Kirby: Kingdom of the Dark Side

Kirby: Kingdom of the Dark Side is a 2025 platform video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Chroma. It is the fourteenth mainline installment in the Kirby series. The game was released worldwide on June 5, 2025.
== Story ==
TBA
== Gameplay ==
Kirby: Kingdom of the Dark Side retains the gameplay style of Kirby and the Forgotten Land, with some new twists. In the 3D platformer gameplay that functions similarily to Kirby and the Forgotten Land, the player controls Kirby as he explores the various levels, collecting collectible items and using various copy abilities to defeat enemies.
One of the new gimmicks in the game is that Kirby will seamlessly switch between 3D and 2.5D gameplay. In the 3D gameplay, Kirby can explore the levels in a fully 3D world and use various copy abilities to navigate the environment and defeat enemies. In the 2.5D gameplay, Kirby will be restricted to a 2D path, but will be able to use copy abilities to navigate obstacles.
Speaking of collectible items new to the game, Kirby can acquire collectible "fridge pins" (much like capsules from its predecessor), which they appear in almost every level of the game with some required to solve a puzzle in order to acquire them.
Furthermore, the game also introduces a new UI system functions as the main hub of the game, where the player can unlock new options and sub-games by completing bosses of certain levels. The new UI system is also able to adjust the player's settings. The new UI system also includes the ability to customize your avatar, as well as purchasing stuff for your avatar customization for Star Coins, which they return from its predecessor.
Another new gimmick in the game that Kirby also gains a new ability separate from Copy Abilities in the form of Ally Calls, which Kirby can call an ally, either Hikari or Kibou, to help proceed further, which functions similarly to the Cell Phone in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, and Helpers in Kirby Super Star and Kirby Star Allies. Kirby can discard an ally from an ally call anytime the player wants. Kirby can stack up to 2 ally calls in the overall gameplay for some levels in the game.
Unlike its predecessor, the game lacks 2-player co-op support in the main gameplay, but in sub-games, the game continues to offer 2-player co-op support, which can be played by up to 6 players.
Unlike its predecessor, the game includes a life system similar to most other Kirby games, meaning that 1UPs appear randomly in most levels in the game. When Kirby runs out of health, he loses a life. When Kirby runs out of all lives, the game over screen appears similarily to most other Kirby games. The player can either continue or quit depending on the player's choice.
== Characters ==
=== Playable Characters ===
* Kirby
==== Ally Calls (Allies) ====
* Hikari
* Kibou
=== Non-Playable characters ===
* Hikari
* Kibou
* Dark King Atlas
* Lituenant Kora
=== Enemies ===
Enemies in bold are new to the game.
Character 	Gives Ability when Inhaled	Type of enemy
Accelecrane 	Talon 	Large
Amethysera 	Crystal 	Large
Armoroid 	Mecha 	Regular
Awoofy 	None 	Regular
Bernard 	Ranger 	Regular
Big Gordo 	None 	Large
Big Kabu 	None 	Large
Big Waddle Dee 	None 	Large
Big Waddle Doo 	Beam 	Large
Blade Knight 	Sword 	Regular
Blipper 	None 	Regular
Bomber 	Crash 	Regular
Bouncy 	None 	Regular
Boxin 	Fighter 	Regular
Bronto Burt 	None 	Regular
Broom Hatter 	None 	Regular
Bulby 	Light 	Regular
Cappy 	None 	Regular
Chilly 	Ice 	Regular
Chip 	None 	Regular
Como 	Spider 	Regular
Coner 	None 	Regular
Crabeet 	None 	Regular
Dark Atom 	Dark 	Regular
Digguh 	Drill 	Regular
Donpuffle 	Festival 	Regular
Dubior Jr. 	Spark 	Regular
Foley 	Bomb 	Regular
Gigatzo 	None 	Large
Glunk 	None 	Regular
Gordo 	None 	Regular
Gordo Bar 	None 	Regular
Heavy Knight 	Sword 	Regular
Hot Head 	Fire 	Regular
Kabu 	None 	Regular
Leafan 	Leaf 	Regular
Mookie 	Hammer 	Regular
Moonja 	Ninja 	Regular
Moramole 	Drill 	Large
Migeon 	None 	Regular
Mini Edge 	Sword 	Regular
Mumbies 	None 	Regular
NESP 	ESP 	Regular
Needlous 	Needle 	Regular
Noddy 	Sleep 	Regular
Orabiroo 	None 	Large
Pacto 	None 	Large
Paintello 	Artist 	Regular
Parasol 	Parasol 	Regular
Parasol Waddle Dee	Parasol 	Regular
Parasol Waddle Doo	Parasol 	Regular
Poison Croakom 	Poison 	Large
Poppy Bros. Jr. 	Bomb 	Regular
Plugg 	Spark 	Regular
Pluid 	Water 	Regular
Rabiroo 	None 	Regular
Rocky 	Stone 	Regular
Rottzom 	Zombie 	Regular
Sandran 	Sand 	Regular
Scarfy 	None 	Regular
Shotzo 	None 	Regular
Sir Kibble 	Cutter 	Regular
Sniviper 	Ranger 	Regular
Socball 	Sports 	Regular
Squishy 	None 	Regular
Sssnacker 	None 	Large
Titanorto 	Giant 	Large
Totenga 	Needle 	Regular
Twister 	Tornado 	Regular
Venog 	Poison 	Regular
Waddle Dee 	None 	Regular
Waddle Doo 	Beam 	Regular
Walf 	None 	Regular
Walky 	Mike 	Regular
Zunami 	Water 	Large
=== Mid-bosses ===
Character 	Gives Ability when Inhaled
Bonkers 	Hammer
Forestler 	Wrestler
Gigant Edge 	Sword
Grand Zunami	Water
Holotank 	Mecha
Ice Dragon 	Ice
Moley 	Drill
Terrantula 	Spider
Telepathos 	ESP
Terrorphant 	Dark
=== Bosses ===
* Mountainy Woods
* Grand Crab
* Cyroserpent
* Scorpimech
* Tregma
* Lituenant Kora
* Dark King Atlas
* Dark Eye Behemoth
== Copy Abilities ==
Kirby: Kingdom of the Dark Side contains 29 returning copy abilities and 7 new, which bringing in total amount is 36. Copy Abilities in bold (base) are new.
Name 	Description/Flavor text
Artist 	Brush the wall by painting with colorful arts on the side! Materialize everything like magic!
Beam 	This Beam's like a whip or a rope! Whaa-pssssshh!! It looks like a simple ability, but science can't yet explain how it works.
Bomb 	Raise a huge bomb above your head, adjust the angle, and give it a toss. Blast, explode, and KABOOM!!! This is how the explosion works! KABOOM!!!!!
Crash 	WARNING! DANGER! This is the ultimate weapon! Wiggle the right stick to gather energy for a powerful explosion that will send everything flying and flinging to the ground! KABOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!! But you only get one chance...
Crystal 	Want yourself to shine like a crystal? Then I'll show you! Dazzle yourself with barrages of crystals or defend yourself with a big crystal above you! It's so strong and beautiful at the same time!
Cutter 	The Cutter is coming right back before it hurts! So razor-sharp!
Dark 	If Darkness isn't someone else's, then it would've done with you! It creates shadow projectiles and summons shadow enemies! Also gives the ability to possess your ally calls with darkness or enemies...!?!? This isn't a good idea but it is kinda like an effective, yet shadowy and dark ability.
Drill 	Burrow underground with the drill and that's how it also works when it comes to easy dodging! Go top secret by digging in your secret spot!
ESP 	Allows you to turn temporarily invisible and generate shockwaves, just like magic, ESPecially when it comes to a boy with PSI powers!
Festival	♪ Honk, toot, and bammity-bam! ♪ Bust out a festival! Everyone time to make merry with ally calls (clears throat), I mean friends and DANCE! ♪ Honk, toot, and bammity-bam! ♪
Fighter 	I'm a brawling Copy Ability! Hi-yaa! Has tons of techniques to bring down the biggest of the bad! No matter how weak you are! Just keep training physically!
Fire 	Feel the flames! Feel the spicy, fiery HEAT! Feel everything you have in your mind that is so high in your temperatures, like at least a ton of degrees celsius, that burns really hot!
Giant 	Instead of your normal size, you start to grow into a giant creature, where you literally destroy anything nearby like a giant man... But this only lasts a few seconds short because you don't wanna destroy any longer...
Hammer 	A giant hammer inherited from the king himself that can pulverize everything big ALL flat or smash into dust! Hammer Flip it and you'll get hot with fire!
Ice 	Frozen foe? Smash it up! Glide gracefully along the ground with an Ice Skate! Can also even cool down hot temperatures! Like it feels really cold...
Leaf 	Nature? Time to dance with the Leaf Dance! Also nature? Hide in the bush from your area you belong! ALSO nature...!?!? More leaves everywhere! Just do a leaf barrage or maybe even generate a leaf vine to strike enemies!
Light 	Brighten up dark areas! It can be also used to light fuses like fire, create powerful light projectiles, and create a powerful light shockwave! It's getting brighter and brighter if you keep using it!
Mecha 	This armor made out of steel, feels robotic and is ready to rollout and smash with your arms and burn as well! Emp up your cannon to fire a BLAST! BOOM!
Mike 	♪ WHOAH ♪ ♪ YEAH!!!!! ♪ Sing 3 times then you'll be enough but you can feel the rhythm of the song you sung!
Needle 	Pierce enemies with a thorny stab or attach to walls or celling or EVEN the floor! Spike anything! More and more!
Ninja 	Excelling in the art of covert combat, except you are about to be completely overwhelmed! Battle backup from the village of ninjas anyone!? Well then sure! Hide in shadows and fade into the darnkess and become a master Ninja like a pro! Impressive agility!
Parasol 	Defend and attack and block falling objects! Take a floaty stroll through the air! For your final blow, why not a Circus Throw?
Poison 	Send corrosive and poisonous liquid to enemies and damage them! How many gallons of poison this thing should have!?
Ranger 	Time for some shooting-star sharpshooting! BOOM! Shoot like an FPS game and be like a master sniper! BOOM BOOM!
Sand 	Sand can be shifted into all kinds of shapes. Form a sand to distract any enemy nearby, or just harden it to strike down! Finish them with a sudden sandcastle sculpture!
Sleep 	Just a few more minutes... Please... I mean... Just let me sleep... Zzz... Just wake me up if you want to... but I need to get a lot of rest to recover first... Zzz...
Spark 	Wiggle the joystick to create a spark barrier! BZZT! BRRRRRZZZZTTTT!!!! Zap your enemies with a mighty jolt and you'll get more power to become more powerful to create stronger attacks!
Spider 	No one can escape such a fast hunter, bounce your enemies or allies to KABOOM anything! Shoot webs to stick your enemies!
Sports 	Now on with football, basketball, and any other kinds of sports! Kick the ball and strike enemies in a blow!
Stone 	Be invincible, roll down! Turn into various things and CRUSH enemies into little bits! Uppercut with a rocky fist!
Sword 	You wield the king of blades! This iconic Kirby ability is the king of melee weapons! Everything comes with a sharp effect in every slide of your sword!
Talon 	Flap, flight, release your talons and fly like a bird! Let your spirit soar by doing a Shuttle Loop!
Tornado 	Spin and soar until you round faster like an F5 Tornado reaching more than 300 MPH! Whee!
Water 	A cool and refereshing ability! You're a water wizard! Rides the waves and cool down hot temperatures just like when it's cold! It can also splash on anything nearby! But nothing would probably happen until it turns out to be effective...
Wrestler	This burns with fighting spirit! Grab and throw enemies with wresting power! Be a wrestling master!
Zombie 	Mutate yourself with infected DNA to become a zombie! But don't infect your ally calls or enemies just kill it whatever you need to do as a zombie!
== Items ==
Items in bold are new to the game.
* 1UP
* 3D Warp Star (2.5D only)
* Energy Drink
* Food
* Fridge pin
* Invincible Candy
* Key
* Maxim Tomato
* Power Ups
* Star Coin
* Stock item
* Treasure Chest
* Warp Star
== Levels ==
=== Story Mode (Kingdom of Dystopius) ===
No.	Name 	Theme 	Bosses
1 	Kale Kingdom 	Grassland, Forests, Villages 	Mountainy Woods
2 	Island Isles 	Tropical Islands, Beaches, Archipelagos	Grand Crab
3 	Northern Neverland 	Snow, Frozen Town, Abandoned Theme Park	Cyroserpent
4 	Great Gears 	Abandoned Factory, Desert, Dunes 	Scorpimech
5 	Dry Dangerzone 	Volcano 	Tregma
6 	Old Observatory 	Dystopian, Steampunk 	Lituenant Kora, Dark King Atlas
7 	Malestrom Madness: Kingdom of the Dark Side	Catastrophic Events 	Dark Eye Behemoth (final boss)
== Trivia ==
* Kirby: Kingdom of the Dark Side has the largest amount of copy abilities in any Kirby game ever, with a whopping 36. This record has surpassed Kirby Star Allies, its previous record being 28.
* The first letters of all the levels in order, form an acronym spelling the word "KINGDOM", a reference to the game title "Kingdom of the Dark Side".
Category:Games
Category:Nintendo Chroma Games
Category:Kirby Games
Category:3D Games
Category:2.5D Games