Kirby is yet another of Nintendo's wonderful franchises that's renowned world-wide. The difference with Nintendo's Kirby titles, however, is that their known for their generally "average" nature, and ease. Unfortunately, Kirby's first starring role on the Game Boy Advance does little to dispel these criticisms, and inadvertidly, more than reinforces them. But that's not to say it's without innovation... 

   The game plays in the standard platform traditions set by Super Mario World, on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. There are seven worlds, each containing between four and six levels, and 2 to four mini-games/warps. Playing through the game from start to finish is often tedious, as repeatedly pressing  the A button and holding forward will allow you to fly through and  complete the majority of levels without incident.

   The features common ability to "absorb" enemies abilities, by inhaling the enemy. This feature has been improved upon considerably since Kirby's last outing, with more than twenty different abilities available. The  best of the abilities available include a Microphone weapon (in which for a moment Kirby dons one of three outfits-including one sporting a yellow and green Mohican) which when used destroys everything in sight  and the Hyrulean Sword, with which Kirby wears Link's famous pointy green hat-thing and swishes his sword in a fashion obviously inspired by Super Smash Bros. Melee.

   The game's visuals are pretty enough. The standard in what we've come to expect in Nintendo first-party Game Boy Advance releases, with some smooth animation resembling that of the incredibly fluid Fire Emblem. The game is colourful and eye-catching, everything you expected. The sound is, again, basic  Game Boy Advance first-party stuff.

   The title is at times depressingly easy, and should only take a night to fend of the rather cool R-Type-stylee final boss. Completing the game with a 100% rating will take longer, as finding some of the mini-games   can be quite challenging. With a total of four mini-games available, they offer a little extended play, with the Boss Encounter becoming available upon completion, this'll be the games main draw, as there are some pretty cool boss fights. The only other mini-game to really grab the attention is Kirby's Air Grind, a game with a clever GameCube counter-part, Kirby's Air Ride. Both these games are fun... for a while.

   It seems that as hard as you try, you just can't get passed how easy this game is. It's not bad, by any means, and the new features extend Kirby's universe no-end, but really it's an extension of the previous Game Boy Kirby titles, and falls foul to the same flaws.

Kev J.                                                                                                                  Reviews Score Table Interpretation.

6/04/04

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