Review for Kirby Star Allies. Game for Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 16/03/2018
Nintendo is known to be a champion in surprising. At the last Direct, after several fairly lukewarm announcements, he made everyone scream with joy by revealing the arrival on Nintendo Switch of the new chapter of Super Smash Bros., which moreover will be released in the current year. So why shouldn't you give a chance to a game that didn't seem exciting from the trailers?
It would not be the first time that Nintendo hides a pearl behind a presentation that is not at the top, and in fact this is the case with Kirby Star Allies: what is apparently a simple pink ball game like many others but which actually has more than one ace up its sleeve. Developed like all games in the saga or almost, from HAL Laboratory, Kirby Star Allies was presented for the first time during E3 2017, but showing its definitive title only during a Direct in September 2017.
The release date is very close, but in the meantime a demo is already available on Nintendo eShop to allow everyone to get an idea.
Good hearts, bad hearts. Welcome to Kingdom Hearts Kirby.
As is almost always the case with Nintendo first party titles, the story is not something extremely important, but a mere excuse to present a certain type of gameplay. In this case, as soon as the game is started, we will be able to observe a mysterious figure in space that through a magic controls a strange negative energy in the shape of a purple heart, then sending it to Earth.
The effects of this energy in Dreamland are devastating: all the historical characters we have come to know and love are subjugated, losing control and acting only out of pure evil. King DeDeDe, Metaknight and the others have therefore become poor puppets, but Kirby for some reason is not affected by this spell and decides to save the world once again.
Kirby's Harem
The basic gameplay of Kirby Star Allies it doesn't differ from what the series has accustomed us to since the days of the NES. With a side view, we will move Kirby into what is an old-fashioned two-dimensional platformer. Now, as then, Kirby will be able to slide, inflate to fly into the sky like a balloon, and suck in enemies to shoot them away or to absorb their powers. So what is it that makes Kirby Star Allies a brand new and above all worth playing title?
Despite the disastrous situation in which Dreamland finds himself, Kirby has obtained a very powerful new ability: with the press of a button he will be able to throw a little heart at an enemy to cancel the effects of the dark heart and make him his friend instead (complete with a transformation of the outfit opponent). Kirby will be able to bring up to 3 allies on his side so as to form a party of up to 4 characters, who will follow him and fight together with him. Kirby's friends will be controlled by the CPU, but they can also be moved by human hands using the Joycons, so they can take advantage of a multiplayer in story mode up to 4 players at the same time who can move on the screen and use very powerful and different skills.
In addition to the multiplayer aspect, it is important to note that in Kirby Star Allies many puzzles to obtain treasures (such as puzzle pieces to be completed as if we were in the 3DS Mii Plaza) can only be solved by combining certain skills of the characters, and that then it will be important to use a strategy of variety between the powers in the field, rather than focusing exclusively on brute force. Using Kirby Spada together with 3 Duc de Zac might be tempting and reminiscent of the rounded Musketeers, but it won't get you far. Instead, having a Drain among our ranks will make us able not only to launch water attacks that can put out fires, but also to give our characters' weapons an elemental power that will increase the attack strength.
Sometimes we will also need a whole team based specifically on a puzzle: a Drip can launch a wave that can sweep away a Kirby Rock turned into stone, so that it can go and hit a switch which in turn will light a cannon fuse to be ignited necessarily with a fire element monster. The possibilities are really many thanks to the huge amount of enemies present in this title and, as if that were not enough, in some sanctuaries on the map we will be able to summon with the use of a scepter a Legendary Friend coming from old titles of the saga, first of all Waddle Dee, King DeDeDe and Metaknight, and then obtain more as they pass of time thanks to a support of free DLCs that Nintendo will make available.
Secrets and Minigames
Graphically Kirby Star Allies it's a joy for the eyes: colorful, well animated, with well made effects and patterns. To be a cartoon-style title, we found no flaws in this sense, and the audio sector only magnifies the joy of any fan thanks to revisited old songs and new tracks. Longevity allows several hours of story gameplay, as well as many mini-games to unlock and others available from the start (like an absurd meteorite baseball game), and the bosses present will not fail to amaze and make a tear shed to old lovers of the saga.
Whispy Woods is only the first of our old acquaintances to have been annihilated by the heart of darkness. Although they are not necessary to complete the game, there is also support for Amiibo: those of the Kirby series will unlock 2 puzzle pieces and some healing items, while any other Amiibo will only unlock one.
Kirby Star Allies is a real revival of the saga: after some titles that have taken off in a very tiring way, it is ready to take its revenge. It certainly can't be said to be a killer application, but if you own Nintendo Nintendo Switch this is one of the titles you will certainly want to have in your catalog. A platformer that takes full hands from the old but winks at the new, allowing strategies, incredible combo attacks, and above all a constant multiplayer up to 4 players. If you are still not convinced by the trailer, try the demo and get ready to save Dreamland once again.
► Kirby Star Allies is a Platform-type game developed and published by HAL Laboratory for Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 16/03/2018
