Kirby Super Star Ultra

"The best Kirby game ever made gets even better."

Kirby Super Star, known as the best game in the series by the majority of the fanbase, debuted many years ago on the SNES. Today, it's been ported to the DS, and lo and behold, it actually got better.

Gameplay
The Kirby game is simple, run from point A to point B, kill the boss, move along. During the level, you have the ability to inhale certain enemies which give you certain powers such as bombs, a sword, and a hammer to name a few. It's your typical progress through the level and kill the final boss type of thing, nothing special, right? Wrong. The gameplay is so engrossing and replayable it'll keep you hooked forever, at least if you're me.

The game consists of 19 total games, ranging from minigames to full out adventures. Everyone will find someone to love here, whether you want to just have a typical platforming game in Spring Breeze or Dyna Blade, a treasure hunt in The Great Cave Offensive, or a competitive Gourmet Race with a friend. There are many, many more adventures to behold, but every single one of them is done so well you'll keep coming back or more and more.

Graphics
They're typical of a Kirby game, cute and colorful. While this may seem kiddish to some, the fact that the gameplay itself is so engrossing and addicting puts that fact behind you. Nothing really to say here; they don't detract from the game. It's also worth adding that the backgrounds have been changed from the SNES version to the more recent backgrounds from some of the more recent Kirby games. The backgrounds remind me of Nightmare in Dreamland.

Sound
The sound, like the graphics, is typical of the average Kirby game; upbeat and happy music. It fits the mood of the game perfectly, and it's absolutely flawless.

Unlockables and extras
It's not hard to unlock all of the adventures at all. I had them all unlocked in a couple of hours and them beaten a little bit later. Yes, the games are short, but they're very replayable.

Another interesting tidbit is the 3d cutscenes. These did not come out as good as I had hoped for. The DS' video probably had something to do with the blurriness of the cutscenes. While the 3d cutscenes are easy to follow despite the blurriness, it would have been better to include the old SNES ones simply to bring back more of the nostalgia from way back when.

Lasting Value
This game will last you quite a long time, if not forever. It's the perfect pick up and play game that will keep you hooked for quite some time, even after you get 100%. I do not know what it is, nor do I know the words to describe it, but there is some sort of charm involved that makes the game so addicting and replayable.

Summary: Pros and Cons

Pros:
-Addicting, replayable gameplay
-Great graphics
-Sound fits perfectly

Cons
-Cutscenes are blurry
-Some gamers might get bored after a few days if they're just trying to complete the game.

Overall, Kirby Super Star Ultra the best Kirby game ever made heaps better. It adds new adventures, for one, and it makes the transition to the DS without any problems. Hardly anything was taken away from the original except for the Laser ability. None of the negatives I listed should detract from probably the best Kirby game ever made. If HAL was to make another Kirby game down the road, there's very little chance it's even going to come close to this one. It's just that good.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/01/08

Game Release: Kirby Super Star Ultra (US, 09/22/08)