The time has come: Kirby makes his debut on the Nintendo Switch with Kirby Star Allies! This 2D platformer plays as we are used to from Kirby, but focuses mainly on the co-op fun that the game offers. Does this game convince you and your friends? You can read that in our Kirby Star Allies review.
We love Kirby games. The pink ball hardly ever makes a mistake, and when it does, its sugar-sweet charm will surely win you over. Especially in recent years, it is going well with Kirby's career, thanks to great 2D adventures such as Return to Dream Land, Triple Deluxe and Planet Robobot.
With Kirby Star Allies a fourth title is added to this list, because this game basically plays exactly as you expect from a Kirby game. But like all previous titles, the game offers a brand new gimmick that still distinguishes the game from the rest.
In the case of Kirby Star Allies, the friends are helpers and the various friends who come to watch. This new addition focuses entirely on the multiplayer that offers the game.
You are not alone
Dream Land is once again attacked by a new evil, and the whole planet Popstar is in turmoil. Fortunately, Kirby remains unharmed during this invasion and even gains a new power: the power to win the hearts of his opponents!
With one press of the X-button Kirby throws his pink heart to an enemy so that he is in your debt. Kirby can have a maximum of four friends at a time. The friends all have their own unique powers, based on the many copy forces that Kirby can get. These friends will follow Kirby everywhere and help him overcome various obstacles.
This new mechanism is incredibly charming and smart, because not only is it a pleasure to see Kirby and his cute friends hard at work, but all these friends are playable too. At any time, one of your friends or girlfriends can grab a controller or joy-con and play along in the adventure!
You have to have it from your friends
Let's just drop in with the door: the co-op of Kirby Star Allies is great. As in previous games such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Kirby Return to Dream Land, the game encourages players to work well together. The player who runs Kirby has the most rights, because the game is fully focused on player 1. All other players can be as helpful or unhelpful as they want within the framework where player 1 is located. You can consider the co-op of Kirby Star Allies more as a support for player 1 than that each player plays freely.
This ensures strong teamwork, or the most hilarious moments among themselves. While Kirby can, as always, pick up all sorts of different copying powers, the friends can also take a different form of choice at any time by pressing the X button. This allows players to strategically choose which friend they want to be to help Kirby. This has been tackled very smartly, because that way you will never be faced with surprises and you always have the right strength to solve a puzzle.
There are countless copying forces in Kirby Star Allies. Old acquaintances return, but new powers such as Artist, Spider and Staff will also enrich Kirby and his friends. By combining the forces of Kirby and his friends, you activate the friends' forces. This brand new feature offers stronger weapons or original ways to solve puzzles.
The copying forces also vary the gameplay with special segments in which, for example, you rush through a level with a fast train or fly on a gigantic star.
Fine friends
Despite the fact that focus is on the multiplayer, Kirby Star Allies is of course also just playable for one player. The computer then controls Kirby's friends. They do not even react very stupid and will quickly do what you ask of them. It is even possible to deactivate the friends any time if you prefer to go out with Kirby alone. This has its advantage, because when you only play with Kirby, the level of difficulty of the game is slightly higher. Which is nice, because the game itself is very simple.
When Kirby is surrounded by computer-controlled friends, they will respond to everything they are programmed to do. When you fight against a boss, the friends fall behind each other. There is little strategy and some bosses can even be defeated by letting Kirby do nothing while the friends do all the work.
This sometimes feels a bit too easy, especially since Kirby games are generally not known for their difficulty. The game reacts smartly here by giving you the option to deactivate all your friends and to confront Kirby just before the fight with an end boss.
Fun and charming
Kirby Star Allies offers about 50 levels in a few game worlds. Although you have seen the end of the main adventure within 7 to 8 hours, the game offers a giant post-game that is definitely worth going through. In addition, there are numerous collectibles, such as puzzle pieces that form puzzles based on Kirby's previous adventures. Kirby Star Allies also offers two mini-games based on concentration and timing, but they do not have enough depth to really linger. Think of it as a bonus.
Kirby Star Allies is certainly not the hardest game currently available for the Switch, but one of the best. Kirby games have always had a lot of charm, but now the colors of your screen splash in HD. Kirby Star Allies is truly a joy to watch! The character models have succeeded so well that it sometimes seems like you are watching a CGI animation.
Kirby Triple Deluxe and Planet Robobot already surprised fans with a lot of fan service in the form of great remixes of older Kirby pieces and recurring characters, but Kirby Star Allies goes even further. King Dedede, Meta Knight and Bandana Waddle Dee are all three unlockable as playable friends in the game, and at the end of this month veterans Rick, Coo and Kine, Marx and Gooey will be added as free DLC!
Conclusion
Our pink little friend has kept us entertained for over 25 years, and with Kirby Star Allies we have now added another fantastic game. Kirby Star Allies is a wonderfully charming game as we are used to from Kirby, but it does just a bit less crazy than Kirby Planet Robobot. Nevertheless, the game offers a gigantic co-op sensation. A must for all Switch owners who are looking for the most charming platformer of the year.
Gather your best friends because Kirby Star Allies is available in shops now!
Pros
➕ Kirby's debut on the Switch!
➕ The co-op is fantastic
➕ Combining forces is a lot of fun
➕ Many different playable characters
➕ Graphically impressive
➕ Great soundtrack
➕ Extensive post-game
➕ Already free DLC is coming!
Cons
➖ Main adventure something on the short side
➖ Mini games are not that exciting
➖ Computer-controlled friends are often too easy
➖ Slightly less creative than Planet Robobot
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