Kirby Art & Style Collection | $22 | Amazon
Puyo puyo! Over the years, there have been many iterations of Kirby, all of them adorable. This art book chronicles the history of the pink puffball and his various enemies as well as the concept art that helped them take shape. It also features, according to the description on the back cover, “exclusive notes from creators and artists who have brought Kirby to life throughout the years.” Personally, I’m fascinated with the making of Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, whose in-game models were literally sculpted from clay.
However, if you’re looking for a good recent Kirby game to pick up alongside this collection, I recommend Kirby: Planet Robobot in which, yes, our adorable alien buddy suits up in a mech to fight back against an evil corporation gentrifying his home planet with destructive technologies. For a recent, less remarkable Kirby game on Nintendo Switch, Kirby: Star Allies is still fun to play co-op with friends, despite its shortcomings.
This story was originally published by Gabe Carey on 07/17/2020 and updated by Sheilah Villari with new information on 12/28/2020.