This page explains in detail the interactions between the Kirby series and the Mario series.
Kirby's Dream Land[]
April 27, 1992
Kirby
Mario
Some of the enemies in the game resemble Mario enemies, most notable the Ghost Booler, that looks very much like Boo, and Two Face, a hovering mask that looks and behaves like Phanto from Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA).
Other similarities, that however may just be coincidences, are in Blipper, a fish with googles that resembles Blurp from Super Mario World, and Squishy, a squid-like enemy resembling a Blooper.
Some people also feel the Waddle Dee, the most common enemy in the game, to have some connection to the Goomba, the most common enemy in the Mario series, but this may only be due to their role.
Finally the enemy Chuckie, comes out of a box with a "?" on it, thus resembling Mario's "? Block", but this may be a coincidence. This also applies to Hurly, its replacement in Extra Mode. It must be noted that the box looks nothing like a "? Block" in artworks, except for the question mark.
All these enemies, except for Two Face, also appear in later Kirby episodes, keeping their appearances.
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins[]
October 21, 1992
Kirby
Mario
The Unibo enemy in the game is very similar to the Gordo from Kirby, and may actually be based on it.
It's possible, though, that it was only created as a smaller version of the Unira (Urchin) from Super Mario World and its resamblance to the Gordo to be a coincidence.
Super Mario-kun[]
December 16, 1992
Kirby
Mario
Kirby makes an appearance in Volume 5 of Super Mario-kun, where he shows up inhaling two enemies and scaring Mario in the process.
He makes another small cameo in issue 7, where a character shows up with various items including a Maxim Tomato, and Kirby then shows up and eats all the items. Whispy Woods can also be seen in the background.
Club Nintendo Comics[]
Kirby
Mario
Kirby is featured in various Mario comics published on Club Nintendo.
Mario Kirby Meisaku Video[]
1996
Mario
Kirby
The Mario Kirby Masterpiece is an animated movie featuring two different stories, a Mario one and a Kirby one, but they do not interact in any way, so this is not considered a crossover, but rather a two movie bundle.
Kirby Super Star[]
March 21, 1996
Kirby
Mario
This game features many Mario references, all of which were retained in the remake Kirby Super Star Ultra, along with some new ones.
One notable reference, is Kirby's Stone ability, which has a small chance of turning him into a golden statue of Mario when used. Other golden statue forms are Samus Aran from Metroid and the HAL logo.
Spring Breeze[]
Kirby
Mario
The final battle with King Dedede features an audience cheering in the background, mostly composed of enemies from the game, but in the extreme left and right sides of the scenario, Mario characters appear. These are Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Birdo. Peach also appears, but because the camera doesn't scroll far enough only part of her hair and earring are visible. Bowser is sitting behind Peach, but he's not visible at all (he can only be seen by checking the sprites in the game's code).
Their appearance on the right side is mirrored from the one on the left, but the left one is the original one, as can be seen by Luigi's "L" on his hat.
Megaton Punch[]
Kirby
Mario
This minigame features the same crowd background from "Spring Breeze", with the same Mario characters making appearances.
Unlike Spring Breeze, this minigame was left graphically unchanged in Kirby Super Star Ultra.
The Great Cave Offensive[]
The Great Cave Offensive's Treasure screen. Mario items are the Zebra Mask (row 1, col. 9), the Bucket (row 3, col. 3) and the Turtle Shell (row 4, col. 1).
Kirby
Mario
This sub-game features 60 collectable treasures, many of which are references to other Nintendo games. Mario items are:
sure_ZebraMask.png]]The Zebra Mask. While its name is different, it is actually based on the Phanto enemies from Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA), as confirmed in Kirby Super Star Ultra.
The Bucket, having a "M" on it, is most likely based on the bucket from Mario & Wario, however it's white instead of blue/purple.- The Turtle Shell is likely based on Koopa Shells from the Mario series, even if they look different. This is confirmed in Kirby Super Star Ultra.
Other treasures
Other treasures include the Screw Attack from Metroid, Falcon Helmet from F-Zero, Mr. Saturn from Mother, Kong's Barrel from Donkey Kong, the Pegasus Wing from Kid Icarus and the Triforce from Zelda.
Kirby's Dream Land 3[]
November 27, 1997
Kirby
Mario
Hibanamodoki resembles the Fire Flower from the Mario series.
Kirby's Dream Land 3 (manga)[]
Kirby
Mario
November 27, 1997
The Fire Flower appears as an item that Kirby and Rick use in Cloudy Park.
Paper Mario[]
Bowser holding the Star Rod.
August 11, 2000
Kirby
Mario
An item called Star Rod appears in Paper Mario; it has the ability to make wishes come true and is used by the Star Spirits in Star Haven to grant people's wishes. During the events of the game it's stolen by Bowser, who uses it to make his own evil wishes come true.
This rod is named like the Star Rod from Kirby's Adventure and its look seem to be based on it (aside from the star on top, the white and red stiped handle is unlikely a coincidence). In its original appearance it's used as a weapon by Kirby, being able to shoot stars. However its power is known to go beyhond this, being able to give good dreams to the people of Dream Land while placed on a Fountain of Dreams. During the game's events it is split in seven pieces by King Dedede to hide it from Nightmare, finally being found and restored by Kirby.
It is arguable if the Star Rod in Paper Mario should be considered the same rod, because their history is different, but since the two games are supposed to happen in two different continuities anyway, it's possible to consider them two different versions of the same item, from two different universes.
Another Star Rod appears in Mario Party 8.
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble[]
August 26, 2000
Kirby
Mario
The way levels are structured in this game is similar to the layout of the original Super Mario Bros. with eight levels consisting of four stages each, each fourth stage being a castle setting with a boss at the end and two hidden places where the player can skip levels similar to Super Mario Bros.' three Warp Zones.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga[]
The "Kirby Story" poster
Kirby
Mario
In Yoshi Theatre, four movie posters can be seen, one of which shows Kirby riding a Warp Star titled "Kirby Story". The movie's name may be a pun on Mario Story, the japanese title for Paper Mario, since that game featured a Kirby reference.
Mario Party 8[]
May 29, 2007
The Star Rod in Mario Party 8.
Kirby
Mario
A Star Rod is featured in the game, where it's the reward for becoming "Superstar" at the Star Carnival, but is stolen by Bowser. Its name is the same as the item from i
All the re, but its design is very different, despite still having a striped handle and star on top. Even if this is not a coincidence, the rod may be actually based on In addition to the Golden Mario statue return, making only an undirect reference to the Kirby series.
Kirby Super Star Ultra[]
September 22, 2008
Kirby
Mario
All the references from this mini-game's graphics have returned, but there are also new ones in some of the mini-games:
Stone Kirby has a few new transformations added. In addition to the Golden Mario statue returning, he can also turn into a Brick Block from the Super Mario Bros. series.
Spring Breeze[]
Kirby
Mario
Since this mini-game's graphics has been redesigned, the Mario character's cameos in the background has changed too: Mario, Peach and some Toads are now in the audience to the left of the ring, while Luigi, Wario and other Toads can be seen on the right of it.
The Great Cave Offensive[]
The Great Cave Offensive's Treasure screen from Kirby Super Star Ultra. Mario items are the Phanto Mask (row 1, col. 9), the Bucket (row 3, col. 3) and the Koopa Shell (row 4, col. 1).
Kirby
Mario
The three Mario items from the previous game return, but the Zebra mask is now renamed Phanto Mask to directly reference the Phanto enemy from Super Mario Bros. 2, and the Turtle Shell is renamed Koopa Shell and is redesigned to look more like recent designs of the shells in the Mario series, specifically resembling those from the Mario Kart sub-series.
Revenge of the King[]
Kirby
Mario
Fight with Kabula.
Kabula, an aircraft that served as a boss in Kirby's Dream Land, returns here with a redesigned appearance, now having a smiling face painted on "her". Sporting long eyelashes, this was done possibly to give "her" a femine appearance, justifying why she's officially considered female.
Her face looks very similar to the face of Mario's Bullet Bill in some games, such as Super Mario Land 2. The face is also present on some missiles she shoots, thus looking almost exactly like Bullet Bills.
Also a golden statue of Mario appears at the end of the mini-game's credits.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land[]
October 24, 2011
Stomper Boot
Kirby
Mario
The Stomper Boot item is based on the Goomba's Shoe from Super Mario.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe[]
January 11, 2014
Kirby
Mario
The battle with King Phanta is a reference to the Mad Piano from Super Mario 64 and its remakes.
NES Remix 2[]
April 24, 2014
Kirby
Mario
Stage 4 of the Remix I challenges is based on Kirby's Adventure, featuring its HUD from the game, and the player controlling Kirby, however the enviroment itself is made of blocks from the Mario series, specifically from Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, and there are 10 coins actually based on the ones from Super Mario Bros. 3, and the objective is to collect them all in 60 seconds. The graphics are based on underground sections of The Lost Levels, with blue bricks and black background, but the level design is not based on any actual area from the game. The gameplay is just like in Kirby's Adventure, with the Brick Blocks acting like Star Blocks, being destroyed by Kirby's attacks or inhaled, and they can't be destroyed or bounced by hitting them from below, unlike Brick Blocks in the Mario series, therefore the difference is only graphical. Also Coins don't award any point. The background music is the Kirby's Adventure track "Forest Trail".
Stage 6 of the Remix I challenges is set at the fight against Whispy Woods in Kirby's Adventure, but there also are four large Boos from the Mario series attacking Kirby from behind. These are specifically based on Super Mario Bros. 3, which is featured in NES Remix 2, but they're very large, possibly being based on the Big Boo enemy from later games in the Mario series. Like in the original game, Boos will only attack Kirby when he's not facing them, and they will cover their faces otherwise.
Stage 11 of the Remix I challenges is based on Super Mario Bros. 2, with the player controlling Toad, but the stage is actually set in the world from Kirby's Adventure, specifically the first area of the first level, Vegetable Valley, featuring Star Blocks, two Waddle Dees and a Poppy Bros. Jr. The enemies reflect the way they acted in the original game, with Waddle Dees walking back and forth and Poppy Bros. Jr. hopping around, but they're actually just reskins of Shy Guys and Tweeter, and this can be noted by the fact that Waddle Dees don't walk down platforms and Poppy Bros. Jr. hops in the Tweeter's specific pattern and is not animated; also Star Blocks can be picked up and thrown without breaking, acting the same way as Mushroom Blocks in Super Mario Bros. 2. The background music is the Kirby's Adventure track "Green Fields".
Stage 10-4 of the Bonus challenges is set at the fight against Nightmare's Power Orb in Kirby's Adventure, but there also are large Bullet Bills from the Mario series flying by, hurting Kirby. These are based specifically on their appearance in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, which is featured in NES Remix 2.
Mario Kart 8[]
November 13, 2014 (Ver 3.0 Update); November 21, 2014 (Kirby amiibo)
Kirby
Mario
Update to version 3.0 of Mario Kart 8 added amiibo support to the game: scanning an amiibo from the Super Smash Bros. series unlocks Mii suits based on the scanned character. This includes Kirby, which unlocks a pink outfit with the Kirby logo on the back, and the repective helmet shaped like Kirby himself.
The Kirby amiibo released in his own series on April 28, 2016 unlocks the same outfit.
The outfit is retained in the Nintendo Switch version of the game, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (April 28, 2017), and is once again unlocked by scanning any Kirby amiibo.
For info on other amiibo outfits see here.
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse: An Evening Out[]
Early 2015
Kirby
Mario
The seventh comic strip published on the site Play Nintendo to promote the game Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, Elline prepares a dish for Bandana Waddle Dee and tops it with "Italian sauce" that has Mario's logo on its container. Kirby then comes sliding down the string of sauce wearing a mustache and saying Mario's catchphrase "It's-a me!" to which Bandana Dee responds "Ahh!! Mario!!"
Super Mario Maker[]
September 10, 2015
Kirby
Mario
Three of the unlockable costumes that Mario can wear in the game by using a Mystery Mushroom are based on characters from the Kirby series, specifically:
- Kirby: based on his sprite from Kirby's Adventure, when worn it replaces the sound effects with sounds from that game.
- King Dedede: modification of his sprite from Kirby's Adventure, adjusted to match his current colors and Small Mario's height, when worn it replaces the sound effects with sounds from that game.
- Meta Knight: based on his sprite from Kirby's Adventure, though without his sword, when worn it replaces the sound effects with sounds from that game.
All three costumes can alternatively be unlocked by using the respective amiibo from the Super Smash Bros. series.
Kirby: Planet Robobot[]
April 28, 2016
Kirby
Mario
Kirby Planet Robobot - amiibo Trailer (Nintendo 3DS)
Trailer showcasing amiibo functionality in Kirby: Planet Robobot.
This game features compatibility with most amiibo released at the time, including the first wave of Super Mario amiibo. Scanning a compatible amiibo gives Kirby a specific power based on the character, however these are all regular Kirby transformations available in the game, so the connection is only thematic.
The powers assigned to most Mario characters seem to reference the Super Smash Bros. series, so the developers probably had the Super Smash Bros. amiibo line in mind when including the feature (as the trailer also seems to imply), however the Super Mario-exclusive Toad amiibo is also compatible.
Effects of Mario amiibo are specifically:
- Mario: Fire based on Mario's fire powers, especially in the Super Smash Bros. series.
- Luigi: Fire based on Luigi's fire powers, especially in the Super Smash Bros. series.
- Peach: Parasol based on Peach's floating abilities, and her use of a parasol as a weapon in Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario, Super Princess Peach and Super Smash Bros.
- Bowser: Stone based on Bowser's down special attack, Bowser Bomb, from Super Smash Bros., in turn based on his attack from Super Mario Bros. 3; it may also be referencing the toughness of Bowser's shell.
- Yoshi: Whip based on Yoshi's tongue acting similar to a whip.
- Toad: Leaf possibly based on Toad being a mushroom.
Since the game only recognizes amiibo by name, Donkey Kong, Rosalina, Wario and Diddy Kong amiibo released later in the Super Mario series are also compatible, having the same effect as their Super Smash Bros. counterparts, but this is considered incidental.
Super Mario Odyssey[]
October 27, 2017
Kirby
Mario
This game features compatibility with many different amiibo, that when scanned will be recognized by Uncle amiibo and called by name. This includes all Kirby amiibo.
This creates a sub-universe link with the Yoshi series because Uncle amiibo says the character's name out loud within Mario's universe, it's not just an on-screen message.
Kirby Manga Mania[]
2018
Kirby as Mario, and Princess Peach at the end
Kirby
Mario
There is a comic strip named "Mario Kirby" in which Kirby dresses as Mario and says he will rescue "Princess Peaches". King Dedede tries to correct him, but with no success. At the end, Princess Peach herself shows up, saying it might be easier to just go with "Peaches".
Kirby and the Forgotten Land[]
March 25, 2022
Kirby
Mario
Kirby's Mouthful Mode transformations are very similar in concept and functionality to the Capture mechanic from Super Mario Odyssey.
The "KIRBYSTORY" Present Code found inside the Waddle Dee Cinema is a reference to Kirby's cameo in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga in which he appears on a movie poster titled Kirby Story within the Yoshi Theater.
License[]
Copyrights for both series are held by Nintendo.