Cert: 3
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Side scrolling, RTS

There are easy games, very easy games and then there are Kirby games. This time out the evil bad guy has divide Kirby into multiple parts thus weakening him from using his usual vacuum and devour attacks. You start the game controlling a single miniature Kirby but eat enough fruit in a level and you will be granted a new Kirby to control. Gain up to ten Kirbies and swarm your enemies into submission.

As a franchise the Kirby series has never reach the heights of Mario or Zelda and I suspect the main reason for this has been that it is the easiest of the Nintendo franchises to dismiss as "a kids game" with the cute pink main character and low difficulty. This is a slightly unfair attack as the series has never strove for difficulty. Besides, I have always found Kirby the best starting point for any new gamer and this entry is no different.

Initially, the game will seem disappointing as Kirby responds to your stylus and there is little fun or challenge in simply pointing at an enemy in order to get your little pink ball to attack remotely. The game even loses a lot of it's usual charm with Kirby being too small to be his usual cute self. The turning point comes when you are controlling a swarm of pink fury. Rabidly flinging your pink balls of doom at an airborne enemy and watching them pound it to the ground has a rather strange appeal. While a small Kirby is not as charming as a large one, having 10 of them act in unison does make up for that.

I would not describe any of the levels here as difficult but they are usually quite clever with hidden secrets that may give even veterans some pause. An experienced gamer will, however, have to create more challenges for themselves than simply playing through a level - for example completing each level with out losing a single Kirby. When a Kirby is damaged enough they will become a ghost and float away but can be saved if caught by another Kirby. It can be quite challenging when defending your living Kirbies, attacking an enemy and launching rescue attempts for the ghost Kirby simultaneously.

Ultimately though the problem is that although I can heartily recommend it as a good game, the very low difficulty curve makes it difficult to recommend as a 'buy' over a 'rent' - particularly at over 40 Euro. While I feel it a worthy purchase for my own catalogue, I will put this caveat down: Part of the reason I wish to own the game, is that I have a number of younger nephews and nieces who are starting gaming and I intend to let them play this game. Without that caveat, only new gamers or existing Kirby fans will get their monies worth here.

Rent or Buy: Rent
Graphics: 4/5
Gameplay: 4/5
Replay: 3/5

Overall: 4/5

Reviewed by: JP Gallagher