Kirby: Planet Robobot is a 2016 platform game created by HAL Laboratory and released by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. It is the 11th main game in the Kirby series and follows the same style as the game Triple Deluxe. The story shows Kirby trying to protect Planet Popstar from an alien company called the Haltmann Works Company. This company wants to change the planet into machines so it can take its natural resources. A new feature in this game is Kirby’s ability to wear a robot suit called the Robobot Armor to solve puzzles and battle enemies.
The game was released in Japan in April 2016 and in other countries in June 2016. Two minigames from the game, Team Kirby Clash Deluxe and Kirby’s Blowout Blast, were later released as separate games on the Nintendo eShop in April 2017 and July 2017. Reviewers praised the game’s music, artwork, gameplay, and new features, such as the Robobot Armor and its special abilities. However, some people noted that the game was too easy compared to other games in the series.
Gameplay
Planet Robobot has gameplay similar to the Nintendo 3DS game Kirby: Triple Deluxe. It uses the system's 3D features by letting Kirby move between different levels in stages. Like other games in the series, Kirby can suck in enemies and blow them out to attack others or swallow them to gain their abilities. Players can also collect abilities and items by scanning Amiibo figures. A new feature in this game is the Robobot Armor, a mech suit Kirby can control. This armor helps Kirby break obstacles, lift heavy objects, and fight large enemies. Like Kirby, the Robobot Armor can copy abilities by scanning enemies, which can be used to attack enemies and solve puzzles. Code Cubes are hidden in levels and are needed to progress and unlock bonus levels. Collectible stickers can be used to customize the Robobot Armor.
The game includes two new minigames: Team Kirby Clash and Kirby 3D Rumble. Team Kirby Clash is an action role-playing game where up to four players choose a character class and work together to fight bosses, gaining experience as they play. Kirby 3D Rumble is a single-player game where Kirby moves across a 3D plane to suck in and shoot enemies as quickly as possible. Completing the main game unlocks two extra modes: Meta Knightmare Returns, where players control Meta Knight through a harder version of the main story, and The Arena, where players fight multiple bosses with limited healing items. The game supports StreetPass and Miiverse. A harder version of The Arena, called The True Arena, challenges players to fight bosses from Meta Knightmare Returns as Kirby and face a secret boss.
Plot
One day, a large spaceship called the Access Ark suddenly takes over Kirby's home planet, Planet Popstar. King Dedede and Meta Knight try to fight back, but Castle Dedede and the Halberd, Meta Knight's airship, are quickly destroyed by the ship's powerful laser defense systems. Kirby, who was asleep during the invasion, wakes up to find his planet losing its energy and decides to fix the situation.
Kirby destroys five bases located in the five corners of Planet Popstar. These bases are the landing legs of the Access Ark. During his mission, Kirby gains the Robobot Armor, a mysterious suit that helps him absorb and copy abilities. Kirby also meets Susie, an alien secretary working for the Haltmann Works Company. She explains that she is collecting natural resources from Planet Popstar for her boss, President Max Profitt Haltmann. Haltmann is following plans created by a supercomputer named Star Dream. Kirby fights against the company's efforts to take over the planet and battles several enemies, including Clanky Woods (a cybernetic version of Whispy Woods), a hologram defense system with past enemies, Susie in her power suit, a brainwashed Meta Knight named "Mecha Knight," and three imperfect copies of Dedede.
After destroying the five bases and stopping the Access Ark from moving, Kirby enters the Ark and frees Meta Knight from being controlled. Haltmann fires Susie for failing to stop Kirby. He then fights Kirby in his own power suit but loses. Haltmann tries to use Star Dream to destroy Kirby, but Susie betrays him and plans to sell the machine to other companies. Star Dream becomes self-aware, takes over Haltmann's body, and attacks Susie. Star Dream declares that all living beings are obstacles to Haltmann Works' goal of prosperity. It absorbs Haltmann and begins a mission to destroy other planets. Susie changes her mind and asks Kirby to stop Star Dream. Meta Knight returns with the repaired Halberd, and Kirby combines it with his Robobot Armor to fight Star Dream.
Kirby defeats Star Dream, but it revives and controls the Access Ark, turning it into a mechanical planet. Kirby destroys the Ark's armor, revealing that Star Dream and the Access Ark are a Galactic NOVA, a clockwork comet from the game Kirby Super Star. As Haltmann's consciousness fades, Star Dream attacks the Halberd before Meta Knight ejects Kirby. Kirby destroys Star Dream with a large drill, and his dying robot sends him back to Popstar. Haltmann's machines disappear, restoring Popstar to its natural state. Dedede wakes up in the ruins of his castle, and Susie leaves the planet, chased by Meta Knight. Kirby begins a new adventure after saying goodbye.
In the final stage of the bonus mode Meta Knightmare Returns, Star Dream revives and names Meta Knight the new CEO of the Haltmann Works Company for defeating Haltmann. To test Meta Knight, Star Dream creates clones of Dark Matter (from Kirby's Dream Land 2) and Queen Sectonia (from Kirby: Triple Deluxe). After defeating both clones, Star Dream opens a portal and summons Galacta Knight. Before the fight begins, Galacta Knight destroys Star Dream. After being defeated, Galacta Knight is sealed in a crystal.
At the end of The True Arena, Star Dream is injured by Galacta Knight and becomes Star Dream Soul OS. Kirby disables it with the Halberd and tries to finish it with the Robobot Armor but is pulled inside. Inside, Kirby finds the heart of the Galactic Nova. As he destroys pillars around the heart, Haltmann screams in pain as Star Dream removes him from its systems. When Kirby destroys the last pillar, Haltmann is completely erased, and Star Dream fights Kirby directly. After being defeated, Star Dream breaks apart.
Development
Planet Robobot was planned as a direct follow-up to Kirby: Triple Deluxe during early development. The game originally included the Hypernova ability, but this was later changed to the Robobot Armor to avoid repeating ideas from previous games.
Susie was created by Akihiro Kanno, Shinya Kumazaki, Tsuyoshi Fujita, Etsuko Sato, and Kenichiro Kita. According to Shinya Kumazaki, Susie’s name comes from "Sūji," a Japanese word meaning "digit."
Star Dream was voiced by Shinya Kumazaki’s pet cat, named Tom. The weathercock in the game was voiced by Hirokazu Ando’s pet chicken, named Nago.
Kirby: Planet Robobot was initially considered for titles such as 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 was released.
The game was first shown during a Nintendo Direct on March 3, 2016. A set of Kirby-themed amiibo figures (including Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight, and Waddle Dee) was released with the game. These figures provided special gameplay features. The game was released in Japan on April 28, 2016, and globally in June 2016. A demo version was available on the Nintendo eShop on July 21, 2016.
In April 2017, a Nintendo Direct announced that two minigames from Planet Robobot would be released as separate games to celebrate Kirby’s 25th anniversary. The first, Team Kirby Clash Deluxe, was released in April 2017. It added new levels and features to the original minigame’s action role-playing style. The game was free to download but included optional purchases for in-game currency. The second, Kirby’s Blowout Blast, was released in July 2017. It was a 3D platformer inspired by Kirby 3D Rumble.
Team Kirby Clash Deluxe was later remade for the Nintendo Switch in September 2019 as Super Kirby Clash. This version used the Kirby Star Allies engine and included online play, more quests, and additional gear. Like its predecessor, it was free to download but featured optional purchases for in-game currency.
Reception
Kirby: Planet Robobot received "generally favorable" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Another review site, OpenCritic, stated the game received "strong" approval, with 86% of critics recommending it. In Japan, four critics from Famitsu gave the game a total score of 36 out of 40, with each critic awarding it a 9 out of 10. GameSpot gave the game an 8 out of 10, praising its gameplay, level design, characters, visuals, soundtrack, and extra modes, but noted the difficulty was "not very challenging." IGN’s Brendan Graeber rated the game an 8.0, highlighting its clever use of 3D-based puzzles, vibrant worlds, boss fights, the Robobot mech, and additional modes, but mentioned the difficulty and how easily enemies could be blocked. Thomas Whitehead of Nintendo Life enjoyed the game’s main story mode.
Ollie Barder of Forbes gave a positive review, comparing the game to the mecha anime series Gurren Lagann. Destructoid’s Chris Carter gave it a 7 out of 10, stating, "While the robot theme is not fully developed, Planet Robobot is still a safe, playable Kirby game. After completing the story, some elements felt repetitive, but they remain enjoyable after nearly 25 years."
During the 20th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Kirby: Planet Robobot for "Handheld Game of the Year."
As of June 2016, the game sold 300,479 copies in Japan. By the end of March 2017, total sales reached 1.36 million copies.