Kirby: Starlight Phantoms

Kirby: Starlight Phantoms
Developer(s)	HAL Laboratory, Pyro Enterprises
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Pyrohedron
Genre(s)	Platformer, Beat-em-up
Series	Kirby

Kirby: Starlight Phantoms is a Kirby game developed by Pyro Enterprises, based off of the previous series entry Kirby: Star Allies as well as The Subspace Emissary from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Though reminiscent of past games in the modern Kirby series, the game aims to modify the gameplay loop to be more engaging and challenging, in response to complaints about Star Allies.

Story

The game's story begins with a shot of Kirby sleeping in his house as the sun rises behind him. He slowly rubs his eyes and steps out, greeting the dawn with a smile on his face. Suddenly, he notices the sun is going back down. Confused, he runs towards a nearby hill to witness a large bird-like object swooping over the landscape, seemingly siphoning the light into itself.

Kirby runs after the bird, stumbling as the sky gets darker and darker. The bird flies off, having almost entirely absorbed the sun. Suddenly, a strange letter falls onto Kirby's body; he dusts himself off and opens it.

“Kirby, we don't have much time! You may not know who I am, but trust me, I'm an old friend. You may have noticed the sky's been getting darker and darker. Well, I've learned something horrible! There's these people... They call themselves the Starlight Phantoms... and they're sucking the light out of all the stars in the galaxy! I don't know what they're doing this for, but this is definitely bad! Please, Kirby... I know you can do this! Save the stars!”

— Mysterious letter

Kirby swallows the letter and attempts to summon the Warp Star to himself... but to no avail, as the star never comes. Kirby sets out into Dream Land once again to find someone who can help him pursue the Starlight Phantoms...

Eventually, Kirby arrives at the Halberd, hoping that Meta Knight will be able to help him retrieve the Warp Star. However, when he makes it to the helm of the ship, he finds the masked knight at the losing end of a duel with a mysterious woman in a feathered cape. A small man in black robes claps to congratulate her as she picks up Meta Knight's sword, the Galaxia, and tucks it away in her cape- a fitting prize for winning a duel against one of the strongest warriors in the galaxy. Kirby confronts the two, with the feathered lady pulling out a long sword glowing with heat as she instructs her companion to leave- she would not let the Starlight Phantoms and their mission be jeopardized.

Kirby manages to beat the mysterious woman, who drops Galaxia from her seemingly infinite supply of weapons. She merely scoffs as her cape transforms into beautiful red wings, stating that she wouldn't allow someone from such a backwater planet stop her group from taking all the light they needed. As the last of the light faded from the sky, she took off. Kirby felt colder and colder without Popstar's light, but Meta Knight managed to get back to his feet behind him. Pointing Galaxia skyward, he summoned a Warp Star for Kirby, who quickly leapt on and ventured off into space.

Gameplay

In general, Starlight Phantoms plays similarly to sidescrolling Kirby titles from Return to Dream Land onward. Kirby retains his usual moveset- dashing, floating infinitely, and inhaling opponents to obtain Copy Abilities- and plays effectively the same aside from a general speed increase to his movements. Each ability has unique attack movesets and properties allowing Kirby to solve puzzles with them. In total, there are (TBA) Copy Abilities in the game.

The gameplay still progresses in linear level fashion, with Kirby traversing stages to reach the end goal and make their way to the boss of each world, collecting the crucial Astro Map objects hidden in each stage in order to act as a method of unlocking the boss battle. Unlike previous games, the life system has been entirely removed, with the consequence for death instead being the loss of Point Stars that Kirby has collected. Point Stars now act as currency, which Kirby is able to spend at Magolor's Milky Way Market for various goods, including Color Sprays, Copy Scrolls, Furniture, keys to extra levels, and more.

Though 4-player co-op and the Helper system return from Star Allies, the process by which this system works has been heavily modified. Up to three additional players can take the role of Ghost Kirbies, which have an identical moveset to Ghost Kirby from Squeak Squad. These Ghost Kirbies are able to possess certain enemies, turning them into Helpers that aid Kirby. As such, Helpers are entirely inaccessible without multiple players, and boss AI does indeed scale with the number of players active at once.

Kirby's Room

Inspired by the similar feature included in Kirby's Epic Yarn, Kirby's Room is a small area that can be customized with various cosmetic and interactive items known as Furniture. Furniture can be purchased from Magolor with Point Stars or be found inside levels, with special collectible items known as ? Chests. Using the Furniture items, the player can decorate Kirby's Room in any manner they want, with some items simply serving as cosmetic or decorative items while others have more functional purposes.

Once the core storyline is complete, the player's room is uploaded to the internet, where it becomes part of the unlockable Kirby Mansion mode as a randomized room that can appear in other player's games.

Challenge Config

Challenge Config is a special mode inspired by the Assist Options present in the game Celeste. The mode more or less consists of a set of options aimed at modifying the gameplay engine, allowing those who seek more of a challenge to do so.

Options included in Challenge Config are:

• Base Health- Reduce the base health of Kirby and other players for a greater challenge.
• Boss Invincibility- Modify the number of frames after a boss is hit that it is invulnerable to damage. Higher amounts mean fewer opportunities to damage a boss.
• Kirby's Invincibility- Modify the number of frames Kirby is immune to damage after getting hurt.
• Kirby's Dodge- Toggle whether or not Kirby can dodge out of shield or not, or even turn off his shielding ability entirely.
• Ω Bosses- A special option unlocked after beating the game once. If toggled on, replaces all bosses with Ω variants, which have harder attacks, more health, and more intelligent AI.

Characters

Character	Information
Kirby	Kirby's back at it once again! This time, his goal is to stop the Starlight Phantoms from their dastardly schemes, and hopefully restore the stolen light to the stars! His abilities haven't changed much... He's still able to float and copy enemies with the greatest of ease!
Armarie	The leader of the Starlight Phantoms, Armarie is a determined noble with a noble and honorable air about her. First encountered winning a duel with Meta Knight at the end of Planet Popstar, she is a skilled warrior with a hidden arsenal of thousands of weapons, all obtained from past duels. She seems reluctant to be stealing light en masse as the Starlight Phantoms seem to be doing, but she is steadfast in her goal, and will not let Kirby stand in her way. Just what exactly is she up to?
Avizz	Armarie's adviser and second-in-command, Avizz is a trained doctor and medical professional seemingly well-versed in the field of heliology. He's a schemer and a brainiac, seemingly more committed to the goals of the Starlight Phantoms than Armarie. With the power to energize objects with light and amplify their power, he's a deadly boss-creating foe.

Copy Abilities

Starlight Phantoms features (TBA) Copy Abilities, with 35 returning and (TBA) new.

New

Ability	Information	Helper
Bone	TBA
Brick	TBA
Card	TBA
Cotton	TBA	Pluffun
Cyber	TBA
Dragon	TBA
Drill	TBA
Fan	TBA
Gem	TBA
Mantle	TBA
Mechanic	TBA
Merchant	TBA
Oracle	TBA
Puppet	TBA	Marianne
Radio	TBA
Rose	TBA
Shield	TBA
Smoke	TBA	Ashen
Snake	TBA
Wizard	TBA

Returning

Ability	Information	Helper
Archer	Steady... Steady... Fire! Take aim and charge up a wide variety of special arrows, or hunker down beneath some special cover to protect yourself from most attacks! It takes a steady hand to become a true master of the bow!	Spynum
Artist	Bring color to the world with this magical paintbrush! Become a master of the arts and paint objects and allies into existence, or unleash the power of sculpture for a mobile and deadly attack! If you charge up your power, you can even paint up food to heal your friends!	Vividria
Beam	Bzzzz! Nobody know why this beam comes out in its signature curly style, but it's a classic ability that's helped Kirby across the years. Use the midair Beam Barrage to decimate your foes from above and deal massive damage!	Waddle Doo
Bell	Ding-a-ling! It's time for the Bell ability to chime in once again! Strike an enemy repeatedly with the Ring Ding to build up power and get louder and louder, until it's time to let lose with the Ding Finale! Let your voice be heard!	Chacha
Bomb	Kaboom! Throw an endless supply of bombs for massive explosions! Set down bombs to lay traps or weight down switches, or charge up while holding a bomb to make an all-new Mega Bomb!	Poppy Bro Jr.
Circus	Dazzle them with acrobatics! Amaze them with juggling! Astound them with balloon tricks! When you come across your adversaries, they'll understand once and for all that the clown arts are no joking matter!	Clown Acrobot
Cleaning	Sweep, sweep, sweep! Cleaning has never been this powerful before! Unleash offensive skills from past friends in an attempt to clean up the enemy's act! If that doesn't work, you can always charge up the ultimate technique- the Super-Vac!	Broom Hatter
Cutter	Don the golden cap once again! This blade always comes back, and can be charge up for a bouncing multi-hit attack! May your aim be true, and the cutter blade guide you to victory!	Sir Kibble
Doctor	The doctor is in! Prescribe an attack for any possible situation and use a variety of special chemicals to solve puzzles and break obstacles! Enemies giving you trouble? You can always chug some medicine and heal up! Doctor's orders are in... It's a double dose of pain!	Chemitory
ESP	Psychokinesis Go! Use the power of the mind to warp to and fro, dodging attacks with ease, and strike with the devastating power of PK Electroshift! Use your guard and... Where'd you go?	NESP
Festival	Bang bang BOOM! It's the Kirby Festival! Unleash a barrage of fireworks, balloons an party poppers for quick attacks that stun foes! When you're done, charge up and get ready for a Festival Dance! This party never ends!	Festival Bird
Fighter	The king of fighters arrives once again, and he's prepared to deliver some white-knuckled blows to any opponent who dares cross his path! Charge up your power and release a burning ball of fighting spirit, or show off your dragon punch to smash enemies into oblivion. Make sure that this is their final fight!	Knuckle Joe
Fire	Hot! Hot! Hot! Set the world ablaze as you dash through another adventure! Become a fireball to move swiftly over short distances, or crash down to the ground with the mighty force of a meteor! Too hot to handle!	Burning Leo
Hammer	Wield the weapon of kings and crush any who stand before you with its overwhelming power! Smack your foes around with a vast array of heavy, powerful physical techniques, and when the chips are down, throw your hammer as the ultimate last-ditch attack! Wallop!	Bonkers
Ice	Brrrrr.... Looks like a snowstorm's blowing in! Blow frosty breath, become a rolling ball of ice, or use an all-new technique and fire off icicles to pierce and freeze your foes! Time to give the Starlight Phantoms a bit of the cold shoulder!	Chilly
Mike	Mike check... 3, 2, 1! Kirby's gotten a little better at singing now, so his mike no longer breaks... at the same time, though, he's still pretty bad. Regardless, feel free to sing to your heart's content- give em the show they've been waiting for!	Walky
Ninja	Silent but deadly, the ninja warrior leaps into action... Unleash powerful ninja arts like kunai, sword dashes, and even some fiery ninjitsu techniques! If the going gets tough, just hide behind a sheet to avoid damage! Stealth is the name of the game!	Bio Spark
Parasol	Float gently down as the breeze carries you to where you need to go... Use the parasol to protect against attacks from above, or splash around to put out fires! Get up close and astound them... with the powerful Circus Throw technique!	Parasol Waddle Dee
Plasma	ZAP! Unleash the mighty power of plasma by generating static electricity! Charge up energy to build up a shield, then fire away for a giant blast! If you have charge, you can also teleport around, damaging foes in your way!	Plugg
Spider	Use the power of the spider and wrangle up your foes! Lay down web traps and tie them up, leaving them vulnerable to attack, or attach to the wall and wait for the perfect time to sneak attack the enemy! Now that's what I call sneaky!	Como
Staff	Jab jab jab! Use this magical extending staff to reach far off targets and perform flashy, multi-hit attacks! Pole vault over obstacles in your path and launch yourself into the air for an ultimate thousand-jab attack! Fight with a master's fury!	Jammerjab
Stone	This rock can never be broken! Transform into an indestructible stone to avoid attacks or pound down stakes! Unleash the power of the Stone Uppercut to strike down your foes, or go on the move as an invincible golem with the new Rock Charge! The power of the earth is at your fingertips!	Rocky
Suplex	The king of insects is back in the ring! Use the power of the wrestling champion to pick up your foes and toss them around like pebbles! Your mighty throws deal heavy damage, and your dashing skills let you dart through attacks and evade with the greatest of ease! It's suplex time!	Bugzzy
Sword	There's that familiar green hat! The legendary hero's weapon is at your command! Wield the blade and perform a range of incredible combo attacks, from Spin Attacks to Sword Dives! What happens when you raise your sword skyward?...	Blade Knight
Water	Splish splash! The purifying water of the Water ability has more uses than just combat! Surf along the ground to move fast and have fun, or use your watery powers to extinguish fire and clear poison! It's a bubbly, splashy time with this ability!	Driblee
Whip	Crack! The weapon of any good adventurer or tomb raider is the trusty whip, and this one lets Kirby grab items and objects through walls! Use your tools and strike enemies in a rapid-fire combo, or charge up and grab them to use them as a thrown weapon!	Wester
Wing	Take to the skies and summon the power of the mighty bird to control the wind itself! Use your bird wings to flap harder and harder and fly faster than anybody else can! Use the Feather Gun to attack quickly, or Dive Bomb your foes from above for a mighty attack!	Birdon
Yo-Yo	Yo yo yo! This yo-yo's got style- you can do all kinds of cool tricks with it! Gazer Spirals, Walk The Dog, Around The World, you name it- it can even attack through walls! Are you a rad enough dude to master this ability?	Gim

Levels

Level	Information
World of Miracles Planet Popstar	Kirby's homeworld, the beautiful star-shaped planet known as Popstar. Kirby's stuck here until he can retrieve his Warp Star from whoever stole it, which means he's going to need to venture across the land for someone who knows where it is- his good friend Meta Knight! Most of Popstar's levels, taking place in the country of Dream Land, are simple grassland levels designed to acquaint the player with the game's mechanics, but they also take on a more mechanical theme when Kirby enters the Halberd ship later on.
World of Adventure Planet Aerobow	Warp Star reobtained, Kirby sets off into space to track down the Starlight Phantoms! His first stop takes him to Planet Aerobow, where the evil group is stealing the light from now that they've moved on from Popstar. It's a charming cloudy land, with mysterious castles and beanstalks rising from the ground and great downpours of rain creating vast lakes to explore. Now, onward- find out what the Starlight Phantoms are doing, and try to stop their ship!

Gallery

Screenshot of the opening level on Planet Popstar.