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jpgamelog's Kirby's Adventure (NES)
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| [February 15, 2008 05:22:25 AM]
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“Kirby's Adventure" (NES)
GameLog entry #2:
GAMEPLAY
As I continued to play, I realized that what makes "Kirby's Adventure" special to me is Kirby and his game world. To play the game is to enter an innocent, delicate, magic circle that is quite enveloping. A world has been created here that exists entirely apart from reality, but that is as comforting as some fluffy dream you had when you were two.
Something I noticed during this gameplay session is that, unlike some of the Mario games for the NES, one could conceivably play through the game, unlocking levels as fast as possible, attempting to avoid (rather than vanquish) enemies, but a lot of the fun of the game would be lost to the player who takes this approach. I note that this is possible because so far, the levels have been much less restrictive in terms of moving from beginning to end than any of the Mario games.
DESIGN
There are seven levels in the game, and within each are multiple sub-levels that must be completed in a linear fashion to unlock subsequent sub-levels. There are also bonus games sprinkled throughout "Kirby's Adventure." One of the more interesting design elements in the game is that Kirby can steal his enemy's abilities (there are dozens to acquire). The other design element that I found succeeded is Kirby's ability to inhale an enemy, then spit him out in the form of a star that can destroy another enemy or break a block. The boss design is particularly inspired--Kirby must usually use whatever the boss is hurling at him against him by inhaling the object and spitting it back at him (giving the boss a dose of his own medicine).
Kirby can do so many things--fly, swim, jump, squat, slide--it's a wonder he manages to stay as round as he does. Actually, so many abilities--for Kirby, as well as abilities Kirby acquires from enemies--keep the game challenging, varied, and fun. This is a wonderful game.
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| [February 15, 2008 05:13:15 AM]
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“Kirby's Adventure” (NES)
GameLog entry #1:
SUMMARY (quotations taken from game manual)
"Kirby's Adventure" (1993) for the Nintendo Entertainment System, by general consensus one of the best games published on the system, is a platform game in which the player controls Kirby, who looks like a cross between Pac-Man and a creampuff, but cuter. It seems Kirby, along with other inhabitants of Dream Land, have been unable to dream of late. Upon investigating the cause by visiting the Dream Spring, which powers the Star Rod (it created the Dream Spring and is the symbol of Dream Land), Kirby discovers King Dedede (whose last name sounds like my childhood word for cookie, minus an extra "de") "in the middle of the Dream Spring, in place of the Star Rod,...covered with bubble bath." (Shocking, I know.) More troubling, Dedede broke the Star Rod into seven pieces, each of which he gave to one of his friends (who naturally must be Kirby's enemies). The goal of the game is to recover the pieces of the Star Rod, so Kirby can "return the sparkle to the Dream Spring so that the people of Dream Land [can] again enjoy their happy midday naps."
GAMEPLAY
I have played many NES games over the years, but I'd not been familiar with any games starring Kirby. I enjoy games that possess the imagination and perspicacity to avoid repetitive violence or nihilism, and "Kirby's Adventure" is such a game. It is whimsical and charming, and very cute. The designers of this game must love children (and their inner child) as much as I do; I imagine Kirby appealing to pre-toddlers and grandparents alike, reaching children even younger than another venerable Nintendo mascot, yes--Mario.
The gameplay so far seems like fairly typical Nintendo platform fare, which is to say--challenging. Controls are simple, but timing, as in most platform games, is crucial. The enemies are varied, and the game is enchanting so far.
Other observations:
As has been reported, the graphics of "Kirby's Adventure" are some of the best on the 8-bit NES. By 1993, when the game was released, the NES had been superseded by the SNES, had been on the market for nearly eight years, and developers knew how to exploit the full potential of the hardware. Kirby's game world is bright, colorful, and imaginative.
The music is eagerly whimsical, and is a big contributor to the innocent, upbeat tone of the game. It also does a good job of sticking in your head while you're playing, and sometimes while you're not.
This entry has been edited 1 time. It was last edited on Feb 15th, 2008 at 05:18:05.
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jpgamelog's Kirby's Adventure (NES)
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Current Status: Finished playing
GameLog started on: Thursday 14 February, 2008
GameLog closed on: Saturday 9 April, 2011 |
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