Summary
Kirbyis one of the most memorable characters inNintendo’shistory, and leave it to them to make a pink circle, two eyes, and a mouth a cultural juggernaut that is taken with the same level of respect as Mario, Sonic, and Link.
TheNintendo Switchis a home for both the newer and older titles in the Kirby series, thanks toNintendo Switch Online’s retro collection and Hal Laboratory’s dedication to keeping the Kirby renaissance going. But, with every great series comes a question: which game is the best, and which should I spend my money on?
Updated on June 20, 2025, by Kyle Chamaillard:Kirby has starred in many games, and fortunately, most of them are available in one way or another on the Nintendo Switch. We’ve updated this list to include more information about each title to help you decide which ones to play first.
Kirby Fighters 2 is okay for what it is: a fighting game consisting entirely of Kirby characters. With 22 playable fighters (17 of which are Kirby abilities, and the remainder, buddies), it does exactly what it needs to be a passable fighting game.
The thing that drops it to the bottom of the list is that it plays so similarly toSuper Smash Bros.that you might as well just play that since it offers more content and overlaps a decent amount with Kirby Fighters 2. If you just can’t get enough of Kirby, though, this is the game for you.
Super Kirby Clashis a fine free-to-start experience that doesn’t touch any of the highs of the rest of Kirby’s titles but is still a fun time nonetheless. You’ll spend most of your time taking on challenging missions, which are essentially mainline Kirby boss fights, with three other players (or CPUs) of varying RPG classes.
While there is a lot of content here, most of it revolves around a singular experience that you’re able to only play in small bursts before running out of in-game currency, which either restores by itself over time or is purchased for real money. If you like Kirby boss fights to the max, maybe Super Kirby Clash will scratch your itch.
Like most of the games on the top half of this list,Kirby’s Dream Buffetis just okay– there aren’t any terrible titles, only games that are underwhelming. Kirby’s Dream Buffet centers around a gameplay loop of racing three other players to the end of food-filled tracks to get the biggest bounty of strawberries.
There are a decent amount of tracks, a variety of bonus game modes, andcute costumes that you may make Kirby wear, but at the end of the day, the core of the gameplay is more something you might pull out at a party than call your favorite Kirby game.
Kirby’s Star Stacker launched on the Game Boy internationally, but the Super Famicom version of the game - the one that is currently available on Nintendo Switch Online - was only available in Japan until recently. The console version features better graphics and a competitive multiplayer mode, which makes it superior to the handheld Star Stacker.
If you enjoy puzzle games likeTetrisorDr. Mario, it won’t take long for you to be sucked in by Star Stacker’s surprisingly engaging gameplay. The colorful blocks and character portraits create a friendly atmosphere for a game that can also be incredibly challenging if you play on one of the higher-difficulty settings.
You must have a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online to access this title.
Kirby’s Avalanche is Puyo Puyo. No, notlikePuyo Puyo, and notborrowingfrom Puyo Puyo– Kirby’s Avalanche is, one for one, a Puyo Puyo game with a coat of paint resembling the pink puffball and his world.
There’s not much to say here– if you like Puyo Puyo, this does the job and provides something new to look at while playing. Even so, you won’t be blamed if you’re looking for a little more that actually concerns Kirby in a game that has his name on it. At least Kirby gives you something to look at by hopping around the screen as you play.
Kirby’s Dream Land for the Game Boy was the protagonist’s first adventure, though most of his iconic features wouldn’t be introduced until Kirby’s Adventure for the NES. Here, Kirby can eat and spit out enemies, but he doesn’t have the power to copy their abilities yet.
While Kirby’s versatility is a defining characteristic, Dream Land is still a great platformer that introduces iconic characters, like Whispy Woods, King Dedede, and Kracko. If you’re a completionist who wants to play every Kirby game available, the first chapter of his story should take roughly an hour to complete.
Kirby has starred in some interesting spin-offs and Tilt ‘N’ Tumble was one of the first examples of how flexible and weird the pink protagonist is willing to get. When itfirst launched on the Game Boy, the cartridge had a built-in accelerometer, so you could tilt your console to control which direction Kirby rolls toward.
It’s a fun gimmick that only gets frustrating when it misreads what direction you want Kirby to go in. This mechanic has been carried over to Tilt ‘N’ Tumble on Nintendo Switch Online, so you can move your console around - preferably in handheld mode- to get Kirby to the goal in this unique title.
Yeah, Kirby’s Dream Course might just be golf, but it does such a great job of combining the sport with the world and key elements of Kirby that it can be excused. Rather than get to the hole in as few strikes as possible, you want to eliminate all the enemies on the field to reveal an exit to escape to.
Even further, copy abilities play a core role in gameplay, altering how Kirby moves when struck and causing you to be more intentional about the order in which you eliminate enemies.
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror originally arrived on the Game Boy Advance and introduced a couple of fun twists to the classic Kirby formula. Firstly, the game’s map is less linear than other titles and feels more like a Metroidvania than a straight platformer, and you can play it with up to three friends as long as everyone owns a copy of the game.
You must have a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription to access this title.
Kirby’s Dream Land 2 takes everything from its predecessor and expands upon it to create one of Kirby’s greatest adventures. While the first Dream Land lacked some personality and Kirby’s iconic copy abilities, the sequel remedies this with colorful flair and seemingly endless possibilities.
More than anything, Dream Land 2 is often viewed as one of the more challenging games in a series that’s often perceived to be for younger audiences. Earning 100% completion will require you to solve some tough puzzles with the help of some new friends - Rick, Kine, and Coo.
