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[chaobreaker]

So recently the NoA Twitter gave a nod to Kirby's animal buddies with this tweet

Kirby’s already one tough puff, but with his many friends at his side bad guys better watch out! #Kirby25 #TBT

At first I was glad to see some semblance of official acknowledgement of Kirby's animal friends.

But then I realized they haven't been playable in a Kirby get since 1997's Kirby's Dreamland 3. That's 20 years ago! Why have they been relegated to minor cameos since then?

Well actually, there's some speculation that the director of the Kirby games that had playable animal buddies, Shinichi Shimomura, was the only person in HAL that had the interest in having them (and humanoid characters like Adeline and Ribbon) in any prominent roles in the Kirby games. There are rumours that he passed away a couple of years ago or that he mysteriously left the games industry. Either way, when he was gone, so were Kirby's animal friends.

Regardless, I feel like it's time for their glorious return! They brought with them a great amount of unique play experiences on Dreamland 2 and 3. They're also very endearing and cute!

The time is now, Nintendo and HAL.

#BringBackOurAnimalFriends

 

[ShockingAlberto]

 

[chaobreaker]

And before anyone brings up this:

☝️ This isn't good enough, BTW. We need full playability. Not another copy power easter egg.

 

[yuoke]

Same for DK, I want to see all the animal buddies back.

 

[Creaking]

wow mom look they put angry birds in kirby

 

[Berordn]

And before anyone brings up this:

☝️ This isn't good enough, BTW. I want full playability. Not another copy power easter egg.

I mean, Nago's small inclusion the Clean moveset was the also entirety of Nago's use of the Clean ability.

They weren't very deep, Kirby's modern movesets offer a lot more variety.

 

[squall23]

Friendship ended with animals. Now Robobot is my new best friend.

 

[Nanashrew]

I miss Kirby's friends.

 

[chaobreaker]

I mean, Nago's small inclusion the Clean moveset was the also entirety of Nago's use of the Clean ability.

They weren't very deep, Kirby's modern movesets offer a lot more variety.

They can be as deep as any of the copy power movesets but only if someone at HAL gave them the chance.

 

[Exotoro]

...should they? The impression I got is that they were not particularly deep to play with.

They probably work better as easter eggs than limiting Kirby's modern, expanded movesets tbh...

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

Not really..

I dont mind if they retunr but I dont want to play as them. Whats the point when Kirby can do everything better

 

[Ivan 3414]

I mean, Nago's small inclusion the Clean moveset was the also entirety of Nago's use of the Clean ability.

They weren't very deep, Kirby's modern movesets offer a lot more variety.

Obviously the movesets can be expanded

 

[clay_ghost]

Maybe Kirby just got hungry and ate them.

 

[CharminUltra]

 

[Sponge]

I'm down for HAL to incorporate the animal friends into Kirby's moves, like Nago.

 

[Berordn]

Obviously the movesets can be expanded

To what end? Kirby's entire design is that he's a one size fits all character who changes to suit his needs.

If we're bringing the friends back, that seems to imply limiting either the amount of time you get to play as Kirby or reducing the number of movesets available to him, and neither option seems that desirable to me.

I like them as characters, but as mechanics they've always fallen short in my eyes.

 

[El Odio]

Obviously the movesets can be expanded

I mean the purpose of the animal buddies was to grant Kirby new moves for each powerup based on whatever friend he was using. If they expanded the movesets they'd have to give a unique moveset for each animal and probably Kirby for each power which would be a pretty big demand.

 

[Velcro Fly]

I would buy Kine, Rick, and Coo amiibo for sure

 

[Giga Man]

Bring back Adeleine, too.

 

[Sciz]

Animal buddies were charming but not very versatile. K64's power combining was a better implementation of the same basic idea.

 

[tsundoku]

Animal Buddies were fun as fuck in Dreamland 2
Dreamland 3 is an unfun slow moving disaster though
it represents a shift to a way slower kirby style

 

[Cow Mengde]

BAM!

 

[bennywhatever]

Getting horrible memories of Kirby's Dream Land 2 where you had to have the exact animal friend + power combination to get the major secret in each world. That was tedious af.

I did like them though. I liked how they had strengths and weaknesses. Like the fish was GOAT in water but was a deadweight outside.

 

[Watch Da Birdie]

I've often wondered if there abscene, as well as most of the Dream Land 2/3/64 crew, is due to the perhaps related disappearance of Shinichi Shimomura who directed them---no one ever's figured out what happened to him, or if he even "existed" to be honest. It's very strange.

But don't forget about Gooey though, I'd love to see him in as Player 2---I mean beyond having a tongue you can still give him the same powerset as Kirby.

 

[maxcriden]

Biggest animal friend fan right here.

Dream Land 3 is criminally under-appreciated.

Crystal Shards is pretty under-appreciated too.

 

[tsundoku]

Biggest animal friend fan right here.

Dream Land 3 is criminally under-appreciated.

Crystal Shards is pretty under-appreciated too.

while both of these games are among the top in visual / aesthetic design in the whole series, kirby moves like a fucking snail in them and any new kirby games should run the hell away

 

[Cow Mengde]

Getting horrible memories of Kirby's Dream Land 2 where you had to have the exact animal friend + power combination to get the major secret in each world. That was tedious af.

I did like them though. I liked how they had strengths and weaknesses. Like the fish was GOAT in water but was a deadweight outside.

Kirby's Dreamland 3 had that too, but it was much more fun. Honestly, I for KDL2 kind of boring. It didn't helped that it came out after Kirby's Adventure on the NES.

 

[Neptonic]

As long as kirby controls like he does in the last 2 kirby games sure why not! I love Kirby's cute friends!

 

[Berordn]

while both of these games are among the top in visual / aesthetic design in the whole series, kirby moves like a fucking snail in them and any new kirby games should run the hell away

Yup. The characters have a ton of personality and the entire presentation just oozes charm, but they're total slogs compared to the modern titles (which themselves don't have perfect pacing).

I love seeing Rick, Coo and Kine show up in the games, but I never want to have to play with the limits imposed by riding on them again. Modern games have been toying with less disruptive ways to limit Kirby's movement and abilities with the items and things like Hypernova, so whatever purpose they served in gameplay has long been deprecated. The Robobot Armor is basically serving their purpose and integrating it in a much less intrusive way.

 

[Shig]

lmao

 

[Nanashrew]

I mean, they don't have to be a slog in the newer games.

 

[tsundoku]

I mean, they don't have to be a slog in the newer games.

they could absolutely be implemented as mounts that dont greatly affect kirbys mobility or hitbox while giving extra abilities like the good parts of dreamland 2

and not be a big ugly robot that no one cares about

 

[Berordn]

they could absolutely be implemented as mounts that dont greatly affect kirbys mobility or hitbox while giving extra abilities like the good parts of dreamland 2

and not be a big ugly robot that no one cares about

the robobot loves you though

 

[CharminUltra]

O.O

 

[ASaiyan]

So we send the Sonic friends away and bring the Kirby friends back? That trade make everyone happy? Lol