Software:Kirby's Avalanche

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Kirby's Avalanche
North American cover art
Developer(s)Compile
Banpresto
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)Kazunori Ikeda
Producer(s)Masamitsu Niitani
Programmer(s)Takayuki Hirono
Artist(s)Koji Teramoto
Composer(s)Akiyoshi Nagao
SeriesKirby
Puyo Puyo
Platform(s)Super NES
Release
Genre(s)Puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Kirby's Avalanche, known in Europe as Kirby's Ghost Trap, is a puzzle video game developed by Compile and Banpresto and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released on February 1, 1995 in Europe and on April 25, 1995 in North America. It is a Western release of the Japanese Super Puyo Puyo featuring characters from the Kirby series. There was not a Japanese release, and the game remains the only Kirby title not released there. In Europe and Australia, the game was re-released on the Wii's Virtual Console service on July 27, 2007 and in North America on September 24, 2007.[3] The game was re-released for the Nintendo Switch Online service on July 21, 2022.

Gameplay

Kirby's Avalanche pits players against either computer-controlled or player-controlled opponents.

The gameplay is the same as in Super Puyo Puyo, with groups of two colored blobs fall from the top of the screen. The player must rotate and move the groups before they touch the bottom of the screen or the pile, so that matching-colored blobs touch from above, below, the left or the right. Once four or more same-colored blobs touch, they will disappear, and any blobs above them will fall down to fill in space. If a player manages to set off a chain reaction with these blobs, rocks will fall on the other player's screen, filling it up and giving them less room to drop additional blobs. The number of rocks that falls depends on both the number of blobs popped and the number of consecutive chain reactions. These rocks will only disappear if a player manages to pop a group of blobs that are in direct contact with the rocks. A player will lose if either of the middle columns in the top row is filled with a blob or rock.

Plot

King Dedede has challenged Kirby and other members of Dream Land to an Avalanche Competition at the Fountain of Dreams. Kirby decides to take on the challenge, battling his way through the forest in Avalanche matches against an assortment of his old foes from Kirby's Dream Land and Kirby's Adventure (including recurring bosses such as Whispy Woods, Kracko and Meta Knight), and ultimately to a final showdown at the Fountain of Dreams with King Dedede to win the Cup.

Version differences

While the core gameplay remains the same, the Japanese and Western versions are drastically different cosmetically. As the story in Super Puyo Puyo is more focused on Arle Nadja and Carbuncle's adventures like the Madou Monogatari and Mega Drive Puyo Puyo versions, the Western version replaced them with Kirby characters to appeal to Western audiences.

As a game released later in the SNES's life cycle, this game has bright colors and advanced graphics for its time. The sound consists of remixed tracks from Kirby's Adventure and Kirby's Dream Course, with only one original track from the Puyo Puyo game itself (the panic music). The game also includes several voice samples.

Both versions have cinematics between each round, with differences being Kirby and his opponents shown having full conversations and trash-talking each other in full sentences in the Western version, and that Kirby's personality comes off as a lot more sarcastic and confrontational, just as Arle and Carbuncle were in the Japanese version. This differs greatly from other Kirby games, where Kirby hardly speaks at all and is also friendlier in general.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings74%[4]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStarHalf star[5]
CVGStarStarStar[6]
GameSpot6.5/10[7]
Hyper80/100[8]
IGN7.5/10[9]
Mega Fun73%[10]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar[13]
Nintendo LifeStarStarStarStarStarStar[11]
Nintendo Power3.425/5[12]
ONM90/100[14]
Total!91/100[15]
Video Games (DE)75%[16]

Kirby's Avalanche received generally positive reviews, garnering an aggregate score of 74% on GameRankings based on seven reviews.[4] IGN awarded the game 7.5 out of 10, comparing it favorably to Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, another Puyo Puyo reskin released for the Sega Genesis in North America.[9] GamePro commented that "Although Kirby's Avalanche is a rehash of an overdone puzzler theme, it's so well done that it's worth playing - that is, if you don't already have three puzzle games just like it." They particularly praised the graphics and the cuteness of the digitized speech.[18]

Next Generation stated that "While we've seen this kind of game before, and this version doesn't offer any improvements it's still excellent fun."[13]

In 1997 Electronic Gaming Monthly ranked Kirby's Avalanche and Mean Bean Machine collectively as number 84 on their "100 Best Games of All Time", calling it "one of the simplest, most addicting puzzle games around."[19] IGN rated the game 68th on its "Top 100 SNES of All Time."[20] In 1995, Total! listed the game 9th on their Top 100 SNES Games.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "Kirby's Avalanche - Super NES - GameSpy". August 2009. http://cheats.gamespy.com/super-nes/kirbys-avalanche/. 
  2. ↑ "IGN: Kirby's Avalanche". August 2009. http://cheats.ign.com/objects/008/008339.html. 
  3. ↑ Faylor, Chris (24 September 2007). "Wii VC Nets Kirby's Avalanche, Streets of Rage 3, Legend of Hero Tonma". Shacknews Ltd.. https://www.shacknews.com/article/49102/wii-vc-nets-kirbys-avalanche. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Kirby's Avalanche for Super Nintendo". http://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588426-kirbys-avalanche/index.html. 
  5. ↑ Weiss, Brett Alan. "Kirby's Avalanche – Review". Archived from the original on February 16, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100216003053/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=2521&tab=review. Retrieved June 29, 2021. 
  6. ↑ Guise, Tom (September 1996). "Kirby's Ghost Trap". Computer and Video Games (178): 81. https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File%3ACVG_UK_178.pdf&page=81. Retrieved June 29, 2021. 
  7. ↑ Provo, Frank (October 2, 2007). "Kirby's Avalanche Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/kirbys-avalanche-review/1900-6180248/. 
  8. ↑ Wilder, Gabriel (October 1995). "Kirby's Ghost Trap". Hyper (23): 68. https://archive.org/details/hyper-023/page/68/mode/2up?q=%22Kirby%27s+Ghost+Trap%22. Retrieved June 29, 2021. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Thomas, Lucas M. (September 26, 2007). "Kirby's Avalanche Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. http://ca.ign.com/articles/2007/09/27/kirbys-avalanche-review. 
  10. ↑ Christoph (June 1996). "Kirby's Ghost Trap". Mega Fun. https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=2403. Retrieved June 29, 2021. 
  11. ↑ Duyn, Marcel (July 7, 2007). "Review: Kirby's Avalanche (SNES)". http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2007/07/kirbys_avalanche_virtual_console. 
  12. ↑ "Now Playing". Nintendo Power (69): 107. February 1995. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Finals". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (5): 101. May 1995. https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-005/page/n101/mode/2up. 
  14. ↑ Tom (July 1995). "Kirby's Avalanche". Nintendo Magazine System (34): 72–73. https://archive.org/details/nms-34/page/72/mode/2up?q=%22Kirby%27s+Avalanche%22. Retrieved June 29, 2021. 
  15. ↑ "Kirby's Avalanche". Total! (43): 49. July 1995. https://archive.org/details/total-43/page/n47/mode/2up?q=%22Kirby%27s+Avalanche%22. Retrieved June 29, 2021. 
  16. ↑ "Kirby's Ghost Trap" (in de). Video Games. June 1996. https://archive.org/details/video-games-de-1996-06/page/100/mode/2up?q=%22Kirby%27s+Ghost+Trap%22. Retrieved June 29, 2021. 
  17. ↑ Soria, Gabe (May 1995). "Kirby's Avalanche". Video Games: The Ultimate Gaming Magazine (76): 68. https://archive.org/details/Video_Games_The_Ultimate_Gaming_Magazine_Issue_76_May_1995/page/n67/mode/2up?q=Spiderman. Retrieved July 1, 2021. 
  18. ↑ The Unknown Gamer (May 1995). "ProReview: Kirby's Avalanche". GamePro (IDG) (80): 84. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_070_May_1995/page/n85/mode/2up. 
  19. ↑ "100 Best Games of All Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (100): 107. November 1997.  Note: Contrary to the title, the intro to the article explicitly states that the list covers console video games only, meaning PC games and arcade games were not eligible. The intro also mentions that only U.S. releases are covered, hence why Super Puyo Puyo is not listed alongside Kirby's Avalanche and Mean Bean Machine even though the listing mentions its existence.
  20. ↑ (in en) Top 100 SNES Games of All Time - IGN.com, https://www.ign.com/lists/top-100-snes-games, retrieved 2022-07-01 
  21. ↑ "Top 100 SNES Games". Total! (43): 40. July 1995. https://archive.org/details/total-43/page/n39/mode/2up. 

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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