The Kirby series is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a poll seeking out fans’ favorite copy ability that the pink puffball has used in the past, with the winning ability potentially featured in the next game.
Whichever ability is named the victor has the chance of being part of January’s Kirby Battle Royale release, as long as the winner is not already included in the game or part of the few barred from inclusion. However, the top choice will have a special Nintendo 3DS theme and wallpaper regardless of its in-game inclusion.
Candidates include classic abilities such as Beam, Fire, Hammer and Sword to newer additions like Bell, Doctor, ESP and Water. Fans can vote for their favorite ability once a day on the game’s website until polls close on Oct. 2. The current standings were released in a tweet earlier today, with some of the results surprising the series’ fanbase.
At the moment, the Mirror ability is leading the pack with Yo-Yo, UFO, Plasma and Sleep rounding out the top five. Each of these abilities come from the two of earliest games in the series, Kirby’s Adventure (NES) and Kirby Super Star (SNES). Mirror, which debuted in Super Star and only reappeared in the updated Super Star Ultra and recent title Planet Robobot, is beating series staples like Sword, an ability seen in most Kirby games.
The series’ fanbase expressed their thoughts on Twitter, some surprised, others annoyed and a few campaigning to change the outcome before the popularity contest ends in October. Since the poll includes abilities that already appear in Battle Royale, such as Sword and Hammer, fans may be inclined to voting for other abilities so they can be built into the game.
Abilities already in the game are the following:
- Beetle
- Bomb
- Cutter
- Doctor
- Fighter
- Hammer
- Ice
- Ninja
- Parasol
- Spear
- Sword
- Tornado
- Whip
Kirby Battle Royale launches for the Nintendo 3DS system family on Jan. 19.