After 22 years, three cult classic Kirby-style platformers Nintendo refused to release outside of Japan are finally available worldwide

In an exciting new move for all platformer fans globally, Nintendo has made three of its classic Starfy games available to players outside of Japan for the first time ever.

Kirby is adorable – but what if he was a starfish instead? The Legend of Starfy answers that burning question, featuring protagonist Starfy as he collects power-ups and swims his way through various platform-heavy stages. The series’ original three games, Densetsu no Starfy 1, 2, and 3, were never localized or launched outside of Japan. Considering that the first entry was released back in 2002, that means a whopping 22 years have passed without worldwide access to Starfy’s three defining OG titles.

Thankfully, that’s no longer the case. Earlier today, Nintendo revealed that the original Starfy trio is available to play globally, albeit with a caveat. Anyone with an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription can dive straight into Densetsu no Starfy 1, 2, and 3 right now – if they don’t mind the games’ lack of proper translation. While the platformers are indeed finally playable worldwide, text in all three games is still presented in its original Japanese.

Starfy shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out gameplay-wise, though – as one player writes, “I don’t think these games are very text-heavy.” Other longtime fans commenting on Nintendo’s announcement describe it as an essential series for fans of other “platformers like Kirby and Wario.” Some simply call Starfy “Kirby if Kirby was a starfish” – after all, the games revolve around running, jumping, performing so-fish-ticated spin attacks, and other classic platformer mechanics typically found in such retro gems.

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