|
|
:: Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land for GBA Review |
There’s a lot of hype around the new Kirby game for Game Boy Advance, considering Kirby hasn’t starred in his own game for awhile. This in consideration, Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land will be both exciting and disappointing to fans. This game is pretty much a remake of Kirby’s Adventure for NES. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Decide after reading this (and, of course, playing the game).
Graphics: Oh man, the graphics in this game are to die for. The vivid use of color and the large amount of sprite animation is amazing. Kirby himself must have over 100 frames without any powers! Pretty impressive. It’s also calming on the nerves to just watch Kirby carelessly stroll through the levels, and the cool animated intros to each new stage liven up the mood. All this, not mentioning the realistic backgrounds and special effects, make this game some sweet, sweet eye-candy.
Sound: Veteran Kirby gamers know that Kirby games are known for happy, bouncy music that stays in your head for days. If you like it this way, you will not be disappointed. There are approximately 50 different songs in this sound track, and they all have that extravagant Kirby flare. Most music is improved themes from Kirby’s Adventure, but they’re well done.
There are also similar sounds that lull you into a sense of belonging if you’re a big Kirby fan, such as the trademark sound of Kirby sucking up an opponent. Kirby’s voice has been mixed in this game a bit, a voice that matches the TV show.
Game Play: Now here’s where this game starts to go a little downhill. The game play is traditional yet boring. Another classic side-scroller in which you walk through, stealing abilities, defeating enemies in one shot and practice your timing with the trampoline bonus game at the end of each level. It’s been done, but hey, it’s just how Kirby games go.
I can’t help but wonder what a 3D, free-roaming Kirby game would be like, but my imagination will have to continue to supply me with ideas. What picks this game up a bit is the multiplayer option, in which you and up to three friends can link up and fight Dedede’s soldiers as a team. This option brings back memories of Kirby Super Star for the SNES (still my personal favorite Kirby game), but I highly doubt you could possibly need THAT much help, considering how simplistic this game can be. Though Kirby games are usually simplistic in nature, they always seem to have some variety to them in terms of different powers. This game flaunts over 20 different abilities to choose from, but again, they’re all the powers you could get in Kirby’s Adventure.
Extras: This game also has some pretty chilly minigames. They include Bomb Rally, a game played with cooking pans and a bomb (looks like 4-way tennis, plays like hot potato). Then there’s Kirby’s Air Grind, in which you ride your Warp Star, stopping and accelerating over spiky areas. Finally, there’s the classic Quick Draw game in which you and an opponent stare each other down, waiting for a signal to strike. The first person who hits A quickest after the signal is shown wins. Other than minigames, there are a few more cool extras, but I won’t spoil it.
All and all, Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land was refreshing. Even if you’ve played and beaten Kirby’s Adventure, it can still be fun and amusing. I rate this game 7 out of 10 stars. It would’ve gotten higher if it wasn’t just a copy of Kirby’s Adventure. Should you buy it? I recommend renting first. This is Derek Starshot, signing off.
|
| Reviewed by Derek Starshot ::
|
|
