With the news E3 has given us on the celebrated celestial circle, many folks are putting in their two cents on the new game, the first home console puff platforming release since Crystal Shards, unless you count the agonizing five year stretch brought on by the other home console title (originally for Game Cube of all things). But, doesn't everyone want to know what Mr. Gobbo's thoughts on the matter are? No? No one has cared what I thought for a year now? Oh, well then... too bad. I'm doing it anywise.
No matter what everyone else says (not that I ever bother reading it), I just want to say "Thank you." No griping, no whining, no foolin'. I could not be more pleased with what I've seen so far with this latest unveiling of clips and information. Thank you, Nintendo, for doing your pink patron justice after a bleak and muttled decade. We've had let downs, dashed hopes, and grueling anticipation for a ray of light to brighten our day amidst a sea of black and horror. And there was also the absence of good ol' fashioned games to go with that adhorrable Kirby cartoon, too. Zing~! Back on point, I really just want to say-
Thank you, game makers, you have satisfied both camps. Whether a fan of the fast paced fury attacking blitzes like that seen in Super Star or one who craves the simpler and cuddlier aesthetics of the fan-dubbed "Dark Matter Trilogy", this game delivers. Copy abilities have multiple techniques within their own sets (which no one can blame given the greatly expanded memory and capacity of video games nowadays), and further destruction is even possible with those omnipotent ultra attacks. So, there you have your multi-faceted, wanton mayhem, but then we still see some hints of those less popularly celebrated titles.
Thank you for dipping back into the old rogues gallery. Foes like Como and Pacto make a long awaited reappearance. Hell, any reappearance I'll praise. With so many enemies, they don't need to make new ones. But, my joy goes beyond familiar faces since, in choosing these foes, they are siding with the round and bubbly kind of bad guy. Which, I guess they always are, in most cases. A case they weren't? Why, Super Star comes to mind. Many enemies there were laden with details and complexity. Just compare, say, GIM to Glunk. But, no, they're mixing elements, not just ignoring the other side's rich history. Well, almost every side, 'cuz-
Thank you for downplaying the animated series. The plot of the game is that an alien crashes on Pop Star, and his ship needs its lost pieces found. Note: Kirby is the native while this traveler is from another world, the visitor doesn't look a lick like Kirby to hint an extraterrestrial origin, and the space ship is honestly just a galleon that sails through the stars. It's nothing like Kirby's star ship or any vehicle seen in the show. It's exactly how you'd imagine space travel to be done in a Kirby game (save for the Warp Star Rocket briefly seen in Dream Course upon completing a course). All these could have easily been used to make references to or hintings of the show, but we see nothing, and I don't think any traces of this will surface when the title comes out. Thanks. Really. From the bottom of my heart.
I also love who our cream puff is with this time. Just seeing a shot of Kirby, Meta Knight, King Dedede, and -- ugh -- "Bandanna" Dee all running in unison with cake, cake I tell you, just hurtles the pink puff back to a time where he could be cute and taken seriously without scowling. It seems that they've been staying with this softer portrayal for the past few games, which is why I'm surprised. They're sticking with it~! In the intro video sequence, we see our hero frolicking with his former enemies. Each of these characters were seen and battled just two years ago in Super Star Ultra. Now, they aren't just on his side but actively his helpers. I was crushed when I found out that Crystal Shards was supposed to have the King, Adeleine, and the like as playable characters, so this rights that past wrong.
Kirby is pals with his once nemesis, as was sorta established through the chain of more canon-linked titles. This time, the king isn't scheming or even possessed. He's playing and, more importantly, not ordering monster. And Meta Knight? Well, all bad-assery falls to the wayside when you're running after a plate of sweets. He's not off to the side, brooding and misunderstood. He, too, is running through the sunshine with, allegedly, a smile on his hidden face. As for Waddle B., he needs some way to stand out from the enemy Dees. The last time he was a helper, he was the only Waddle in the game as the common foe was made into N-Z. You can't be the original, but the original with headgear works, too. He sure got a career boost, tho'. Rose from a debut to player helper in one game.
As for what copy abilities are in the game, how those ultra attacks exactly work, who the main bad guy is, how the player stacking carryover functions, or why the citizens of Dream Land are attacking Kirby and their King with no apparent evil influences, I don't know, have no clue, and can't wait to see.
... Now I can't stop thinking about the bad guys! What is their reason? Have they just grown tired of Kirby always beating on them and now just angrily attack him on site? Are they still holding a grudge at the King's past misdeeds? Do they feel that Meta Knight is overrated? Are they jealous that a Waddle Dee with a hat got promoted to a major role? Well... I dunno, but that's the best I can think of to explain why.
