Nintendo's Kirby Teams up With Heinz for Limited-Edition Ketchup
Summary
In a deliciously surprising move that has sent ripples of excitement through both the gaming and culinary communities,Nintendo's beloved pink puffball,Kirby, is once again lending his iconic charm toHeinz Japan. This month, the two giants are set to release a limited-edition collection of Kirby-themed ketchup bottles and exclusive keychains, cementing a partnership that truly embodies the phrase, 'Maxim Tomato meets tomato ketchup.'
This isn't the first time Kirby has swallowed up a piece of the condiment world. Following a successful collaboration in 2024 that saw Kirby gracing ketchup pouches, Heinz Japan and HAL Laboratory (Kirby's developer) are upping the ante. The inspiration behind this whimsical alliance is ingeniously simple: the 'Maxim Tomato,' Kirby's signature health-restoring item in the games, provides a perfect thematic link to Heinz's globally renowned tomato-rich ketchup.
Fans can look forward to three unique Kirby designs, along with an adorable cameo from Waddle Dee, all splashed across the familiar 420ml upside-down ketchup bottles. These limited-edition bottles, priced at ¥383 (approximately $2.65 USD), are rolling out across Japanese supermarkets and convenience stores throughout June 2025. Each design cleverly integrates Kirby and Waddle Dee alongside tomatoes and burgers within Heinz's iconic Keystone logo, making them instant collector's items.
Adding another layer of collectibility, consumers in Japan will also have the chance to win an exclusive embroidered Kirby keychain featuring the Heinz logo. These highly sought-after keychains will be distributed to only 1,000 lucky winners through a designated social media quiz campaign on Heinz Japan's official X account.
あれ？カービィとワドルディが…pic.twitter.com/VOhOjtrN9O
— ハインツ (@HeinzJapan)June 6, 2025
／#星のカービィが#ハインツケチャップに再び登場！！＼
今度は逆さボトルケチャップに登場✨3種類のカービィに、ワドルディも！6月から順次発売開始🍅
みんなはどれが欲しい？👀#ハインツカービィコラボpic.twitter.com/CRfAGqxaaA
— ハインツ (@HeinzJapan)June 9, 2025
ニュースです〜っ！ハインツから「星のカービィ」のコラボケチャップが新たなパッケージで登場！今回は、ハインツの「トマトケチャップ 逆さボトル」に、カービィさんが3種類のポーズでデザインされています。われわれの仲間の姿も♪2025年6月から順次発売予定とのこと。これは要チェックっ！pic.twitter.com/y7YWUBhQUR
— 星のカービィ (@Kirby_JP)June 9, 2025
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Los Angeles Times
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CNET
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Bandai Namco/Screenshot by CNET How can you embark on an expedition to fight one of Nightreign's new bosses? You don't have to jump through too many hoops to try to take on the Everdark Sovereigns, but they won't all be accessible at the same time. These bosses are time-gated and are in the game for one week each. So long as you've beaten the normal version of the currently available Everdark Sovereign, you'll be able to access the special expedition during this time. A new expedition outlined in purple will appear at the bottom of the list, and embarking on the current Everdark Sovereign expedition is as simple as choosing this option and proceeding normally. If you've beaten the easier, base game version of the current Everdark Sovereign and you don't see the special expedition in your list of available options, make sure you have a functioning internet connection. You can take the Everdark Sovereigns on in solo mode (if you're a masochist), but you'll need to remain online and connected to the Elden Ring Nightreign servers to access this new content. How can you beat these hard mode bosses? If you want to beat an Everdark Sovereign, you'll have to "get good." There are no two ways about it: These bosses are much harder than their base game counterparts. They start in their second phase, have new third phases and special moves that hit like a truck. With that being said, there are still ways you can even the odds after mastering the basics of Elden Ring Nightreign. Many of the skills that you should learn to challenge base game bosses still apply to Everdark Sovereign expeditions. It's more important than ever to set up a cohesive relic build that synergizes with your class's play style. Buying chalices from the Jar Bazaar and farming Murk to buy up some more relics will help you create the right build for your favorite Nightfarer. During your expeditions, you'll obviously want to pick up weapons and shields that provide you with passive stats that pair well with your Nightfarer, as well as your general play style with the character. You should also be running the most optimized rune-earning route possible to get as close to level 15 as you can by the time you enter the third night. Most importantly, you'll want to pick up weapons that have status effects that the bosses are weak to. If the enhanced version of Adel is anything to go by, Everdark Sovereigns will move quickly and have short windows of vulnerability. Pick up a weapon that exploits their weakness to break down their poise and extend the amount of time you can whack at the boss. High damage per second is a virtue. The quicker you can knock out a boss, the less time it has to defeat you and your friends. A war of attrition is an easy way to lose an expedition in Nightreign, so plan ahead before you ever face down the new Nightlord aspect. Bandai Namco/Screenshot by CNET What do you get for beating an Everdark Sovereign? In addition to the normal expedition rewards, you'll have a chance to earn new boss relics and a special currency called Sovereign Sigils. The boss relics are incredibly powerful alterations to popular play styles. The first Everdark Sovereign, the Gaping Jaw, drops the Dark Night of the Baron relic. This relic improves the damage of critical hits twice over and makes you generate runes upon landing one of those crushing blows. It seems as though Everdark Sovereign relics will be a powerful new way for Nightreign's min-maxers to advance their build in a game where you don't pick how your stats change past the character select screen. Beating your first Everdark Sovereign unlocks a new merchant in the Roundtable Hold. The Collector Signboard is located on the beachy area just outside of the Jar Bazaar. It can be found in the southwest corner of the hub. This is where you'll spend the currency you earn from beating the new bosses. Spending Sovereign Sigils is a great way to grow your power between runs. They're also the keys to unlocking quality-of-life features that many players have been clamoring for. Sovereign Sigils can be spent to unlock a suite of new chalices that unlock more relic rites for your Nightfarers, as well as an improved version of the Scenic Flatstone that guarantees you purple-rarity relics. Nightfarer garb can also be purchased with Sovereign Sigils, but it's the same wardrobe of skins purchasable with Murk, the other currency you earn from expeditions. This currency can also be spent to choose specific Shifting Earth events for your next run, restore the Roundtable Hold to its appearance from before the defeat of the final Nightlord and change the appearance of the relic earned at the end of the Guardian's remembrance questline. Beating one of the Everdark Sovereigns for the first time will reward you with 25 Sovereign Sigils, while subsequent runs will earn you just 5 of the coveted new currency. The most expensive items in the shop -- the skins that are worth 35,000 Murk -- cost 20 Sovereign Sigils, so the earn rate of this currency is fairly generous so long as you can consistently beat these bosses.
