When you think of Kirby, you usually think “pink, round, adorable” to describe the iconic character. And while that’s true, if you’re an older Nintendo fan, you might remember Kirby looking a bit… angry whenever he appeared in advertisements in the United States — whereas in Japanese ads, he was always portrayed as happy and smiling.
It turns out that this was intentional in order to market to a wider audience. Advertisers (not just Nintendo) had noticed that in the US, older male audiences seemed to prefer characters who were edgy and hardcore. It’s so well known that there’s a whole TV trope about American Kirby!
According to former Nintendo employees Leslie Swan and Krista Yang, Kirby’s angry look was supposed to be one of determination. Since Kirby is a cutesy character, it was going to be hard to get teens to want to play any games in the franchise when they can opt for another “cool” character in the Nintendo universe. Pair that with Kirby being pink (remember, this was back in the 2000s), and it’s next to impossible to market towards male gamers.
This look has seemed to have faded over the years with Kirby having a happy look on box art and ads for the most part! He’s returned to be the happy pink hero we all know and love. Did you ever notice this kind of box art back in the day? Did they influence your decision at all?
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Written by Roberto Diaz
Embark on a gaming odyssey with a passionate player deeply immersed in pop culture. Roberto not only conquers virtual realms but also dominates the pop music scene, turning life into a harmonious adventure filled with gaming triumphs and cultural insights.
