New Challenge Stages

New Challenge Stages Title screen for New Challenge Stages. Details Type(s) Challenge - Ability Training Levels 3 (several stages per level) Players 1 Appears in Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition

Theme music "New Challenge Stages" Clip of the title theme of New Challenge Stages from Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition

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New Challenge Stages is a Sub-Game which appears in Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition, complementing the six games that were included. It is based on the Challenge Stages from Kirby's Return to Dream Land, and uses the same engine and play-style. It can be considered to be an expanded version of those stages, though it utilizes some different Copy Abilities, and also features races with Magolor. Unlike the original Challenge Stages, the stages here are organized into three distinct levels, much like stages in main-series games. In addition, the player has the option of using a Classic Controller or a Nintendo GameCube controller to play these stages, and can race against a Ghost representing their best pace after completing a stage for the first time. New Challenge Stages also features a cumulative score system which rewards various trophies at certain score thresholds, much like what would later be implemented in Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe.

Story[edit]

At the beginning, Magolor — one of the principal non-player characters from Kirby's Return to Dream Land — explains his whereabouts after the events of that game. To apologize for the "fuss" he caused, he has used his power to build an amusement park for Kirby to enjoy. This park consists of many different challenges that Kirby can undertake using his various Copy Abilities. At the end of each section of the park, Magolor challenges Kirby to a race through a special course. After Kirby beats him three times in three different courses, Magolor will see Kirby off, and the credits will roll.

In the Japanese version of New Challenge Stages, the story is slightly different, as Magolor mentions he only came to Popstar by chance and built an amusement park because he was bored; he does not mention making up for his past actions.

Overview[edit]

In addition to stages styled after the Challenge Stages from Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Kirby can also finish off each level by racing against Magolor, who isn't above using dirty tricks to win.

There are three levels in New Challenge Stages, which act as hubs containing several different stages. Each challenge stage is an obstacle course, taking place in a wooden or metal toy-block environment. The goal is to make it through the course as quickly as possible, while collecting Score Coins and defeating enemies along the way. Each stage has Kirby using a specific Copy Ability (except one which Kirby must play without an ability). Kirby cannot discard or otherwise lose or change his ability while playing the course. To clear the course with a high score, Kirby is intended to utilize the specific attacks and/or movement options those abilities grant him in various ways to clear the obstacles more efficiently.

The stage is complete once Kirby makes it through the door at the end. It will end early if Kirby loses all his health, gets crushed or falls into a bottomless pit along the way, or if the timer runs out. Various bonuses can be awarded based on how well Kirby performed in the stage, and a medal will then be given based on the final score. The medal ranges from bronze, silver, gold, and then platinum, with platinum requiring a nearly flawless performance. Completing a stage also unlocks a Ghost Race for that stage, which allows Kirby to race a specter representing his current best time.

Once Kirby has completed all the standard challenge stages in a level, he can unlock the Magolor Race stage. Here, he can race Magolor through a special course, and choose any one of the abilities he used in the previous stages to do so. Fundamentally these stages aren't too different from the standard stages, but Magolor does have a nasty habit of conjuring foes to get in Kirby's way, and he can also pick up Score Coins if Kirby doesn't get them first. In the last level, there are a number of EX stages that are unlocked after the third Magolor Race is finished, which are intended as the final challenge.

Copy Abilities[edit]

The following abilities are utilized in New Challenge Stages:

• Sword
• Parasol
• Spark
• Whip
• Fighter
• Wing
• Smash
• Normal

Scoring[edit]

The score is calculated based on the following factors:

• Each Score Coin collected adds to the score.
  • Silver coins are worth 100 points.
  • Gold coins are worth 1000 points.
  • Collecting every coin in the course rewards the Coins Complete bonus, worth an additional 1000 points.
• Each standard enemy defeated is worth 50 points.
  • Gold Waddle Dees, Mid-Bosses and Whispy Woods are worth 1000 points.
  • Defeating every enemy in the course rewards the All Foes Defeated bonus, worth an additional 1000 points.
  • Naturally, invincible enemies like Gordos are not counted toward this bonus.
• Clearing the stage is worth 3000 points on its own.
  • Beating Magolor in a race is worth 5000 points.
• Each second left on the clock at the end is worth 50 points. Points are also added for fractions of a second.
  • In Magolor Races, time score starts at 10000 points, and subtracts 50 for every second of the race.
  • Completing a challenge stage with more than 30 seconds left awards the 30 Seconds Left bonus, worth an additional 1000 points.
  • Completing a challenge stage with more than 20 but less than 30 seconds left awards the 20 Seconds Left bonus, worth an additional 500 points.
  • Completing a challenge stage with less than 10 seconds left awards the Down to the Wire bonus, worth an additional 100 points.
  • Finishing a Magolor Race in less than 60 seconds awards the Less Than 1 Min. bonus, worth an additional 1000 points.
• If Kirby is hit, he loses 100 points.
  • Guarding against regular enemy attacks doesn't reduce health or penalize Kirby's score.
  • Completing the course while Kirby's health bar is glowing red awards the Barely Conscious bonus, worth an additional 100 points.
  • Completing the course without taking a hit awards the No Damage bonus, worth an additional 1000 points.

Once the final score is calculated, a medal is awarded. The minimum points required for each medal are different for each stage, and listed in the Levels tables.

Additionally, the total score from all the stages combined is kept and displayed to the player in the level hubs, and on the save file. Reaching certain milestones will award Kirby with a special trophy. The trophies are as follows:

Trophies
Name	Image	Score Needed
Bronze Trophy		55000
Silver Trophy		150000
Gold Trophy		250000
Platinum Trophy		370000
King Trophy		Platinum Trophy earned + Platinum on all stages (Magolor Races only need to be cleared with one ability)

Once the King Trophy is obtained, the game is considered complete.

Although not required for the King Trophy, completing each Magolor Race with a platinum medal using every available ability is also acknowledged, as a crown is added on top of the medal on each respective race's door.

Levels[edit]

The levels and stages are as follows:

Happiness Hall[edit]

Kirby is happy to see the Happiness Hall.

Happiness Hall is the first level of New Challenge Stages, containing the Sword Challenge, Parasol Challenge, and Spark Challenge. After these are cleared, the first Magolor Race is available to play, and completing that unlocks Apricot Atrium.

Challenge Stages in Happiness Hall
Challenge	Stage Time	Bronze Score	Silver Score	Gold Score	Platinum Score
Sword Challenge	3:00	100	14800	21150	27800
Parasol Challenge	2:30	100	13800	22800	28800
Spark Challenge	2:30	100	13040	22250	27250
Magolor Race 1	N/A	100	14300	21450	25450

Names in other languages[edit]

Apricot Atrium[edit]

Kirby is pleased to discover the ripe Apricot Atrium.

Apricot Atrium is the second level of New Challenge Stages, containing the Whip Challenge, Fighter Combat Chamber, and Wing Challenge. After these are cleared, the second Magolor Race is available to play, and completing that unlocks Last Land.

Challenge Stages in Apricot Atrium
Challenge	Stage Time	Bronze Score	Silver Score	Gold Score	Platinum Score
Whip Challenge	2:30	100	14840	24300	29050
Fighter Combat Chamber	3:00	100	15640	22550	27550
Wing Challenge	2:30	100	15640	24000	29500
Magolor Race 2	N/A	100	14300	21600	25600

Names in other languages[edit]

Last Land[edit]

Kirby enjoys his view of the Last Land hub.

Last Land is the final level of New Challenge Stages, containing the Smash Combat Chamber and Normal Challenge. After these are cleared, the third Magolor Race is available to play, and completing that triggers the end credits. From there, two more extra stages are unlocked, those being the Smash Combat Chamber EX and Magolor Race EX.

Challenge Stages in Last Land
Challenge	Stage Time	Bronze Score	Silver Score	Gold Score	Platinum Score
Smash Combat Chamber	3:45	100	16260	32000	36000
Normal Challenge	3:00	100	14520	26600	32100
Magolor Race 3	N/A	100	23450	30500	34550
Smash Combat Chamber EX	3:25	100	35550	37550	40000
Magolor Race EX	N/A	100	30950	34850	35950

Names in other languages[edit]

Music[edit]

The title screen plays a song also titled "New Challenge Stages",^[1] which is a remix of "Magolor, the Far-Flung Traveler" from Kirby's Return to Dream Land. This song also plays during Magolor Race 1 and Magolor Race 2. A different remix of "Magolor, the Far-Flung Traveler" plays during Magolor Race 3 and Magolor Race EX, with this remix of the song being known as either "Distant Traveler"^[2] or "Interdimensional Traveler."^[3]

Before the King Trophy is obtained, only "Helper's Rest" from Kirby Super Star Ultra will play in the file selection menu. After it has been earned in any save, the menu has a chance of either playing "Ripple Star: Stage Select" from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards or the aforementioned "Helper's Rest" remix of said theme, with the latter being more common.

Each level hub of New Challenge Stages features a music track from a different Kirby game, as follows:

• Happiness Hall - "Butter Building" from Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.
• Apricot Atrium - "Ripple Field (3)" from Kirby's Dream Land 3.
• Last Land - "Shiver Star: Stage Select" from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards.

The Training Room plays the original version of "The Beginner's Room" from Kirby Super Star.

The HAL Room of the Normal Challenge plays the original version of "Green Greens", but may rarely play the Kirby's Epic Yarn version instead.

The staff credits play a song titled バイバイカービィまたあした！ (Bye Bye Kirby, See You Tomorrow!), which is a remix of "A New Wind for Tomorrow" (the staff credits theme from Kirby's Dream Land) and "Sky Tower" (from Kirby's Return to Dream Land).

Trivia[edit]

The unused select button for the Fire Ability.

• The names of the three levels spell out 'HAL' if the first letters are taken from each.
• In the game files, there are textures used for the buttons when selecting Copy Abilities in Magolor Races for the Fire Copy Ability, as well a texture of the Ability's hat for the mode's UI, but the ability is nowhere to be found in the game. It likely was planned to be in it, but it was cut at some point during development.
  • In the folder that has the illustrations for the tutorials, there are oddly three different empty files named "Ability1.arc.cmp", "Ability2.arc.cmp", and "Ability3.arc.cmp", further suggesting that more Abilities were planned for the mode but ultimately cut.
• The fundamental story concept for this game mode would later be reused for Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe, as well as the general gameplay structure and scoring system.

Gallery[edit]

• 

  English logo

• 

  Japanese logo

• 

  Shot of Kirby and a bunch of his friends and foes waving at the player at the end of the credits sequence

Names in other languages[edit]

References