Recently, the Kirby franchise seems to have had villains on its mind. Kirby as a series is remembered for its often tonally dissonant final bosses, but even their more palatable forms or minions tend to be memorable. In Kirby Star Allies, much of the series' surviving villain roster was added to the game through patches, with many fans citing this as one of the best aspects of the game. Recently, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe went so far as to include an entirely new campaign featuring the redemption of the title's villain, Magolor.
Putting this all together, a clear picture starts to form regarding where Kirby could go next. The titular hero may usually dominate the spotlight, but both Kirby's allies and enemies can carry adventures on their own. From the enigmatic warrior Meta Knight to the reformed Mage Sisters, there are plenty of opportunities to dedicate one of Kirby's many spin-offs to someone else's adventures. One particular group that is especially suited for a mechanically distinct spin-off is the rarely-seen Squeak Squad from Kirby Squeak Squad. Already holding some popularity with long-time fans, this unlikely crew could make for a great side adventure.
How Kirby Games Used The Squeak Squad
Before there was the Forgotten Land's Beast Pack, there was Popstar's own Squeak Squad. Led by the powerful and charismatic Daroach, the Squeak Squad is a gang of mice who steal treasures. In their initial appearance, there wasn't much more to them than that, with the Squeakers joining the cast of minor enemies, and the elite members Storo, Doc, and Spinni serving as recurring bosses. In their quest to steal a treasure that will grant them the ultimate power, they seemingly steal Kirby's cake. However, the content of the chest that Kirby, the Squeak Squad, and Kirby games' Meta Knight all compete over is revealed to be the evil being Dark Nebula. After Kirby frees Daroach from its control, the bandits reward the character with some cake and go on their way.
It's a breezy and light-hearted story for a rather inconsequential mainline Kirby title, but the Squeak Squad surprisingly stuck around. They served as allies in Kirby Mass Attack, with Daroach himself becoming a sort of mission control for the split-up Kirbys. It served as some nice character development, but even that didn't prepare fans for Daroach's return in Kirby Star Allies' post-launch updates many years later. The Squeak Squad is once again in tow as Daroach's summoned helpers, and Daroach himself worked in a variety of fun references to his home game including the long-lost Beast Copy Ability.
A Kirby Spin-Off Using the Squeak Squad Could Be A Hit
Despite being filler villains, the Squeak Squad has still been shown a fair amount of love by the Kirby series. A game dedicated to them feels like the natural next step, especially considering that they haven't actually ceased any of their criminal activities. The resulting spin-off could feel more like a Wario title than a Kirby game, as it chronicles the exploits and misadventures of the Squeak Squad in their quest to gain wealth. With a potential side helping of accidentally unsealing another chest-bound evil like Dark Nebula as a Kirby final boss and needing to put it back, such a game could be a smash hit.
There are plenty of ways this Squeak Squad game could play out, and Kirby's traditional action-platformer approach is only one of them. While the Squeak Squad does have a diverse set of skills and parallels to several Copy Abilities, the game could emulate Wario Land 4 and have levels consisting of exploration and timed escape segments. Alternatively, some sort of strategy game involving directing the Pikmin-like Squeakers and their bosses could be used to simulate heists. Whatever the case, the Squeak Squad is an understated but surprisingly charismatic part of the Kirby universe, and with a growing focus on Kirby's villains, they would be a great element to expand.