''Kirby's Dream Buffet'' is a

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video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...

developed by

HAL Laboratory formerly shortened as HALKEN (derived from its native name), is a Japanese video game developer founded on 21 February 1980. While independent, it has been closely tied with Nintendo throughout its history, and is often referred to as a seco ...

and published by Nintendo for the

Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a tablet that can either be docked for use as a home console or used as a portable device, making it a ...

. It is a spin-off game in the ''

Kirby Kirby may refer to: Buildings * Kirby Building, a skyscraper in Dallas, Texas, United States * Kirby Hall, an Elizabethan country house near Corby, Northamptonshire, England * Kirby House (disambiguation), various houses in England and the Unit ...

'' series. The game was released digitally on August 17, 2022.

Gameplay

''Kirby's Dream Buffet'' is a multiplayer game where four ball-shaped Kirbys roll through food-themed courses and compete to collect the most strawberries. Players can defeat enemies and use special abilities on the stage to attack each other and collect bonuses. The game can be played both locally and online with both random matching and private lobbies. There are 3 types of rounds, each with several different stages: * Race: The stage is laid out like a race track. The first players to reach the goal are granted extra strawberries. * Minigame: Mixed events where players gain strawberries by following the instructions given. The stage is typically small with defining features related to the goal given to the players. * Battle Royale: Similar to Minigame rounds, the stage is small and features many objects and hills close together. Abilities and strawberries drop onto the stage over time, and players can steal others' strawberries by knocking them off the stage. In the Grand Prix mode, players play a Race, a Minigame, another Race, and then a Battle Royale. Afterwards, bonuses are given out depending on random statistical conditions. The player with the highest strawberry count wins the game. After completing individual rounds or a Grand Prix, players are awarded points to raise their 'Gourmet Rank.' Playing online gives a boost to the points gained. Each time the player's rank increases, they unlock a new costume, color, stage, or music track that can be used for customization. They can also unlock 'Character Treats', a

cookie A cookie is a baked or cooked snack or dessert that is typically small, flat and sweet. It usually contains flour, sugar, egg, and some type of oil, fat, or butter. It may include other ingredients such as raisins, oats, chocolate chips, ...

based on a character from the Kirby series which can be displayed on a cake in Kirby's 'Home Table'.

Development

The game was revealed by Nintendo with an announcement trailer via social media on July 12, 2022. The release date was revealed during the Kirby 30th Anniversary Music Festival, which took place on August 11, 2022.

Reception

''Kirby's Dream Buffet'' received "mixed or average" reviews according to

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

. The download card for ''Kirby's Dream Buffet'' sold 7,218 units within its first week of release in Japan, making it the sixth bestselling retail game of the week in the country. ''

Nintendo Life Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British mass media company based in Brighton. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and ot ...

'' liked the visuals and remarked that they were "pretty impressed with how smooth things run". ''

Destructoid ''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022. History ...

'' enjoyed how players grew physically bigger the more successful they were, "thus becoming a more obvious target". ''Nintendo World Report'' criticized the minigames, describing them as "overly simple, empty-calorie competitions".

TouchArcade ''TouchArcade'' is a mobile video game website that launched in 2008. Arnold Kim of '' MacRumors'' worked on the site and its editor-in-chief was Eli Hodapp from 2009 to 2019. ''TouchArcade'' has been recognized as one of the best mobile game ...

felt the game was lacking content, saying, "you’ll likely have seen all that’s worth seeing in a single session".

References

External links

Kirby's Dream Buffet
on the Nintendo eShop {{Portal bar, Video games 2022 video games Kirby (series) video games Cooperative video games Nintendo Switch games Nintendo Switch-only games Multiplayer and single-player video games Video games developed in Japan Video games about food and drink HAL Laboratory games