Kirby Triple Deluxe on 3DS in Korean version. Kirby in a vertical world with foreground and background levels. Hypernova to swallow large enemies. Accessible and inventive, perfect for all ages.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player3+
Description
Kirby explores Floralia, a kingdom suspended among the clouds, and faces the sorcerer Taranza in this entry exploiting the 3DS's 3D layering. Published by Nintendo, released in Japan in January 2014. Stages exploiting the 3DS foreground and background planes, Hypernova for swallowing gigantic objects, Kirby Fighters and Dedede's Drum Dash modes. Japanese edition.
Kirby - Triple Deluxe review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Teeming backgrounds and foregrounds that play with 3D depth: every level looks like a coloured paper theatre. Kirby's endearing roundness moves through settings of dazzling richness. This visual exuberance, soft and polished, exploits the stereoscopy with a rare felicity.
Luminous and singing, the compositions pile up catchy melodies and playful re-orchestrations of familiar themes. The music matches the lightness of exploration while elevating the fights with an unexpected grandeur. This sonic generosity, joyful and polished, remains a pure pleasure for the ears.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Inhale, spit out, puff up to glide: Kirby's toolkit gains spectacular powers that the levels exploit with relentless inventiveness. The interplay of foreground and background makes real use of 3D to surprise without disorienting. Gentle for newcomers yet generous with secrets, it keeps a charm and a smoothness that time leaves untouched.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Playing across two depth planes, leaping from foreground to background, and unleashing the Hypernova that sucks up whole chunks of scenery: the Kirby formula blossoms in 3D. The stroll stays gentle, but the ideas pour out and secrets abound. Colourful, generous and full of charm, an instant pleasure that lifts the mood at once.
Triple Deluxe NTSC follows the same scheme: a wide initial print but sleeve sub-variants (first pressing with e3 sticker or online-play code) that shape collector interest. It is also the title that restored a steady commercial rhythm to Kirby in the United States, which collectors weigh when placing this box as the modern starting point of the series on a handheld.
Is Kirby - Triple Deluxe still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2014 on 3DS and known in the West as Kirby - Triple Deluxe, HAL Laboratory's project brilliantly exploits the depth of the screen by moving Kirby between foreground and background, in levels that play on relief. The Hypernova power, which lets you inhale gigantic elements, punctuates the adventure with spectacular moments. The vivid art direction, the cheerful pace and the plethora of abilities to copy make for a generous and warm platformer. The easiness remains for seasoned players. An excellent Kirby, recommended for fans of colourful and accessible platforming and for families.
