The story of Kirby Triple Deluxe is a strange one that sees the little pink sucker heading up a magic beanstalk and into another world to rescue friend/antagonist King Dedede. Kirby will do battle with a strange creature named Taranza to get his friend back, and he later battles against Queen Sectonia to eliminate the beanstalk and return Dream Land back to normal. The storyline has some good humor, even if the narrative is created with younger gamers in mind. Kirby fans will enjoy the new storyline and can look forward to running into some familiar faces while playing through the main campaign.
Kirby Triple Deluxe does a great job with level design and creating some nice platforming puzzles. Each new stage feels different from the previous level, and there are a few missions that stand out, though the final boss fight sticks out for being a letdown after such an exciting adventure. Gameplay in the new title is still similar to other releases in the series with Kirby sucking up enemies to gain their abilities, and the pink protagonist can float and fly his way out of danger when need be. Kirby Triple Deluxe also features some nice character design that adds plenty of new baddies for players to battle in order to unlock new abilities to use throughout the game.
Kirby Triple Deluxe adds plenty of new ideas to the series. Kirby can jump on top of warp stars to get transported to the back of levels and explore these new found areas for secrets or to find items needed to progress further into the stage. These fun sections are reminiscent of Donkey Kong Country Returns, but the idea works well in Kirby Triple Deluxe too. Kirby can also go Hypernova at times throughout the campaign to suck up very large items from the environment and move parts of a puzzle in order to progress. The Nintendo 3DS hardware allows for some other new features to be added to the game as well including using the bottom screen for browsing through menus or switching abilities. Even more impressive is the use of the handheld's gyroscope to add puzzles to the game that involves moving the system around to perform actions in the game. Each of these features are implemented well in the game and make it a much better experience for their inclusion.
Another great feature for Kirby Triple Deluxe is the hundreds of collectibles hidden throughout the main game. Players will typically find Keychains and other items off the beaten path. Keychains contain a piece of artwork from classic Kirby video games, and there are over 250 of this type of collectible alone. Keychains can then be traded online over StreetPass to help players acquire the entire collection. Players can also send powerful items to other players online and find Sunstones and other items in the actual campaign.
Kirby Triple Deluxe adds a fun new multiplayer game mode in Kirby Fighters. The game mode allows up to four players to battle it out in arena based fights. The game mode is very similar to games like Super Smash Brothers with each player taking a different Kirby form into the battle. The game supports Download Play, so players can even enjoy the mode with friends using only a single game cartridge, or players can choose to play the mode solo with AI enemies. Kirby Triple Deluxe includes other multiplayer modes, but these are much more forgettable and include King Dedede's Drum Dash rhythm mini-game, time trial Arena mode against bosses of the game and Dedede Tour, where players enjoy the entire game's campaign playing as King Dedede. Only Dedede Tour is worth playing for players that have already completed the main storyline, and the mode isn't nearly as fun as playing as Kirby the first time around.
The world of Kirby Triple Deluxe is full of colorful characters and fantastic level design. The kid friendly aesthetic may not be something every gamer will enjoy, and the game isn't terribly difficult either, but Kirby Triple Deluxe is a fun, casual experience that exudes a happy and relaxed vibe that helps players immerse themselves in the game. The game also features a charming soundtrack like fans would expect from the Kirby series. One other nice presentation feature allows players to upload and compare times for the Dedede Tour mode with online leaderboards that truly measures a gamer's skills at the game.
Kirby Triple Deluxe is a fun title that is a blast the first time through and includes plenty of collectibles to encourage playing the game long after it has been completed. The experience is strengthened by at least one incredibly fun multiplayer fighting mode, and the new game introduces several other features that should be a big part of the series moving forward. Kirby Triple Deluxe isn't a must own title for Nintendo 3DS owners, but platforming fans that don't mind the cute characters and environments are sure to love Kirby Triple Deluxe. Check out Kirby Triple Deluxe only on Nintendo 3DS today!
Kirby Triple Deluxe is now available exclusively for Nintendo 3DS and can be purchased for $29.99. Kirby Triple Deluxe is rated E by the ESRB for Cartoon Violence. For more information on the game, check out the official Kirby Triple Deluxe website.
Game Features:
- Local Multiplayer 1-4
- Suck Up Everything in Hypernova
- Tons of Collectibles
- Online Leaderboards
- Download Play Support
Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Nintendo
Available exclusively for Nintendo 3DS (reviewed)
Release Date: May 2, 2014
