Canceled SNES Kirby Game by GTA Creators Rebuilt as Free PC Game

A canceled SNES game developed by DMA Design, the studio behind Grand Theft Auto, has been recreated and released as a free PC game. Nintendo contracted DMA Design in the 1990s to develop Kid Kirby, but the project never saw an official release. Now a fan has faithfully reconstructed the game for PC, allowing players to experience what was lost.

The PC version contains eight levels and one boss fight. Each level introduces new mechanics to maintain variety throughout the campaign. Some defeated enemies drop copy abilities that Kirby can use, a core series mechanic. Players activate abilities with Right Click or Space, though only one ability can be active at a time. The Beam and Parasol abilities default to 10-second durations and can be deactivated early by pressing the activation button again.

Controls are straightforward. Players press Up or W to enter doors, Left or A to slap Kirby upward, and Right or D to slam downward. The game also includes a paper airplane transformation. Once transformed, W or Up tilts the plane upward for increased height at reduced speed, while S or Down tilts downward for more forward speed but less height. This mechanic draws from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door's paper airplane section.

Additional controls include pressing P or Enter to pause, which works in both levels and the level hub. Players can continue, return to the hub, or go to the main menu from the pause screen. Cutscenes can be skipped with Space or Enter. The fullscreen toggle is accessed via F in the options menu at 1024x896 resolution. A leftover from development testing, the fullscreen hotkey remains functional in the release.

The free game is available for download on PC. This fan recreation demonstrates the ongoing interest in lost Nintendo projects and the capabilities of the emulation and ROM hacking communities to preserve gaming history.