《星之卡比2》是於1995年在Game Boy上推出的經典平台動作遊戲，由HAL研究所開發、任天堂發行。作為卡比系列的第三款主要作品，延續前作的吸入與複製能力系統，並首度引入三位動物朋友，使整體玩法和關卡風格都展現出比以往更具深度的變化。自日本上市後便獲得廣大迴響，其後於北美、歐洲及澳洲陸續推出，並最終成為Game Boy平台的暢銷佳作之一。

故事的舞台依舊位於和平的波普之星，但原本串連七座彩虹島的彩虹橋突然被神秘力量摧毀，造成島上居民的恐慌。真相是名為「暗物質」的宇宙生命體企圖佔領這個世界，它甚至附身在噗噗噗之國的統治者帝帝帝大王身上，使整個星球被陰影籠罩。為了阻止這場危機，卡比踏上旅程，必須穿越七個各具特色的島嶼，找回散落各地的彩虹碎片，才能揭開事件的總源頭。途中，他遇見三位動物夥伴，分別是能快速奔跑且不會在冰面滑倒的倉鼠 Rick、能在強風中飛行的貓頭鷹 Coo，以及能在水域自由穿梭的翻車魚 Kine。這三位夥伴陪著卡比穿越危險，並與卡比的複製能力相互融合，形成各種嶄新的攻擊方式，使關卡玩法出現極大變化。

操作維持Game Boy系列一貫的直覺風格。玩家控制卡比在地面奔走、利用跳躍跨越障礙、將空氣吸入體內以短暫飛行，也能在水中施展水柱攻擊。最具代表性的吸入能力依舊存在，卡比能吸入敵人或物體，然後選擇吐出做為星型飛彈，或直接吞下並獲得特殊能力。這些能力包含火花、冰凍、石頭、火焰等多種變化，搭配動物朋友後會產生完全不同的效果，例如火花在Rick身上會變成類似能量鞭的攻擊方式，而冰能力在Coo身上會變成旋轉的冰風暴。這些多重組合使遊戲遠比系列早期的作品更具策略性，也讓每一位玩家的通關風格截然不同。

共有七座彩虹島，分別以森林、海洋、冰雪、天空等主題呈現。每個大關的最後都會迎來一場極具特色的頭目戰，包括系列經典的風語大 Whispy Woods、野豬兄 Nruf  Nelly、深海中的安康Sweet Stuff、巨大的冰 Ice Dragon、能操控日月力量 Mr. Shine  Mr. Bright、雲與雷的象徵Kracko，以及被暗物質附身的帝帝帝大王。頭目戰的節奏緊湊，攻擊模式鮮明，再加上動物朋友與複製能力的多樣組合，使每場戰鬥都具有獨特的挑戰風味。當最終成功擊敗帝帝帝大王後，如果沒有收集所有彩虹碎片，會看到陰雨綿綿的壞結局；若已完成七個碎片的收集，則能讓碎片合體為「彩虹之劍」，隨卡比飛往宇宙迎戰暗物質的兩種形態，並在擊敗對手後讓彩虹再次跨越天空，迎來真正的好結局。

遊戲上市後的成績十分亮眼，全球銷量突破百萬，並在 Game Boy 平台上創下系列最佳的銷售紀錄。《Fami通》雖給予29分的中高評價，但在玩家心中，《星之卡比2》因其深度、耐玩度和創新系統而成為經典，被視為Game Boy作品中最值得回味的名作之一。後續作品如《星之卡比3》和《星之卡比64》更在本作奠定的基礎上進一步擴展世界觀與暗物質相關故事，使《星之卡比2》成為系列世界觀發展的轉型之作。

Kirby’s Dream Land 2 is a 1995 Game Boy platformer developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo, and is often regarded as one of the most important titles in the early Kirby franchise. As the direct successor to Kirby’s Dream Land and Kirby’s Adventure, the game inherits the series’ signature inhale-and-copy mechanics while introducing a major innovation that reshaped Kirby’s gameplay identity: three Animal Friends who join Kirby on his journey and significantly expand the range of his abilities. Upon release in Japan, North America, Europe, and later Australia, the game quickly achieved major commercial success, eventually becoming one of the best-selling Game Boy titles with over one million copies sold.

The story takes place in Dream Land, where the seven Rainbow Islands are normally connected by a giant rainbow bridge. One day, this bridge mysteriously disappears, and a shadow spreads across the islands. The entity responsible is Dark Matter, a cosmic being intent on conquering Dream Land. It destroys the rainbow bridge, spreads chaos across the island chain, and ultimately possesses King Dedede. With his home in danger, Kirby sets off to restore balance, retrieve the hidden Rainbow Drops scattered across the islands, and defeat the source of the corruption. Along the way, he meets his three new companions—Rick the hamster, Coo the owl, and Kine the sunfish—each offering unique movement advantages and ability combinations that change how players approach every stage.

Gameplay retains the approachable and intuitive controls typical of early Kirby titles. Kirby can run, jump, swim, float through the air by inhaling, and exhale air puffs to attack enemies. His trademark ability to inhale objects remains the core mechanic: swallowed enemies grant special powers such as Spark, Fire, Ice, Needle, Cut, and others. What makes this game stand out is how these abilities transform when combined with Animal Friends. Spark with Rick creates a sweeping electric whip-like attack, Ice with Coo generates a frigid spinning windstorm, and Stone with Kine produces a heavy, comical drop attack underwater. These layered combinations allow for more experimentation and create diverse solutions for combat, exploration, and secret-finding. The animal companions also change traversal dramatically—Coo resists strong winds and excels in vertical levels, Rick removes the need for floating and runs quickly across slippery terrain, and Kine dominates underwater sections with powerful currents.

The world of Kirby’s Dream Land 2 is divided into seven themed islands, each with its own atmosphere and concluding boss battle. The forests of Grass Land lead to Whispy Woods, who returns with a humorous mask and glasses; the sandy second island ends with the boar duo Nruff & Nelly; the deep ocean is guarded by the anglerfish Sweet Stuff; and the icy world houses the massive Ice Dragon. Later islands introduce more elaborate fights such as the celestial duo Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright, who launch eclipses and light attacks in tandem, and the electrified storm cloud Kracko, who appears first in an incomplete form before revealing his full, spiked body. The climax pits Kirby against the possessed King Dedede, whose movements become erratic and aggressive under Dark Matter’s control.

If the player reaches Dedede without collecting all seven Rainbow Drops, the game concludes with a melancholic “bad ending,” where Kirby trudges home under a gloomy rain as a mysterious shadowed figure appears during the character roll call. Collecting all Rainbow Drops unlocks the true ending. The fragments merge into the Rainbow Sword, enabling Kirby to ascend into space to confront Dark Matter directly—first in a swordsman form wielding dark energy, and finally in its true spherical form with a single eye and orbiting dark orbs. Upon victory, Kirby descends toward Dream Land and restores the rainbow high above the sky, returning light to the islands.

Upon release, the game received strong praise for its innovation, atmosphere, and the depth created by the Animal Friends system. While Famitsu’s score of 29/40 was respectable, it was the players who elevated the title into a beloved classic. The combination of exploration, secrets, emotional storytelling, and a memorable soundtrack helped solidify its reputation, and later entries such as Kirby’s Dream Land 3 and Kirby 64 continued expanding the lore of Dark Matter established here. Even decades later, Kirby’s Dream Land 2 remains one of the most fondly remembered Game Boy titles, celebrated for turning a simple platformer into a more complex and expressive adventure.