Many may have forgotten, when the Nintendo DS first launched seven years ago, it was in dire straits. Befallen by a weak game launch and even weaker follow-up support, many had written the system off as a failure (not terribly unlike the 3DS now). Then Kirby: Canvas Curse came out. It was widely praised for finally offering a full-featured game that, not only made excellent use of the DS’s then-unique touchscreen, but did so while offering an original and compelling experience. It gave the DS the jolt of life it needed to get off life-support and ultimately lead to what would become the most popular game system of all-time. So it seems fitting that, as we enter the DS’s final chapter, the system’s life is bookended by yet another touch-centric Kirby game...and it’s every bit as fantastic as its predecessor.

 

While Kirby Mass Attack borrows some ideas from Canvas Curse, such as guiding Kirby exclusively with the touchscreen, it takes it to the next level, and even sprinkles a little bit of Pikmin goodness on top. You see, poor Kirby has been cursed by the evil wizard, Necrodius, splitting the jolly puff into 10 smaller, but equally adorable parts. It’s up to you to direct this posse of pink puffs through a variety of levels, using only the stylus.

Here’s how it works: the Kirbys will attempt to follow the stylus wherever you tap it, even jumping over low obstacles that might be in the way. Combat is handled by tapping an enemy to make the Kirbys pile on and open a can of Dreamland-justice. If you need the Kirbys to get somewhere out-of-reach, simply have them grab hold of a warpstar by holding the stylus near them, then draw a path for it to follow. Finally, in times when you need a little bit more oomph, you can literally fling Kirbys into things with a swift flick of the stylus. Though the game does a great job introducing the controls, there’s still a definite learning curve to them; it probably took me about an hour before I truly felt comfortable, though it wasn’t much longer before I was directing Kirbys like the coach of the Dreamland NFL team.

Now managing your squad is one thing, but you have to build it first. You actually start every world as a lowly single Kirby. To build your squad, you’ll have to gather a set amount of fruit to fill a meter--each time it fills, a new Kirby is born! Now this isn’t a one-way street, as you can lose Kirbys too. If any of them take damage, they’ll turn a sickly blue color. If they get hit again, they’ll sprout little wings and fly toward Kirby heaven. Luckily, if you’re quick you can bring them back to life by flinging a live Kirby at them! You’ll often find yourself frantically trying to save your post-dead Kirbys, while trying to keep the pre-dead ones out of trouble. It can get hectic, but you always feel in control.

Needless to say, navigating a horde of Kirbys through each level is a rather unique experience. But as anyone knows, a platformer is nothing without compelling levels, and Mass Attack delivers those in spades, fully capitalizing on the ‘multiple Kirby’ aspect of the game. Throughout the game, you’ll find yourself constantly juggling Kirbys in an attempt to pass the game’s many obstacles, whether it's having enough Kirbys to weigh down switches or knocking down bulbous flowers by flinging Kirbys at them from the proper direction. But it’s the game’s more unusual gameplay situations that really leave a lasting impression. For example, there’s a dual-screen hot air balloon ride in world 2: On the top-screen is a zoomed-out view of the balloon itself and the various obstacles it needs to avoid, while on the bottom-screen is a close-up of the basket the Kirbys are riding in, which you’ll use to steer the balloon by shifting their weight back and forth. Beyond being captains of the ship, they’ll also have to deal with any enemies that may hop aboard. It’s chaotic, fun, and original...and the game is filled with more moments like these.

 

 

The boss fights, in particular, will truly put your Kirby-management skills to the test. One early encounter has you facing off King Dedede in a dual-screen duel, with him riding shotgun in a hot air balloon above. To defeat him, you’ll have to launch Kirbys into the timed-explosives he drops in order to deflect them back into him. You’ll have to time it right, otherwise they may fall back down before the bomb detonates. We’re ashamed to say many good Kirbys were lost during that fight...

What surprised me was how damn addictive Mass Attack was. You see, each level conceals several secret medals, some of which are hidden pretty deviously. Finding them unlocks extra goodies like several surprisingly robust mini-games, including Kirby’s take on a shoot ‘em up! In addition, you’re also given a bronze, silver, or gold rating on each level depending on your performance. Achieving a perfect rating requires completing the level without taking any damage at all--not exactly an easy feat, but one that kept me replaying even the earliest of levels several times. 

Just as Kirby breathed life in the Nintendo DS, he provides the system with the perfect closure, offering a unique experience that’s as addictive as it is adorable (seriously, Kirby angels!). Mass Attack feels like a culmination of everything Nintendo has learned from Kirby over his entire handheld heritage, resulting in one of the most refined portable games I’ve played in years. If you’re looking for a polished adventure playable in bite-sized chunks, few games will serve you better than Kirby Mass Attack.

 

Click here for our video review!