I liked this well enough as a kid, but the overall experience doesn't really hold up. There are a couple factors at play - I first played it on original hardware when it was brand new, while my revisit was on emulator with a weird setup - but I think the main thing is that this is one of those early DS titles that goes all-in on DS functionality, which was a novelty then but stands out way less after three full console generations of stylus controls. Take away the novelty and not much is left. In my experience, you're less directing Kirby and more redirecting him, constantly compensating for his momentum here and again. It's... fine, certainly a ton of content if that's what you're here for, but I don't get a lot out of the core experience, and even as a kid, I was turned off by the prospect of repeating that core experience a full four times for 100% completion.

Two things do still hold up. The first is "Paint Panic". This was also hindered by the emulator in my revisit, but this case was definitely a technical issue than the actual gameplay experience, 'cause I love love love speed connect-the-dots. Second is the final fight against Drawcia, a shining example of something legitimately good within the context of a very nothing game. This was, as I understand it, one of the first things current series director Shinya Kumazaki designed, and we're getting just a glimpse of what he'd have to offer for the series as a whole. It's charming that Drawcia, otherwise an extremely unimportant villain from a disposable side-entry, keeps getting callbacks in later entries, both directly through related characters and indirectly through other bosses imitating her moves. Sort of like she's Kumazaki's signature within the series.

When the Nintendo DS released in late 2004, it was indicative of a philosophical overhaul happening at Nintendo. Their last mainline system, the Gamecube, was vastly outsold by the PS2, and even failed to outperform the new console on the block, the Xbox. They were no longer the definitive video game console, and as a result, focused on developing a more innovative and unique approach to gameplay. Of course, this was manifested most prevalently in the Wii, but the DS was surely innovative in its own right; its two screens, touchpad, microphone, and Wi-Fi capabilities were all extremely novel at the time. And when you have a brand new piece of hardware, you want to show it off. And so, only a few months after the DS's release, came Kirby: Canvas Curse, fully designed to take advantage of the dual screen, touch screen technology-for better, or worse.

Something that is likely to have a large influence on your enjoyment of Canvas Curse is its utter commitment to its gimmick. In this game, you don't control Kirby; rather, you control a magic paintbrush which creates paths, deflects attacks, and activates abilities. The entirety of the game takes place-and is controlled by-the touch screen. And this extends beyond gameplay; you can't even navigate the menus without use of the stylus. This is something that would seem novel at the time, but can quickly get frustrating-and is emblematic of CC as a whole. Each level will have Kirby rolling along the path in front of them, relying on the player to draw paths, diverting him away from danger, and defeating enemies. For one thing, it's certainly unique, and it's a creative application of the touch screen which does seem to fit Kirby's vibe perfectly. Levels are generally short, and it's a relatively quick game overall. There's a great amount of diverse level themes here, and while they make for good background art, they sadly don't feel like much more than coats of paint over a singular type of level. You rarely have to adjust your thinking in Canvas Curse; the game plays effectively the same through its brief runtime.

It also keeps up the trend of Kirby games having an easy to beat, difficult to complete selection of gameplay. For what it's worth, there's a lot of added content here, whether it be the boss minigames, timed challenges, or modified clear conditions. It's one of the game's biggest strengths; there's truly a challenge for all skill levels here. The problem is that, with Kirby: Canvas Curse, it's rarely a challenge worth undertaking. Because of the player's role in the game, Kirby moves on his own, idly rolling around, bouncing off walls, only using an attack or ability when tapped on. Since Kirby is always on the move, constant attention is required. Like the stylus only gimmick, it's bound to get old pretty quickly. In fact, it doesn't really seem like the DS was designed to be played with a stylus constantly; as a result, playing this game for more than a few levels at a time is bound to feel awkward and uncomfortable.

Kirby is a series that's also known for its epic feeling boss fights, and while the final boss is probably the best part of the game, the other bosses are severely lacking, and feel more like non-sequitur minigames rather than a complementary inclusion. As a result, Canvas Curse doesn't feel like a game that was well put together; it's a loose (and small) collection of ideas gathered around a central theme of only using the touch screen. The novel technology must have been impressive at the time-this game is astonishingly the joint-highest rated Kirby game ever on Metacritic, for example-but it doesn't offer anything beyond that, save for a few interesting challenge modes and a charming aesthetic. Its devotion to a gimmick is laser-focused to its detriment, especially when the controls can feel as inconsistent and clumsy as they do here; in truth, it's not particularly fun to play even in the occasions when they work great.

Kirby (in 2005 and today) is an incredibly recognizable character whose base design caters to a large demographic of players. That makes the series a great choice for a flagship title in which the benefits of a new system can be conveyed to a large audience. But in spite of its critical acclaim at the time, Kirby: Canvas Curse wouldn't be the game to do so. And that's probably for the best. It's not a totally irredeemable game by any measure-more dull than anything-but it's also proof that new isn't always better, and that everything is best in moderation, and that novel ideas can quickly become irrelevant. And not many series know that better than Kirby.