Kirby Games Tier List: Every Main Entry Ranked
Kirby's been floating, inhaling and copy-abilitying his way across Nintendo consoles for over 30 years, and the series has a weirdly wide range for something this cute. You've got golf games, pinball-ish racers, yarn worlds, co-op brawlers and a couple of all-time platformer classics.
This list covers 22 mainline and spinoff Kirby games, ranked from the ones that defined the series to the ones even diehards mostly skip. Note that Kirby Air Riders was released on November 20, 2025, so this placement is based on a full playthrough rather than early impressions and expectations.
Disagree with where we put Squeak Squad or Canvas Curse? That's half the fun. Rank your own list and see how it stacks up.
The tier list
The community’s tier list fills in as members vote. It appears once 5 members have ranked or voted on these.
Think you can rank them better?
Make your own tier listFree account. Your ranking stays private unless you share it, and it counts toward the community tier list.Vote
SS Tier: The series at its absolute best
Kirby Super Star
Basically eight games in one, and the Helper system where a second player controls an enemy is still one of the best co-op ideas Nintendo ever had. Revenge of Meta Knight alone has more personality than most entire platformers.
About Kirby Super Star
A SNES compilation-style platformer split into multiple sub-games, known for its Helper system allowing local co-op.
- Platform
- SNES
Kirby's Adventure
The NES game that turned Kirby from a one-note Game Boy curiosity into a real franchise by adding copy abilities. Every Kirby game since owes this one a debt, and it still plays great today.
About Kirby's Adventure
An NES platformer that added copy abilities, letting Kirby gain powers from swallowed enemies. Widely seen as the game that established the series' identity.
- Platform
- NES
- Released
- 1993
Kirby Super Star Ultra
Takes an already stacked SNES game and adds new modes like Revenge of the King and Meta Knightmare Ultra without diluting what made the original great. If you're playing just one classic-era Kirby game, make it this one.
About Kirby Super Star Ultra
A DS remake of Kirby Super Star with added modes and updated visuals, widely considered an improvement on the original.
- Platform
- Nintendo DS
AA Tier: Excellent Kirby, no asterisks needed
Kirby's Return to Dream Land
The game that brought four-player co-op back and reminded everyone Kirby could still do a proper, meaty platformer after years of gimmick entries. The Super Abilities, where Kirby turns into a giant sword or a flamethrower-tornado thing, are a genuine highlight.
About Kirby's Return to Dream Land
A Wii platformer that brought back traditional four-player co-op and full-length level design after several spinoff-style entries.
- Platform
- Wii
Kirby: Planet Robobot
The mech suit is the star here, letting you punch through walls and scan enemies for extra powers. Pairs surprisingly well with a plot that leans more sci-fi than usual, and the soundtrack is one of the series' best.
About Kirby: Planet Robobot
A 3DS platformer introducing a mech suit ability and a more sci-fi, mechanical aesthetic than prior entries.
- Platform
- Nintendo 3DS
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby's first real 3D outing, and it works way better than it had any right to. The abandoned-mall-and-city aesthetic gives familiar power-ups a fresh backdrop, and Mouthful Mode, where Kirby swallows a car or a vending machine, is the kind of dumb-brilliant idea only this series would commit to.
About Kirby and the Forgotten Land
A Switch platformer and Kirby's first major 3D entry, featuring an abandoned human-world setting and the Mouthful Mode ability.
- Platform
- Nintendo Switch
Kirby's Dream Land 3
The pastel, crayon-drawn art style and the return of animal friends like Gooey make this one of the most charming entries on SNES. It's slower and more puzzle-focused than Dream Land 2, which is exactly why some fans rank it even higher.
About Kirby's Dream Land 3
A SNES platformer with a hand-drawn, crayon-style art direction and the animal friend Gooey.
- Platform
- SNES
Kirby's Epic Yarn
No HP bar, no losing, just Kirby turning into a yarn ball and unzipping the world. It's an easy game by design, but the craft-world visuals and transformation gimmicks (car Kirby, tank Kirby) still make it one of the prettiest platformers Nintendo's put out.
About Kirby's Epic Yarn
A Wii platformer where Kirby loses his inhale ability but turns into a yarn ball, with a craft-themed visual style throughout.
- Platform
- Wii
BB Tier: Solid and worth your time
Kirby's Dream Land 2
Introduced animal friends like Rick and Kine, giving copy abilities a second layer of utility. A clear step up from the original Dream Land, even if it's since been overshadowed by Dream Land 3.
About Kirby's Dream Land 2
A Game Boy sequel that introduced animal friends like Rick, Kine and Coo, who combine with copy abilities for new effects.
- Platform
- Game Boy
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
The power combination system, mixing Fire and Ice into something new, is a great idea that the series oddly never fully returned to. Short and a little rough visually, but worth it for Kirby fans curious what N64-era Kirby looked like.
About Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
An N64 platformer known for letting players mix two copy abilities together to create new combined powers.
- Platform
- Nintendo 64
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
The first Kirby Metroidvania, with a sprawling interconnected map and four-Kirby co-op via link cable or local play. The lack of a clear path can be disorienting, which is probably why opinions on this one are split.
About Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
A Game Boy Advance platformer with a large interconnected map, Kirby's first Metroidvania-style entry.
- Platform
- Game Boy Advance
Kirby Star Allies
Grabbing allies and combining their powers (Fire plus Sword for a flaming blade, for instance) is genuinely fun, and the roster of guest helpers grew a lot post-launch. Feels a bit easy and padded compared to Robobot or Return to Dream Land, which keeps it out of the top tier for a lot of fans.
About Kirby Star Allies
A Switch platformer where Kirby recruits enemies as allies and combines their abilities, with post-launch content adding guest characters.
- Platform
- Nintendo Switch
Kirby: Triple Deluxe
The foreground/background depth gimmick is a neat use of the 3DS, and Hypernova lets Kirby inhale way more than usual, including entire trees. Solid, if a little overshadowed by its own sequel Robobot.
About Kirby: Triple Deluxe
A 3DS platformer using foreground and background layers for puzzle and platforming elements, featuring the Hypernova ability.
- Platform
- Nintendo 3DS
Kirby Mass Attack
Ten tiny Kirbys at once, controlled entirely with the DS stylus, is a genuinely weird swing for the series and it mostly pays off. Doesn't look or feel like any other Kirby game, for better and worse.
About Kirby Mass Attack
A DS platformer controlled entirely with the stylus, where players command up to ten small Kirbys at once.
- Platform
- Nintendo DS
Kirby: Canvas Curse
Drawing rainbow paths with the stylus to roll Kirby around was a clever use of the original DS touch screen and still feels fresh. Short, but it's the kind of game people remember fondly years later.
About Kirby: Canvas Curse
A Nintendo DS platformer controlled entirely with the stylus, drawing rainbow paths to roll Kirby around.
- Platform
- Nintendo DS
CC Tier: Fine, with real caveats
Kirby's Dream Land
The one that started it all on Game Boy, but it's missing copy abilities entirely, which makes it feel thin compared to basically everything that followed. Historically important, not that fun to go back to.
About Kirby's Dream Land
The original 1992 Game Boy platformer that introduced Kirby, his inhale ability and his rival King Dedede. It lacks copy abilities, which later games made a series staple.
- Platform
- Game Boy
- Released
- 1992
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse
A spiritual sequel to Canvas Curse with a claymation look that's genuinely gorgeous on Wii U. Stylus-only controls feel less precise than the DS original, and it's a game fans argue about more than most.
About Kirby and the Rainbow Curse
A Wii U spiritual successor to Canvas Curse with a claymation art style, controlled with the GamePad stylus.
- Platform
- Wii U
Kirby's Dream Course
Kirby as a golf ball, rolling through isometric courses to clear enemies before sinking the hole. A clever idea for SNES, but it's a game you dip into for an hour rather than one you remember for years.
About Kirby's Dream Course
An isometric golf-style spinoff where Kirby is launched like a ball through enemy-filled courses.
- Platform
- SNES
Kirby: Squeak Squad
Plays it extremely safe, recycling abilities and structure from earlier DS-era entries without adding much beyond a treasure-chest gimmick. Fine for younger players, a non-event for anyone who'd already played Canvas Curse.
About Kirby: Squeak Squad
A DS platformer centered on collecting treasure chests scattered across levels, with a plot about a rival gang of mice.
- Platform
- Nintendo DS
Kirby Air Ride
City Trial mode, where you free-roam collecting power-ups before a random event, has a cult following that's kept this GameCube game alive for years. The actual races are mostly just holding the accelerator, which is divisive by design.
About Kirby Air Ride
A GameCube racing spinoff best known for its City Trial mode, a free-roam power-up collecting minigame.
- Platform
- GameCube
DD Tier: Only for the completionists
Kirby's Dream Buffet
A small-scale, food-themed party racer that feels more like a tech demo than a full release. Charming for an afternoon, forgotten within a month.
About Kirby's Dream Buffet
A small-scale party racing spinoff on Switch with a food and dessert theme.
- Platform
- Nintendo Switch
Kirby Air Riders
Released on November 20, 2025, so this placement is based on hands-on time rather than early footage. Expectations are modest given Air Ride's mixed legacy, but we'll update this once it's actually out.
About Kirby Air Riders
A racing spinoff on Switch 2 released on November 20, 2025, positioned as a successor to Kirby Air Ride.
- Platform
- Nintendo Switch 2
How we ranked them
We weighed replay value, how well each game's gimmick holds up, length and content, and where each one sits in fan and critic consensus from reviews and forum debates over the years. Spinoffs are judged on their own terms (a racing game isn't held to platformer standards), but the core question is always the same: is this a game people still bring up fondly, or one that's mostly forgotten?
Think we got it wrong?
Drag all 22 kirby games into your own tier list, then download the image or share a link.
Rank these yourselfFAQ
What is the best Kirby game of all time?
Most fans and critics land on Kirby Super Star (or its remake, Kirby Super Star Ultra) as the series peak, thanks to its Helper co-op system and sheer density of content.
What is the worst Kirby game?
Opinions vary, but smaller spinoffs like Kirby's Dream Buffet tend to rank at the bottom since they're short, low-stakes side projects rather than full games.
Is Kirby and the Forgotten Land a good starting point for new players?
Yes. It's Kirby's first 3D game, it's modern, and it doesn't require any knowledge of earlier entries to enjoy.
Which Kirby game introduced copy abilities?
Kirby's Adventure on NES introduced copy abilities, after the original Kirby's Dream Land launched without them.
Is Kirby Air Riders a sequel to Kirby Air Ride?
Yes, it's the follow-up to the GameCube racer Kirby Air Ride, and it released on November 20, 2025.
More rankings
Image credits
- Kirby Super StarCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby's AdventureCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby Super Star UltraCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby's Return to Dream LandCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby: Planet RobobotCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby and the Forgotten LandCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby's Dream Land 3Cover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby's Epic YarnCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby's Dream Land 2Cover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby 64: The Crystal ShardsCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby & the Amazing MirrorCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby Star AlliesCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby: Triple DeluxeCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby Mass AttackCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby: Canvas CurseCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby's Dream LandCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby and the Rainbow CurseCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby's Dream CourseCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby: Squeak SquadCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby Air RideCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby's Dream BuffetCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Kirby Air RidersCover: Wikipedia · Source