Kirby: Triple Deluxe

Kirby: Triple Deluxe (Hoshi no Kābī: Toripuru Derakkusu, or Kirby of the Stars: Triple Deluxe in Japan) is a Kirby game for the Nintendo 3DS. Kirby: Triple Deluxe was announced during a Nintendo Direct. This is the 15th Kirby game and the first for the Nintendo 3DS. It will be made available for purchase in retail stores and on Nintendo eShop.

Gameplay
Kirby: Triple Deluxe has mechanics that are used like a 2.5D platformer that appears to run on the engine of Kirby's Return to Dream Land. The physics and graphics are mostly reused from the Wii title, although, there is a new feature that lets Kirby move into the foreground and the background with an item similar to the Warp Star, a similar mechanic seen in Donkey Kong Country Returns. This installment takes advantage of the 3DS's 3D technology by frequently having Kirby, projectiles, and other things move toward the screen, an example being seen at the end of the trailer as Kirby gets flattened against the screen. Enemies also can enter Kirby's path from the background.

One scene in the trailer depicts Kirby dodging a train resembling a Waddle Dee coming from the background, and another shows Kirby fighting a mid-boss that looks strikingly similar to Bugzzy, only with subtle differences.

The game also appears to use motion controls. During a trailer made specifically to showcase the motion controls, the 3DS can be seen moving, which in turn moves an item that Kirby is possibly using. For an example, Kirby could be riding a gondola. The player could tilt the 3DS to the right to make the gondola move to the right, or to the left to make it move to the left.

Story
After a day of fishing, flying, and relaxing, a massive beanstalk known as the World Tree lifts Kirby's house high above the ground one night while he is sleeping. When he wakes up the next day, Kirby realizes his house isn't on the ground anymore, instead being in the air in the mysterious kingdom known as Floarald. He runs out of his house and falls onto a part of the beanstalk, and spots King Dedede's castle above him, which was also lifted by the beanstalk. He climbs the beanstalk to reach the castle, and spots a creature named Daranza entering the castle. Kirby curiously follows Daranza and watches as it easily dispatches many of Dedede's Waddle Dee guards, and it proceeds to capture Dedede, surrounding him in a strange purple aura. Daranza breaks through Dedede's glass ceiling and ascends the beanstalk with him in tow, while Kirby follows close behind.

Kirby chases after Daranza in Fine Field but is stopped when Daranza turns a flower into Whispy Flowers with what appears to be a spider web.

Announcement History
The first trailer was shown during a Nintendo Direct presentation on October 1, 2013, and the game was unveiled by Satoru Iwata. On November 14, 2013, the title for the game in North America was revealed to be Kirby: Triple Deluxe. The next day, on November 15, 2013, a teaser site was revealed in Japan and the release date for the game in Japan was announced. The game was slated for release on January 11, 2014 in Japan, with a TBA 2014 release window for North America and Europe.

On December 18, 2013, Nintendo revealed two new copy abilities, Circus and Sniper, and the new modes, Kirby Fighters and Dedede's Drum Dash, via Nintendo Direct.

The game saw its Japanese release on January 11, 2014.

Confirmed Major Characters

 * Kirby
 * Bandana Waddle Dee
 * King Dedede
 * Daranza
 * Rick (Kirby Fighters)
 * Coo (Kirby Fighters)
 * Kine (Kirby Fighters)

Confirmed Playable Characters

 * Kirby
 * King Dedede

Confirmed Copy Abilities

 * Beam
 * Beetle
 * Bell
 * Bomb
 * Circus
 * Crash
 * Cutter
 * Fighter
 * Fire
 * Hammer
 * Hypernova
 * Ice
 * Leaf
 * Mike
 * Needle
 * Ninja
 * Parasol
 * Sleep
 * Sniper
 * Spark
 * Spear
 * Stone
 * Sword
 * Wing
 * Wheel
 * Whip

Confirmed Enemies

 * Barbar
 * Big Waddle Dee (some with skis and/or what resembles brown fur)
 * Birdon
 * Blade Knight
 * Blipper
 * Bomber
 * Bouncy
 * Bronto Burt
 * Broom Hatter
 * Cappy
 * Chilly
 * Chip
 * Como
 * Foley
 * Giant Gordo
 * Glunk
 * Gordo
 * Grizzo
 * Hot Head
 * Kabu
 * Knuckle Joe
 * Lanzer
 * Noddy
 * Parasol (enemy)
 * Parasol Waddle Dee
 * Pierce
 * Poppy Bros. Jr.
 * Scarfy
 * Shotzo
 * Sir Kibble
 * Soarar
 * Sparky
 * Sodory
 * Squishy
 * Tick
 * Tsukikage
 * Waddle Dee (some with skis)
 * Waddle Doo
 * Walky
 * Wheelie Bike
 * Whippy
 * Unnamed beetle enemy
 * Unnamed bell enemy
 * Unnamed clown enemy
 * Unnamed archer enemy
 * Unnamed one-eyed ghost enemy
 * Unnamed ghost with a skull face
 * Unnamed giant mole enemy that throws Star Blocks (comes in yellow/orange, red, and purple varitations)
 * Unnamed giant bird enemy
 * Unnamed enemy resembling Kabu and Grumples
 * Unnamed ray enemy that resembles Blipper
 * Unnamed giant eel enemy
 * Unnamed bug enemy which hides in tree trunks

Confirmed Mid-bosses

 * Grand Whellie
 * Unnamed rock-like mid-boss which resembles Blocky
 * Helmehorn
 * Mr. Frosty
 * Gigant Edge
 * Bonkers

Confirmed Bosses

 * Kracko
 * Whispy Flowers
 * Lololo and Lalala (appear in Kirby Fighters minigame, uncertain if fought as bosses in normal game)
 * Toggle-Lo Garaga
 * Paintcia
 * Masked Dedede
 * Unnamed Bee Final Boss (Spoiler)

Confirmed Items

 * 1UP
 * 3D Warp Star
 * Blue Box
 * Cracker
 * Dash Shoes
 * Food
 * Gordo
 * Key
 * Key Chain
 * Large Wooden Crate
 * Maxim Tomato
 * Mint Leaf
 * Pep Brew
 * Star
 * Star Block
 * Sun Stone
 * Timer Dynamite
 * Treasure chest
 * Warp Star
 * Unnamed Bean giving a Hypernova ability
 * Unnamed Star-like item like a Bubble from Kirby Squeak Squad

Confirmed Game Modes

 * Main Mode
 * Kirby Fighters
 * Dedede's Drum Dash
 * The Arena/Boss Endurance

Confirmed Levels

 * Fine Field
 * Lollipop Land
 * Old Odyssey
 * Wild Word
 * Ever Explosion
 * Royal Road
 * A factory noticably similar to the one in Shiver Star (In Kirby Fighters)
 * An area similar to Another Dimension (In Kirby Fighters)

Kirby Fighters
What is currently known about this sub-game is that players pick one of ten available copy abilities for their Kirby, including the new Sniper ability. From what appears in a gameplay video, computer-controlled players are assigned colors randomly. They can then either play by themselves, or with three other players. When playing with computers, the player progresses through areas, similar to a fighting game such as Street Fighter. It is unknown if maps are chosen when not playing with computers. Rather than actually being fought, Lololo and Lalala, King Dedede, and Kracko are actually part of the map itself. That is, players could be fighting on the Castle Lololo stage (name not certain yet) and Lololo and Lalala come out of their doors to push through anything in their path while the Kirbys still fight each other. A warning sign usually pops up on the screen first, as is the case of King Dedede when playing on his stage, popping up on the bottom right of the screen. His stage is in an arena similar to the one seen in KSS and its remake. It is currently unknown if bosses can be KO'd, however, they can be damaged. The core focus of this game mode is apparently to find out "Which Copy Ability is the best". Once a player beats their opposition, the classic "level complete" tune from Kirby's Dream Land plays. The sub-game itself use many classic tunes or remixes.

This minigame is multiplayer, allowing four people to play together. It is unknown if it is an online multiplayer or if it is used via Download Play.

Dedede's Drum Dash
Players take the role of Dedede, who bounces on drums to collect coins. Players press the A button to either adjust the height of Dedede's jump, or to cause him to perform an action at the highest point of his jump, awarding points, and they use the control pad to guide Dedede to the right. A significantly larger drum is the last one in the stage and upon bouncing on it correctly, it launches Dedede up off the screen, clearing the stage. There appear to be three difficulties or levels. Players bounce on the drums and also use cymbals to keep a "rhythm" going, that is, a song plays in the background and the player has to keep a beat going with that song. Players can keep the beat to classic Kirby tunes.

Trivia

 * The Japanese box art for Kirby: Triple Deluxe depicts Kirby inhaling. This makes it the second game in the series to show Kirby's suction ability on the cover -- the first is the international box art for Kirby's Adventure.
 * This is also the first Kirby game to feature an angry-looking Kirby on the Japanese box art, as the expression is mostly used on American box arts.
 * The title references the 3D focus of this game; 'Triple' is derived from the number 3, and the 'Deluxe' can be shortened to its first letter, D. When put together, the title literally becomes "Kirby 3D".
 * During the new Hypernova ability's transformation, the pink and red colors of Kirby's body burst off him.
 * Paintcia is possibly this game's reincarnation of Drawcia, the main villain of Kirby: Canvas Curse. Both possess an attack that has them shoot paint at Kirby from above.
 * The background music in the first part of the trailer depicting the features of the Nintendo 3DS Gyroscope is possibly a remix of the unused theme from Kirby's Dream Land 2.
 * In the Japanese commercial and Overview Trailer, Kirby is shown to be able to interact with the environment, for example, using the Sword Ability to cut down grass, as he can in Kirby: Squeak Squad. The Cutter ability can also cut grass and the Fire ability can burn it.
 * Players can collect old sprites of classic Kirby foes, allies, etc. in the form of keychains in levels and look at them from the world map in a gallery. These unlockables can also be awarded if the player succeeds at the post-level bonus game.
 * Curiously, Daranza appears to float right by Kirby in the intro cutscene to the game, appearing to completely ignore him. This was most likely for gameplay/storyline purposes, however.
 * All the levels in order spell FLOWER.