Oh. Wow. This is a good one.
I am generally a bit iffy with Kirby games, as they usually tend to be a bit too chill and homogeneous for me to love, but this almost feels like an in-between point between Kirby and Mario level-design-wise. The challenges and setpieces still offer room for exploration and side-stuff, but they are a lot more discrete and focused than in other Kirby games. It's not a complete turn to Mario-isms, as nothing here comes close to the relentless pace of small discrete challenges of something like Mario Galaxy, but that's a good thing, this game seems to take a lot of good lessons from that kind of level design, without losing what makes Kirby games unique. Just excellent pacing, straight-up a joy to play through.
I don't like all of the side systems. Like, it's incredibly cute that as you save Waddle Dees they build a lil town, but all the systems offered by that town seem a bit superfluous (I think the upgrade system has been done as correctly as an upgrade system can be done in a Kirby game... but still... I Really didn't feel the need of an upgrade system in this game), and kinda take away from the chill, linear platforming adventure experience of the main story. It's ok tho, I completely ignored all that stuff and the game still plays well.
Only other bit I'll critique is that I wish that they had focused in telling this story completely without dialogue. Like, this game is at its narrative best when all these cute critters interact wordlessly, just through gestures and stuff; every time someone started speaking it kinda felt off-vibe.
Also, for some reason, 3D movement makes Kirby seem more violent than the tone really wants him to be. Not sure if it's just me, but throwing bombs in 3D somehow feels a lot more "real" than throwing bombs in 2D. It's just kinda funny. This small pink ball of adorable just murdering a bunch of cute animals by blowing them up.
Anyhow this is very good. A proper fun and chill and vibe-y and memorable game. Leave it to HAL and Nintendo to still be making great 3D platformers in a time when that specific expression of the genre seems to have gone out of fashion.
I am generally a bit iffy with Kirby games, as they usually tend to be a bit too chill and homogeneous for me to love, but this almost feels like an in-between point between Kirby and Mario level-design-wise. The challenges and setpieces still offer room for exploration and side-stuff, but they are a lot more discrete and focused than in other Kirby games. It's not a complete turn to Mario-isms, as nothing here comes close to the relentless pace of small discrete challenges of something like Mario Galaxy, but that's a good thing, this game seems to take a lot of good lessons from that kind of level design, without losing what makes Kirby games unique. Just excellent pacing, straight-up a joy to play through.
I don't like all of the side systems. Like, it's incredibly cute that as you save Waddle Dees they build a lil town, but all the systems offered by that town seem a bit superfluous (I think the upgrade system has been done as correctly as an upgrade system can be done in a Kirby game... but still... I Really didn't feel the need of an upgrade system in this game), and kinda take away from the chill, linear platforming adventure experience of the main story. It's ok tho, I completely ignored all that stuff and the game still plays well.
Only other bit I'll critique is that I wish that they had focused in telling this story completely without dialogue. Like, this game is at its narrative best when all these cute critters interact wordlessly, just through gestures and stuff; every time someone started speaking it kinda felt off-vibe.
Also, for some reason, 3D movement makes Kirby seem more violent than the tone really wants him to be. Not sure if it's just me, but throwing bombs in 3D somehow feels a lot more "real" than throwing bombs in 2D. It's just kinda funny. This small pink ball of adorable just murdering a bunch of cute animals by blowing them up.
Anyhow this is very good. A proper fun and chill and vibe-y and memorable game. Leave it to HAL and Nintendo to still be making great 3D platformers in a time when that specific expression of the genre seems to have gone out of fashion.