"One of the most anticipated DS games turns out quite well."

Kirby: Canvas Curse is a good new Nintendo DS game that really shows off the unique capabilities of such an awesome system. Many people may compare Kirby: Canvas Curse to Yoshi Touch & Go, a game that was released a few months previous to Kirby's release. However, this assumption would be false. Unlike Yoshi, Kirby: Canvas Curse feels like a complete game, while Yoshi felt more like the tech demo it started as. Kirby Canvas Curse is a great game that is sure to win over your heart.

Painting On A Blank Canvas

The graphics in Canvas Curse are decent, to say the least. The backgrounds are well-drawn and detailed, while the character and enemy models are merely okay. The platforms may not be eye candy, but they get the job done well. Everything else contained within the game is well-done, for the most part.
Kirby And The Supporting Cast

Each playable character is unique and plays differently than all the others. These differences may range from speed and attack, to health and size. Kirby is your basic, well-rounded character. With average stats, he is great at everything. Other characters excel in different fields. For example, King Dedede has the most health, but he is the hardest to control, is the largest character and sinks to the bottom of any body of water. On the other end of the spectrum, Metaknight has the least health, but the best attack and fastest speed. In total, there are five playable character, with each adding something different to the game.

The Sounds of Dream Land

Kirby's world has good music, that's for sure. The music creates a decent ambiance for the game. The sound effects are superb. There is also a Sound Test, which has many different songs and effects to listen to and sample. As well, without spoiling anything, there is a final unlockable that has great music contained within.

A Hero Sets Out To Save The World...

The story in Kirby: Canvas Curse is quite unique and while not being excellent, is fitting for a game of this nature. The story begins with Kirby having a walk. All of a sudden, a portal opens up. An evil witch named Drawcia begins to change Kirby's home planet into one big painting. Kirby tries to fend her off, but Drawcia puts a spell of Kirby and removes all of his limbs! While fleeing, Drawcia drops a Magical Paintbrush, which you somehow get ahold of. Kirby enters the vortex in which Drawcia fled, leaving you to guide Kirby through the painting and vanquish Drawcia so the world can return to normal. See, I told you the story is unique.

Painting Up A Storm

The gameplay in Canvas Curse is fun and unique. Throughout the 22 stages of the game, you guide Kirby around by painting ink paths for Kirby to follow. By tapping Kirby with the stylus, a spin attack will be executed. While this may sound simple, it is quite challenging at times. Each level is divided up into 3 stages, which is then further divided into 3 substages. The effects are awesome, including wind and water physics. To swim, you must continuously tap Kirby or put a guiding line of ink above him for the little pink hero to follow. The levels also contain boost pads, switches and colour-coded doors. To open these doors, you must make all three panels nearby the same colour as the door. Another major aspect to the game is powers. By eliminating an enemy, Kirby may sometimes get a power. These powers are very different from each other. For example, Wheel turns Kirby into a wheel, which speeds through the level and eliminates all enemies in your path. Stone turns Kirby into a stone, which helps significantly when in the water. Finally, another one of the many powers in Crash, which eliminates all enemies on screen and also pushes any unreachable switches. Along with trying to reach the end of the level, you also collect medals along the way. Each of the 22 stages has three medals, one per each substage. Collecting these can earn you unlockables, such as songs for the Sound Test, new ink types, new characters, more health and more. After completing each stage, you will play the Dash Jump minigame. You try to make Kirby go the farthest he can by using dashing and a limited amount of ink. For example, if you get 1056 inches, you will earn 100 stars. Every 100 stars you collect earns you another life. At the end of each of the 7 worlds, you must do a boss minigame. These are lots of fun, but fairly difficult at times. Paint Roller is like connect the dots, making you connect dots in the correct order to form pictures. Another boss game is Cart Run, which is a race against King Dedede. By collecting fruit, you can can increase your speed, but there are many obstacles in the way. The final boss minigame is Block Attack. Kirby bounces around, breaking blocks and hitting enemies, while you must prevent Kirby from hitting some hazards by drawing lines. At the end, you must face a boss, which is quite amusing and fun to play. At the end of the game, you must face Drawcia, who is very challenging and is the true boss fight of the game. It is so much fun, you will be losing many times, but not even caring. There is also Rainbow Run mode. This is where you go to complete each stage in two modes, Time Trial and Line Trial. In Time Trial, you race from the beginning to the end of a chosen substage to win medals. In Line Trial, you try to get from the beginning to the end of a substage using as little ink as paint as possible. Doing these earn you many medals. There is just so much to do in Kirby: Canvas Curse, that you will continue to play for weeks to come.

Game Over?

The replayability in Canvas Curse is extensive. To get 100%, you must beat all the best times on Time Trial and Line Trial, beat the game with all five characters, collect all the main game medals, beat all the subgames and get all 250 medals and all the unlockables. After that, you can still go back and try for higher scores on the Sub Games and Rainbow Run mode. There is just so much to be said and done, it is simply astounding. You should easily be able to log 30 hours into the game before you get bored.

To Buy or To Rent?

Kirby: Canvas Curse is a great game, a wonderfully conceived game with tons to do and see. It is definitely worth your money to buy it, so I suggest you do so now.

8 out of 10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/06/05, Updated 11/08/07

Game Release: Kirby: Canvas Curse (US, 06/13/05)