sakurai intended for Kirby's Dream Land to be a simple game that could be played by beginning gamers.

As the first in the series, Kirby's Dream Land set forth many of the trademark elements featured in later Kirby games, such as the title character's main set of moves. However, it does not include Kirby's trademark ability to gain certain enemies' powers after swallowing them.

Gameplay

Kirby battling a boss named Whispy Woods.

King Dedede has stolen all of the food from the inhabitants of Dream Land. Kirby, a resident of Dream Land, goes to retrieve the food and save Dream Land from King Dedede. Kirby's Dream Land operates similarly to other platformers. Kirby walks, swims, and flies throughout five areas in order to reach the goal at the end of each level. Throughout the game, Kirby can accumulate a score, similar to older platformers, accumulating an extra life after reaching a certain score.

A variety of obstacles exist in Kirby's Dream Land. The most common of these obstacles are basic enemies. The enemy you will encounter most often is Waddle Dee, the staple enemy of the series. There are several other types of enemies such as Waddle Doo, Sir Kibble, Gordo, and Cappy. In addition to basic enemies are mini-bosses and bosses. Most levels feature a mini-boss in the middle of the level, while all feature a boss at the end of it. If Kirby touches an enemy, mini-boss, or boss, or is hit by one of their attacks, Kirby will lose one of his health points. The only way for Kirby to regain them is to touch certain food items that will refill them. When all six health points are empty, Kirby will lose one life, and will have to start over from the beginning of the area. If all of his lives are lost, the game will end.

Kirby has four basic abilities in this title - walking, jumping, flight, and inhaling. Flight involves first jumping, and then following up with another press of the jump button which will cause Kirby to inhale air. By continuously pushing the jump button, Kirby can reach any height (unless something prevents him from reaching that height). At any time when Kirby has inhaled air, he can exhale by either landing on the ground or releasing it yourself. When the air is released, Kirby will release a puff of air, which can be used to damage enemies or destroy blocks.

Inhaling objects, enemies, and food is the trademark ability of Kirby's. To inhale anything, the player must hold down the B button. Kirby can then indefinitely inhale, and if an enemy, object, or food is in range, Kirby will eat it. When food is inhaled, it is automatically swallowed and will heal Kirby if he has any damage. When Kirby inhales an enemy or object, it remains in his mouth. At this point, Kirby can shoot them out as a star (causing damage to anything in its path), or simply swallow them.

Development

The main character of Kirby's Dream Land was not always a small pink character named Kirby. Originally, he was merely a dummy character that they used until they could fill the character graphics in. However, the designers grew to like him so much that they decided to expand on him instead of using a more advanced character. He was originally named Popopo, and Kirby's Dream Land was titled Twinkle Popopo. Eventually, he was renamed Kirby and the game was renamed as Hoshi no Kirby (literally Kirby of the Stars).

During the development of Kirby's Dream Land, Kirby's color had not been decided upon. Masahiro Sakurai wanted him to be pink, while Shigeru Miyamoto felt that he should be yellow. Eventually, Nintendo decided to make him pink on the Japanese box art (in North America, Nintendo of America based the box art on Kirby's in-game color).

Presentation

The visuals are presented in two dimensions using pixelated sprites and environments. They are presented in black and white, similar to all other Game Boy video games, although a handful of Game Boy games released later in its life can be played in color on the Super Game Boy.

The sound was composed by Jun Ishikawa, a regular composer in the Kirby series.

Some songs were reused in later video games. The theme for Green Greens was reused in level 7-6 and the staff roll in Kirby's Adventure. It is also used in Super Smash Bros. Melee's Green Greens stage, while the title theme is hidden in the sound test in Kirby's Adventure.

Reception

Critical reaction

Kirby's Dream Land has an average of 69.2% at Game Rankings with three reviews.

Consumer reaction

In Japan, Kirby's Dream Land has sold more than 1.45 million copies since its release.

Remakes

File:Kirby super star spring breeze.png

Kirby sporting the "Beam" ability in Spring Breeze.

In Kirby's Adventure (as well as its remake), Stage 7-6 is a heavily condensed version of this game, using black and white visuals as well.

Kirby's Dream Land also made an appearance in Kirby Super Star for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, which is advertised as having "eight games in one" on the cover. The first of these games is Spring Breeze, which is the title of the remake. Notable changes or inclusions include the ability to steal powers from enemies, the ability to summon an enemy as a helper to aide you in battle (a feature introduced in Kirby Super Star), the lack of Kaboola, and the lack of a significant level in Mt. Dedede (which has been reduced to a small room with a few enemies and a doorway to the final boss level).

Sequels

Kirby's Adventure for the Nintendo Entertainment System is the second title in the Kirby series to be released. It introduced the ability to steal powers from enemies, an ability which has been used in the majority of games following it.

Two titles were released afterwards sharing a similar title. The first was Kirby's Dream Land 2 also for the Game Boy. It takes the ability to steal powers from enemies introduced in Kirby's Adventure, and adds the ability to ride on animals. The next and final similarly name title in the series was Kirby's Dream Land 3 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

External links

• Kirby's Dream Land at MobyGames
• Template:Gamefaqs
• Kirby's Dream Land at IGN
• Kirby's Dream Land at GameSpot