As for new abilities, Artist has decent ground coverage and support moves, Spider allows the player to entangle enemies in webs, and Festival is a one-use screen-clearing ability not unlike Crash or Mike. Suplex and Yo-Yo return from Super Star with a few new moves, but Cleaning, an ability not seen since Dream Land 3, is completely renewed with a moveset based around the Animal Friends’ abilities from its game of origin. Elemental abilities now deal extra damage against certain enemies with elemental attributes, such as electric abilities decimating water-based enemies.Īs with each Kirby game, Star Allies introduces a few new abilities. Certain abilities also have elemental components used to solve puzzles, such as using Water to put out flaming objects. Each ability has a completely different play style, from heavy offense abilities like Hammer and Fighter to ranged abilities like Beam and Cutter. While challenge seekers can complete the game by only inhaling and spitting out enemies, Kirby can inhale certain enemies and absorb their powers. While Kirby’s main method of combat is inhaling enemies and debris to spit back at foes, what makes the series unique is the Copy Abilities. In certain stages, each game’s unique mechanic is used to split up platforming sections by switching up gameplay and puzzle solving. Kirby runs, jumps, and floats through various worlds, and while levels are generally linear, there are extra areas to explore with collectibles to find and puzzles to solve. The gameplay of the modern Kirby formula returns from the past three main series installments, those being Return to Dream Land, Triple Deluxe, and Planet Robobot. Kirby games thrive in their hidden stories, so having the plot be almost entirely at surface value is uncharacteristic of the series. The same applies for the Dark Lord he intends to revive, who ends up feeling less threatening in scale than previous final bosses. There are interesting implications behind Hyness’s motivations, but they aren’t explored as much as previous villain backstories, instead being briefly hinted at in a short cutscene. While recent installments have done a fantastic job of expanding the lore through boss descriptions, Easter eggs, and character interactions, Star Allies has a fairly cut-and-dry plot. Kirby, being the purest child in existence, is unaffected- in fact, he gains the ability to throw Friend Hearts, which reverse the Jamba Hearts’ effect and turn baddies into buddies. After failing a ritual to revive an ancient evil, shadowy objects called the Jamba Hearts are scattered across the galaxy, which corrupt those they touch. There’s an emissary of a higher power Kirby faces a few times, a set of collectible items in each level, and surprisingly extensive lore that only goes deeper as the series progresses.įilling in the blanks of the story, the threat this time around is Hyness, a delusional hooded figure that feels like something straight out of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. He inhales enemies and absorbs their powers in the form of Copy Abilities, but along the way, he discovers a special ability unique to that game -which is connected to said mysterious threat- that will eventually help him save the world. Some mysterious threat encompasses Planet Pop Star that Kirby misses because he’s such a sound sleeper, but when Kirby wakes up to a changed world, he sets out to stop the monster of the week. Kirby Star Allies follows the modern Kirby formula established in 2011’s Kirby’s Return to Dream Land, but this isn’t an issue, as it’s a solid formula. The latest main series game, Kirby Star Allies, continues this trend, and while its flaws prevent it from reaching the level of quality held by other recent installments, it’s still an enjoyable experience. That’s not to mention the memorable classics like Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, the experimental spinoffs like Kirby Canvas Curse, and the streak of recent hits with the modern Kirby formula like Kirby Triple Deluxe. Fans still find good traits about more average titles like Kirby Squeak Squad, and games like Kirby Air Ride that weren’t as much of a hit at launch have become cult classics. Every other major Nintendo series has at least one bad installment, but the pink puffball has arguably never had an awful game, as their quality always ranges from acceptable to phenomenal. If there’s one Nintendo series that has the best track record for excellency, it’s Kirby. Kirby’s baddies become his buddies as he travels across Planet Pop Star in another charming adventure.
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