302: The Perfect Puffball

[Tim Latshaw]

The Perfect Puffball

His games are as easy as he is adorable, but Kirby has endeared himself to all sorts of videogame fans over his decades-long career - even those cranky hardcore types.

Read Full Article

 

[Cool Welshy]

I totally agree. Even though it is strange to put something that cute and the word "hardcore" in the same paragraph; yet alone the same sentence, I know it's true.

 

[beema]

I've never actually played a Kirby game :/
This might be due to the fact that I've never owned a gameboy though

Those old game commercials look insanely quaint by today's standards... ahh simpler times...

Also I had no idea that "Doc" Jensen wrote game reviews! I used to read (or attempt to) his Lost recaps/ramblings. Dude can certainly write a lengthy article, so his 2000 word response doesn't surprise me.

 

[-Dragmire-]

I'm not exactly sure when everyone agreed that games came in 2 categories: casual and hardcore but it makes little sense to me.

I don't consider Kirby to be in either category, he sits nicely in the middle which is good because most people can at least call it mildly fun.

I don't include epic yarn in anything I say about Kirby because it wasn't a Kirby game, it was a game about a yarn world with Kirby thrown in to sell more copies. Guess Nintendo realized that Raggedy Andy wouldn't sell that well though it would have fit marvelously well considering the tone of the narrator. Kirby's uniqueness lay in gameplay mechanics, if you take those away then he'd be easily replaced by another ip.

 

[Siuki]

I've always loved the Kirby games. Since my first Kirby game (Kirby and the Amazing Mirror), I've stuck with the series. The games feel fresh and I could play Kirby Squeak Squad over and over again, deleting my progress and starting over. The challenge (or lack thereof) was not an issue for me. I understand a game should make you work for your progress, but isn't playing a game where nothing limits you just as good? Without difficulty, Kirby games provide only entertainment and no frustrating moments of rage or anger(unless you're really terrible at the game).

 

[DuelLadyS]

The bit about Kirby begging to be drawn immedately brought to mind many an old email with a row of dancing Kirbys across it for no reason (like these! v( " )v) There's far too much truth there...

Kirby exists in that rare spot of gaming where the fun outweighs the challenge (or lack thereof.) I certinaly hope he sticks around awhile.

 

[Darkauthor81]

I loved Kirby's Epic Yarn. It was so overwhelmingly cute and it was fun even though it had almost no challenge to speak of.

Some times you don't want to sit down with a game that punishes you with do overs and dramatic death scenes for every mistake. When I just want to relax, I play Kirby games.

 

[Tim Latshaw]

I don't include epic yarn in anything I say about Kirby because it wasn't a Kirby game, it was a game about a yarn world with Kirby thrown in to sell more copies. Guess Nintendo realized that Raggedy Andy wouldn't sell that well though it would have fit marvelously well considering the tone of the narrator. Kirby's uniqueness lay in gameplay mechanics, if you take those away then he'd be easily replaced by another ip.

I can definitely understand your reasoning. But when it comes to the other aspects of Kirby games I focused on--great controls, a pure platforming experience and creative inspiration--I have little choice but to place Epic Yarn on my list.

 

[PatSilverFox]

I thought you meant sushi cat.

 

[-Dragmire-]

I don't include epic yarn in anything I say about Kirby because it wasn't a Kirby game, it was a game about a yarn world with Kirby thrown in to sell more copies. Guess Nintendo realized that Raggedy Andy wouldn't sell that well though it would have fit marvelously well considering the tone of the narrator. Kirby's uniqueness lay in gameplay mechanics, if you take those away then he'd be easily replaced by another ip.

I can definitely understand your reasoning. But when it comes to the other aspects of Kirby games I focused on--great controls, a pure platforming experience and creative inspiration--I have little choice but to place Epic Yarn on my list.

That's the problem, in my opinion, there a ton of platformers out there due to it being among the first gaming genres to be created and making one that controls properly/well is not anything out of the ordinary, in fact it's noteworthy when someone screws it up. Gaming companies have long since known this so in order to be seen amongst all the other average platformers they need a core gameplay mechanic to appeal to the consumer. Without it, it still plays fine but so does every other move-right-jump-over-pit-jump on/shoot/slash enemy-reach-boss-in-locked-room find out the princess is in another castle or whatever.

My issue with Epic Yarn is not that it's bad, I found average, it's that it doesn't feel like a Kirby game at all. To me, it's like making a Megaman game where you don't get the enemy boss' power. There are many platformers out there, I bought Epic Yarn to play a unique platformer that gave a variety of playing styles depending on the power Kirby absorbed, but instead I got an overpriced bland 5 hour waste of time that would not have wasted my time had it not been a Kirby title.

 

[luigiisawsome85]

I really do not see how one could really hate him / it (Kirby is assumed to be male)

 

[AetherWolf]

I thought I was the only one who drew Kirby on my school work! Kirby as a Portal turret is probably my favorite creation. :]

My first experience with Kirby was playing Kirby Super Star on an SNES emulator. I was 14, and the series quickly became one of my favorites... I think that says something about the series' appeal. Wasn't a fan of Epic Yarn for reasons stated on this thread, but I hope they make up for it with the Wii title in the works.

Captcha:

The fuck is this shit.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I still remember the invincible lightbulb shooting fish combo years later...

I love you, Kirby.

 

[Rogue 9]

I can't quite say I'm a lifelong Kirby fan, but I come fairly close. The very first game I owned was Kirby's Dreamland on my Green Gameboy back when I was 7, over 15 years ago.

I haven't played Epic Yarn yet, as my Wii has spent a pretty long time now adding to its dust collection in my cupboard while my Steam library grows, but getting the remake of Super Star for DS last year brought back many happy memories, so Kirby is still close to my heart.

 

[Mr. Fister]

I recently went on a bit of a Kirby binge, and it helped me to realize just why it remains a popular franchise. It's absolutely not ashamed of what it is or what it does, and it's just filled with little details and polish to it to make it so endearing.

I'd like to get a Kirby plushy doll at some point so I can pinch his adorable cheeks whenever I want.

 

[Tim Latshaw]

I'd like to get a Kirby plushy doll at some point so I can pinch his adorable cheeks whenever I want.

[http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v156/TriptychR/?action=view&current=kirby2.jpg]

He's also the perfect hat model.

 

[Mr. Fister]

I'd like to get a Kirby plushy doll at some point so I can pinch his adorable cheeks whenever I want.

[http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v156/TriptychR/?action=view&current=kirby2.jpg]

He's also the perfect hat model.

Amazing. However, I may have found something even better: A Kirby cake!

He looks so sweet, I would literally eat him right up. But then I'd feel immensely guilty afterwards.

 

[Sylocat]

Ah, I love the fanart of Kirby's copied-forms of characters from other games/genres/mediums. They usually wind up looking like just "chibi" versions of those characters, but when done well, they're really charming.

One of my favorites was a Haruhi Suzumiya Kirby... and that made me think that if Kirby really did manage to copy Haruhi's God-powers, he might create a world similar to Patch Land.

(of course, my personal theory about the Haruhi-verse is that it isn't really Haruhi who is unconsciously a god, but Kyon...)

 

[Gamer234]

I love how that guy in the article said how bad Kirby games were and just got reamed for it! There are so many hardcore Kirby fans out there. I think it's great. I remember first playing the Kirby games on my Gameboy. My mom would always yell at me through my headphones [http://www.klipsch.com/headphones] and I would just pretend not to hear her because I was so caught up in the game! Don't get me wrong, I love my mother to death, I was just really excited about these games when I was a boy. I may have to go find my old Gameboy now and give one of these games a go again!