A Controversial Game in One of Nintendo’s Biggest Series Is 22 Today

The Kirby franchise is not only one of Nintendo's longest-running, but it also has more games than just about any other in the company's history. If you want to know just how many titles the Super Tuff Pink Puff has starred in, it's 39 as of this writing!

There's bound to be some hits and misses amongst nearly 34 years of Kirby's classics, and one of the most controversial games in the series came out on this day in Japan 22 years ago. Kirby & the Amazing Mirror was released for the Game Boy Advance on April 15, 2004.

Kirby's games aren't really known for much genre innovation or bending of the rules. Especially since they are catered to a younger audience, Kirby games are pretty cookie-cutter and repetitive. When Nintendo does challenge the series's norms, it ruffles some fans' feathers.

Kirby & the Amazing Mirror was controversial when it came out, and it still doesn't satisfy everyone in 2026. Whereas almost all other games in the series are straightforward platformers, this game decided to take on the Metroidvania formula.

Kirby could explore nine different zones in the Mirror Dimension, learning different abilities in each and forcing players to learn which ability would allow them to complete each level. The levels could be done out of order and forced much more exploration and puzzle-solving than in past games.

Players talking about the game on Reddit to this day still feel that the execution of the idea could have been better. With over two decades to reflect, others understand why the company took some chances and appreciate the idea of a Metroid-style Kirby game. The multiplayer aspects of Kirby & the Amazing Mirror were also a nice change of pace.

When you consider that Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission were two of the most popular Game Boy Advance games during this time period, it's not that shocking that Nintendo would try using another franchise in the same genre.

Kirby will remain one of Nintendo's most comforting characters just as he has for the last three and a half decades. Games like Kirby & the Amazing Mirror help to show the progress the series has made and the experimentation that Nintendo uses to try and juice up series that could otherwise go stale.