You know what my first game was? Kirby’s Dream Land 3 for the SNES. I was four-years old at the time.

I can’t remember my childhood all that well, but, I do remember how much I loved playing this game, albeit I was totally unable to get all the stars in each level. I still kept playing the game over and over, trying to achieve this feat but to no avail. I ended up giving my SNES and all my games to my poorer relatives that didn’t have video games, and hoped that they would enjoy Kirby as much as I did. It was quite hard parting with it since I never did get to complete it.

As I got older, I figured I’d revisit the game. Now more aware of how to complete the little scenarios in each level, I managed to collect all of the stars, defeat possessed Dedede, and fight Dark Matter. Because I hadn’t gotten all the stars prior, battling Dark Matter was a whole new experience for me.

I was so happy to overcome Dark Matter, but my happiness suddenly turned into shock when Zero came up! I was totally not expecting this at all. It was so… gruesome. I never knew the very first game I ever played had such a terrifying thing in it, and I guess I have to thank my puny child-like brain for not being able to come across this thing, because I would’ve been scarred.

When I beat Zero I felt like I accomplished a long-term goal. I finally finished the very first game I ever played in my life, fourteen years later.

I love Kirby so much, and I couldn’t be more than grateful to have such an endearing and adorable character be a part of my life. Apparently Mr. Iwata didn’t produce Kirby’s Dream Land 3 like he had for the previous games in the Dream Land series, but without him co-creating Kirby with Mr. Sakurai in the first place, I just, wouldn’t be the same.

Kirby is the true definition of happiness, I feel. Thank you so much for that happiness, Mr. Iwata. May you rest in peace.