TheChez.net

by Hydro033

Kirby: Canvas Curse was one the first titles to grace the now legendary Nintendo DS. It was a pioneer in using the DS’s unique capabilities. The capable team at HAL Laboratory (makers of Super Smash Bros. Melee) have made a very different type of Kirby game. Rather than relying on traditional platforming, Kirby: Canvas Curse stands out from the crowd in being entirely stylus controlled. The stylus-based controls were a radical departure from traditional D-Pad platform gaming found on handhelds, but Kirby: Canvas Curse showed that anything is possible with imagination and little touch of Nintendo.

Like most Kirby titles, Kirby: Canvas Curse features a terrible storyline. A stupid witch sweeps in, turns the world into a painting and turns Kirby into a ball. Now, it is up to you, the wielder of the magic paintbrush, to guide Kirby to conquer the wicked witch. Did I mention her name is Drawcia? Well, it is… The premise of the game involves drawing a rainbow path on which Kirby rolls. You can tap Kirby to perform a dash move. This dash attacks enemies, but enemies can also be alternatively defeated by tapping on them and sliding into them. Once Kirby takes four hits, he’s a goner, but keep in mind there are health potions about. The rainbow path is drawn by your magic paintbrush, which has limited paint, but do not fret because it refills very quickly. This little limitation provides quick thinking and develops some interesting game mechanics. As always in a Kirby title,you can absorb enemy abilities. Once an enemy with a power is defeated, Kirby can harness it to use it to his advantage. Such examples are bubble Kirby that allows flotation, spike Kirby that sticks to walls, fire Kirby that ignites and propels forward, etc. The number of abilities is pretty impressive and news one appear over length of the game.

The impressive worlds were filled with all sorts of traps, puzzles, switches, and obstacles. The mix and creativity of such things kept the game fresh. I became frustrated here and there, but I think it was a lack of ability on my part.  The 21 levels plus boss battles lasted only a paltry three hours of total gameplay. There are numerous subgames, time trial modes, and rainbow path games that add to the deal, but I was never a fan of such things. The added content boosts the package a little, but more levels could have been included. I did find that some levels were ridiculously hard compared to some other levels, which created a rocky difficulty progression. The game is presented in vibrant 2D graphics. All of the models, textures, and backgrounds look incredible. Not only did the level themes change, but the art style of each level did as well. I really appreciated this as it brought the game to life. The presentation was a little odd at times, but it cut straight to the point besides the lame half-assed story. The music is distinctly Kirby and rolls nicely with each level.

Kirby: Canvas Curse demonstrates the unique abilities of the Nintendo DS fantastically. It is an innovative title that took a huge risk that payed off in dividends. While it is not perfect, Kirby: Canvas Curse provides a fun experience. It is no longer in production as of this posting date, but be sure to grab a copy if you see one. It is an underrated gem that got swept by the wayside like many DS classics. More companies need to have some balls and attempt to match the product that HAL Laboratory produced.

My Cheers: Kirby: Canvas Curse provides an interesting twist on a Kirby title. It is refreshing, innovative and daring. The level-designs were cool, the power-ups were great, the game mechanics were solid, and the boss battles were a good change of pace (except Drawcia, she was totally lame).

My Jeers: The game was somewhat frustrating at times because of paint shortages. Some levels became randomly difficult. The checkpoints were far a few between and the limited lives made it even more frustrating. I had to replay many levels all the way from the beginning. I had to play the later levels quite a few times because of deaths and continues, but again, maybe I just suck.

Overall: I recommend Kirby: Canvas Curse. It is a great game that will dish out something new instead of the same-old same-old. The solid mechanics and vibrant graphics make this game a true DS classic. It’s still fetching around $10-$20 on eBay, which shows it has some underground following because the game was released five years ago. Check it out if you can.

3/4 or 0.75  Chez! (that’s like an 8.5/10, click here to see how the rating system works!)