Media Create - Kirby Comparison
03/24/00 [N64] Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (Nintendo) - 337.035 / 927.269
08/23/00 [NGB] Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble (Nintendo) - 200.190 / 507.252
10/25/02 [GBA] Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land (Nintendo) - 213.300 / 585.700
07/11/03 [GCN] Kirby Air Ride (Nintendo) - 79.700 / 278.500
04/15/04 [GBA] Kirby & the Amazing Mirror (Nintendo) - 188.837 / 736.226
03/24/05 [NDS] Kirby Canvas Curse (Nintendo) - 75.365 / 310.251
11/02/06 [NDS] Kirby Squeak Squad (Nintendo) - 166.131 / 1.144.490
11/06/08 [NDS] Kirby Super Star Ultra (Nintendo) - 265.654 / 1.157.813
10/14/10 [WII] Kirby's Epic Yarn (Nintendo) - 92.280 / 92.280
These Kirby comparisons aren't entirely valid, in my opinion. If you look at that list, and take away the portable Kirby titles and simply examine Kirby's console counterparts, namely Air Ride and K64, you are left with sales numbers that can't be taken at face value. In 2000 and 2003, games were very different - the market was different, the standards were different, and quite frankly GAMERS were different. In 2000, games, typically, weren't selling 1.5 million copies within their first week of release (i.e. the newest Medal of Honor). At the turn of the decade, that number would have been absolutely staggering. Nowadays, we expect to see those numbers because of the influx in those who play games and also the genre in which the majority of gamers tend to favor.
KEY has been released at one of the strangest times in gaming history. It's been released on a console that is far too often overlooked by most of the gaming populace, it has adopted 2D graphics (albeit the graphics and art style are top notch) at a time where a game is heavily praised for boundary-pushing 3D graphics, and, in a world where 20+ hours is normal game-length, it is short but priced at the standard $50. With that being said, Kirby, relative to its time, has sold really well. When I see sales numbers or people who want to prove that the game ISN'T selling well (mind you, I'm not saying that's what anyone here is trying to do here), I can't help but shake my head in disappointment at the fact that people are failing to take into consideration a wealth of extraneous variables that have undeniable effects on a game's sales performance.
That aside, I'm interested in seeing how Kirby has faired here in the states as the initial numbers I've seen have been pretty impressive.