Kirby’s Adventure holds a place in my heart for a number of reasons. First, it was the final game we got for the NES so it sticks with me more. Second, it was the first video game I ever bought with my own money, picking it up at Wal-Mart in Hastings, NE with a couple months’ saved allowance hot in my fist ready to spend. Third, every one of my siblings played and loved it, which meant I got to enjoy it through them as well. And lastly, it’s a breeze to play, making it a game I can pick up at any moment and enjoy without struggling to “get into it”. So, when I picked up my NES Classic last weekend, and right after I modded the ever living hell out of it, the first game I sat down with out of nearly 240 titles? You know the answer.
The last time I played through this game was in March of 2007, right after my younger brother got his Wii and downloaded this game on the Virtual Console (Nintendo is really making a mistake by cutting this feature from its Switch lineup, but, ah well). He went to bed after coming home from college, and left his console plugged into the TV. What do I play, the newest Zelda, or Kirby? You know the answer, in fact I’ve mentioned this many times over the years, many instances of which are included in this archive. I sat under a blanket until 1 or 2am and got 100% in one shot. It took two sessions, but I managed it again last weekend, without looking anything up and without having to retry any level more than once. To say I know this game front-to-back is pretty much a sure bet.
Right off the bat, though, the thing I’m going to comment on is the fact that this game immediately grabs my attention with how charming and fun it is. The worlds are colorful, the soundtrack is simple but catchy, and the enemy types and power-ups are varied (enough) and exciting to use. Sure, you’ll have your favorite level, song, and abilities, but all of them are interesting, unique, and never taxing. The sheer number of options you could theoretically have at any time with the combination of powers and levels is actually very impressive for its time. You can certainly use any power found in any single level, but if you want, you can go back to a level four worlds ago, get Tornado, and come back with it and really mess up a boss or challenge, or unlock a hidden bumper or item. None of that is essential, in fact it is rare that you NEED a power-up to progress, complete a level, or topple a boss, and when you do, it’s either heavily telegraphed, readily available, or – in the case of the final boss – a mandatory ability you can’t discard.
I could ramble about how much fun I have every time I take on the bosses, how fun it is to uncover new levels and secrets in the seven overworlds, the nostalgia inducing “black-and-white” level near the game’s end, or the incredible pulsing beat that accompanies the first half of the final boss fight (not to mention Butter Building’s theme, man). But all of that is overplayed. Really? Two moments of pure, blissful charm stick out to me after this playthrough. And they aren’t even major things or even really gameplay mechanics. They are simple details:
-The way Kirby will eventually fall face first if descending for long enough and the sound it makes when his face hits the floor;
-The facial animations of series antagonist Dedede during the cutscene when the Star Rod is recompleted and placed on the pedestal as well as his face in the opening moments of the Egg Toss minigame.
For the former, there’s no reason for it. You don’t take falling damage and it doesn’t add or remove anything from the game, it’s just a detail the creators put in there to be… cute? I guess? It worked. The latter? I don’t know why that matters to me, but it does. The cutscene with the rod and the Nightmare appearing is nice because it’s pretty much the only narrative moment in the game. But Egg Toss? #1 this might be my favorite minigame of all time (Triple Triad might take the cake, however). #2? The music and animations. I don’t know. But Dedede’s face during Egg Toss stands out – the confidence, the bravado. And then the defeat or victory (depending on your skill) shows in his animations. It’s an awesome touch.
This is hardly a review because you know I love this game. If you played it, you probably love it, too. It’s easy and a breeze and will take an experienced player no time to beat. But I’d be lying if I didn’t confess that, at a few points during this recent replay, I didn’t utter the phrase “this MIGHT be the best game I’ve ever played”. And, yeah, I mean… I was drunk and laughing my butt off having a great time. But still.
FINAL THOUGHT:
-Hey, also managed to win the stupid shoot-out minigame on my first go, this time, too. No small feat since I was never any good at that, before.
skylerbartels 