Kirby's Dream Land
From Kirbypedia
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| English Name: | Kirby's Dream Land |
| Japanese Name: | 星のカービィ Hoshi no Kaabii Kirby of the Stars |
| JPN Release Date: | April 27, 1992 |
| US Release Date: | August 1, 1992 |
| System: | Game Boy |
| Players: | 1 |
| Genre: | Action |
See Also: Kirby; for more information regarding creation and development.
The first game in the Kirby series, Kirby's Dream Land debuted as a platform game on the Game Boy in Japan on April 27th, 1992. The U.S. would later get the game on August 1st, 1992. It features some of Kirby's defining traits: To fly, and to inhale and spit his foes. Kirby's signature copy abilities would not appear until later in Kirby's Adventure. The original commercial that aired in the U.S used the slogan "He packs a mean bite".
Although the game is in black and white, it holds many cute and appealing characters that often tie into the abstract lands they inhabit. Two additional games using the Dream Land title were also released: Kirby's Dream Land 2 for Game Boy and Kirby's Dream Land 3 for SNES, however they were not released in chronological order. Although nearly all Kirby games revolve around most of the same Characters and Locations, several differences set the Dream Land titles apart.
It would also be the first and only game where Kirby would appear to be white, instead of his trademark pink color.
Contents |
Story
On a tiny star, there is a place called Dream Land where the Dream Landers live. The Dream Landers are a peaceful and happy group, who use sparkling stars to harvest their food and play in the heavens.
However, one day the greedy and mischievious King Dedede came down from Mt. Dedede with his minions to steal some food. King Dedede was looking for a midnight snack, but instead stole all the Dreamlander's food and precious sparkling stars.With no food and no sparkling stars to look for food, the Dreamlanders began to get very hungry.
As their hunger and distress grew, a young confident Dream Lander, named Kirby, came forward and volunteered to get the magical stars and food back.
Gameplay
Kirby's Dream Land is a classic platform style game, like almost all Kirby games, working from left to right fighting foes, picking up power ups and progressing through harder levels ending in bosses. The play through is very straight forward, and very few stray passages exist to deter the player from the goal. It was the intention of the game creators to make the game difficulty low, in order for younger players to be able to complete it. However, the versatility of Kirby's movements, attacks, and creative characters and environments appeal to players of all ages. Many players will agree that is the shortest of all Kirby games, and the most experienced player can no doubt beat it easily in less than an hour .
Kirby's movements include flying, walking, running, dashing, inhaling, swallowing, and spitting. A unique element is the fact that Kirby can fly unlimited, and in addition to traveling by flying, Kirby can swim under water, enter doors, and use warp stars to get from place to another. In Float Islands, Kirby even gets help from a whale.
Kirby has a vitality bar of 6 health bars, meaning he can be hit six times before he will lose a life. In the extra game, this is reduced to 3. Falling into a pit or bottomless hole is an instant life lost, while running into a spike or an enemy will take away one health bar.
There are many different approaches for attacking, and one of which is using the fly feature along. Kirby can inhale air as he flies, which produces air pellets that can double as an attack. By inhaling an enemy, Kirby can either spit the enemy out to break star blocks, use it as a projectile (which turns into a star) to knock out another enemy, or swallow it just to turn it into stomach contents. Three characters that can not be inhaled are Gordo, Shotzo, and Scarfy.
There are several items that Kirby can find along the way that will aid him in his quest. Health replenishing items can help Kirby regain lost health. The maxim tomatoes will heal Kirby completely, and pep brews will heal Kirby for 2 health bars. 1ups found will give Kirby an additional life.
Another type of item that grant temporary abilities, such as the Curry Rice (aka: "Spicy Food") which allows Kirby to breathe fire, and Sweet Potato (aka: "Mint Leaf") that allows Kirby to quickly spew out air pellets. Three other items are one-use only items: Microphone and bomb which give Kirby advantages to potentially clear the screen. The last item is Candy, which can make Kirby invincible for a short time and he can plow through enemies.
Doors, items, and enemies can all be blocked or hidden by star blocks.
Levels
There are a total of 5 stages in Kirby's Dream Land, with 4 being unique levels. They consist of a grassy area, a castle, a beach type setting, and a stage in the clouds. The final stage has small parts of each of the previous levels including the bosses, as a prelude to the final boss.
Stage 1: Green Greens
Mini-Boss: Poppy Bros. Sr.
Boss: Whispy Woods
Stage 2: Castle Lololo
Mini-Boss: Lololo
Boss: Lololo and Lalala
Stage 3: Float Islands
Boss: Kaboola
Stage 4: Bubbly Clouds
Mini-Boss: Kracko
Boss: Kracko
Stage 5: Mt. Dedede
Mini-Boss: Whispy Woods, Lololo and Lalala, Kaboola, Kracko
Final Boss: King Dedede
Easter Eggs and Glitches
See also: [Dreamland Tips and Codes at KRR]
Extra Game
See also: Extra Game (Kirby's Dream Land)
Upon completing the game, instructions are given on how to start the extra game: At the title screen, press Up + Select + A. The word extra game will appear, and you will be able to continue once. Features in the extra game include enemies which replace certain older ones, who can be in bigger numbers. Some enemies and bosses will move and hit faster. Enemies also cause twice the damage, which basically means Kirby can only be hit three times before he loses a life.
Upon completion of the extra game, information to access the configuration menu is given. By pressing Down + Select + B at the title screen, the configuration menu will open allowing you to choose to start with 1 - 6 vitality bars, up to nine lives, and access the sound test.
Sounds
- You can access the game's sound test from the title screen by pressing Down + Select + B. This opens the configuration menu where the sound test can be selected. The soundtest consists of the full game soundtrack (17 songs) and all the sound effects.
- If you run into the very first Waddle Dee at the beginning of the game, the sound effect that plays when Kirby takes damage is slightly different.
- When you get a 1UP, if you pause at the right moment it will play the background music on the pause screen instead of silence.
Graphics and Gameplay
- In Castle Lololo, when Kirby approaches the bomb item and a booler is nearby, if Kirby inhales both at the same time a glitch will occur. When Kirby spits, the booler will be shot out, but then Kirby remains normal. It seems the bomb has disappeared, until he inhales another enemy and upon second firing the bomb will work.
- In Float Islands, there is a cave with a door hidden behind star blocks. You can get Kirby stuck in the star blocks by taking out the first two top ones, jumping into the spikes and hitting right as Kirby takes damage. Kirby will then be trapped, but just inhale a block to get out of it.
- In the maze area of Bubbly Clouds, near the water there is a small nook in the clouds. Walk up to it, and then walk near the water as far as you can without falling in, then quickly turn around. Kirby will now appear to be in the background. If you did it correctly, you'll hear a splash, and Kirby's movement will be slowed.
- In the same maze area, there is a hidden door (read below for more information). If you inhale the Sweet Potato as you fall down the hole, you'll either be saved and stay afloat, or Kirby will lose a life. If he loses a life at the right moment, the Mint Leaf theme will play, and upon restarting the stage, Kirby will have the ability.
- In the next area after defeating Kracko's weaker form, if Kirby inhales the mint leaf as he hits the water, when he floats back up through the waterfall he'll appear to be in the background. This glitch is short lived.
Hidden Doors
- There is a hidden door in the maze area of Bubbly Clouds. It is near the water on the upper left side, and can be entered through the small opening in the clouds. There is
- In the last area of Bubbly Clouds before Kracko, there is a hidden door in the top of the moon.
Version Differences
Very few differences exist between the English and the Japanese versions, in fact most of them are graphical. There are no text differences, including the credits and menu options.
Box Art
There was a short dispute upon Kirby's conception over exactly what color he should be. This was due to a misunderstanding of what color Kirby was exactly, due the limit of colors on the Game Boy. Yellow, pink, and white were the choices, but of course pink obviously won out.
On the Japanese Box Art, Kirby appears in his normal pink color, however on the U.S. Box Art Kirby is white. Kirby also appeared white in the Kirby's Dream Land commercial This further points out a misunderstanding, as the U.S. version was released several months later.
Title Screen
The most obvious difference is the title screen. The logos are in their respective language, and the Japanese title screen includes a background image from Green Greens.
Ending Sign
At the end of the game, Kirby stands on a box and holds up a sign as food drops down to the Dream Landers. The sign says "Bye Bye", however it is one of the few things that is written in Japanese for the original version.
Spring Breeze
In Kirby Super Star for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the game consists of multiple games. One of these games is Spring Breeze, which is a remake of Kirby's Dream Land with SNES graphics and updated with the inclusion of Kirby's signature copy abilities.
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power ran a feature on Kirby's Dream Land in Issue #39, August 1992. While the source is generally reliable, much of the information is contradicted by later Kirby games and official printing later produced.
- Maxim Tomato is wrongly listed as"Magic Food Bag"
- Whispy Woods is misspelled as "Wispy"
- They also give Whispy Woods the nickname "The Larkspur Liar"
- The article marks a Pep Brew as a "Jar" in one diagram
- The bomb item is not mentioned at all
- In addition, the article also lists normal enemies with enemies that do not appear until the extra game.
In the back of the issue, there is a small section with information on the newest releases and ratings. Kirby's Dream Land was classified as "Comic Action".
Related Info
Instruction Booklet on KRR
Image Gallery on KRR
Music on KRR
External Links
| Kirby Games: | |
| Dream Land - Adventure - Pinball Land - Dream Course - Avalanche - Dream Land 2 - Block Ball - Toy Box - Super Star - Star Stacker - Dream Land 3 - KiraKira Kids - 64: The Crystal Shards - Tilt 'n' Tumble - Nightmare in Dream Land - Air Ride - Amazing Mirror - Canvas Curse - Squeak Squad - Super Star Ultra | |
| Upcoming Games: | |
| Kirby Wii (Untitled) | |
