Gaming platforms rarely go out with a bang. But the DS, at least, can end its Nintendo-developed life with its head held high. 'Best of 2011' lists may star Mario and Zelda, and rightly so, but that's no reason to ignore a strong effort from one of Nintendo's second-tier heroes in this little gem.
It seems fitting that Kirby Mass Attack should arrive at the conclusion of Nintendo DS’ lifespan as one of Nintendo’s last major first party titles on the system. Together with Kirby: Power Paintbrush, which was among the first games to ignite the potential of touch control, it bookends the handheld’s time on the market with a pair of excellent, innovative takes on one of the company’s major franchises.
Kirby Mass Attack shouldn't be a first or full-priced choice. For me, it under delivered its concept and overstayed its welcome - but at very least, there's a few fantastic minigames to fall back on.
While I have my issues with the controls, Kirby Mass Attack is still a joy from start to finish. It might be frustrating, but it's worth the minor control annoyances to work through one of the last great games on the DS. If you loved Canvas Curse, you should get this game right now. It might not have the same mechanics as the early DS hit, but it has the same spirit.
Kirby: Mass Attack caught me off guard. A mixed bag of brand new gameplay mechanics and classic Kirby ambiance, the result was a package that felt familiar yet unexpected. But when you find out who comprised the development team behind this recently released DS gem (check out my full review here.), it all begins to make sense...
The highs handily outweigh the lows, thanks to a near-schizophrenic level of variety and metric tons of charm HAL Laboratory has included. Mathematically speaking, the sheer volume of Kirbys doesn't make Mass Attack ten times as good as any other DS title, but I'll be entirely damned if it doesn't make it ten times as endearing.
The core conceit of Kirby: Mass Attack was dreamed up by a complete lunatic. That's the only thing I can say about the game with absolute certainty. What sane human being would choose to eschew the time-tested formula of floaty-platforming and adorable mimicry that serves as the keystone for the franchise? Who, in their right mind, would swap that formula out for a bizarre, chimeric blend of the platforming, real-time strategy and mini-game collection genres?
That's not a condemnation of Kirby: Mass Attack, of course -- that sort of outside-the-sanity-box thinking also led to the creation of the magnificent Kirby: Canvas Curse. This latest aberration of the powderpuff series doesn't quite reach the heights established by that predecessor; but during those moments where its preternatural ideas work in tandem, it comes awfully darn close.
Brilliant level design, challenging gameplay, tons of replay value, and one adorable mascot (multiplied by 10) shows that Kirby doesn't need a 3D gimmick to host one of the best DS games yet.
Even if your attention is turned to the new generation of portable systems, it’s worth taking a step back to play Kirby Mass Attack. With solid touch-based control mechanics, a wealth of unlockables, and the classic Kirby charm, it’s another great first-party experience on a system full of them.
While there are a few extremely minor control issues that pop up from time to time, the touchscreen-only controls perform well, making the game an absolute joy to play. In truth, Kirby Mass Attack might very well be the closest thing to a Canvas Curse sequel we'll ever likely see and proves to be yet another extremely charming and engaging Kirby adventure.
It's been awhile since Kirby's had a traditional, platforming, enemy-devouring adventure. If that's what you're waiting for, you'll have to wait longer, because Kirby: Mass Attack for the Nintendo DS marks a decided deviation from the Kirby we know and love. But this touch-only adventure will still surprise you with the sheer amount of fun it provides, and with how well it manages to capture the feel of the Kirby universe, even while lacking most of the pink puffball's gameplay staples...
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Silly me. I thought the main draw of Kirby Mass Attack would be Kirby Mass Attack. Nope. The main mode of what I assume is Kirby's final game on the sunsetting Nintendo DS—the mode that gave this game its name—is a decent experiment in controlling 10 pink puffballs at once in a side-scrolling adventure. More »
For anyone that remembers Kirby to be a kids' game, or one that doesn't offer up enough challenge for more seasoned gamers, they should give "Mass Attack" a chance. With an increased difficulty, and some unique gameplay mechanics, this game sets itself apart from its predecessors. While it is still missing some hallmarks of the Kirby franchise, "Mass Attack" is both a fun and rewarding experience for a platform that appears to be in its twilight.
Mass Attack feels like a culmination of everything Nintendo has learned from Kirby over his entire handheld heritage, resulting in one of the most refined portable games I’ve played in years. If you’re looking for a polished adventure playable in bite-sized chunks, few games will serve you better than Kirby Mass Attack.
