"8 games in one?" Alright, come on now.
I usually consider Kirby to fall within the action platformer genre. With Super Star though, there's a different vibe going on. The game toys around with some ideas that put it closer to feeling like a Smash Bros prototype. With each copy ability sporting a couple unique moves that can be activated through simple combinations of inputs, Super Star is more akin to a beat'em up platformer. What helps contribute to that feeling is how enemies take more hits to take out now, and that there is generally a larger focus on engaging enemies in combat than before. The pacing has been tightened up too, throwing you from one major battle encounter to another in the span of 1-2 minutes each. And then there's the 2-player mode of course, primarily handy for making battles more efficient. Putting all of that together, Super Star is actually an arcade beat'em up Smash Bros prototype. That also happens to have some platforming in it, but it's kinda irrelevant, honestly.
I think that change in priority is what makes Super Star's gameplay just... alright for me. It's great visually, it produced a ton of iconic songs for the franchise, and I mean, look. The "8 games in one" marketing is still outrageous, but I do like the variety that IS here, it keeps things fresh. However, I don't jive with this increased focus on combat. It feels punchy, sure, but it's a lot of technique for a set of enemies that are barely capable of fighting back. By comparison, the platforming sequences haven't seen much evolution mechanically, so they feel more like an afterthought, a bridge to get to the next fight. But even the fights are far too tipped in your favor, leaving the overall package as doing a whole lot of things with not a lot of focus on real depth and challenge.
To be fair, challenge is not really what most people seek in a Kirby game. I'm down for an easy game myself, I enjoy a bit of lax platforming every now and then, and if the exploration is fun, then all the better for it. But this Kirby is way more about a frantic, chaotic sense of action, which makes me strongly desire a greater sense of challenge. I don't think Super Star satisfies that craving, as it's too easy to get away with a reckless, button-mashy playstyle. As for the exploration, "Milky Way Wishes" is the closest to getting this right, introducing a pretty interesting spin on how you get your powerups. Aside from that however, I wasn't into most of the other exploration. That includes the treasures found in "The Great Cave Offensive," an interesting concept that is entirely superficial in execution, offering little incentive to get all treasures, or even a single one of them.
Overall, I love Kirby and all, but the franchise was still very experimental at this point of time, and didn't quite perfect its formula yet. This has led to some hits, this has led to some misses. Super Star is somewhere in-between those, it's a game I'll occasionally pop into with a friend, to kick some ass and appreciate its hyperactive energy. But as far as fulfilling platforming experiences go, this game just ain't my speed.
I usually consider Kirby to fall within the action platformer genre. With Super Star though, there's a different vibe going on. The game toys around with some ideas that put it closer to feeling like a Smash Bros prototype. With each copy ability sporting a couple unique moves that can be activated through simple combinations of inputs, Super Star is more akin to a beat'em up platformer. What helps contribute to that feeling is how enemies take more hits to take out now, and that there is generally a larger focus on engaging enemies in combat than before. The pacing has been tightened up too, throwing you from one major battle encounter to another in the span of 1-2 minutes each. And then there's the 2-player mode of course, primarily handy for making battles more efficient. Putting all of that together, Super Star is actually an arcade beat'em up Smash Bros prototype. That also happens to have some platforming in it, but it's kinda irrelevant, honestly.
I think that change in priority is what makes Super Star's gameplay just... alright for me. It's great visually, it produced a ton of iconic songs for the franchise, and I mean, look. The "8 games in one" marketing is still outrageous, but I do like the variety that IS here, it keeps things fresh. However, I don't jive with this increased focus on combat. It feels punchy, sure, but it's a lot of technique for a set of enemies that are barely capable of fighting back. By comparison, the platforming sequences haven't seen much evolution mechanically, so they feel more like an afterthought, a bridge to get to the next fight. But even the fights are far too tipped in your favor, leaving the overall package as doing a whole lot of things with not a lot of focus on real depth and challenge.
To be fair, challenge is not really what most people seek in a Kirby game. I'm down for an easy game myself, I enjoy a bit of lax platforming every now and then, and if the exploration is fun, then all the better for it. But this Kirby is way more about a frantic, chaotic sense of action, which makes me strongly desire a greater sense of challenge. I don't think Super Star satisfies that craving, as it's too easy to get away with a reckless, button-mashy playstyle. As for the exploration, "Milky Way Wishes" is the closest to getting this right, introducing a pretty interesting spin on how you get your powerups. Aside from that however, I wasn't into most of the other exploration. That includes the treasures found in "The Great Cave Offensive," an interesting concept that is entirely superficial in execution, offering little incentive to get all treasures, or even a single one of them.
Overall, I love Kirby and all, but the franchise was still very experimental at this point of time, and didn't quite perfect its formula yet. This has led to some hits, this has led to some misses. Super Star is somewhere in-between those, it's a game I'll occasionally pop into with a friend, to kick some ass and appreciate its hyperactive energy. But as far as fulfilling platforming experiences go, this game just ain't my speed.