Parents' Guide to

Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Set of classic kids games may be more fun for older players.

Game Nintendo Wii 2012
Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

age 3+

Based on 1 parent review

age 3+

Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition

Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition is a compilation of six older Kirby games that include mild cartoon violence. Kirby is a pink blob who swallows fantastical enemies to absorb their abilities, so much of the combat is pretty tame. However, he occasionally wields semi-realistic weapons -- including a sword -- and one battle against a giant eye includes reddish damage that could be interpreted as blood. It's worth noting, too, that kids may grow frustrated by the restrictive, antiquated controls, which don't feel as comfortable or forgiving as those found in modern platformer games. Recommended for ages 3 years and up

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (6):

There's a good chance some parents will get more out of Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition than their kids. Not only will adults of a certain age fondly remember working through titles like Kirby's Dream Land when they were younger, they're also more likely than modern kids to have a natural feel for the series' early controls, which feel stiff and constrained compared to those of more modern entries in the series. Plus, the collection's leisurely trip down 20 years of franchise history -- which includes an interesting side app that strolls through each year in the last two decades, noting what was going on in the world at large when each new Kirby game arrived -- will almost certainly have more meaning for older players than younger ones. In the end, Kirby's Dream Collection is probably best considered a kind of interactive collectible best suited for long-time Nintendo fans.

Game Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate