Kirby holds so many mysteries inside that adorable pink belly. What happens to the creatures it eats? Does he have a skeleton? Could Kirby fall in love?
Dear reader, these are the questions I hear from you so often in our comments and on social media. Undeterred by the risk of humiliation, I took it upon myself to get some answers when I had the rare opportunity to speak with the people who know Kirby best: the makers of his games.
HAL Lab Executive Director Shinya Kumazaki and Expert Director Tatsuya Kamiyama were in San Francisco to celebrate (a year late) the 30th anniversary of the iconic anthropomorphic orb. After presenting to a huge, packed room at the Game Developers Conference, Kuamazaki and Kamiyama sat down with me to talk about Kirby.
We’ve talked at length about the creative process behind Kirby games, and I’ll be sharing more of that conversation soon. But since you’ve waited decades to find out what happens when one Kirby swallows another, I didn’t want you to wait another day for an answer.
Image: Nintendo
Polygon: Will or could Kirby ever fall in love?
Shinya Kumazaki: I feel like Kirby is a neutral character. It’s really the player’s emotion that is displayed and realized on the other side of the screen. I think that’s what makes Kirby unique. For this reason, we try not to let Kirby express emotions that may not be felt by the player. Extreme emotions, such as anger or crying.
That said, if in the story there is a sequence where the player can feel like they’re falling in love with someone – if that’s the experience we’re designing – then I don’t think it’s impossible Kirby’s eyes turn into a heart. Or maybe Kirby is blushing. I don’t think that’s outside the realm of possibility.
That said, we haven’t had a title in the series focused on falling in love. For me, personally, I hope Kirby remains the kind of character who takes things as they come.
Tatsuya Kamiyama: But what I can say is that what Kirby loves is delicious food!
If you opened up Kirby, what would the inside look like?
Kumazaki: Dreams. Filled with dreams. Of course, we want to keep Kirby mysterious. So I will say we will keep this a secret.
Image: HAL Lab/Nintendo
What happens if a Kirby swallows another Kirby?
Kumazaki: Kirby’s ability is to swallow and copy an object’s ability. In previous games, there were times when a yellow Kirby was swallowed by a pink Kirby. Pink Kirby would spit it out. So really nothing would happen. In terms of game design, we didn’t create any special reactions associated with that.
But given that Kirby’s ability is to copy, and he swallows a Kirby with the same ability, nothing would change. Although I think it would be funny if it was two Kirbys.
What happens to the creatures Kirby swallows and where do they go?
Kumazaki: Because the base world is a fantasy world, it’s not like they’re swallowed and digested inside Kirby. Because it could be shocking, and because we made the game accessible, having that kind of extreme or violent expression could make the game so accessible.
Instead, we have this comedic, fun depiction where the enemies poof. When an enemy or creature is swallowed by Kirby, it may disappear but resurface elsewhere in the world.
Image: HAL Laboratories
At GDC, you showed superheroes with Kirby. Are these personified versions of Kirby? Or are they Kirby-inspired superheroes?
Kumazaki: It was for the audience to understand what type of hero Kirby is thinking of, when he thinks of a hero. So it’s not personified.
A former colleague (Wired’s Megan Farokhmanesh) attended the GDC panel with me and was smitten by the superhero Kirby. She raised an important question: if Kirby swallowed a hot man, would he turn into a hot man?
Kumazaki: I think your friend may have noticed the muscles and power in the images depicted. I think Kirby’s ability would be consistent with that. And he would probably have a hat associated with it. But his face wouldn’t turn into a hot Kirby.
No sharp angles.
Kumazaki: Always round.
