How many players can play cooperatively in Kirby Star Allies? Up to 4 players can play together. One player controls Kirby, while up to three additional players control Kirby's recruited allies.
Released for Nintendo Switch in 2018, Kirby Star Allies builds its multiplayer around Kirby's ability to throw Friend Hearts at enemies. Befriended enemies become companions, and human players can take control of them during cooperative play. If fewer than four people are playing, the remaining companions are controlled by the game's artificial intelligence.
The four-character team is central to the game's design. Allies can combine abilities and elements to create Friend Actions, such as special attacks and movement techniques. This makes the multiplayer limit more than a technical detail: it shapes puzzles, boss battles, and the game's distinctive team-based combat.
A common mix-up is confusing the number of cooperative players with the number of companions Kirby can recruit. Kirby can have three companions beside him, producing a total team of four playable characters.