Prerelease:Kirby's Adventure
This page details pre-release information and/or media for Kirby's Adventure.
Development Timeline
1992
- Unknown ("right around when HAL finished Kirby's Dream Land") - Planning begins.
1993
- March 23 - Hoshi no Kirby: Yume no Izumi no Monogatari is released in Japan.
- May 1 - Kirby's Adventure is released in the US.
- December 1 - Kirby's Adventure is released in Europe.
Early Development
Right around when HAL Laboratory finished Kirby's Dream Land, the company initiated settlement proceedings - they were insolvent and on the verge of bankruptcy due to their previous game, Metal Slader Glory, having expensive development and poor sales. HAL was bought by Nintendo and added as a second-party developer to bail them out. During this, the company gave Masahiro Sakurai, the director and chief designer of the previous Kirby game, a mission to make Kirby's Dream Land for the Famicom. In 1992, planning for the game began.
The company wanted a game that could be developed and sold as quickly as possible, which is why the game was developed on the Famicom and not the Super Famicom. According to Sakurai, they were probably envisioning a straight port of the Game Boy game, but that was changed to be a brand-new game/sequel because Famicom and NES players had experience with plenty of games by now.
Copy Abilities
The names for these pieces of concept art are likely not the early names for the abilities themselves - it's rather likely that the text just describes what the art is depicting, like what other concept artwork for Kirby does (such as concept art not shown here for "Fly", "Hammer Attack", "Swim", etc.).
Kick
A seemingly early version of the Fighter ability, which would later debut in Kirby Super Star.
Spark Attack
Bears a striking resemblance to the main attack of the Beam ability that debuted in this game, though it depicts Kirby firing multiple sparks at once, rather than a whip of electricity like in the final game.
Shrink
A shrinking ability. While scrapped, the graphics for this ability are still present in the final ROM. It would later debut as "Mini" in Kirby & the Amazing Mirror.
Stick to Walls
Kirby jumps, sticking to a wall, and then sticks to its attached ceiling. Sticking to walls and ceilings would later be incorporated into the Needle ability in Kirby: Canvas Curse (as well as sticking to walls with the Ninja ability in Kirby Super Star, and sticking to ceilings by partnering with ChuChu in Kirby's Dream Land 3).
Self-destruct (Trap)
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A depiction of Kirby self-destructing. This could be an early version of the Crash ability, but instead with an undesirable "trap", similar to the Sleep ability. A move called "Self-Destruct" would later debut in Kirby Super Star as part of the Bomb ability, if you don't throw the bomb during "Bomb Prep"; in later games, this move doesn't do actual damage to Kirby. The Mix ability in Super Star also has "Ouch!" as a potential pull from the roulette, an undesirable option which just damages Kirby.
Make Blocks
While it's pretty clear that this was an ability to spawn Star Blocks, how it would have functioned or affected gameplay is unknown. Notably, the series has yet to officially introduce any such ability. However, an unused ability labeled "Block" appears in Kirby Squeak Squad, and the concept of creating blocks on the fly is the main gameplay mechanic in HAL's later BOXBOY! series.
Other
In an interview for the game's Japanese player's guide, the developers mentioned that 40 abilities were conceptualized, and from there the best 25 were chosen. Aside from the aforementioned block-making and shrinking abilities, two others were discussed: an ability where Kirby rode around on a rocket (seemingly reworked into the Missile ability in Kirby & the Amazing Mirror) and an ability called "Animal" where Kirby could scratch and bite enemies, later introduced in Kirby Squeak Squad (though without the biting).
Fourth Minigame
Sakurai originally thought up four one-button minigames, with three being kept for the final release. The scrapped first minigame, which was also the first one he thought up, was for who could press the button the most times in a short span of time. Multiple variations of this idea would appear in later Kirby games.
Ending
For the ending sequence, originally the screen was supposed to flash white instead of shake after the Star Rod returns to the Dream Spring.
Early Screenshots
Walmart '93 Gift Guide
historicimages-store
Walmart 1993 Nintendo Gift Guide
A photo slide containing this prerelease screenshot was listed by eBay user "historicimages-store", though a mostly unadulterated version of the screenshot appeared in Walmart's flyer for Nintendo games for the 1993 holiday season.
It shows differences in the HUD, most noticeably the use of large stars for health. Other early screenshots (seen below) indicate that these were animated in a manner similar to Warp Stars and were divided into ¼ units when Kirby took damage.
While the star counter above the lives counter is used in the final game, it only comes into play for a few specific copy abilities (Crash, Light, and Mike) rather than always being present like it is here.
The area shown in this screenshot has no equivalent in the final game, though it heavily resembles the first stage.
N-Force
A preview from Issue 9 (March 1993) of this British magazine. The writer seems to misinterpret the screenshots by describing Kirby as a ghost. It's also mentioned that he collects stars to gain extra lives; while this could be another misinterpretation, it's worth noting that such an idea was later used in Kirby's Dream Land 2.
The title, "Kirby's Dreamland", was likely given here because the game might have been unnamed at this point, but it also highlights that HAL was envisioning a straight port of Kirby's Dream Land early on.
Consolemania
Issue 17 (March 1993) has an early screenshot on Page 18. This seems to be the same level seen in the second N-Force screenshot.
Nintendo New Products Catalog
Two new pre-release screenshots from an intern-exclusive marketing plan catalog for new Nintendo games in the first half of 1993. It announced a "major review in April" in Nintendo Power.
The first screenshot appears to depict a Mace Knight outside of its usual mid-boss arena, something which never occurs in the final game. Despite its resemblance to the final's Mace Knight, this enemy actually has a totally different appearance. Given an unused Museum enemy happens to only work when loading up Mace Knight's graphics, it's possible this might be related.
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This screenshot also appears to be the final game's World 2 Level 1, albeit with a few notable differences. The background was modified slightly for the final release, shifting the ocean itself downward and allowing for the clouds to be more visible. The left side of the screen shows an additional palm tree in the final game, which is missing in the screenshot. Finally, the leftmost platform is missing the "rounded" tile seen on the end, instead abruptly cutting off in the retail release, while the cliffside on the platform underneath Kirby has an open area not seen in the final.
Nintendo Power
From Issue 46 (March 1993)'s Pak Watch feature. The icy stage in the second screenshot does not seem to be in the final game.
The preview mentions Kirby's ability to shrink, referring to the aforementioned Mini copy ability.
The first screenshot showcases an area that doesn't appear in the final game. It features a large amount of background decoration, as well as strange segmentation seen in the ground.
The second screenshot shows an ice stage that, similarly, doesn't appear in the final game. Notably the area features a bright, baby-blue background, whereas the ice-themed areas in the final game all use darker backgrounds.
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The third and final screenshot features what would become World 5 Level 2 in the final game. When compared to the final game, the texture adorning the clay-esque ground was changed slightly. Most obviously, however, the large floating cube was removed for the final release.
From Issue 47 (April 1993)'s preview. Note the subtitle "Nightmare in Dreamland", which would later be used as the subtitle of the Game Boy Advance remake. The third picture shows Kirby with 2¼ units of health.
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The first screenshot shows the first world's boss fight, which appears identical to the final game aside from the HUD differences.
The areas in the second and third screenshots do not appear to be in the final game.
This short review from Issue 48 (May 1993) has the final HUD, but still makes reference to the Mini ability.
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The first screenshot is taken from the final game's first stage, though the second is far more interesting.
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The second image bears a striking resemblance to 1-2's miniboss area, but the similarities are quite surface-level. The leftmost wall appears to be taller than in the final game, and the right side seems to show a wall as well which means the arena was much smaller here than in the final. That's not even taking into consideration the fact that the floor is lower, and in the final game the walls aren't visible from within the arena to begin with. The background itself is also wildly different.
Club Nintendo (Chile)
Overview of the game from Issue 13 (September 1993), with two early screenshots. The bottom one is new and shows 1 whole and two ½ units of health.
The overview also refers to the game's setting as "Pupupuland", the Japanese name of Dream Land.
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The first screenshot, as seen in the Nintendo New Products Catalog section, displays a beach-themed stage. This stage bears the same level layout as the final game's World 2 Level 1, with a few notable differences. The background was modified slightly for the final release, shifting the ocean itself downward and allowing for the clouds to be more visible. The left-most platform is missing the "rounded" tile seen on the end, instead abruptly cutting off in the retail release.
Electronic Gaming Monthly
A brief preview from Issue 46 (May 1993) showing two areas. Notably, not only does EGM call the game "Kirby's Dreamland", it claims this is an enhanced version of the Game Boy game.
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Though the bottom screenshot shows a level design that is missing from the final release, the top picture shows a mirrored image of the final's World 3 Level 2. While it's not clear if the image itself was mirrored for the magazine or the stage itself (including the foreground tile pattern) was mirrored, several differences (not counting the mirroring) can be seen, such as the presence of two red Sword Knights instead of the final's Glunk and green Blade Knight.
