This assessment, penned by Philip J Reed — our much-missed buddy and Nintendo Life contributor — was initially printed in January 2012. We’re updating and republishing it to mark the sport’s arrival within the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack GBA library.
We have at hand this a lot to Kirby & The Amazing Mirror: it actually is not afraid of making an attempt new issues. We won’t be completely satisfied of the need of these issues, in fact, however it’s all the time good to see a sequence try to develop its boundaries considerably.
The story forges no new floor by any means, although, because it’s based mostly on the usual gentle world/darkish world dynamic that we have seen in so lots of Nintendo’s flagship franchises by this level that it is virtually a sub-genre. Kirby’s mission is to gather the shards of a magical mirror that can permit him to seal off the darkish world for good, and let Dream Land get again to… no matter it’s Dream Land does when it isn’t below assault by one thing.
When you begin enjoying, you will really feel as if you are in acquainted territory: cute visuals, bouncy tunes, and a few fairly customary platforming abound. Once you progress just a little additional, nevertheless, you will realise that this is not your customary, level-based Kirby journey. Multiple exits adorn almost each room, and should you discover a map you may open it up and see simply how convoluted the trail forward actually is.
You see, inside a single degree you will combat a number of bosses and attain a number of objective rooms, however that does not imply your work in that degree is completed. It’s as much as you to scour each nook and unlock each secret, each of which would require a lot backtracking and pathfinding, giving this Kirby recreation a peculiar Metroid-like vibe.
This concept is interesting: Dream Land is quirky and assorted sufficient {that a} looser allowance for exploration ought to be factor. In apply, although, it turns into irritating: rooms begin to look the identical earlier than very lengthy, and for many of the recreation you may solely entry sure ranges via explicit rooms in different ranges. If you need to return someplace to uncover a secret you could not discover earlier than, you are prone to end up making an attempt each potential path till you bump into the fitting one.
The map, when you study to learn it as an summary, is actually useful, however you will want a distinct map for every degree. The hidden exits and alternate paths ought to brighten up the expertise considerably, however, in fact, it simply manages to cover easy duties behind tedious backtracking.
Kirby’s skills should not shock anyone who’s performed a Kirby recreation earlier than: he can fly, swim, inhale enemies, and steal powers. So far, so acquainted. The controls really feel a mite sluggish of their responsiveness, which actually turns into an issue throughout boss fights and different fast-paced conditions. There’s a slight delay between enter and execution, and as soon as that leads to some low-cost deaths you will come to treat it as a critical flaw.
Unfortunately, that is not the worst of the issues with Kirby & The Amazing Mirror. One conceit is that Kirby has been break up into 4 entities of various colors, and let’s simply say that the standard pink Kirby will need to have all of the brains. The different three Kirbys chaotically certain about, much more irritating than they’re useful. You cannot management them, so that you simply must allow them to dominate the display with their antics as they steal powers you wished, get in your manner, and even budge you into enemies and hazards.
Ostensibly, these extra three Kirbys are right here to assist, however good luck with that. Their AI is a humiliation, and it is a explicit drawback whenever you want one among them to set off a change, or a bomb block, or — heaven forbid — allow you to transfer one thing heavy by inhaling it with you. These three Kirbys don’t cease transferring lengthy sufficient to grasp you want their assist, and their inclusion — and necessity — on this recreation drags the expertise down severely. When enjoying multiplayer, nevertheless, every participant will get to regulate a Kirby, and all of you’re employed collectively or go off your personal manner and do no matter you need, even having the ability to go to utterly reverse ends of the sport world. With different folks, it all of a sudden makes extra sense (and, fortunately, the Nintendo Switch Online model allows you to play with others regionally or over the web).
It was a weird sufficient choice to provide Kirby a cellphone on this recreation (sure, actually), and the truth that he makes use of it to summon these rampaging nincompoops simply provides insult to harm. The undeniable fact that the cellphone additionally has a operate that causes you to exit the stage instantly makes issues even worse: press the improper button within the warmth of the second and also you’re again to the beginning. The third or fourth time this occurs, you would possibly begin to marvel why you are bothering. We certain did.
The recreation’s not with out its charms, although: the presentation is usually sturdy, with sensible visuals and music as all the time. In reality, enjoying briefly bursts may be fairly enjoyable: the traditional Kirby actions of inhaling enemies and whooping them with their very own weapons are as nice right here as they ever had been. Unfortunately, the sport is not actually structured for brief play periods, what with its maze-like design and long-term objectives reasonably than quick, stage-based missions. There are a number of minigames accessible to play which are not a lot enjoyable solo however had been largely supposed for multiplayer and undoubtedly work higher with buddies.
The most important attraction of the sport is supposed to be the exploration, and for a lot of will probably be. For us, although, the exploration would not really feel notably rewarding, the fixed backtracking is unintuitive and boring, and your required companions are a bunch of hyperactive imbeciles. Fortunately, HAL would finally get multiple-Kirby gameplay proper in Kirby Mass Attack. This time round, although, contemplate it one huge, well-intentioned misstep.
Conclusion
Kirby & The Amazing Mirror tries to introduce a number of new issues to the sequence, and due to that it was destined from the begin to be a divisive title. Ultimately, although, we really feel that the improvements right here simply aren’t notably enjoyable — actually not for solo gamers. Sluggish controls and abysmal AI in your required companions bitter the expertise, and exploration shortly turns into extra of a chore than a reward. Kirby’s had his share of ups and downs, actually, however this isn’t the sport we need to keep in mind him by.
