Clunky controls, many characters with the moveset being way too similar, achievements that practically require online play (and tons of it, far more than the game's lifespan!), modes ranging from okay to terrible, and worst of all, constant framedrops on any model that isn't the New 3DS, sometimes even going into the single digits. On a 30 FPS game!

It's a solid Shogo Sakai soundtrack and the hats are cute, but this has to be the single worst Kirby game ever made. I was gonna not call it bad to continue the Kirby has no bad games meme but nah bro, this is kinda bad.

The game's soundtrack is great (seriously just listen to the main theme https://youtu.be/pLC36jK8Xew?si=MQZt9bGL7HiEWqRM) but it just kind of sucks as a game. Movement is stiff, combat is pretty barebones, and there's almost no content. Now if they took the idea of a top-down Kirby and made it into something closer to a 2D Zelda game where you use different copy abilities to explore, that would be great, but it really does not work as a multiplayer focused arena brawler. Kirby Fighters already existed both as a Triple Deluxe minigame and a standalone 3DS eShop title at this point, so I really don't know why HAL decided to make this, let alone to make it a full priced cartridge release so late in the 3DS's lifespan.

Wow this game really is about 6 years old from the time I played and beat it huh? Either way, my original hearing about this game was it supposed to be a multiplayer arena mini game fest...and that actually fits what the game is. I didn't really know what to think about how the game was gonna be and I honestly only played it because I had played nearly every Kirby game to this point and figured why not play this one, it can't be too bad...

Alright so starting at the graphics for the game...it's pretty decent, no it's not mind blowing or anything, but it fit for the fact that the purpose was to be able to fit 4 players into a mini game in and arena and be able to see everything and do event without the game coming to crawl or lagging. Other than that, it was just fitting.

As far as Kirby games go...the sound is amazing! I mean what do you expect? The game has some of it's own tracks, but most are really good remixes of past Kirby games that keep the action going.

The story is just there and that's not really a bad thing. Barely any Kirby game has an amazing story and it's usually just there to set the adventure in motion and this one is no different. I will say they did a good job of making King Dedede act like the version of him in Kirby: Right Back At Ya! Which is probably the first time really outside the show.

The gameplay is something that's kinda hard to explain...first off the copy abilities are in the game and act mostly like they do in past games, so if you've played any of them or even Super Smash Bros then you'll have a general idea of the controls. The hard part to describe are the mini games themselves...see it's not quite like Mario Party or Kirby's usually mini games where it's just movement and one button to do things. This game gives you objectives like pick up apples and put them on a contraption that drops them to your area for points, but along with this, you can easily fight the other team or opponents...they always have health bars and all your attacks are always available, so it's like Mario Party mini games but the ability to hit and temporary KO the opposition is always there. It's interesting and a decently fun concept.

So with all that, what's wrong with the game?

- The mini games are repetitive, fun but get same-y really fast.

- The copy abilities are tied to progression in the story.

- The CPU aren't very smart or challenging, in fact around the end your partner's A.I. gets stupid to make it harder.

- The online was pretty much dead a few days after release, so I didn't even try it.

- This should have been a Nintendo Switch release...it could have been bigger and could have benefited from a bigger player base.

So yeah, this wasn't really as bad as people say it was, but to be fair it wasn't too remarkable. All in all decent, but could have benefited better as a console release and not a late 3DS release.

Kirby Battle Royal is a rather forgettable game in the series if I'm honest. As someone who really likes some of the spinoff games this feels like an overpriced game that just feels like filler to remind you the 3DS still was having games.

With some very low depth in the copy abilities and some events just not being fun at all, it makes Kirby Battle Royale a hard game to recommend. Even the story mode is a repetitive slog. With it's cheap price on ebay making it a bit easier to consider, I still would just say pass on the game.

this game is fun you're all just mean
is it the best thing in the world ? no
is it the worst thing in the world ? no
does bandana dee team up with you ? yeah 10/10
when i was finishing the story mode of this game i had the last few songs of hamilton in my head
i like that meta knight gets a party mask
this game is fun idk what else i can really say