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rubylucentdragon-blog · 11 years ago

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My Thoughts on: Kirby Triple Deluxe

Played for: ~ 15 hrs. Completion: 91% in-game. **SPOILERS ARE MARKED AT THE END**

When I heard this game was in the works and headed for the US, I was excited. I've played every Kirby game to date in some fashion. One could call me a "bit of a fan." Then when I saw the Nintendo direct for this game, I got very nervous. Very, very nervous.

The Kirby franchise, for me, has always represented innovation rather than iteration. So you can imagine how uncomfortable I felt when the art style and mechanics for the game seemed to be in the same engine as Return to Dreamland (RtD). Add in some cursory details like the Sun Stones looking suspiciously similar to the gear items from RtD, and I had plenty of reasons to worry. It was safe, and looked uncomfortably so for a series known for pushing the envelope and trying different game mechanics, art styles, and storytelling tricks within the same series. For someone who enjoyed all the Kirby games to some extent, and wanted to see something new again, this felt like a step back.

Having played the game now, the answer to my fears were:kinda.

On one hand, this is definitely HAL playing safe with it's franchise, making sure that the game is familiar to veterans and easy to pick up for newbies. As a game designed originally for children, the main story is pretty easy, at about Return to Dreamland's difficulty level. The consistent graphical style also makes it very easy for said newbies to recognize the characters and help to bring a very colorful world to life. For veteran fans though, it feels almost like a cop-out because of what we expect from this series, both in graphics and in game-play. Luckily the game itself sticks to the high standards set by earlier entries and is a well-polished, if moderately flawed entry into the main series.

The mechanics are the standard Kirby fare: run, jump, float, copy enemies, use their powers, etc. The guarding ability from Kirby Super Star / Ultra also makes a triumphant return to help block some of the damage, along with a Super-Smash-esque dodging mechanic. All of the copy abilities have a variety of moves and their own specific uses that feel fantastic, some with added usability, like wheel. Even some of the more awkward ones to use like Circus and Bell have this cutesy charm that makes you want to play them despite the mechanical difficulties.

The added mechanics also have a unique charm to them. Switching between the foreground and background is not only a remarkably smooth transition, but also utilizes the 3D capability offered by the system to create a well-though out and unique implementation that demands to be seen. Out of all the games so far on the 3DS this game is one of the few that takes full advantage of the system, and in my opinion, also does it the best. However, It also suffers from frame-rate drops here and there that are surprising to say the least. The new Super-Ability this time, Hypernova, serves as the basis for some pretty clever puzzle solving as well as feeling like an absolute boss when you manage to swallow an entire tree. Two of them in unbelievably cool cut-scenes. Annoyingly simplistic Super-abilities from Return to Dreamland, eat your heart out.

The basic enemy variety is fine, if sometimes a little bit samey. Warning: there are a LOT of Waddle Dees in this game, not just the one with the blue bandana. The mini-bosses range from a been-there -seen that ability enemies from Kirby Return to Dreamland, to infuriatingly monotonous Hypernova battles that sometimes last far too long for their own good, the Moles in the first level being a particularly egregious example of this. However, the World bosses are AMAZING. Great visual design, fantastic pattern design, and each one uses the system to some of the most impressive and intimidating effects on the 3DS. I cannot stress this enough, the bosses are some of the best designed in the Kirby series, almost worth the price of admission just for them.

On the other hand, collecting the Sun Stones felt like more of a chore than anything else, and while you can get the vast majority of them on the first run of the level, there are a few that can really frustrate the player. Also, get ready to collect 256 key chains, out of 256 key chains, whether in-game or through Spot-Pass. And you thought earlier games were a Collect-a-thon. Getting to see a pixelated Magalor as a key chain is pretty cool though.

However, where Kirby Triple Deluxe manages to succeed the best though isn't in mechanics or clever design but rather clever world building. I'll discuss this idea in depth some other time, but suffice to say this game really does try to create a living world for Kirby, tying together a bunch of disparate ideas from both the past and the present into a surprisingly satisfying and inclusive whole, even if it does feel like a truncated and overly-cutesy Hyrule Historia. It may be just pandering to the fans, but it's very clever and does give this game a special place in Kirby history. Even when the actual story falls flat, it holds the game together.

So all in all, how does it fare? Well. An impressive use of the 3D abilities combined with some clever new mechanics and boss fights really help separate this game from the rest of the Kirby series. While the graphics are more generic, and Taranza is a disappointing design, the game is pretty enough, with some really standout and beautiful scenes, even when the frame-rate drops a little. The world-building aspects combined with some really well-crafted worlds and levels lend the game a surprising amount of polish for what is a fairly iterative game, and really makes the game a delight for both newcomers and veterans of the series.

On the completely arbitrary rating scale, this game scores a 256.

I recommend this game for; + Kirby fans who want another taste of Dreamland's charm and wants to see the world in another light + Someone who wants a relaxing romp through Dreamland. + Anyone who wants to see the full potential of the 3D portion of the 3DS + Anyone who's interested in the slightest. It's a pretty good game.

You may want to pass or at least check this game out beforehand if: -/+ You haven't played a game in the Kirby series before. There are massive references later that you may want to avoid, and this isn't a fantastic place to get introduced. Comes recommended but with caution. - You want a richer story/innovative game-play/something other than Kirby Return to Dreamland - You don't like cute things. (You monster)

Yes, this game is iterative, not innovative, but while that does bug me, it doesn't bug me as much as it could. While it has it's faults, it's definitely worth a look, and its a valuable part of the series. Where Kirby goes from here is anyone's guess, but for now at least, the future looks ripe with possibilities.

Kirby Triple Deluxe is now available for Nintendo 3DS.

*****MINOR SPOILERS/ OTHER THINGS*****

- If you want a challenge, play through True Arena without guarding. Or using Stone. HAVE FUN!!! OwO (Sectonia Soul is brutal after 4 previously ridiculous fights and only 1 Maxim Tomato) - Queen Sectonia's 2nd theme is some of the most beautiful final boss music in the series history. It suits an intimidating and yet hauntingly beautiful set-piece with a downright creepy yet magnificent boss design with attack patterns to match. - Even though Taranza has a disappointing design, kudos for them making a not entirely evil antagonist - The Dark Meta Knight fight as both Kirby and Dedede is exceedingly epic and really makes the player feel like they're overcoming a huge power. - The emphasis on racing in this game is really odd. It feels like they want to start a speed-running community for this game. - Am I the only person who thinks Adeline could have possibly created both Drawcia and Paintra by accident? Also, favorite boss in the game: Paintra. Least favorite: Pyribbit

#Review #Kirby #KirbyTripleDeluxe #nintendo #MyThoughtsOn #VideoGames #LONG #ToBeContinued

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