Through various methods, Kirby’s Dream Buffet feels like a celebration of the Kirbyfranchise from the first iteration to now. And while more casual players will notice some fun nods to games they may have played, die-hard Kirby fans will notice Easter eggs that many others may not.
7 Ability Names
Like with most Kirby games, Kirby’s Dream Buffet gives players the power to pick up abilities that can be used to help in the main gameplay. Those who are familiar with the games will recognize some abilities, and major fans will recognize all of them except for new ability Jelly.
While powers like Burning and Stone having been with the franchise for most entries, Hi-Jump last showed up in Kirby’s Return to Dreamland and was only in a couple of games before that point. Even some animations, like Kirby’s face use stone, will be familiar for those who are big fans.
6 Star Blocks
There are some iconic set pieces throughout the Kirby franchise that fans will always seem to expect to be prominent in any game. For instance, most levels will always have star blocks that Kirby can destroy or absorb to shoot at enemies. Star blocks aren’t prominent in Kirby’s Dream Buffet, but they are used.
For instance, during the mini-game that asks players to destroy blocks that have strawberries in them, these are cookie star blocks that players are breaking open. These rounds go by quickly, so to get a better look at them, go to Free Roll mode and head to behind the cake. There are both large and small boxes, just like in the other games.
5 Memorable Music
There are a handful of rewards that players can earn while leveling up in Kirby’s Dream Buffet, some of which will be incredibly nostalgic for the hardcore fans of the franchise who have played every game. One type of reward are the music discs.
These provide new music that the game cycles through as players go. While most of these songs are not referred to by their original name, fans will notice classic songs such as “Meta Knight’s Revenge” from Kirby Super Star and “Rainbow Route” from Kirby and the Amazing Mirror.
4 Returning Enemies
There are a lot of memorable Kirby enemies over the years. Most of them are cute creatures that may seem harmless while others make it very clear that they will hurt Kirby when given the chance. While Kirby’s Dream Buffet doesn’t have a focus on enemies, there are quite a few returnees.
Some classics include Gordo, Bronto Burt, Kabu, Shotzo, and Cappy, while there even less common enemies like Bouncy and Master Hand, who was made famous in the Super Smash Bros. franchise but did make an appearance in Kirby and the Amazing Mirror.
3 Specific Costumes
The best part about the Kirby’s Dream Buffet is that players can customize their own Kirby in whatever color or costume that they like. While the colors may have a few nods to previous games, the real nostalgia kick is the various costumes based on famous characters of Kirby past.
While there are some simple outfits, like Kirby wearing whipped cream or a bandana on his head, there is also classic individuals such as Daroach (Kirby: Squeak Squad) and Susie (Kirby: Planet Robobot). There aren’t just enemies though as there are also some outfits of allies such as Rick (Kirby’s Dream Land 2) and Chuchu (Kirby’s Dream Land 3).
2 Fighting Whispy Woods
Along with the array of enemies that are staples of the Kirby franchise, there also a handful of classic bosses that the games are known for as well. One of the most recurring bosses in the franchise is Whispy Woods, who serves as the first boss in most Kirby games.
Whispy Woods appears in Kirby’s Dream Buffet through his own stage, but players can also see him in Free Roll mode. In fact, players can attack Whispy Woods as if they were participating in a boss fight, to the point that players can defeat Whispy Woods to spawn a ton of strawberries. He will even have his iconic teary face after a defeat.
1 Character Treats
While most of the rewards in Kirby’s Dream Buffet are meant to hit fans with tons of nostalgia, none will dig deeper as the Character Treats that players earn after every match. The Character Treats are used to decorate the player’s cake in the main lobby, with the treat on top of the cake serving as the player’s starting position.
But what stands out about the Character Treats is the amount of cookies that have the most obscure character references from nearly every Kirby game, from the most famous titles to the spin-offs that aren’t as played or beloved. There are a ton of Easter Eggs to find looking through the treats.
Kirby’s Dream Buffet is out now on Nintendo Switch.
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