"An innovative joyride that you won't mind having taken."

When thinking of gaming in 2001, what comes to mind? The release of Metal Gear Solid 2? The release of the Game Boy Advance, Xbox, and Gamecube? Well those were all massive releases in their own right, but one little game that seemed to be forgotten was Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, a great game released in April of 2001 from Nintendo. When you think of Nintendo, the first thing that probably comes to mind is a product of fantastic quality, which this game definitely is the work of geniuses. When I first heard about it I knew I would buy it the second it was released, and I'm happy that I am happy I made said purchase, even six and a half years later. The game is innovation at its finest and little did we know that the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii would follow in the near future. The whole catch is that you have to tilt the game cartridge to move Kirby around the game world, which seemed at first as possibly a gimmick, but the implementation was too fantastic to be considered so. At the time it was the most innovative game I had ever played. The graphics were a pleasure to look at and the audio was upbeat and memorable. It was an awesome example of what the Game Boy Color could do and, coupled with the Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Seasons games, provided the Color with a wonderful farewell as the Game Boy Advance hit stores.

The game features some of the best graphics on the Game Boy Color. They are incredibly bold, bright, and beautifully colourful. They were tough to match at the time. The backgrounds are nicely detailed and a feast for the eyes. Items and objects are detailed and looks relatively dazzling. Don't be surprised if you find yourself shocked at the immense detail in comparison to games released around its time.

The audio is Incredible, to say the least. The music is insanely catchy and always upbeat. The sound effects are even well-done and add a lot to the experience. Most games should take an example from Kirby, as it sets an example of the standard of audio quality most games should meet. From Kirby's noises that are made while jumping to the varied music for each stage, you are sure to not be dissapointed.

Three words sum up Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble perfectly: Fun, Innovative, Varied. The gameplay is by no means absolutely perfect, some moments will undoubtedly be frustrating with certain moments when the censor won't work how you want it to, but it's hard to be harsh when the censor does its job surprisingly well. The cartridge is surprisingly small for having such great abilties to tell how you tilt the Game Boy Color. The main goal of the game is to progress through stages by rolling to the end, while avoiding obstacles and battling enemies, all while steering Kirby by tilting your handheld. It is surprisingly intuitive and easy to learn, but hard to master. While looking for the exit portal, you'll surely run into many items, enemies, and other dangers, but you'll have fun all the way through. One of the main collectables is stars. Some stars are normal, which help work towards gaining lives, while some are for playing mini-games after you complete the stage. The game really makes you work carefully because there are plenty of thin crosswalks that you must cross (at your own risk, of course). One small mistake and it's sayonnara to your loveable pink pal.

The plot for the game is obviously mediocre and nothing special, but that is not why people play Kirby games. Like most Kirby games, Dream Land is overtaken by evil and all of the stars have been stolen, so Kirby sets out to get them back. You can't blame him for being angry, all he wants is some peace and quiet for once in his life. Is that too much to ask?

There are some reasons to replay the stages, but mostly the only reasons would be to play hard mode or to play mini-games you previously missed. Whatever it is, you'll also want to play through the game again for sheer enjoyment. It feels like a fresh experience each time, regardless of how many times you played the game previously. There's no limit to the possibilities of what to do in each stage.

Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble is by no means a terribly long game, but you will get many hours of enjoyment out of it regardless. It will take a while to beat the game the first time because the difficulty is ramped up about halfway through. This never makes the game insanely outrageous to complete, but there are some parts that are definitely frustrating. You wil lfind yourself repeating levels multiple times possibly. There are also incredibly well-designed mini-games to play afterwards, which extend the replayability even more.

Overall, Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble is a great game that is unique and one-of-a-kind. There is no experience like it on the Game Boy Color and you will not regret checking it out. Even though it is currently over six years old, there is still a lot of fun to be had in the game. Kirby games have an undeniable quality about them and this game is no exception. There is no denying the charm and upbeat nature the game conveys throughout. It's an experience unlike anything you've seen before and people still wanting to get some usage out of their Game Boy Color should definitely check it out.

9 out of 10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/28/03, Updated 11/08/07

Game Release: Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble (US, 04/11/01)