Kirby's Dream Course
Encyclopedia
Kirby's Dream Course is a 1994-96 golf
video game developed by HAL Laboratory
and published by Nintendo
for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
video game console
. It was first released in Japan
on September 21, 1994, in North America
on February 1, 1995, and in Europe
on August 24, 1996. It is one of four Kirby
video games released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was re-released to the Wii's Virtual Console
in Japan, Europe and North America in 2007.
perspective. Instead of a ball, the player tries to hit Kirby around the course and into the hole at the end. Players must set the power, angle
, and spin to connect with various enemies found throughout the levels. Once only one enemy remains, that enemy will transform into the hole. The different abilities that Kirby can obtain from many of the enemies make up a large part of the game, often being required for completion of a hole. These abilities include Kirby turning into a tornado (that can be steered), a sparkly ball (that can destroy certain obstacles), and a UFO (which allows Kirby to float and move at will for a short time). Other abilities include Kirby being able to slow down / float with a parasol, as well as stop completely as a stone.
The game has eight single player courses, with eight holes on each. There is a high score board for each level, with medals to be won on each of them. The player can unlock extra features (such as alternative versions of the courses) by winning the medals. There are Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals to be won, which are awarded to Kirby at the end of the course. There are also four two-player courses (again with eight holes).
Kirby loses one of his health points (shown as tomatoes) every time he makes a shot, and gains one every time he hits an enemy or lands in a hole. In the two-player mode, two health points are awarded for landing in the hole first, and two health points can also be lost if one player's Kirby is "attacked" by the other player's by using an ability (such as the tornado or the stone). In the single-player mode, Kirby loses one life when all his health points are gone or fall off the stage ; when Kirby runs out of lives, the game will end. Afterwards, the player can either continue from the beginning of the course or exit it. In the two-player mode, the loss of all health points causes that player to miss a turn, as their Kirby falls asleep. This is referred to colloquially as a 'cake nap', because the animation often depicts Kirby dreaming of a slice of cake with a cherry on top.
add-on.
Sports game
A sports game is a computer or video game that simulates the practice of traditional sports. Most sports have been recreated with a game, including team sports, athletics and extreme sports. Some games emphasize actually playing the sport , whilst others emphasize strategy and organization...
video game developed by HAL Laboratory
HAL Laboratory
is a Japanese video game developer that was founded on February 21, 1980. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Its name comes from the HAL 9000 computer in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The company is most famous for its character Kirby, the protagonist of the eponymous game series, as well as...
and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. It was first released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on September 21, 1994, in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on February 1, 1995, and in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
on August 24, 1996. It is one of four Kirby
Kirby (series)
The series is a fantasy video game series developed by HAL Laboratory and Nintendo, and produced by Nintendo. The gameplay of a majority of the games in the series consists mainly of action, platform and puzzle-solving elements...
video games released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was re-released to the Wii's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
in Japan, Europe and North America in 2007.
Gameplay
Dream Course is a golf video game which is viewed from an isometricIsometric projection
Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
perspective. Instead of a ball, the player tries to hit Kirby around the course and into the hole at the end. Players must set the power, angle
Angle
In geometry, an angle is the figure formed by two rays sharing a common endpoint, called the vertex of the angle.Angles are usually presumed to be in a Euclidean plane with the circle taken for standard with regard to direction. In fact, an angle is frequently viewed as a measure of an circular arc...
, and spin to connect with various enemies found throughout the levels. Once only one enemy remains, that enemy will transform into the hole. The different abilities that Kirby can obtain from many of the enemies make up a large part of the game, often being required for completion of a hole. These abilities include Kirby turning into a tornado (that can be steered), a sparkly ball (that can destroy certain obstacles), and a UFO (which allows Kirby to float and move at will for a short time). Other abilities include Kirby being able to slow down / float with a parasol, as well as stop completely as a stone.
The game has eight single player courses, with eight holes on each. There is a high score board for each level, with medals to be won on each of them. The player can unlock extra features (such as alternative versions of the courses) by winning the medals. There are Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals to be won, which are awarded to Kirby at the end of the course. There are also four two-player courses (again with eight holes).
Kirby loses one of his health points (shown as tomatoes) every time he makes a shot, and gains one every time he hits an enemy or lands in a hole. In the two-player mode, two health points are awarded for landing in the hole first, and two health points can also be lost if one player's Kirby is "attacked" by the other player's by using an ability (such as the tornado or the stone). In the single-player mode, Kirby loses one life when all his health points are gone or fall off the stage ; when Kirby runs out of lives, the game will end. Afterwards, the player can either continue from the beginning of the course or exit it. In the two-player mode, the loss of all health points causes that player to miss a turn, as their Kirby falls asleep. This is referred to colloquially as a 'cake nap', because the animation often depicts Kirby dreaming of a slice of cake with a cherry on top.
Development
In the beginning, the game was not going to be a Kirby title. Rather, it was intended to be a miniature golf game entitled Special Tee Shot. It was only midway through development that the developers retooled it with elements from the Kirby series. Special Tee Shot was eventually released in Japan only on the SatellaviewSatellaview
The is a satellite modem add-on for Nintendo's Super Famicom system that was released in Japan in 1995. Available for pre-release orders as early as February 13, 1995, the Satellaview retailed for between ¥14,000 and 18,000 and came bundled with the BS-X Game Pak and an 8M Memory Pak.The...
add-on.