Rubbin' is racin'

You can always count on Kirby to give us copious amounts of spinoff games. While many franchises in Nintendo's stable remain dormant, Kirby is always there, whether it's with a mainline entry or something else entirely. While Kirby's Dream Buffet is held back by a few things, it's one of the stronger s??ide game efforts in recent years, especially if you have people to play wi?th.

Kirby's Dream Buffet (Nintendo Switch)
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: August 17, 2022
MSRP: $14.99

The core of Kirby's Dream Buffet involves taking control of one of many aesthetically different Kirbys (with unlockable costumes and colors) across a series of courses and minigames. Your goal is to eat as many strawberries as you can (which?? are littered about the race track and in the minigames), and become as big as possible. The person with the highest strawberry count at the end (of a group of four total) wins.

You'll do this by rolling down courses, hovering to get back on after getting knocked off, and usi??ng copy abilities (which are modified for racing purposes, and have a dessert-like aesthetic to them). The more you eat the bigger you grow, and the faster you go. It's simple, and the two-button s??cheme (hop and use copy ability) is something everyone in the family can pick up.

The core mode of Kirby's Dream Buffet is Grand Prix, which features the following style of progression:

• A race (at the end, you'll eat one of three cakes, which provide bonus points for the person who finished first, second, and third)
• A minigame involving collecting fruit that drops from the sky (in various forms and locations)
• Another race
• A final battle minigame where you can get knocked out of the arena and lose strawberries (before respawning)

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQqVCYDD3sA

Yes, it even has Mario Party-esque equalizer bonuses that can shift the balance of power at the very end, like "mos?t enemies destroyed."

In true Kirby fashion, it's a very relaxing, low-stakes game. Racing is seamless, and something you'll get used to midway through your very first course. There's walls to roll up, pathways to finesse without falling off, enemies to avoid, strawberries to pick up, and Mario Kart-like question mark blocks to grab to trigger power??s. All of this i??s backed by an adorable and vibrant food theme, which looks far better in motion than it does in stills.

There's some depth there despite the cutesy veneer, like using the jell??y power-up to go under walls, or going for higher-??stakes paths that could result in big lead times, or disastrous failure if you fall. Immediately, the aim of the game was apparent, and you can see how HAL opted to appeal to all sorts of players with the level layouts.

Minigames and battle sessions are even lower key. Usually they last roughly a minute each, and let players duke it out on a smaller map. I dig the overarching narrative here, with the rich getting richer with a physically larger Kirby, and thus becoming a more obvious target. You can feel the push and pull o??f that mechanic when people are eying you during races, or stra?ight up trying to murder you.

If you want, you don't have to settle for the grand prix experience every time. You can play just the aforementioned minigames, a single race, or a standalone battle (as well as a training-style free-roll mode where you can try out the controls/physics and copy abilities). All of this contributes to overall rank-ups, which in turn net you more stuff. Surprisingly, for 15 bucks, Dream Buffet has a decent chunk of content to work through. There's 135 ranks of unlocks, which consist mostly of costumes, music, color schemes, and minigame levels. You can play up to two players split-screen locally, with online ?support for up to four, and a mode for local play (multiple Switch units).

There's two caveats here, and these things hold Dream Buffet back. There's no three- or four-player split-screen play, which is a missed opportunity. Even some of the smaller modes that could theoretically fit on one screen aren't supported on one console. Online play is ??also iffy at the moment, with some lag involved in my multiple sessions with it. It's playable, but I really hope it's addressed, because marathoning online matches is really fast and addictive: the race-to minigame-to race-to minigame fo?rmula is refreshing and fun with randoms.

Kirby's Dream Buffet isn't quite what I expected, mostly for the better. ??For the price, it feels like a complete game with a progression system, with multiplayer support to boot. I just wish that ??latter portion was a bit more polished and fleshed out, because that's where the long-term appeal lies.

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On the road again

I may not buy much merch from Good Smile Company these days, but showing up to see which video game characters have been immortalized as stylish figures is a fun pastime. How will they be represented in Nendoroid form, and what are the accessories? I like to poke around. In the case of this 30th A?nniversary Nendoroid Kirby, it's all a??bout the faces.

After three decades of powerful pink puff action, there's this cutie (via Siliconera):

//twitter.com/GoodSmile_US/s????tatus/1531474322514186240

Nendoroid Kirby: 30th Anniversary Edition comes with accessories like a bindle (the lore of the Kirby series never ceases ?to amaze me), a sweet potato, a heart, and a Star Rod.

You can do a face-off, too �Kirby's starry-eyed look is a fine default, but there's also "spiral eyes," "a flustered face," and my favorite, the "retro face." Kirby looks so determined! Much like plump Pikachu, it's fun to reflect on how character designs have shifted over the years. Come to think of it, Ki??rby's retro face smile reminds me of a Mii.

The 30th anniversary Nendoroid Kirby costs $47.99 with an estimated ship date of February 2023, so consider this a present to your future self �how surprised will you be when you bust open the box next year? Pre-orders are open today through July 13, 2022.

Another goodie caught my eye on Good Smile's shop page: a "nap pillow" plush of Waddle Dee that's shaped like a loaf of bread. "I have no mouth, and I must scream," indeed.

30 years of pleasant platforming

In August, the Kirby series will continue its celebration with an anniversary concert at Tokyo Garden Theater. It's been a long and generally pleasant journey, hasn't it???

1996's mind-blowing Kirby Super Star and this year's Kirby and the Forgotten Land are at the top of my list. (Granted, I??'ve missed a lot, but it's hard to imagine anything else resonating with me on this level; both games were a "right place, right time" sorta deal.)

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I'm not even going to pretend to know what Nintendo is up to these days

It was just this morning we were telling you about some internet sleuths spotted Kirby Fighters 2 on Nintendo's website, and now, it's available for purchase. The original Kirby Fighters, for those who don't remember, appeared in Kirby: Triple Deluxe before being spun off as its own release for the Nintendo 3DS. This sequel ??brings the action to Switch a?nd features local and online play, a story mode, more than a dozen stages, and the new copy ability Wrestler.

Kirby Fighters 2 is available now for Nintendo Sw??itch for $19.99.

Kirby Fighters 2 [Nintendo]

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Wave 3 characters plus 'Heroes in Another Dimension'

Kirby Star Allies has brought my house a lot of joy these past nine months or so, and even though HAL Laboratory has announced the end of any further updates, I'll continue to play it for years to come. At launch I really enjoyed Star Allies but ?it's basically become t??he de facto "Kirby All-Stars" game; packing in characters from every single generation in a way that wasn't possible in the past due to the lengthy existence of the series. And it's going out with a bang.

In addition to Susie, Teranza, Magolor and the Three Mage-Sisters, the recent Wave 3 update also provided a new mode: Heroes in Another Dimension, which you need to clear the campaign to access. It's basically another set of levels with Friend Hearts to collect, alongside a gimmick where Kirby plays as every Drea??m Friend (read: DLC) released so far.

It's a fitting way to wrap up the game and provide people with a way to essentially demo all of the content HAL has added post-launch for free. Goodnight, sweet fluff prince (not to be confused with Epic Yarn's Prince Fluff).

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The end of the line in general

Welp, like Michae?l Jackson's final tour, this is it. 

HAL Laboratory, the developer of the Kirby series and creator of Kirby Star Allies, has announced that after this wave of free DLC? c?haracters, no more are on the way. As a recap the game has been out since March of this year and 12 free characters have been added on top of the usual post-launch shine and extra modes.

They keep it real in the announcement post, noting that extra work on the game has ended, so the last six roster additions this week are it. HAL hinted that this would be the "final w??ave," but folks held out hope that other additions like gametypes and the like would be added eventually: nope, it's done.

While I'd always like to see this fantastic game pop up due ??to an update it's been a heck of a run!

Kirby [HAL via Nintendo Life]

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The datamined info was right

Based on the datamining efforts of the Kirby: Star Allies community close to its launch, we learned about the "wave" strategy that Nintendo was fixing to use to deliv??er free DLC. Over the course of three waves new characters would be introduced as playable friends, and right now we're gearing up for Wave 2 with Daroach and...Dark Meta Knigh??t.

Based on the datamined info there will be one more addition for Wave 2, then four more characters for Wave 3 (one sounds like a trio similar to Rick/Kine/Coo). Again, if you want to read the full datamined list of DLC, you can find it here. If you haven't played Star Allies yet, dream friends ?are accessible in a special area on the world map, and allow you to customize your team with new characters, including the aforementioned DLC.

Kirby [Twitter]

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Coming as part of the summer update

Daroach was always kind of an unsung villain in the Kirby universe. I mean Squeak Squad isn't a marquee Kirby game for one, but I always dug his blazing magician design. Now he's getting his due in Kirby Star Allies as a playable character, joining several other members of the Kirby crew as free DLC this summer.

To celebrate the official Kirby Twitter account has given us a few seconds of footage, will will likely be followed up by a comprehensive gameplay video closer to launch as they'e done in the past. If you want the full rundown on what was found by way of a datamining operation, check out the list here. 

Allegedly there will be?? a third wave after the sum?mer update, which followed up the original wave of Rick, Kine, Coo, Gooey, and Marx. Yeah, this game rocks.

Kirby [Twitter]

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More free stuff

[Update: The second wave is now confirmed by Nintendo.]

Kirby Star Allies is a short romp, like most Kirby games, b??ut the meat is in its ability to entice you with multiple playthroughs. That's a lot easier to get on board with given that Nintendo is doling out free post-launch DLC, giving us iconic characters from the series to play with.

That includes an upcoming new batch, found in what's being called "Wave 2" of the free DLC, which was just teased on Twitter. It could be something completely out of left field, or it could be a character from this datamined list a while back.

Spe?culate away! I'm jazzed to go through it yet again once th??is wave is finished.

Kirby [Twitter]

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'A major factor in this decision was the higher resolution on Nintendo Switch'

I'm happy to see that the reception for Kirby Star Allies has been mostly positive, as it's a great r??eturn to console form after? such a long hiatus for the series. 

Although it didn't monumentally shake up the franchise (it is Kirby after all) it did have a few subtle changes, most notably the larger world m??ap. Speaking to fans by way of the official Nintendo Switch onboard news channel, sequence director Tatsuya Kamiyama explains why they decided on that approach.

Kamiyama states: "A major factor in this decision was the higher resolution on Nintendo Switch, which gave us a wider range of expression and made it easier to show more of the surroundings. Higher resolution meant we could display Kirby better at smaller sizes, so we had lots of space to broaden the scope of the map. With a wider scope, you can see ??more locations on the screen, meaning that the player won’t get lost, even given free movement."

Explaining further, Kamiyama notes that they tried to make it so the world map had a bigger scale -- "The first time Kirby leaves ?Planet Popstar I want it to feel like he’s heading out a journey? to a wonderful new world.”

When I said it was?? subtle I wasn't kidding, ?as a lot of these deliberate choices are easy to miss as you're moving quickly from world to world, but it's nice to hear the justification straight from the designers.

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Daroach? Adeleine?

Kirby Star Allies has essentially become an all-star meeting of various bits and pieces of Kirby history as time h??as gone on. What started as a simple crossover mechanic eventually became host to a window for DLC, as the Dream Palace zone added Rick, Kine, Coo, Gooey, and Marx into the mix by way of free updates.

Many speculated that Nintendo wasn't done yet, and according to datamining efforts from Twitter user LuigiBlood, it looks like more is on the way. According to the data, Adeleine (Dream Land 3, Kirby 64), Dark Meta Knight, and Daroach (Squeak Squad) are arriving at some point as "Wave 2." Wave 3 will consist of  Magolor (Return to Dream Land), Taranza (Triple Deluxe), Susie (Planet Robobot), and the "Three Mages" (likely an allusion to the minibosses of Star Allies).

Given that Nintendo typically announces a season pass or whatnot ahead of time, in all likelihood these are going to be free DLC?.

LuigiBlood [Twitter]

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Coo, Kine, Rick, Gooey, Marx

We have no idea if Nintendo is going to keep making Kirby Star? Allies content, but for now, I'm really enjoying t?he 2.0 update that went live today.

In short, among small visual fixes and the addition of a new celebration puzzle picture, 2.0 adds in new free DLC characters -- Coo, Kine, Rick, Gooey, Marx. Note that the former three (the trio from Kirby's Dream Land 2) are ??actually one unit, while the latter two are i?ndividual characters.

After updating you'll find them available to recruit in various Dream Fortresses in addition to Bandana Waddle Dee, Meta K?night, and King Dedede. Time to start my third playthrough!

How to Update Kirby Star Allies [Nintendo]

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Creepy and cute

I'm already pretty much in love with Kirby Star Allies, but if Nintendo is going to keep adding in extra DLC characters for free, I'll keep playing it. In addition to the already announced Dream Land 2 friend trio, Marx, the villain from Kirby Super Star's Milky Way Wishes, is in.

His main kit involves rolling on his ball to dispatch enemies, but he can also sport his final form, which I've al?ways referred to as the "Milky Way Bat." He can also take in?? elements from other fiends to modify his powers.

Yeah this definitely warrants another playthrough for me as he looks really fun to play. Gooey, another Dream Land 2-3 friend, is also confirmed.

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They are cute and I love them

Kirby Star Allies ?is already getting heat for its price, but if Nintendo keeps adding to it by way of free updates, it could sweeten the deal for some.

Nintendo has announced that Rick, Kine, and Coo, the trio from the Game Boy release Kirby's Dream Land 2 (that are also featured on the cover) are coming to Star Allies as free DLC. They'll arrive alongside of? Gooey and Marx, and are going to be incorporated as Dream Friends.

For those of you who haven't played Star Allies yet, the dream mechanic involves an area in which players can recruit cameo-level characte?rs into the fray like Meta Knight, King Deded??e, and so on. Keep these coming Nintendo!

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HIIIIIIIIII

I had to do a double-take once I realized we haven't had a mainstream console Kirby in seven years.

Seven years! It almost seemed like Nintendo was ready to plop the little fluff ball onto portables permanently, and given that the Switch is technically a portable system, that's kind of still the case. And like nearly every game in the series, Kirby Star Allies doesn't cut any corners.

Kirby Star Allies (Switch)
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: March 16, 2018
MSRP: $59.99

Developer HAL has smartly modeled several of the Kirby games after Super Star, and Star Allies smartly carries on that tradition. Mini-games? You got 'em. A Mario Party-esque wood-chopping jaunt and a Home Run Meteor (read: Super Star Megaton Punch amalgam??) are avail??able immediately, allowing for distractions from the campaign.

But the core narrative is indeed the main course, and four-player co-op is the chief ingredient. After a quick "hey, it's Kirby, he has friends!" opener, we're chucked into the Dream World once again to do battle with old enemies, who may or may not be controlled by new ones. Maybe one day we can get a complex multi-layered meta-narrative out of a Kirby game, but for now, he's following in the footsteps of Mario in the brevity department. After all these years you might need more out of your Kirby projects, but at?? this point I'm not only used to it, but anticipat?e it as a welcome arcade-centric "let's get on with it" perk.

Once again you're going to be working your way through side-scrolling 2D sections (with gorgeous rendered backgrounds, which, according to Nintendo, are responsible for the 30 FPS performance), but this time you're going to be recruiting enemies as "friends" by way of a new heart-throwing mechanic. This was a thing previously (here goes that Super Star callback again), but now it's a fully-featured thing, and it's almost infuriatingly cute. Every time I g?et a new party member I imagine Ki?rby saying “do you want to be my friend?" and practically tear up.

The whole "team" mentality is built into the core of Star Allies and it goes beyond an adorable gimmick. In addition to their massive movesets (which have really come into their almost fighting-game-esque own over the years), you can also interact with teammates via elemental properties. Raising a weapon up will clue in the AI (or another player) to imbue i?t, allowing you to t??ake over the properties of said element and trigger environmental puzzles.

I really, really l?ike the ability to build your own squad, and surprisingly, the AI is very responsive. If a puzzle calls for a trigger the AI is very quick to telegraph what you need to do or, if they're the one that needs to make a move?, they'll spring in place. They're also formidable in combat and generally try to dodge attacks during boss battles, and depending on their skillsets, will blow useful special abilities.

I like to keep a personal chef friend in my crew at all times to cook up some food during big bad fights, for instance -- it's one of the several ways you can build your party like an RPG. Although the list isn't very exhaustive, there's also a few clever hybrid abilities you can create on the fly. Mixing a water attack and a rock copy ability will enable an explosive curling stone. The thrill of finding new combos ends after a few ho??u??rs, but using them is fun throughout. If you really want to, you can "ride" allies to just take control of their powers or kick off super attacks.

Now, in the grand scheme of things, it's still a Kirby game. Having ferocious AI on your team makes things even easier, and I know a lot of people aren't going to like how competent they are. In the same vein, four adept platformer players will burn through Star Allies too, and HA?L hasn't reall??y done anything to significantly alter the historical difficulty level of the series.

One thing that does fall flat in this enhanced focus on four-player play at all times is how significantly the initial user sets the pace. It's frustrating to have the camera constantly refocus to follow player one, and I wish it zoomed out more often so there could be a little more of a non-linear exploration feel to the general design of each world. Curiously Star Allies does zoom o??ut during certain sequences that split up the party into duos, which should be?? a default option everywhere.

Most of the stages aren't the only linear aspect of Star Allies, as the world map for each realm is fairly flat. It's always great to find a secret switch and unlock more extra stages to romp around in (something that feels distinctly Super Mario World), but more hidden secrets and an actual use for hub screen jumping would elevate t??he age old level-to-level feel a tad.

I don't think HAL is very interested in drastically altering the Kirby formula at this point, and that's perfectly fine. Not every creation is going to be a masterpiece, but for the most part, all of the console iterations have a special degree of love and care that shine through. Kirby Star Allies is cute, gorgeous in its o??wn special way, and fun to? play. It's par for the course.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of th?e game provided by the publisher.]}

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Mo' mentum, mo' problems

It’s easy to see mobile gaming as nothing more than a cash grab that preys on players' desire for success with as little effort as possible. That’s why there are massive ad campaigns for so many mobile games that don’t even require you to play them to win. Just pu?sh the auto-play button and you’re set and also please spend money on some loot boxes while you’re at it. It can be discouraging to those of us who buy games to actually play them.

What’s most disappointing about this is the mobile platform provides ample opportunities for experimentation. It’s not expensive to make a mobile game, and rather than try to rope players into a long, drawn-out campaign with little innovation or talent required, I’d like to see more inexpensive titles built around a single mechanic that lasts just long enough not to wear out its welcome. You know, games like Part Time UFO.

Part Time UFO (iOS, Android [reviewed on a Moto Z2 Force]) 
Developer: HAL Egg 
Publisher: HAL Laboratory 
Released: February 25, 2018
MSRP: $3.99

Part Time UFO has a simple premise: I play ??as a small flying saucer taking part-time jobs, using my extendable crane to pick up items and stack them. Each level features one of several themes, from laboratory and restaurant to school and the circus, and there are three challenges I have to meet in each level to earn my three gold medals. I’m only given visual cues for each challenge and it’s not always clear what it is I’m supposed to do. Seeing a clock is obvious enough, but when it looks like a random silhouette, I find myself repeating a stage just to figure out what I’m meant to do. Mak?ing sure I complete each of the challenges takes a backseat, however, through the first hour or so as I adjust to its control scheme.

The game has two control options available: two-hand or one-hand. The one-hand option has me holding my finger on the screen to move the UFO and tapping once to get it to drop its crane. The two-hand option mimics a standard controller with a directional pad and a single button to control the crane. I go back and forth with between the two trying to find the method that su??its my play style and it isn't until I play the two-hand option with a specific costume that I am able to actually be effective with my movements.

Ther?e are many costumes to unlock using the money I earn from completing levels. Some are just for looks but others provide me an advantage. There are costumes that make the crane drop faster, move my UFO faster, or give me gre??ater control of my ability to stop. Stopping is the most crucial aspect of the game because the greatest challenge in Part Time UFO lies in its momentum. 

Picking up a heavy object will cause my UFO to move rather slowly, and when I do stop, the force of that movement will swing the object forward taking my flying saucer with it. This is why I go between the two control options so often. Figuri??ng out how to move my character and its payload without ruining my in-progress stack proves to be difficult early on. A big issue in that is the game doesn’t really recognize subtle movem??ents very well. I try and inch my character forward and the game doesn't respond. I move my finger slightly more and now the UFO is moving too fast. Frustrating as hell, but also a problem completely solved with proper costuming.

The UFO in these costumes is absolutely adorable. There isn’t a bad one in the bunch. In fact, there isn’t any bad artwork to be found in the game. With its 8-bit aesthetic, Part Time UFO is a glistening example of NES graphics with modern technology. There is a great? deal of liveliness to be found in the movements of background characters. Whether it’s a dog shaking its butt or the museum curator freaking out when I break a part of a sculpture, the animation is an absolute highlight and something I need to cheer me up after I inadvertently knock over my pyramid of cows.

The game absolutely shines with the small touches. When I’m changing costumes it’s presented as a fashion show. The chef in the restaurant challenges cooks with all the flair of a cartoon character. Even something as minute as the commuter trains traveling in the distance beyond the UFO’s apartment makes the world feel alive with an attention to detail I often only find in Japanese games. And that theme song? Absolutely crushing on it.?? In fact, the entire soundtrack is a wonderland of midi marvels that delight with elementary melodies.

Part Time UFO is a HAL Laboratory classic through and through. It’s cute, charming, and ??challenging. It may not set the mobile world on fire, but honestly, it’s the exact type of game I’d love to see more of from the old-school titans of the industry.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Part Time UFO looks super cute

It's fun to see companies like Game Freak (Pokémon) and HAL Laboratory (Kirby) branch out with original smaller-scale games every now and then. Part Time UFO is exactly that -- it's an object-stacking action puzzler in which a senti?ent UFO with an extendable claw has come to Earth in search of friends.

HAL first launched the game last year in Japan, but it's only now ready for a wider release on iOS and Android. Part Time UFO is available today for $4. The physics-centric? design is simple enough, but the charming execution helps set it apart. Even just the screenshots are expressive.

I hope there's more t??o come from the company's mobile division?.

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Or as they call it in Paris, Kirby Battle Quarter Pounder

When the December 2017 NPD Group data came out earlier this month, the biggest surprise wasn’t that the Switch sold 1.5 million units ?in the US. That was expected given its meteoric rise. No, the biggest surprise was the 3DS family, a group of handhelds everyone assumed was on the way out the door, sold a massive 700,000 units. That’s a crazy high amount this late in its life and proof there are still gamers willing to give Nintendo's near seven-year-old system a chance.

If these new 3DS owners are looking for that great first title to pick up, I would absolutely suggest getting a Kirby game. Just not this one.

Kirby Battle Royale (Nintendo 3DS) 
Developer: HAL Laboratory 
Publisher: Nintendo 
Released: January 19, 2018 (NA), November 3, 2017 (EU) 
MSRP: $39.99

Kirby and mini-games go together like Nutella and raspberry jam. Since Kirby’s Adventure, just about every game in the series has included a handful of sub-games. Kirby’s adventures have never been that long, so it’s always nice to see HAL pack as many of these fun additions as it can into every release. Of course, nobody is buying a Kirby title for these little diversions. They're there to complement the cute, charming story modes to work through that are the main draw of each entry. Without that, would anyone bother ??with Kirby?

Nintendo is betting the answer to that question is 'yes' with Kirby Battle Royale. Don’t get me wrong there is a story mode here, but it’s made up entirely ??of the 10 mini-games that are at the front and center of the package. The campaign is pretty much only there to prepare me fo?r head-to-head action in the local and online multiplayer modes. Throughout the story, I replay all of the mini-games a handful of times with slight adjustments made to the rules for added challenge. These rule changes are never overly cumbersome -- it’s still a Kirby game -- but they sometimes get me to develop new strategies I?? can take online.

The 10 i??ncluded are Battle Arena, Apple Scramble, Coin Clash, Crazy Theater, Attack Riders, Rocket Rumble, Ore Express, Robo Bonkers, Slam Hockey, and Flagball. The quality varies greatly between them, and several times over my weekend of play I find myself having to choose between three I just don’t enjoy. For the sake of this review, it’s probably best I rate each game individually.

With that in mind:

• Battle Arena – Battle Royale at its most rudimentary. Either by myself or with a partner, I have to beat the heck out of my opponents and knock them all into the ground before they can recover. Matches can be over in as little as 20 seconds and some of Kirby’s powers are utterly useless here. 4/10

• Apple Scramble – If you tried the demo you’ve seen everything this game has to offer. A simple collecting challenge where a team of two work together to gather the most apples. Story mode offers interesting challenges with the set-up, but otherwise just an okay game. 6/10

• Coin Clash – My favorite of all the mini-games. Players compete against one another to collect the most coins in a haunted house. Coins appear on the ground or in giant pots I have to attack. There is also a ghost that can possess me and the other players that slowly drains us of our coins. To get rid of it, I have to pass it on to another player. It’s fast-paced, frantic, and fun whether playing against AI or online. 8.5/10

• Crazy Theater – Similar to Battle Area, but with a stronger objective. I still have to knock the heck out of my opponents on a small stage, but also complete whatever task I am given at the start of each round. This can be anything from "stand on the correct answer for simple math problems" to "avoid the meteorites." Not only do I have to complete the task, but I have to attack my opponents to keep them from doing the same. AI is a bit too dumb in the campaign, but it gets hectic when playing online. 6/10

• Attack Riders – Like Battle Arena but as a side-scrolling mini-game. I beat the snot out of my opponents to collect their poker chips and get some added firepower when I take control of one of the vehicles added to the stage. Can be slightly interesting, but mostly underwhelming. 5/10

• Rocket Rumble – Another top-down beat-'em-up like Battle Arena, but with more strategy. Players have to collect fuel blocks for their spaceships and the player who soars highest into the sky at the end of the time limit wins. In addition to attacking other players, I can attack opponent spaceships to drain them of fuel I can steal. More cute than fun, it’s still a step up on Battle Area. 6 /10

• Ore Express – Players collect ore on an auto-scrolling top-down stage and throw them into the open carriages of a passing train. Similar to Rocket Rumble, but with a diversity in stage design that can really mix the challenge up. Very replayable. 7/10

• Robo Bonkers – A competitive co-op game, players work together to defeat the massive robotic gorilla in the center of the stage while also trying to secure the most points for themselves. The robot must first be attacked with missiles and then clobbered when it’s knocked out. Easily the most fun mini-game in the package and also the one that saw the most slowdown while playing online. 8/10

• Slam Hockey – Just the worst. The object of it is to knock the puck into my opponents. I can either hit it with my copy ability or pick it up and throw it at them. Whether playing online or against the AI it’s never a challenge. 2/10

• Flagball – Perhaps the most unique of all the included games, Flagball is a blast against real players but mostly boring in the story mode. Teams of two try to throw the ball into their corresponding flag. Both the ball and the flags can be picked up leading to some madcap matches. Halfway through the match the flags, which are separate, can combine into a single object that completely changes how I have to approach the game. 7/10

Despite each of these games having different goals, and 14 different copy abilities to experiment with, the way I win remains the same through nearly all of them: I just beat the hell out of my opponents. That’s perhaps where I find this whole package disappointing. 10 mini-games is not a lot and that number feels smaller when several of the games are so similar. Battle Arena, Rocket Rumble, Ore Express, Coin Clash, Crazy Theater, and Slam Hockey are all cut from the same cloth and my strategy of “mindless attacking” remains suitable in each of those games. More diverse challenges like Flagball and Robo Bonkers w??ould have done this title well.

Taking them online doesn’t exactly turn every turd into a diamond, but I find the addition of real people greatly affects a game for the better. This is where the long-term potential of Battle Royale lies. Playing against three other p?layers online works swimmingly with only small bits of slowdown to contend with on certain games. When I win, I raise my rank and score me coins I can use to unlock extra costumes, music, power-ups, and more.

I’ll admit right now I know I’m not the target demographic for this game. It’s for kids, but just because something is aimed at a younger generation doesn’t mean it shouldn’t put forth its very best effort to be a worthwhile experience. This isn't a bad game and some of the activities can be quite fun when played with real people. But these sub-games have always been the side-dish to the single-player main course, and without a worthwhile entrée, Kirby Battle Royale feels deficient.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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They ran out of subtitle names

Nintendo announced a new Kirby game at their E3 showcase, simply titled "Kirby." Quite a surprise after so many fancy spin-offs and subtitles. Overall not much was shown beyond what looks like you're typical Kirby including Whispy Woods. It ?is scheduled for a 2018 release? on Nintendo Switch.

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HAL's been busy

While there hasn't exactly been a shortage of Kirby games, we'll be seeing even more of the little pink guy tha?nks to?? the series' 25th anniversary celebration. You'll hear no complaints from me!

Last week, there was Team Kirby Clash Deluxe, a boss bashing "free-to-start" multiplayer action game for 3DS that should bring back fond memories from prior games. In the summer, we'll face a big ol' King Dedede with another title, Kirby's Blowout Blast, which interestingly has a 3D world.

Finally, HAL Laboratory is planning one more as-yet-unnamed Kirby project. As mentioned in a developer note on Miiverse, this third title, an "action fighting game," is slotted for a winter releas?e.

All that, and there's Kirby-themed lingerie.

HAL Laboratory [Miiverse via Go Nintendo]

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All good things must come to an end

HAL Laboratory games have the uncanny ability to always bring a smile to my face. No matter the title, the developer knows what to do to absolutely charm me right off my feet. Whether I’m inhaling a Waddle-Dee, doing battle with a hippie, or figuring out the object hidden inside a block, HAL titles are able to produce that dumb, goofy, don’t-care-how-unattractive-it-is smile in ways no other games can, and Bye-Bye BoxBoy! is no different.

Bye-Bye BoxBoy! (3DS)
Developer: HAL Laboratory 
Publisher: Nintendo 
Released: April 12, 2017 
MSRP: $4.99

If you’ve played BoxBoy! or BoxBoxBoy!, congratulations, you already know the basics to Bye-Bye BoxBoy! Nothing has changed with the basic formula. You’re still controlling Qbby, a jubilant box with legs, to generate a single string of boxes that help him make his way through the three or four puzzles each level holds. These boxes can act as platforms to guide him safely over spikes or death pits, shiel??ds against electricity, or help Qbby reach places his stubby little?? jump can’t.

So long as you remember which button does what, you’ll have no problem mastering Bye-Bye BoxBoy!’s mechanics. I had played through the original game just before downloading this, so it was all second nature to me. While the opening set of puzzles didn’t do anything I hadn’t already seen in BoxBoy!, new hazards like water and wind mix things up, forcing me to pause, think, and ??create some e??clectic chains of boxes in order to proceed.

Those puzzles were entertaining, but what really got me into the game was the Qbabies. Each of the first three planets house one of these little box kids in dire need of a good rescuing. Qbby saves them in a series of escort mission?? levels that, like every other level in the game, are short, sweet, and simple to grasp. As he proceeds, the Qbaby will either follow directly behind or be separated below him, requiring Qbby to drop down the appropriate box shape for them to proceed.

Once the Qbabies are safe and sound, they grant new abilities. These skills, which allow Qbby to create boxes that rocket upward, blow up parts of the map, warp him past obstacles, and make a chain he can snake around the course, are fun to experiment with and really elevate the game. It just sucks the use of these power-ups is extremely limited, only accessible in a handful of puzzles. They never overstay their welcome, but I also don’t believe I saw the full potential for any of them in their brief appearance. As was my experience with BoxBoy!, Bye-Bye BoxBoy! is very easy ?and I was never really challenged until accessing the bonus worlds. Even collecting all of the optional crowns in each level, something you must?? do before you generate a certain number of boxes, was a cinch.

Outside of the journey, you can use earned coins to purchase new costumes, music, challenges, and comics, the last of which I found to be downright adorable. If you own either of the previous games, some of the costumes collected in those will transfer over including the incredibly useful bunny ears. You can also use Kirby series amiibo, or Kirby characters from the Smash line, to unlock cool-looking color costumes modeled after the pink puff and friends. The amiibo screen als??o has a slot for the Qbby figure which I hope is an indication that we’ll be seeing it here in the west and not simply something they ?forgot to remove in translation.

Bye-Bye BoxBoy! is being billed as the last of the BoxBoy! trilogy and if this is where things truly end I thin?k that’s for the better. Qbby is great and this monochrome world is wonderful, but I feel as though its basic puzzle formula is on the cusp of getting stale. If we do see more of this boxed boy, I hope his next adventure is something more substantial.

_{[This review is based on?? a retail build of the game provided by the pub?lisher.]}

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Amazing

Goodbye! BoxBoy!, the third and as of now final entry in the BoxBoy series is no longer shrouded in mystery, as Nintendo flipped the switch on the website and? mo??ved it out of teaser mode.

Now we know that Goodbye! will have full amiibo support, will span 150 stages (and 40 challenge levels), and will support the Miiverse (RIP). As for the former feature if you opt to use the bundled Qbby amiibo, you'll morph the game into a monochrome Game Boy style color scheme. Right now only Kirby amiibo are supported beyond the main character.

It sounds like the mos?t fu?lly-packed version yet, so hopefully people will actually notice this series this time around.

Goodbye! BoxBoy! [Nintendo]

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More BoxBoy is nice

As you may have heard, BoxBoy is getting a third (and possibly final) entry on 3DS. To celebrate Nintendo is releasing it digitally and physic?ally, and the latter will have a packed-in amiibo along with a cartridge containing all three games.

But yesterday, Nintendo decided to switch up the teaser site a bit and add in a small homage to Kirby in BoxBoy form. While this seems harmless, the series do share the same developer (HAL), so it sta??nds to reason that this one will feature a cameo of sorts, probably in costume form.

My guess? It's amiibo related. The BoxBoy amiibo is said to unlo??ck a secret, so more likely?? than not, other figures will unlock skins.

Boxboy [Nintendo] Thanks Jeff!

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What is this liquid pouring out of my eyeballs?

It's weird to think it's only been a little more than 15 months since Satoru Iwata died. With how quickly news comes and goes in this modern age, it feels like it was years ago. But it wasn't. It was July 11, 2015. I still remember the story we published here at Destructoid and the lovely and beautiful comments you, the ?readers, posted in it.

I was always fascinated by Iwata during his tenure as the president of Nintendo, and in his passing, was captivated by all the different stories about his earlier years and how? his programming expertise saved several of the games we know and love.

He truly was one-of-a-kind, and if you still d?on't know the legend of Sa?toru Iwata, set aside 20 minutes for this touching video on his life from the Did You Know Gaming crew.

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Domo arigato

It's hard to believe that when Kirby was first introduced to the world in 1992, he didn't even have the power to use copy-abilities. I must have beaten the original Dream Land and its? New Game+ mode hundreds of times on family road trips, completely oblivious of the storied and lengthy history the series would one day have.

While fans beg for years to get a single Metroid spinoff, Kirby games are a god-given right, and our cup o??verfloweth with pink fluff. Somehow, that's not a bad thing.

Kirby: Planet Robobot (3DS)
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: June 10, 2016
MSRP: $39.99

No no, don't get your hopes up -- Planet Robobot is still a remixed Kirby game. Instead of giant super abilities like Return to Dream Land, or [insert your ?chosen gimmick here], Kirby can don robot suits that have their own (limited) set of copy powers. Yes, the narrative still involves the same old gang, it's still on Planet Popstar (albeit remixed in a digitized fashion), and the same simplistic platforming core is intact. As Gob Bluth and Tony Wonder would agree -- same!

Not that it's a bad thing. The hardworking HAL Laboratory has always said that Kirby is meant to be one of the most accessible franchises around, and that remains the case. The reason why these games haven't had to change much is because th??ey work, damn it. Floating around and absorbing powers that act simil??ar to the ones enemies are demonstrating right in front of you is intuitive and fun to play.

The new powers Doctor, Poison, and ESP, like the additions in Triple Deluxe, all impact the formula in their own way. The former holds some really neat technical tricks (like saving a randomized attack for use at a lat??er time), Poison is great for intense boss fights and some of the better puzzles in the game involving placing toxic puddles or gas clouds in strategic locations, and ESP is a nice throwback to a classic Nintendo character that I won't spoil here, no matter how obvious it is.

The Robot idea, despite bei??ng a new coat of paint, is cute. Most levels admirably commit to the theme, and the suit itself can "inhale" (analyze, really) a smaller subset of powers that wield cool-looking character models. Ultimately though it is a power-up with a l??imited reigned-in impact -- which is even more apparent for the on-rail vehicular sections. During certain points Kirby will need to morph into either a plane or a car for shmup and racing sections respectively, and they're so by-the-numbers that they don't fit the rest of the game.

With much of the same soundtrack, collectibles to find, and a canon goal game to play at the end of every level, Robobot plays it very safe, but I didn't really find many dull moments in the campaign outside of the aforementioned robot bits. I loved uncovering the nuances of his powers, even old ones like the Archer. The team really has everything figured out at this point, and even though I could have worked my way through without consulting the in-game movelists and charts?? and learning new combos, I had a blast doing it.

The extras, often the best part of Kirby titles, also elevate Robobot a 'lil bit. There's a brief solo soiree called "3D Rumble," which is an arena-like diversion. "Kirby Clash" is a boss rush of sorts that supports up to four players (with download play!), with a level-up system and multiple classes to master. Three additional meaty modes also unlock after completing the story (two more arenas and one time trial rush with Meta Knight) that are worth playing through at least once. Oh, and there's nominal amiibo support if you care about that. I don't think they'll be getting their own games like the heavy-hitters in Triple Deluxe, but they're worthwhile all the same.

While the robot motif comes in half-cocked, Planet Robobot is still a safe, serviceable Kirby game. After beating the story and reflecting on it, many elements felt like jus?t going through the motions, but those motions haven't gotten stale yet a?fter nearly 25 years.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher. This piece was originally published on May 25, 2016.]}

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Oh snap!

Make-believe animal voyeur simulator Pokémon Snap is coming to W??ii U next week, at least?? in Japan.

While yo?u can already play the 1999 Nintendo 64 classic on the console through the Wii portal, this version adds support for the Wi??i U GamePad and Wii U Pro Controller.

Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go daydream about a full-on Pokémon Snap sequel that uses the GamePad as a camera lens à la sniping in ZombiU. Why the hell doesn't that exist already?

ポケモンスナップ [Nintendo via Game Informer]

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"I'm hella fly, I think that is what rappers say."

HAL Laboratory's BOXBOY! launched today for the Nintendo 3DS via the eshop for $4.99. I purchased BOXBOY! with my hard-earned human dollars to give you all a Beard View! You'll give it a wat??ch?, won't you?

HAL has perfected making a square cute by adding legs and ey?es, the same thing it did with a circle, better known as Kirby. What will HAL make cute next? A triangle? A pentagram maybe? How about a game with a cute dinosaur? It could be called DINOBOY! I'd buy that. 

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Claymation in games will never get old

Nearly ten years ago, Kirby: Canvas Curse graced our original Nintendo DS handhelds, showing us (once again) that Kirby games could be about things other than floating around, ingesting bugs, and vomiting stars. Canvas Curse also had the responsibility of showing that fu?lly touch-controlled games could be worthwhile, and by most accounts, it succeeded in tha??t endeavor.

That same gameplay hook is back with Kirby and the Rainbow Curse. Now on the larger ??screen of the W??ii U GamePad, players will still tap Kirby to make him move and draw rainbows for him to use as platforms. What is new is the clay aesthetic, which brings to the game its own neat mechanics.

The hands-on demo at E3 did not spend any time on the story behind Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, but presumably, the titular curse is the reason Kirby once again finds himself in ball form, stripped of his usual power to eat everything. Instead, I j?umped straight into?? gameplay.

Players have a limited bank of clay to create platforms with the stylus, and if Kirby touches one, he will follow the shape and direction of th??e drawn platform. The clay rainbow is a bit sticky, so Kirby can ride upside on it before launching off the end. I spent a bit of time (probably too much) just making him do loops, just for fun.

What gives Rainbow Curse a bit of a challenge are smoky, colorless areas of a level that disallow any rainbow drawing inside. They do not harm Kirby in any way, so he can travel through them, but it requires adept use of his abilities to turn him into a projectile, or keen exploration to find another way to launch him using the environ??ment. Used well, these could inject puzzle elements into what is otherwise more action-oriented.

Speaking of the action, there are a few particularly satisfying sections that require the player to charge up Kirby's dash to get through, at which point he cascades through a sort of chain reaction, sending him bouncing around like a pinball. It had an almost Sonic-like feel to it, where speed and explod??ing clay are used as a reward for ?figuring out how to complete an objective.

Taking the idea of a malleable substance like clay, Kirby has the ability to morph into other objects. The trailer showed him as a submarine, a rocket, and a tank, but I did not get to try any of those out first hand. If it is like Canvas Curse, Kirby gains tho??se abilities by defeating particular enemies, but at this point it is not clear if that is the case.

For the most part, we already knew what to expect from Kirby and the Rainbow Curse. Really, Nintendo could have done nothing but release the image of clay ball Kirby riding on a rainbow, and it would have been enough for fans. What little I played was as much of a delight as I had expected, and the clay aesthetic is particularly suited to the Kirby franchise.

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In Japan, cute (i.e., normal) Kirby 'brings in the most people to play'

Have you ever noticed how Kirby has mean-looking eyebrows on box art in the US? It's one of those things that can't be unseen, like the little arrow in the FedEx logo. Anyway, I've never understood it -- Kirby is such a feel-good franchise -- bu?t we have an explanation.

Or at least an attempt at one. "What we have heard [from Nintendo of America] is that strong, tough Kirby that's really battling hard is a more appealing sign of Kirby, so that's what we feature in the US," Kirby: Triple Deluxe director Shinya Kumazaki told GameSpot.

"For the Japanese? versions we are, at HAL, involved in everything throughout development, including the package design. The most powerful image of Kirby is that cute image, we think that's the one that appeals to the widest audience."

Ahead of Triple Deluxe's release this week, I've been playing a bit of Kirby Super Star. The game is many things -- including one of the best titles in the franchise and an essential part of the ?Super Nintendo library -- b?ut, like newer installments, it isn't angry. It's, y'know, the opposite of that.

Why is Kirby always?? angry in the US? Nintendo explains [GameSpot]

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He's about to blow your mind

Every Nintendo fan knows of HAL Laboratory. The guys that are primarily responsible for the Kirby series, with the cute logo? Until now, people pretty much had an idea o??f where they got the name, but that's about to chan??ge.

Iwata has even gone on record as saying that HAL 9000 is "very cool," so everyone just assumed it was named after the aforementioned psychotic AI from 2001: A Space Odyssey. It makes sense, right?

Well it turns out that's not the case. In a recent Iwata Asks with Yves Guillemot of Ubisoft, the pai??r both took turns explaining the names of thei??r respective development teams. Guillemot reminded us that Ubisoft comes from the word "ubiquity," which essentially translates to omniscience of presence in this case, and signifies their philosophy of complete global saturation.

Iwata most likely stunned his fans by explaining HAL Laboratory's names??ake: it's actually a troll on I?BM.

"We were exactly the same in that sense. Ubisoft was named after Ubiquity because you wanted to be everywhere in the world and H?AL was named as such because each letter put us one step ahead of IBM! (Laughs)”

What do you get w?hen you take each letter before IBM in sequential order? H?AL. I think I need to lie down.

Iwata Asks: ZombiU [Nintendo]

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Maximum pink!

My love of Kirby is known far and wide. While the games themselves are incredibly simple, the sheer charm of the titular hero and his colorful world makes for endearing, unforgettable adventures. Kirby has also seen some of the most dramatic changes of any Nintendo franchise -- from the total visual overhaul in Epic Yarn to the ten-Kirby puzzling of Mass Attack, it's a?? series that's not afraid to be different.

The spherical warrior celebrates his 20th anniversary this year, and Nintendo has not forgotten. Kirby's Dream Collection is a lovingly crafted look back on the publisher's underdog hero, packed with games, memories, and even a cartoon or two. It's also better than anything Nintendo did for Mario's anniversary.

That was a surprise.

Kirby's Dream Collection (Wii)
Developer: HAL Laboratory, Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release: September 16, 2012
MSRP: $39.99

Kirby's Dream Collection contains six of the bigger titles in the series, culled from the its 20-year span. Kirby's Dream Land, Kirby's Adventure, Kirby's Dream Land 2, Kirby Super Star, Kirby's Dream Land 3, and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards are brought together in one package, selectable from an easy-to-navigate but cheerfully animated menu screen. Each game is faithfully represented, so there are no e?nhancements to the experiences -- they are as they were.

The two Game Boy games are probably the most dated, but they still manage to be fun and are worth having as essential curios, the same being said of Kirby's Adventure. Though enjoyable, these don't quite ?hold up to today's stan?dards. Most players will find themselves tiring of them fairly quickly, but they're worth at least dipping into now and again.

Kirby's Dream Land 3, however, is still great. While the ability to team up with weird characters to further enhance Kirby's powers debuted in Dream Land 2, the S??NES sequel is where it really shines, with six odd creatures to recruit. Experimenting to see how Kirby's different copy abilities work when he's being rolled by a cat or carried by an owl is just as joyous as it ever was. Ultimately, it's a solid SNES game in which you can spend half your time wearing a living fish like a big bouncing suit. There is no more compelling an experience.

Kirby Super Star is something of a letdown, as Dream Collection uses the original SNES version and not the enhanced, superior version known as Kirby Super Star Ultra on Nintendo DS. While the original has historical worth, it's simply not as good as the portable remake and isn't worth playing if you already have the updated alternative. The Crystal Shards is a fun enough Nintendo 64 game, and probably the highlight of the collection based on its size in comparison to the other titles. It's also one of the weirder games in the series, featuring a range of creative boss fights against possessed creatures and the power to absorb two ??copy abilities to create all-new attacks -- something I wish had been made more of a series staple, since it's brilliant.

The six classic titles offer a nice look back at several highlights of Kirby's career, but I feel that Nintendo missed a trick by not including some of the more obscure spin-offs. Games like the golf-inspired Kirby's Dream Course, Kirby's Pinball Land, or even 2003's Air Ride would have been fine examples of just how varied and experimental the series has been over the years. The included games are all solid lo?oks at more traditional platformers, but Kirby has had so many odd adventures in the past two decades that I'd have preferred to have seen a few more of his ?stranger outings.

In addition to the classic games, there is an all-new series of special challenge levels based on 2011's Return to Dream Land. These timed tests give Kirby one predetermined copy ability and challenge him to get to the end of the stage while killing enemies and destroying blocks to accrue as high a score as possible, and taking damage will naturally incur a points penalty. At the end of each series of challenges, players can take on Magalor in platform races inspired by Super Star's Gourmet Race courses.

While not a selling point on its own, the challenge mode is a very welcome addition. It's? great to see some original content go into a collection like this; the designers didn't get lazy with it, ensuring the courses are quite inventive and uniquely tailored to challenge one's skill?? with each copy ability. It serves as the perfect distraction when playing through the classics becomes a bit tiring.

By far the highlight of the package is the interactive timeline. Spanning from 1992 to 2012, players can move Kirby along a path littered with trophies and games. Each year contains a window full of fun facts and historical tidbits, charting the election of Bill Clinton, the dates of each of the Olympic Games, and each of Nintendo's console releases. Every game in Kirby's library has its own specific page full of details, gameplay footage, and interactive box art. This is also where users can find three full episodes of the amusing (and incredibly silly) anime Kirby: Right Back At Ya! The theme tune is still far too? catchy, and King Dedede still needs A MONSTAH T??O CLOBBAH DAT DERE KIRBEH!

The Limited ?Edition also contains a soundtrack and a collectible book -- neither of which are mind-blowing enough to be worth it to the casual admirer but should certainly be enjoyed by fans. The book is particularly adorable and stuffed with all sorts of interesting information and concept art. The soundtrack takes 42 tunes from across Kirby's game library, and includes a further three bonus tunes, exclusively arranged by HAL Laboratory's sound staff. 

Presentation is everything, and it just wouldn't be right if a Kirby collection was full of drab, sparse menus. Everything is animated, brimming with life, and packed with music. From the timeline to the simple game selections, Dream Collection goes all out in making sure every inch of the screen is energetic. Any game that doesn't have a save feature can remember your progress upon quitting, and one can easily return to the main men??u from any game by hitting the Home button and taking the reset option (which won't reset the entire collection). Too many collections overlook the ability to easily quit out of a game, so it's a very welcome feature.

As a hardcore lover of the Kirby series, I doubt any collection could find the right balance of mainstream and obscure titles to satisfy me, but Nintendo and HAL Laboratory have at least done a very admirable job of paying tribute to the pink puffball with genuine affection. The classic games aren't quite the selections I'd have made, but they're all worth checking out, and when combined with the extra content, they become one of the better anniversary packages out there. Kirby fans would be foolish to pass it up, w??hile non-fans will get six good games and a lot of fun silliness for their dime. Can't argue with a deal like that!

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