"Review from a long time Kirby series fan"

I've been a fan of the series since Kirby Superstar's release on the Super Nintendo, and no game has seemed to be its equal until now. Having played about every game in the main series, it is possible that this one could go down as the best one.

Story: 9/10

The story isn't anything in depth, but it brought a smile to my face. Its cute in a way. One day, Kirby was trying to enjoy a delicious slice of strawberry shortcake when suddenly, it was stolen from him! What does he do? He has to try to get it back! Along the way, he finds other treasures as well.

Game play: 9/10

For one, I must say that its great that 2D gaming isn't going anywhere anytime soon. With the current hand held generation, its as though 2D side scrollers were about to retire, but its games like this one that keep it alive, even fresh. The game play feels a bit odd. I was expecting controls similar to Kirby Superstar, but it uses the B button to suck in object, and the Y or A button to jump. It takes some time to get used to, but it isn't a big deal. The use of the stylus is almost non existent, but not every Nintendo DS game needs to(or should) use the stylus. Along with favorite transformations, it seems that a few new ones have added. A nice new touch is that some transformations have drawbacks, which you can find out on your own. The drawbacks aren't anything that make the game less enjoyable, but add a nice challenge. Certain treasures allow more customization, which is a neat little feature.

Graphics: 10/10

This is one of the most beautiful 2D games I've ever played. The colors are very vibrant, and nothing clashes. It certainly is a giant step up from what we had on the SNES or GBA. Very easy on the eyes, and it makes the experience even more of a pleasure.

Sound: 7/10 While there are some new tracks that I do not recognize, I hear some tracks that sound like they came from previous titles, and while that isn't bad, it doesn't sound like it was at all changed, remixed, or anything like that. Reusing tracks isn't a terrible thing, but not changing it up a little feels a bit lazy. Other than that, I can't find anything about the music that makes the game less enjoyable; it certainly isn't awful.

Overall, I give this game a 9/10. The replay value exists, as you can go back and get things you missed, or just play the game again. We can only hope for more excellent Kirby titles in the future.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/21/06