The Kirby series has always understood the value of keeping things simple. They have always been fun, colorful, enjoyable games that are easy to clear and hard to master. This has made for a series of reliable quality that in my humble opinion has always been underrated. Kirby and the Rainbow Curse follows the trend, and like most of the games in the Kirby series it’s a great game with some minor annoyances that keep flawlessness beyond its grasp.
In Kirby and the Rainbow curse you once again take on the role of Kirby, who is happily hanging out with Waddle Dee in Dream Land when a hole opens up in the sky. The hole drains the color everything, and stops everyone from moving. From the hole also falls a paintbrush fairy, who returns color to the two heroes, and takes them through the hole to the land of Seventopia so that they may stop the denizen responsible for the attack on Dream Land, the evil Claycia.
The first thing that you will notice when you turn on the game is the animation style used in Kirby and the Rainbow Curse; the game’s art style looks like a stop motion claymation cartoon. It looks great, and perfectly complements Kirby’s whimsical tone. The gorgeous style of animation also does not get in the way of the performance of the game, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is still smooth and responsive. The music contrasts the art style by being immediately familiar. When you boot up the game and Green Green starts playing, it is immediately familiar and brings back those happy feelings that Kirby games have always been able to pull off so well.
You do not control Kirby directly in this particular entry to the series, rather, you use the touch screen to guide Kirby through the level. Tapping on Kirby means he’ll do a rolling attack, which also increases his speed. The controls are intuitive, and they are often used in creative ways, such as having you block environmental hazards, or uncover hidden elements by using the stylus. They do feel awkward when trying to do something that requires precision, though. In those situations I wished I could just assume direct control of Kirby.
It feels strange that some staples of the Kirby franchise are missing. Kirby no longer sucks his enemies in to steal their power, and Nintendo clearly realized that some of that variety was missing. There are levels in which the fairy turns Kirby into a vehicle, such as a tank, and sets him loose to wreak havoc. They can be a lot of fun, and they have the most creative use of the Wii U touch pad making them a great break from the normal gameplay Rainbow Curse offers.
These themes do start to repeat themselves, though. For example, there will be more than one level where Kirby is transformed into a tank. There is also some repetition on the boss fights. Though the reappearances have some twists, the battles are largely the same. This repetition is not something that happens often, but the game is short enough, and easy enough to get through that it is noticeable when it does happen. The game’s brief length is mostly due to the lack of difficulty to get through the levels. In true Kirby fashion the real challenge lies in trying to pick up the collectibles in the game, not finish the level. In this case they place chests through the levels, some hidden in hard to reach areas, and others which require you to complete a special challenge to unlock. It’s a good balance. Nintendo understands Kirby is popular with younger kids, so the difficulty is accessible, but at the same time there is more challenge for those willing to seek it out.
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is not really a full blown Kirby game, rather it uses the formula of Kirby and the Canvas Curse, and the Wii U game pad to great effect. In terms of the experience, it’s everything you would expect from a Kirby game. It is whimsical, simple, and fun. The claymation style is gorgeous, and if you have children, this will likely be one of their favorite games. It does have multiplayer if you have extra controllers, so that is always a plus for families with more than one child. Despite being a little on the short side, there can be challenge if you want to look for it. While I have very minor complaints about the controls and the repetition on the bosses, $40 for this title is a steal. Go get it!
