Dual Review: Kirby Mass Attack

Nintendo found a way to make Kirby even cuter. By multiplying him, tenfold.

Kirby has always been a major part of Nintendo’s handheld gaming. Kirby Mass Attack strays from the usual controls for the series, but it is inventive and fun to play. We’ve been itching for a good handheld to come out since the release of the Nintendo 3DS, so it’s good to see Nintendo release a game like Mass Attack. It might be for the Nintendo DS, but at least those who haven’t joined the 3DS group can enjoy this.

Sometimes at Zelda Informer, we just can’t contain ourselves and have to deliver a bevvy of reviews all at once. Today, both Matthew Blackwell and Erica Fernandez will be offering their take on Kirby Mass Attack.

Matthew:

As a connoisseur of trash-film culture, one of my all-time favourite bad movies is the film Birdemic (and if you haven’t heard about or seen this film yet, do yourself a favour and watch that clip right there). In an interview with Bloody Disgusting, the main actress in the film offered up an explanation for the director’s deranged detachment from any semblance of reality:

“If we asked a question about any of the major plot twists – for example, why are the eagles exploding, or why do we have M16s, or why are these people getting acid dumped on them? The answer to all these questions would be, because it’s a movie. And it would be left at that.”

Even though Kirby Mass Attack is about a thousand miles away from Birdemic in terms of quality, that same attitude is still present. Consider: the plot of this game has Kirby getting split up into ten tiny copies of himself, which engenders a gameplay mechanic that has certainly never been seen in gaming, much less the Kirby series. And why? Because it’s a game, that’s why.

In that way, the ludicrous machinations that HAL Laboratories and Nintendo have decided to put Kirby through, to me, recall the fundamentals of what made video gaming so enjoyable for me in the first place. I never needed to know why the Octoroks were attacking me in the original Legend of Zelda; I didn’t really care about the political undercurrents of the Mushroom Kingdom. They were games, and that was enough.

Functionally, Kirby Mass Attack is a continuation of the sort of experimental verve that Nintendo has decided to place upon the Kirby franchise, though in my view, even moreso than Canvas Curse, they’ve nailed the “Kirby feeling.” While the gameplay is ludicrous in concept, it’s executed with aplomb in the touchscreen-only configuration, coming across almost as a riposte to a large segment of the smartphone gaming scene. It’s as if that little pink fluffball is saying, “HERE’S how you make a touchscreen game interesting.” And while button control certainly could have been more accurate, it certainly wouldn’t have been more fun, as every movement in Mass Attack is incredibly, pleasingly tactile.

Despite how outlandish the game seems, it does manage to smartly incorporate elements of Kirby games past. The mini-games of Super Star, the brilliantly-detailed sprites that recall Kirby’s Adventure: it’s vintage Nintendo philosophy – juggle the nostalgic past with a forward-looking design. We might never see another game like Mass Attack again, and while it’s not entirely perfect (the level design doesn’t reach the brilliance of Epic Yarn for instance, and some levels, shockingly, feel a little same-y), it’s bound to be some of the best (and strangest) fun you’ll have all year.

Erica:

Okay, so I absolutely adore Kirby. Love, love, love, despite him being pink. Freshman year in high school I was given the nickname Kirby because of my ability to mimic his voice. He’s a fun character, and adorable to boot.

Now, just because I love the series doesn’t mean I won’t pick Kirby Mass Attack apart and to see if it is an awesome title that does its predecessors justice. If you are thinking of purchasing this game, take a second to see whether it has the type of fun you’d enjoy.

The story begins with Necrodeus, the leader of the Skull Gang, using dark magic to split Kirby into ten clones of himself. This divides his power, making each of the Kirby’s weak and easy pickings. After defeating all but one of the Kirbys, the star the represents his own heroic heart guided him to safety. Now you have to help him get back together again.

Controls

Nintendo did a great job at using the controls for this game. Kirby Mass Attack takes use of the stylus controls only, but has done so in a way that I can’t find any complaint about it. With so many Kirbys to control at once, using the touch screen is probably the best way to go.

The stylus allows you to be precise, and explore the many secrets in the Mass Attack world. You can hold the stylus over the Kirbys to select them all and have them float to high ledges. Jumping is just a simple flick across the screen, and is a quick and easy way to get rid of obstacles.

Attacking is pretty simple, and might get repetitive at times, but with all the different kinds of enemies you won’t get bored with it. To attack, simply launch Kirby onto an enemy and he will immediately latch on. Kirby immediately starts to attack, and you can tap on the enemy to encourage your pink army to victory. It’s absolutely adorable.

Graphics and Sound

This is a DS game, and the artwork for the game is fun and suits the style of Kirby. They are sprite-based graphics that are spot on for this dreamlike world. I can’t really delve into them, but you will know what kind of place and enemies you will run into simply by the level’s appearance when you enter.

The music for the game is just as cute as Kirby himself. You will catch onto the theme for the song in seconds. The player is able to unlock a Music Player in the Extras of the game, and listen to the different music tracks from each world. You can watch the little Kirbys jam it out.

Gameplay

Obstacles and enemies will always try to stop Kirby. You will have to think if you want to get each item and arrive at the goal without losing a Kirby. If you want to get through the levels on top, here is a quick and obvious tip. Maximize how many Kirbys you have.

As you defeat enemies and take apart obstacles and objects in the levels, delicious looking fruit is dropped. Each fruit has a point value, and there is a meter on the top screen that shows how much more he needs to eat before another Kirby joins the party. The more Kirbys you have, the stronger your party and easier it is do defeat enemies.

But you still have to be careful! When a Kirby is hurt, he turns blue. One more hit, and he turns into a gray floating angel. You have to grab him before he disappears to the heavens or you have to collect more fruit to get him back.

Some levels have boss fights, each with different ways to win. It’s all spaced out to keep you interested. Of course, you can’t just go to every level in the game right away. Before entering a level, you have to have a certain amount of Kirbys. After clearing a certain amount of stages, Kirby will unlock a rainbow that will reveal farther levels. Everything is spaced out to keep you interested and wanting to play more.

Not only that, but there is a ranking at the end of each level. You can only get a Gold Star if you clear the level without getting hit. A Silver Star if you get hurt, but do not get a KO’d Kirby. A Bronze Star if you get KO’d, but do not lose a Kirby. I haven’t lost one yet, so I have no idea what is after Bronze Star.

Extras

There is plenty of content to keep players interested as well. The Medals I mentioned earlier can be collected to unlock mini games and special content in the Extras of the game. There are over 100 medals to collect and find in the game, and if you are as nitpicky as I am, you will replay a level again and again just to get all of them. There are Skull Keys and Keys help unlock special chests too.

The mini games are actually fun to play as well, with a pinball game and a whack a mole type game.

There is also a checklist that keeps track of special events for the player to achieve. I know quite a few people that play games just for the achievements, so adding this little feature was clever. This game will take you a while to unlock every mini game and find every medal, so get ready for a couple hours of fun!

Conclusion

Although this game is a ton of fun, it isn’t a game that is turn of the century. I give it four Reggies! Both my brothers enjoy it, and I find myself hiding my 3DS from them. The reason I am not giving it five Reggies is because it is a little repetitive. The precise controls, fun storyline, and lots of content make it worth the purchase.

There you have it. Two reviews about Kirby Mass Attack. Are you going to head to the nearest shop and get your own copy?