13 Best Kirby Rom Hacks of All Time

Kirby is adored by all.

From the old-school fans who have enjoyed the franchise’s games since Kirby’s Dream Land debuted on the GameBoy in 1992 to the irate gamers who declare Kirby “overpowered” in Super Smash Bros, we all have a sweet spot in our hearts for the pink blob.

Whether you’ve already exhausted Kirby’s complete roster or long for the simpler 16-bit days of Kirby’s Adventure, ROM hacks are your best choice for reconnecting with the living vacuum cleaner.

Kirby hacks are unusually rare… however I’ve discovered some fantastic ones that you’re sure to appreciate.

13. Super Mario 64: Kirby Edition (N64)

Kirby and stars are a great pair.

That’s why it’s a great idea to switch Mario out for Kirby in Super Mario 64.

Yes, this rom hack lets you play the whole of Super Mario 64 as Kirby.

Have fun as Kirby:D getting all 120 stars.

12. Kirby In Sonic The Hedgehog 1 & 2 (Genesis)

There isn’t much to these hacks besides the fact that they are pretty cool.

Kirby has pretty much taken the place of Sonic and all Sonic character icons in Sonic the Hedgehog 1 and 2.

I know it’s just an easy hack that swaps out characters and icons.

But these rom hacks do it so well, and Kirby looks so cool in them.

Kudos to the people who made this happen: Lone Devil, Drshnaps, HckTrox, and Dr-Luxcario.

11. Kirby’s Puresabe Adventure (NES)

Kirby’s Puresabe Adventure is a very hard rom hack with all new, smaller levels that look like mazes.

In this one, I died a lot.

It’s not too long, but if you want something a little more strange and hard, give this one a shot.

I’m not sure who made this, so if you know, please let me know in a message.

10. KSSU Classic Controls (NDS)

This is, admittedly, a simple one.

However, it is one of the few available for Kirby Super Star Ultra on the NDS.

This hack modifies the game’s control layout to look like Kirby’s Adventure on the NES.

That is, Y inhales enemies and attacks, B jumps and glides, and A summons your companion to battle beside you.

It’s a simple change that makes the game much more enjoyable, especially for fans of the original Kirby’s Adventure.

9. Vegetable Valley Nightmare (NES)

Kirby ROM hacks, as previously said, are not the most popular type. That means that minor hacks, like Vegetable Valley Nightmare, deserve to be included in the ranking.

This Kirby’s Adventure hack is made up of a single gigantic level that is more challenging than the original game. It’s actually every level from Vegetable Valley stitched together, with no extra lives or checkpoints.

The UFO secret was also removed to prevent players from cheating the level by equipping the appropriate power.

Can you complete the level in one go?

8. Kirby’s Halloween Adventure (NES)

Halloween is a popular holiday in the Western world. That explains why so many eerie hacks bear the name of the Autumn festival.

Kirby’s Halloween Adventure is primarily an aesthetic hack that uses custom assets to make the game’s opponents more eerie.

Their copy skills have also been tweaked for a more terrifying encounter.

Levels have new layouts as well, and the game’s color palette has been altered to reflect the ghouls and other monsters that await Kirby.

Overall, it’s an exhilarating hack with an intriguing concept that’s ideal for late October gaming.

7. Kirby’s Adventure 2 (NES)

This ranking accepts any ROM hack that has Kirby as a legitimate entry… As a result, even a variation of the original Super Mario Bros. 2 can make the list!

Instead of expanding the original Kirby’s Adventure, this hack creates a sequel using the engine from SMB2.

To give a believable appearance, everything has been recolored (mainly pink), and Kirby has replaced Mario as the new playable character.

While you can’t fly or use Kirby’s copy ability, there are power-ups available to give the pink blob a fighting chance against the game’s many adversaries.

Unfortunately, the hack only got to three levels – but they’re three very good ones.

6. Kirby’s Dank Course (SNES)

Kirby’s Dream Course is one of the most unique games on the pink ball.

Especially given that it is technically a sporting event.

Once you’ve mastered the levels, play Kirby’s Dank Course, which includes eight more courses and a unique “post-game” section. Once you’ve cleared them all, the game is over.

The level design is quite good, which is especially thrilling given that this ROM hack is nothing like the original game.

There’s nothing particularly “Dank” about this hack, and it might use more polish. Nonetheless, it’s a fantastic hack to experiment with.

5. Kirby Super Star Extra (NDS)

I always attempt to highlight finished hacks in my rankings, although quality often outweighs completion by a wide margin.

This Kirby Super Star Ultra hack only covers the Dynablade and Spring Breeze stages, but it does a fantastic job with them. More opponents, more imaginative and demanding platforming, and thrilling events have been added.

This hack contributes significantly to making KSSU a more challenging and eventually rewarding experience, and it’s a shame it was never completed.

4. Kirby’s Dream Land DX (GB)

Kirby’s Dream Land was a terrific game with fantastic level design and a charming art style.

Unfortunately, the first GameBoy did not support color, therefore Kirby was a gray blob rather than a pink one.

This fantastic hack recolorizes the entire game, converting it to a GameBoy Color game. This is a major advance for a character like Kirby, whose games often contain a rainbow of colors.

Despite some minor graphic flaws, this is the best way to play KDL.

3. Puresabe Kirby’s Adventure (NES)

Finding this mythical hack was as difficult as finding any Kaizo-level ROM, but it was well worth the effort.

In honor of its creator, it’s called Puresabe Kirby’s Adventure, and it’s a large reworking of the game’s stages to be considerably more difficult and often maze-like in their layout.

Despite its rarity, it is still generally recommended, and it is regarded as one of the truly great Kirby’s Adventure ROM hacks.

If you believe your Kirby abilities are up to the task, this hack will not disappoint.

2. Kirby’s Bizarre Adventure (NES)

Don’t get your hopes up, Jojo fans; this hack has nothing to do with Pillar Men, Hamon, or Stands.

The title’s “bizarre” element relates to the peculiar way you must travel these levels.

Kirby’s flying ability has been revoked, so you’ll have to make the journey on foot. This makes platforming much more difficult.

Ability that let you to go faster or jump higher are quite crucial, and you’ll need to be very creative with them if you want to finish this game.

The enemies are also strategically placed, so keep an eye out for them.

1. Grump’s Dream Course (SNES)

Nothing a committed fandom can’t accomplish given enough time. And Grump’s Dream Course is the immensely entertaining proof.

This hack started shortly after Danny from the Game Grumps expressed interest in playing Kirby’s Dream Course DLC. The development team interpreted this as a request and went to work.

As a result, there are 152 whole new boards to play on, including a number with Kaizo-level complexity. There is something for everyone.

Even if you don’t want to attempt it yourself, you can watch the Game Grumps play it on their YouTube channel.