Kirby 's Block Ball is a 1995 action video game , a spin @-@ off from the Kirby series for the Game Boy portable console . It is a Breakout clone ; the player controls paddles along the screen 's edge to knock a bouncing ball , Kirby , into destructible bricks . The game 's 55 levels include power @-@ ups , bonus rounds , and minigames . Kirby 's Block Ball was developed by HAL Laboratory and Nintendo R & D1 . The team spent half a year revising the gameplay to match Kirby 's signature characteristics . Kirby 's Block Ball was published by Nintendo first in Japan in 1995 , later in Europe , and last in North America in 1996 .