Kirby: Planet Robobot

I've been on a bit of a Kirby kick lately, and more recently I've been on a 3DS kick - so naturally I came around to Planet Robobot. I can't recall if I played this game around launch, and even after playing thru it again I'm not certain that I didn't. Regardless, I had a blast playing through this entry in the series. What stood out immediately was the array of attacks and actions available to Kirby with or without copy abilities. As base Kirby, you have the ability to block and dodge, in addition to the classic slide kick. With abilities, you unlock an array of different options with unique button inputs to go with them. This adds a lot of depth, more than we typically see from Kirby, and certainly more than Extra Epic Yarn, which I played quite recently. The story is simple but culminatess quite well, ending in a brilliant final sequence complete with a few unique boss encounters. This time, the overarching special ability is a mech suit, which provides for some fun puzzles; I thought it played well, but by the end it was getting a tad stale. Planet Robobot also makes spectacular use of the 3DS' oft forgotten 3D functionality by manipulating the depth of field. This entry doesn't necessarily do anything revolutionary in the Kirby series, but it nearly perfects the 2D platforming formula that fans came to love.

Play it for the:

• Stellar use of 3D functionality
• Intricate and fun copy abilities
• Cute story with some iconic characters

Reviewed on 2026-02-26

Kirby games typically offer a great final fight sequence, and Robobot is no different.