NINTENDO
Kirby Star Allies Nintendo Switch REVIEW: Fun, pretty and relaxing; but not essential
Back in the PS3, Xbox-360 and Wii days. Nintendo’s reputation as being a publisher and developer of games for children was solidified and angrily debated on forums.
We sometimes attribute a dark and depressing tone with a muted colour palette to mean that something is mature and therefore automatically good. E.g. Empire Strikes Back is the best Star Wars film.
Kirby Star Allies does little too shake off this reputation. To be clear, it’s a good fun platformer. It took me from my dreary commute to a bright and colourful world. It was certainly easier to play in portable mode then Bayonetta.
You play as Kirby and the world of Dream Land is under attack from a mysterious force. But Kirby has now developed the ability to spread the love and recruit other creatures of Dream Land to help him on his quest.
You can mix up allies ability to create more powerful attacks or abilities like mixing stone and ice to become a curling stone.
If you don’t have three other humans to play with there is AI. And we can all rejoice, the AI is actually competent and will do what you want without any input. Very logical and instinctively knows what you want to do.
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The presentation is the high standard of Nintendo quality. Illustrious graphics and a creative soundtrack. Mixed in with a solid platform experience the game has shades of Super Smash Bros with the boss battles.
But, everything that it does well is restricted to perhaps appease a younger audience and stick to the Kirby brand meaning easy.
Why is it with Nintendo that only the flagship Mario games get to have any real innovation in gameplay and everyone else just gets designs and gimmicks.
At the risk of sounding like a bitter aging gamer, but games use to be hard and challenging. Break out your Super Nintendo or Mega Drive and try to beat one of the platformers. They are not forgiving.
However, the Kirby franchise has always meant easy and fun gameplay. Kirby Star Allies does this exceptionally well. It’s a calming happy time.
But it’s restrictive in everything stopping any replay value and being a better game.
There is technically strategy to have in boss battles by using correct abilities. But frequently they descend into nothing more than just mash the attack button until you win.
The level design is solid. But contains no challenge or deviating paths to pick between.
There’s some mini-games, speed run and boss rush modes for some slight variations from the main quest.
But at its core, Kirby’s Star Allies is a walking-simulator platformer that doesn't do anything amazing to warrant a really high score.
But, still a fun, pretty and relaxing one.
THE VERDICT – 3/5
THE GOOD
- Relaxing platformer
- Aesthetically pleasing
THE BAD
- No replay value once completed
- No online play in a four player game
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