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  • In 1999, Japanese Parents Really Wanted to Defeat Their Kids in Smash Bros.

    In 1999, Japanese Parents Really Wanted to Defeat Their Kids in Smash Bros.
    2025/05/28

    After Smash Bros. was first released in Japan in 1999, players flocked to the game's website, where Masahiro Sakurai posted survey results, game tips, and even answered players' emails. There are reams of emails left from this period that offer a fascinating, funny, and even touching look at nascent Smash Bros. culture. In this episode, Sean, Gigi, and Bridget look over some of these early surveys and conversations Sakurai had with fans. From speculation over a sequel to parents asking for advice on how to defeat their kids, and even a bit of unrelated Goldeneye advice, these classic emails are an amazing archive of gaming history. (And of course, people have tons requests for characters they want to see join Smash Bros., because some things never change.)


    Thank you to Source Gaming and PushDustin for the translations of these emails. And thank you to Gigi as well for the translation she was able to do on the spot.


    Questions or comments about the show? You can email us at mail@kirbyconversations.com and we may read your letter on a future episode.


    Kirby Conversations is part of the Sound Stone Podcast Network, a collective of independent podcasters covering video game history. We are a founding show alongside Pixels and Polygons and Flashback 64, and we encourage you to check out those shows as well!


    Please enter our giveaway with this link to win a $200 video game shopping spree, all four volumes of Darren Hupke's 32-Bit Library, and more!


    Join us online:


    Kirby Conversations

    Bluesky: @kirbyconversations.bsky.social

    IG: @kirbyconversations


    Sound Stone

    Bluesky: @soundstone.network


    Bridget

    Bluesky: @kabulaqueen.bsky.social


    Sean Douglass

    Bluesky: @seandouglass.bsky.social


    Ky "Captain Dangerous" Parker

    IG: @captaindangerous


    Gigi

    Carrd link


    Our opening music is by Megan Kelz (https://diamondthorns.bandcamp.com) and arranged by Duncan "PixelTea" Smith (https://duncansmith.carrd.co/).

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 時間 9 分
  • Listeners Ask Us Some of Their Trickiest Questions Yet

    Listeners Ask Us Some of Their Trickiest Questions Yet
    2025/05/14

    We're back with more listener questions this week, including some of the trickiest questions we've gotten so far. What are the hardest Kirby games to speedrun or 100%? What are our top three favorite Kirby games? And what our top three favorite games overall? There's some tough ranking to be made in this episode, and we appreciate listeners giving us some deep questions to chew on (or perhaps just inhale and swallow whole).


    Questions or comments about the show? You can email us at mail@kirbyconversations.com and we may read your letter on a future episode.


    We are proud to announce that Kirby Conversations is now a part of the Sound Stone Podcast Network, a collective of independent podcasters covering video game history. We are a founding show alongside Pixels and Polygons and Flashback 64, and we encourage you to check out those shows as well!


    (Also, since we know of some parents who listen to Kirby Conversations with young children, please note that other shows you find on Sound Stone will cover games of all kinds that may or may not always be a perfect fit for younger kids. Just thought we should probably mention that.)


    Join us online:


    Kirby Conversations

    Bluesky: @kirbyconversations.bsky.social

    IG: @kirbyconversations


    Sound Stone

    Bluesky: @soundstone.network


    Bridget

    Bluesky: @kabulaqueen.bsky.social


    Sean Douglass

    Bluesky: @seandouglass.bsky.social


    Ky "Captain Dangerous" Parker

    IG: @captaindangerous


    Gigi

    Carrd link


    Our opening music is by Megan Kelz (https://diamondthorns.bandcamp.com) and arranged by Duncan "PixelTea" Smith (https://duncansmith.carrd.co/).

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    52 分
  • Does the N64 Super Smash Bros. Still Hold Up Today? (With Flashback 64)

    Does the N64 Super Smash Bros. Still Hold Up Today? (With Flashback 64)
    2025/04/30

    How well does the original Super Smash Bros. hold up today? Who better to help us answer that question than our friends Gooey and McKenna of Flashback 64, the chronological Nintendo 64 podcast. Together we reflect on the game's development history (did you know one early idea for it was to make all the characters dogs?) and our own history with the game, which continues to be one most of us return to again and again. Despite the slowness and certain technological limitations compared to other entries, it turns out there's still a lot to love about the game—and we can't wait to play it online when it finally joins the Switch's Nintendo 64 library.


    Questions or comments about the show? You can email us at mail@kirbyconversations.com and we may read your letter on a future episode.


    Listen to our guests Gooey and McKenna on their podcast Flashback 64: https://flashback64pod.podbean.com/. (Since we know of some parents who listen to Kirby Conversations with their children, please note that Flashback 64 is more for older listeners.)


    We will also now be uploading a version of Kirby Conversations to YouTube. Subscribe to us, and you can expect select episodes to be posted there a few days after they release in the podcast feed.


    Join us online:


    Kirby Conversations

    Bluesky: @kirbyconversations.bsky.social

    IG: @kirbyconversations


    Bridget

    Bluesky: @kabulaqueen.bsky.social


    Sean Douglass

    Bluesky: @seandouglass.bsky.social


    Ky "Captain Dangerous" Parker

    IG: @captaindangerous


    Gigi

    Carrd link


    Our opening music is by Megan Kelz (https://diamondthorns.bandcamp.com) and arranged by Duncan "PixelTea" Smith (https://duncansmith.carrd.co/).



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 時間 23 分
  • Your Questions From the Midwest Gaming Classic

    Your Questions From the Midwest Gaming Classic
    2025/04/16

    Thank you to everyone who visited our booth at the Midwest Gaming Classic this month! It was great to meet you, and thank you for submitting such thoughtful, creative, and funny questions to the show as well. It'll take several episodes to respond to every question, but for now here's a mailbag episode where we answer the first batch, about Smash Bros. characters, potential future Kirby gameplay ideas, and even one notorious recent indie game antihero.


    If you don't hear your question in this episode, don't worry--we promise to get to it soon!


    Want to reach out with your own questions or comments about the show? You can email us at mail@kirbyconversations.com and we may read your letter on a future episode.


    We will also now be uploading a version of Kirby Conversations to YouTube. Subscribe to us, and you can expect select episodes to be posted there a few days after they release in the podcast feed.


    Join us online:


    Kirby Conversations

    Bluesky: @kirbyconversations.bsky.social

    IG: @kirbyconversations


    Bridget

    Bluesky: @kabulaqueen.bsky.social


    Sean Douglass

    Bluesky: @seandouglass.bsky.social


    Ky "Captain Dangerous" Parker

    IG: @captaindangerous


    Gigi

    Carrd link


    Our opening music is by Megan Kelz (https://diamondthorns.bandcamp.com) and arranged by Duncan "PixelTea" Smith (https://duncansmith.carrd.co/).


    Liking Kirby Conversations? Then you may also enjoy another retro gaming podcast we recommend, Flashback 64: https://flashback64pod.podbean.com/


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    35 分
  • Bonus Episode: Kirby and the GameCube Ride Again

    Bonus Episode: Kirby and the GameCube Ride Again
    2025/04/12

    After all the news from the April 2nd Nintendo Direct, we had to put out a bonus episode with our reactions and some of the additional information we've found about the Star-Crossed World upgrade for Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Kirby Air Riders, GameCube games on the Switch 2, and more. Who is this mysterious new Waddle Dee with a telescope in Star-Crossed World? Could Sakurai and Bandai Namco be bringing some of their sensibilities from Smash Bros. into Air Riders? And while the Switch 2 may be expensive, do the hundreds of dollars in rarer and pricey GameCube titles they're adding to the Nintendo Classics library make it an oddly affordable option for GameCube fans?


    We know lots of people have done immediate responses to the Direct already, but a few days out, here's where we're at with a little more info and a lot more questions about this exciting new era for Kirby and Nintendo.


    -----


    Want to reach out with a question or comment about the show? You can email us at mail@kirbyconversations.com and we may read your letter on a future episode.


    We will also now be uploading a version of Kirby Conversations to YouTube. Subscribe to us, and you can expect select episodes to be posted there a few days after they release in the podcast feed.


    Join us online:


    Kirby Conversations

    Bluesky: @kirbyconversations.bsky.social

    IG: @kirbyconversations


    Bridget

    Bluesky: @kabulaqueen.bsky.social


    Sean Douglass

    Bluesky: @seandouglass.bsky.social


    Ky "Captain Dangerous" Parker

    IG: @captaindangerous


    Gigi

    Carrd link


    Our opening music is by Megan Kelz (https://diamondthorns.bandcamp.com) and arranged by Duncan "PixelTea" Smith (https://duncansmith.carrd.co/).


    Liking Kirby Conversations? Then you may also enjoy another retro gaming podcast we recommend, Flashback 64: https://flashback64pod.podbean.com/

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    39 分
  • Everything We Can Assemble About the Lost Kirby for GCN

    Everything We Can Assemble About the Lost Kirby for GCN
    2025/04/02
    First announced in 2004, Kirby for Nintendo GameCube (which never received an official title beyond that) looked to be an ambitious Kirby adventure for a new console generation. But despite several exciting announcements, screenshots, and trailers that had Kirby fans of the 2000's eagerly anticipating its arrival, the game was quietly canceled, and it would be years before Kirby saw another non-handheld release. What happened to Kirby for GCN, and what kind of game would it have been? There's actually a lot we can piece together, so for this episode Sean, Bridget, and Gigi are going through all the information we can find to assemble a clearer look at a Kirby game that never was.You can watch the trailers for this game and see screenshots on WiKirby: wikirby.com/wiki/Kirby_for_Nintendo_GameCubeYou can also see incredible concept art for the menu screen and other screenshots from the 20th Anniversary Kirby Pupupu Encyclopedia here and here.And here is an impressive mod for Kirby's Return to the Dream Land, by creator Niment, inspired by Kirby for GCN: https://gamebanana.com/mods/247764Come visit our booth at the Midwest Gaming Classic this weekend (April 5th to 6th, 2025). Details about the event are at www.midwestgamingclassic.com!-----Want to reach out with a question or comment about the show? You can email us at mail@kirbyconversations.com and we may read your letter on a future episode.We will also now be uploading a version of the podcast to YouTube. Subscribe to us, and you can expect select episodes to be posted there a few days after they release in the podcast feed.Join us online:Kirby ConversationsBluesky: @kirbyconversations.bsky.socialIG: @kirbyconversationsBridgetBluesky: @kabulaqueen.bsky.socialSean DouglassBluesky: @seandouglass.bsky.socialKy "Captain Dangerous" ParkerIG: @captaindangerousGigiCarrd linkOur opening music is by Megan Kelz (https://diamondthorns.bandcamp.com) and arranged by Duncan "PixelTea" Smith (https://duncansmith.carrd.co/).Liking Kirby Conversations? Then you may also enjoy another retro gaming podcast we recommend, Flashback 64: https://flashback64pod.podbean.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 時間 20 分
  • Gigi in Japan: Stories and Secrets from the Nintendo Museum

    Gigi in Japan: Stories and Secrets from the Nintendo Museum
    2025/03/19

    Gigi, one of our co-hosts and the Editor-in-Chief of WiKirby, is back from a long trip to Japan. During the last episode we talked with her about her more Kirby-centric experiences, like the Kirby Cafes, and for this show we're moving the conversation more generally to the other Nintendo things she saw--including the Nintendo Museum. There are some parts of the museum they don't let visitors photograph, so we enjoyed hearing this inside account of what all the museum has to offer. There's also time to discuss Japan's Pokémon locales and, of course, the Kirby arcade game.


    Want to reach out with a question or comment about the show? You can email us at mail@kirbyconversations.com and we may read your letter on a future episode.


    We will also now be uploading a version of the podcast to YouTube. Subscribe to us, and you can expect select episodes to be posted there a few days after they release in the podcast feed.


    Join us online:


    Kirby Conversations

    Bluesky: @kirbyconversations.bsky.social

    IG: @kirbyconversations


    Bridget

    Bluesky: @kabulaqueen.bsky.social


    Sean Douglass

    Bluesky: @seandouglass.bsky.social


    Ky "Captain Dangerous" Parker

    IG: @captaindangerous


    Gigi

    Carrd link


    Our opening music is by Megan Kelz (https://diamondthorns.bandcamp.com) and arranged by Duncan "PixelTea" Smith (https://duncansmith.carrd.co/).


    Liking Kirby Conversations? Then you may also enjoy another retro gaming podcast we recommend, Flashback 64: https://flashback64pod.podbean.com/


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    38 分
  • Kirby Cafes and Other Highlights from Gigi's Trip to Japan

    Kirby Cafes and Other Highlights from Gigi's Trip to Japan
    2025/03/05

    Gigi recently spent several weeks in Japan, and she's back to tell us all about it! In this episode we mainly focus on the Kirby experiences, including a detailed discussion of her time at the Kirby Cafes. She has plenty to share on how to secure a reservation at one of these massively popular theme restaurants, her thoughts on the food and décor, and how it all compares to the similarly popular Pokémon Cafes. We also discuss Kirby's ubiquitous presence in Japan more broadly and how it compares to the U.S. and Brazil.


    Next week we'll have more on Gigi's travels in Japan--including her time at the Nintendo Museum!


    Want to reach out with a question or comment about the show? You can email us at mail@kirbyconversations.com and we may read your letter on a future episode.


    We will also now be uploading a version of the podcast to YouTube. Subscribe to us, and you can expect more visual versions of our longform episodes to be posted there a few days after they release in the podcast feed.


    Join us online:


    Kirby Conversations

    Bluesky: @kirbyconversations.bsky.social

    IG: @kirbyconversations


    Bridget

    Bluesky: @kabulaqueen.bsky.social


    Sean Douglass

    Bluesky: @seandouglass.bsky.social


    Ky "Captain Dangerous" Parker

    IG: @captaindangerous


    Gigi

    Carrd link


    Our opening music is by Megan Kelz (https://diamondthorns.bandcamp.com) and arranged by Duncan "PixelTea" Smith (https://duncansmith.carrd.co/).


    Liking Kirby Conversations? Then you may also enjoy another retro gaming podcast we recommend, Flashback 64: https://flashback64pod.podbean.com/


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 時間