Kirby's EPIC Yarn Review (FINALLY)

5 days without a post and I've FINALLY finished my review for Kirby (been busy), so HERE IT IS:

I honestly can't think of another series that is so disgustingly cute, but yet SO fun to play. So when I picked Kirby's Epic Yarn the other day, I thought I knew what I was getting myself into.

#1) Gameplay: Enjoyability

The amount of happiness that shoots off the screen in this game is astounding. It's hard to find games that are just flat out FUN to play. Even jaded video game veterans such as myself, can't help but crack a smile as Kirby turns into a car and honks his way through the levels. Kirby's Epic Yarn is a legitimate joy to play. It's glad to see gaming be fun instead of serious for once.

Score:9

#2) Gameplay: Playability

Kirby's Epic Yarn plays the way that a platformer SHOULD. It's extremely easy to just pick up and play, even for people who've never played a Kirby game before. The only complaint I really have playability-wise, is there was never really a moment where I went "Whoa, this is HARD!" To some, that's a good thing, to others (Me), a bad thing. The lack of a real challenge didn't really bother me, because Kirby games have never really been difficult anyway.

Score:9

#3) Replay Value: Play Again?

Like most Kirby games, the replay value is based on both the collectibles, and how much of a Kirby fan you are. So this part is a bit up in the air depending on YOUR personal opinion of our pink little friend. But since this is my review, I'm doing my opinion, feel free to let me know if you feel otherwise in the comments. Anyway, I'm a Kirby fan (played through the game twice), and the game was fun but not "OMG I HAVE TO PLAY IT AGAIN RIGHT NOW" fun, so I've scored it as such.

Score: 7

#4) Replay Value: Extras

If you've ever played a Kirby game before, you know that theres tons of stuff to collect. Lots of hidden items and smaller treasures called Beads are scattered throughout the levels. More than once I caught myself striving to reach that treasure chest that was JUST out of reach. You can use the items you find to build a sweet pad for our favorite little buddy too! At the beginning of the game you get a little house that you can decorate with your precious treasures. Kirby goes out of its way to make you WANT to get all of the extra stuff. And if you're a perfectionist like I am, there's enough content to warrant another playthrough.

Score:8

#5) Graphics: Technical

I didn't notice any technical blemishes during my first or second playthrough. As in; AT ALL. It was pretty nice, considering that most of the games I've played during the past year have had SOME kind of issue in this area. Obviously the coding was done pretty meticulously, and I respect that.

Score: 10

#6) Graphics: Artistic

This game is absolutely BRILLIANT artistically. The Kirby universe has never looked so interesting!
More than once I was staring at the screen in awe as the world grew by itself to create new levels. Enemies actually unravel like they're made of yarn when you grab them. The way that patchwork elements of the world come together, create some of the most interesting artistic elements I've ever seen. A well realized world makes Kirby's Epic Yarn flat out fun to look at.

Score:10

#7) Sound: Effects

The sounds are cheery and make sense in context. The only real problem, was that some of them became a bit... repetitive over the course of the game. Not a BIG issue, but I'm here to nitpick so that's what I'll do.

Score: 8

#8) Sound: Music

When I heard that the music in Epic Yarn game was largely orchestral, I was more than a bit skeptical. So I was surprised (and overjoyed) to find that the music was actually as well written as the Mario Galaxy series. I'm not ashamed to say that some of the soundtrack may find it's way into my iTunes folder in the coming weeks. Color me impressed Nintendo.

Score: 10

#9) Story

Kirby's Epic Yarn is narrated by an ominous voice, that tells the story of Kirby and Prince Fluff (and their epic quest to save Patch Land). It plays out like a child's storybook, which, as far as I know is the intention. So Hal Labs and Good-Feel accomplished their goal in that respect. Is the story very entertaining? Not particularly. It felt like the only purpose of the stale narrative was to push the game forward into the next world. But Kirby has ALWAYS been like that.

Score: 6

#10) Bang for Your Buck

On the day of it's release, Kirby's newest game is selling for 50$ (which makes sense since it's a second party Nintendo title and all). I'll make this short and sweet. I've played a lot of games. Kirby took me about 8 hours to beat (not including collectibles, and the time I spent playing it with my friends). Total, I've probably put in about 16 hours, and don't regret it (two playthroughs). So it met my expectations on the enjoyment I would get out of a Kirby title for the price.

Score: 8

THE FINAL VERDICT

Let's be blunt here. Kirby is a cute platformer series, and has always BEEN a cute platformer series. So if you don't like what you see, stay away. It's pretty straight-forward. I like Kirby, so I thought the game was just as EPIC as the title implied. Here's hoping you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

THE OVERALL SCORE: 8.5/10 PRETTY DAMN GOOD

-A Gamer Who Rants