Kirby: Planet Robobot
Kirby pilots a mecha suit to defend Planet Popstar.
In 2016, HAL Laboratory and Nintendo released Kirby: Planet Robobot for the Nintendo 3DS. This eleventh main series Kirby game follows the pink hero as he protects Planet Popstar from the Haltmann Works Company, which is mechanizing the world for its resources. A new feature is the Robobot Armor, a mecha suit Kirby pilots to solve puzzles and battle foes.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- HAL Laboratory
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Director
- Shinya Kumazaki
- Producer
- Satoshi Mitsuhara, Hitoshi Yamagami
- Designer
- Yuki Endo
- Programmer
- Yoshihiro Nagata
- Artist
- Monami Matsuura
- Composer
- Hirokazu Ando, Jun Ishikawa
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Planet Robobot follows a gameplay style similar to Kirby: Triple Deluxe, using the 3DS's 3D capabilities to let Kirby move between multiple planes in stages. Kirby can inhale enemies and spit them out or swallow them to absorb their powers. Players can also gain abilities and items by scanning Amiibo figures. New to this game is the Robobot Armor, a mech suit that Kirby can pilot to destroy obstacles, lift heavy objects, and defeat large enemies. The armor can gain variations on abilities by scanning enemies, which helps in attacking and solving puzzles. Hidden throughout each level are Code Cubes needed to progress and unlock bonus levels, and collectible stickers for customizing the Robobot Armor. The game includes two minigames: Team Kirby Clash, an action role-playing game for up to four players, and Kirby 3D Rumble, a single-player game where Kirby travels along a 3D plane to inhale and shoot enemies. Clearing the main game unlocks Meta Knightmare Returns, a harder version of the campaign with Meta Knight, and The Arena, a boss rush mode. A harder variant called The True Arena and a new secret boss are also available. The game supports StreetPass and Miiverse.
Plot
A massive spacecraft called the Access Ark conquers and mechanizes Planet Popstar. King Dedede and Meta Knight fight back, but their castle and airship are destroyed by the ship's laser. Kirby, who slept through the invasion, awakens and sets off to stop the mechanization. He destroys five bases that serve as the Access Ark's landing legs, acquiring the Robobot Armor along the way. Kirby encounters Susie, an alien secretary of the Haltmann Works Company, who claims to be gathering natural resources for her boss, President Max Profitt Haltmann. Haltmann follows the business plans of a supercomputer named Star Dream. Kirby battles Clanky Woods, a hologram defense system, Susie in her power suit, a brainwashed Meta Knight renamed Mecha Knight, and three imperfect Dedede clones. After destroying the five bases, Kirby infiltrates the Access Ark and confronts Haltmann, freeing Meta Knight from brainwashing. Haltmann fires Susie and duels Kirby but is defeated. Enraged, Haltmann uses Star Dream to attack Kirby, but Susie betrays him, intending to sell the machine. Star Dream becomes self-aware, possesses Haltmann, and attacks Susie, then announces a mission of intergalactic destruction. Susie reawakens and implores Kirby to stop Star Dream. Meta Knight returns with the repaired Halberd, and Kirby fuses it with his Robobot Armor to confront the supercomputer.
Development
Susie was designed by a team of five, including Akihiro Kanno and Shinya Kumazaki, who later explained that her name derives from the Japanese word for digit, Sūji. The character Star Dream was voiced by Kumazaki’s pet cat, Tom, while its weathercock was voiced by Hirokazu Ando’s pet chicken, Nago. Before its final title, the game was considered under several names: Kirby Triple Deluxe 2, Kirby: HAGANE, Kirby: Robot Planet, and Roborobo Planet. This was the final Kirby game produced by Satoru Iwata, who passed away from bile duct cancer on July 11, 2015, nine months before the game’s release. The game was first shown during a Nintendo Direct on March 3, 2016. A set of Kirby-themed amiibo—featuring Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight, and Waddle Dee—launched alongside the game, offering unique gameplay effects. The game came out in Japan on April 28, 2016, and worldwide in June 2016. A demo arrived on the Nintendo eShop on July 21, 2016. For Kirby’s 25th anniversary, two minigames from Planet Robobot were released as standalone titles: Team Kirby Clash Deluxe in April 2017, and Kirby’s Blowout Blast in July 2017. Team Kirby Clash Deluxe later got a follow-up on Nintendo Switch in September 2019 called Super Kirby Clash, built on the Kirby Star Allies engine.
Reception
Critics generally liked Kirby: Planet Robobot, according to Metacritic, and OpenCritic found it earned "mighty" approval, with 86% of reviewers recommending it. In Japan, four Famitsu critics each gave it a 9 out of 10, totaling 36 out of 40. GameSpot scored it 8 out of 10, complimenting the gameplay, level design, characters, visuals, soundtrack, and extra modes, but noted the difficulty was rarely challenging. IGN's Brendan Graeber also gave an 8.0, praising the 3D puzzles, boss fights, the Robobot mech, and extra modes, while criticizing the easy blocking and difficulty. Forbes' Ollie Barder compared the game favorably to the mecha anime Gurren Lagann. Destructoid's Chris Carter rated it 7 out of 10, saying the robot motif felt half-baked but the game remained a safe, serviceable Kirby title. Nintendo Life's Thomas Whitehead enjoyed the main story. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated it for Handheld Game of the Year at the 20th D.I.C.E. Awards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Kirby: Planet Robobot?
Kirby: Planet Robobot was designed by Yuki Endo.
Who composed the music for Kirby: Planet Robobot?
The music for Kirby: Planet Robobot was composed by Hirokazu Ando and Jun Ishikawa.
More in Nintendo Games of the 2010s
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced