{"id":31641,"date":"2012-02-02T00:02:44","date_gmt":"2012-02-01T22:02:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/?p=31641"},"modified":"2012-02-02T00:07:27","modified_gmt":"2012-02-01T22:07:27","slug":"kirbys-adventure-wii-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/nintendo\/31641-kirbys-adventure-wii-review","title":{"rendered":"Kirby\u2019s Adventure Wii review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kirby is probably one of the lesser-known Nintendo characters in South Africa. I guess it\u2019s because it\u2019s so easy to mistake him for Jigglypuff from the Pok\u00e9mon series. Either way Kirby makes his second appearance on the Wii in Kirby\u2019s Adventure Wii (or Kirby\u2019s Return to Dreamland as it\u2019s named in the United States).<\/p>\n

In contrast to Kirby\u2019s Epic Yarn (2010) the newest instalment returns to the original concept of the Kirby franchise. There\u2019s no peculiar overhead plot that turns everything into cotton or paint like most of his recent appearances. No, Kirby\u2019s Adventure Wii is a traditional platformer where the main game mechanic is Kirby\u2019s ability to copy the powers of his enemies.<\/p>\n

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Traditional tracks<\/strong><\/p>\n

The plot in Kirby is very traditional too: a strange spaceship crashed and crucial parts needed to restore the ship are scattered across the levels. It\u2019s up to Kirby to explore each different area and return the various missing pieces.<\/p>\n

Luckily for Kirby (who\u2019s dragged into this space travellers\u2019 dilemma) he has two abilities to help him in his adventure. His first ability allows him to fly over short distances \u2013 a mid-air pounce if you will. His second trademark power is to copy his enemy\u2019s powers buy swallowing them whole.<\/p>\n

Yes; Kirby gobbles up whatever stands in his way and absorbs their powers.<\/p>\n

This means that Kirby can go from sword-wielding to fire-breathing simply by swallowing a fire enemy. There\u2019s a great variety of enemies in the game which implies that there\u2019s a great variety of powers for Kirby to use. Unfortunately most of the enemies and powers will already be familiar to fans of the series and there are not a lot of new bad-guys to swallow.<\/p>\n

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Control<\/strong><\/p>\n

Once Kirby acquired a power there\u2019s a wide variety of moves and attacks he can perform. While most of the button presses are intuitive to use, there are a few combinations that can be a little awkward to perform. The Wii remote is turned sideways (as has become the norm with side-scrolling platformers on the Wii) and this can be an awkward adjustment if you\u2019re not used to this layout.<\/p>\n

The game makes very little use of the motion capabilities of the Wii; now and again you\u2019ll have to shake the remote to perform a stronger version of Kirby\u2019s inhaling attack, but that’s pretty much it.<\/p>\n

A new addition is the “Super Ability” \u2013 a temporarily pumped-up version of its normal counterpart. These Super Abilities can be used on rare occasions and can take out multiple enemies and obstacles. Although Kirby basically becomes invincible when using these Super Abilities, quite a lot of thought went into it. When Kirby uses the Super Ability of the normal sword power he\u2019ll get a blade that\u2019s 10 times bigger than normal, for instance.<\/p>\n

Every time Kirby launches the attack a different blade and animation will be used; sometimes you\u2019ll get a sword, a dagger or even a meat cleaver. The wide variety and detail of the power-up system is one of the game\u2019s best features.<\/p>\n

The level design, while varied and colourful, can seem a bit boring when compared to other platformers on the Wii. There\u2019s not a lot that we haven\u2019t seen, and there\u2019s not a lot of challenge either. While the levels are longer than your average Mario level it can feel like you\u2019re just running
\nthrough a long corridor to get to the other side. Your biggest challenge will be the enemies and bosses in the way.<\/p>\n

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Playing with friends<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kirby\u2019s Adventure Wii features co-operative play for up to four people. Players can jump in or out of play by simply pressing a button on the Wii remote.<\/p>\n

The first player will always be Kirby and when Kirby dies everyone goes down too. The remaining players can choose between a different coloured Kirby, Meta Knight, Waddle Dee or King Dedede. Each character has their own abilities and weapons – but unless you\u2019re playing with Kirby, you cannot copy the enemy\u2019s powers. This can cause the other characters to take a back seat while Kirby goes ahead and finishes the level.<\/p>\n

Unlike Super Mario Bros. Wii, players have a shared life counter. This ensures that no-one has to sit a level out, but weak players can jeopardise the entire team.<\/p>\n

If one player finds a section difficult to traverse, his character can jump onto another character\u2019s back and get carried across the level. This is a great mechanic for parents to help their younger children through a level. Playing with friends and family is loads of fun and is a great way to play the game.<\/p>\n

As you progress through the game you can unlock a few mini-games by collecting gears hidden throughout the level. The mini-games offer 3 difficulty levels and are quite enjoyable. One game has you throwing daggers at targets by swinging the Wii remote and precise timing is essential. The games can seem a bit out of place and unrelated to the main campaign, but it\u2019s a nice bonus addition.<\/p>\n

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Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kirby\u2019s Adventure Wii might seem dull when compared to Super Mario Bros. Wii or Donkey Kong Country Returns, but it has its own old-school charm and appeal. In light of its great co-operative mode, it is best suited for parents who want to have something to play with their children.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t overlook Kirby\u2019s Adventure Wii as a kiddie\u2019s game, though; there\u2019s plenty of variety and Kirby\u2019s innocent charm has a way of creeping into your heart.<\/p>\n\n\t\t