Kirby rides a rainbow of colors.
Ever since the little pink puff arrived on the scene, I’ve had a fascination for “it”. I say it because to this day, I still couldn’t tell you exactly what “it” is. Yet Kirby is charming, and has offered players countless new adventures across a multitude of systems and with various gameplay designs. Kirby returns once more for a new adventure on the Wii U, and you’ll be drawing the midnight hours away.
This game has a very similar and simplistic concept, as all the Kirby games do. Something bad happens, and it’s up to Kirby to restore peace to the kingdom. This time, color has been zapped from his world, as Kirby takes off to recover what was taken. No one plays Kirby games for story though, and the gameplay in Rainbow Curse is no exception.
The visuals are amazing.
Platform: Wii U
MSRP: $39.99
Time to Beat: 6 hours
Multiplayer: 1-4
Price you would pay: $39.99
Fans of Canvas Curse will feel right at home. For those unaware, Rainbow Curse doesn’t play like the typical Kirby platformer. Here Kirby is controlled via the Wii U screen completely. Using the stylus, players draw rainbow platforms to guide Kirby across the screen and attack enemies. The idea of it sounds simplistic and starts off as such, but the game excels at throwing more complicated sequences at the player over time. Tapping on Kirby and drawing lines are the core elements of control.
Learning to dodge enemies, when to attack and how to move between objects thrown at Kirby, especially during the fun boss battles, will test players’ skills. Its unfortunate Kirby doesn’t get to suck up enemies as per the normal games in the franchise, though the few transformations do add just a tad of variation. Meanwhile, there are plenty of collectibles to find that will have players replaying levels long after they have finished their first play through.
These guys are shocked to see Kirby too.
Audio shines through just like in other Kirby games, with cute sounds and catchy tunes, leading to extremely hummable cuteness. The visuals on the other hand bring Kirby to life in a way we have never seen. Claymation is the style that Rainbow Curse goes for, and it’s one of the most visually pleasing and colorful games I’ve played in the last few years. It looks as if a Claymation Kirby was molded, filmed and then brought to live in a videogame. It’s extremely cute and pleasing to the eye, and one of the most standout reasons play the game, but it does unfortunately come at a price.
Kirby offers a fantastic experience for the amount of content it provides and the price. The only caveat is that you will be forced to play the game strictly on the gamepad, which is a shame as the beauty shines through on your TV screen the most. You can attempt to play while looking at the TV and I’m sure some folks will be able to get some semblance of accuracy doing so, but for most, it’s going to be a gamepad-only affair, and it’s a shame. Anyone watching you play via the TV will be able to enjoy the colors and superb visual style the game throws at you the best. If you’re ok with this, Rainbow Curse offers an extremely likable and fun stylus adventure for all ages.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
