Kirby Mass Attack

Kirby may look like a powder puff, but Nintendo's roundest hero shouldn't be underestimated. As Kirby Mass Attack for the Nintendo DS demonstrates, Kirby is still capable of beating up the bad guys, even when they go to crazy lengths to stifle the little fellow's appetite.

In Kirby Mass Attack, you control ten tiny Kirbys as they swarm through levels and over enemies in order to restore peace to the Popopo Islands. It's a fun and charming adventure that proves the Nintendo DS still has some push.

Developer: Nintendo/HAL Laboratories
Genre: Platforming
ESRB Rating: E

Kirby Mass Attack begins with Kirby enjoying the pink life on the distant Popopo Islands. Suddenly, the Islands are attacked by the evil Skull Gang and its nefarious leader, Necrodeus, who attempts to weaken Kirby's formidable powers by casting a spell that splits the squishy hero into ten little pieces. Necrodeus manages to snuff out nine of the ten tiny Kirbys, but the last Kirby escapes by following his heart, which is in the shape of a star (don't think too hard about this game's plot; you'll go mad). Thus begins Kirby's quest to pull himself back together and take down the cunning Necrodeus.

Kirby Mass Attack is controlled with the Nintendo DS stylus. When you hold the stylus to the DS's touch screen, Kirby's "heart" appears as the aforementioned star. Kirby follows this star faithfully, which is how you guide him through levels, and over traps.

But this game wouldn't be worthy of being called a "Mass Attack" if you were in charge of one piddly Kirby. Every time Kirby eats a certain amount of the fruit that's scattered around levels, a new little Kirby is spawned, and becomes part of the horde. Up to ten bite-size Kirbys can join the parade, and you're in charge of moving them all with your stylus. The more Kirbys you have, the easier it is to beat up enemies and move blocks, rocks, and other objects that will only budge when brute strength is applied.

Each level in Kirby Mass Attack has tons of secrets, items, and alternate paths to explore, so while getting to Necrodeus shouldn't take you very long, completing 100% of the game will take some time and dedication.

It's Satisfying to Play -- Most games have you defeat your enemies by shooting them with guns or magic, or by jumping on top of them. Kirby Mass Attack requires you to guide your little Kirby swarm on top of your enemies, where they'll automatically pound on them, and then deliver a final, killing slam. Sadistic as it may seem, it's a heck of a lot of fun to pour a Kirby army on top of a bad guy. You've no doubt seen nature documentary footage of army ants overwhelming a much, much bigger creature: Kirby Mass Attack operates on the same battle strategy, albeit a lot cuter.

It's Original -- If you're a bit put off by some of the trends in modern games, like guns, grey worlds, and gruff heroes, the colorful world of Kirby Mass Attack provides a nice retreat. The unique gameplay feels light-hearted without coming off as childish and immature.

It Provides a Decent Challenge -- Kirby Mass Attack is cute, but it's not a pushover. Its levels are deep, and defeating some of its enemies takes a little finesse. The game's boss characters likewise have a lot of endurance, and can be a challenge to beat. Moreover, each level ranks the player according to how well they complete their run. If you want a gold-star performance, get ready to put in some practice.

Good Graphics and Animation -- The visuals in Kirby Mass Attack are bright and clean, and the environments and backgrounds are full of life. The character and enemy animation is smooth and fun to watch.

Control Can Be a Little Spotty -- Controlling ten Kirbys at once isn't without its troubles. Occasionally, the game turns into a free-for-all with Kirbys puttering around everywhere and ignoring your direct orders. You can summon your brood by tapping the stylus twice on the touch screen, but this also pulls correctly-positioned Kirbys away from their tasks.

The Music is Overly-Cutesy -- Though the sound effects in Kirby Mass Attack are fun to listen to, the background music is sugary-sweet and might start cutting into your ears if you let it go on for long enough.

No Online Leaderboards -- Kirby Mass Attack puts emphasis on high scores and achievements, but none of them can be posted online, which makes your potential bragging rights feel a little hollow.

Kirby Mass Attack is a fun, solid game, and is strong proof that the Nintendo DS isn't down for the count just yet. The adventure gives you lots to do, tons to collect, and offers you many ways to challenge yourself. It's fun with Kirby, ten times over.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.