Kirby Star Allies | Switch Review

March 26, 2018 Scott Clark

Kirby has always been a series I watched from a distance but never adored like so many others have. I’ve always been a fan of platformers for certain, but I tend to gravitate towards the more challenging entries. Keep that in mind as you read my thoughts on Nintendo‘s latest game featuring the pink ball of fluff. Kirby Star Allies is a well-made game for fans of the franchise. But as you’ll read, it’s very much a game that is not for me. If you’re a fan of the previous games featuring Kirby, however, this should be right up your alley.

The first positive thing I can say about Kirby Star Allies is how vibrant and beautiful this game looks on the Switch. The color palette is just as distinct as previous Kirby games, but they pop even more in HD. It’s very visually pleasing to watch, especially when you’ve got a flurry of animations happening at the same time.

That also brings up my first concern with this title. As the title of the game suggests, Kirby is not alone on this adventure this time around. Instead of merely inhaling his enemies and taking on their abilities, he can now make “friends” with them by throwing a heart at them. Once he does this, the enemy joins his party as a AI-controlled character who fights alongside him. Up to three allies can join up, adding a level of depth to the gameplay formula.

While this concept may sound like a welcome one, it adds a bit of chaos to the gameplay that might frustrate some. Remember playing 4-player co-op on Super Mario Wii U? It’s kind of like that, just not quite as frenetic. It makes it very difficult to see your own character amidst a jumble of other characters. This also adds a multiplayer element that adds an element of fun for people wishing to play the game with a friend.

Another refreshing aspect of Kirby Star Allies that I appreciated are the amount of secrets there are to unlock. The game offers an overworld map with branching paths, much like in Super Mario World. If you’re a fan of that game, you’ll probably remember the joy of finding keyholes that opened up secret levels. Kirby’s latest entry follows a similar model. But instead of searching for a key to unlock a path, you’re trying to find the right combination of allies to access an area of the level. These “puzzles” are very clever in design, but amount to a simple trial-and-error method of combinations instead of twitch skills for which platformers are known.

My biggest frustration with Star Allies is the sheer lack of challenge. I understand that I’m probably not the target demographic for this series anymore. However, I even found the bosses a joke to pass. I never once even came close to depleting all of my health, even when I just stood next to a large enemy spamming whatever attack I had at the ready. I’m all for an easy game on occasion, but I had pretty much no motivation to keep moving forward.

Kirby Star Allies Final Verdict

It should be pretty obvious that I wasn’t a huge fan of Kirby Star Allies, but this title still has that Nintendo brand coursing through it veins. It’s highly polished, charming, and offers plenty for fans of the series. While it won’t attract first-timers to the genre, it’s hard to call this an awful game. Bottom line: if you’re a fan of Kirby games in general, this one surely won’t disappoint. If you’ve never been a fan, this one won’t sell you on the genre.