Topic: Kirby: Star Allies

Got my copy from Amazon in today.

First impressions: It looks beautiful (if a bit stylistically generic), gameplay is fun (I limit myself to one helper, unless a puzzle requires more, and shed them before a boss to fight them one on one), and I've played Waaay too much of the asteroid mini game (got a high score of 9863 light years).

So far I've completed the first world with everything collected.

I think there might be some form of boss scaling depending on the amount of players. When I fought Meta Knight alone he only created two copies of himself instead of the four seen in trailers against a full team.

I got this game but have not opened it yet, I don’t know how I feel about all of those ‘CPU’ health meters at the bottom when you’re trying to play by yourself...

So...this game kinda wraps something up.

So far the game is fun, but not great. And yeah, its super easy. To give a idea: I pressed the wrong button at the end of level bonus-game and still managed to get to cloud 2! What the....?!

I hope I'm wrong, but I think I've already arrived at the final world, Jambastion. If I'm right, that'd probably put the core adventure at about half the length of Planet Robobot's. I was kinda getting that feeling as well since other than world 2, there's been more than one boss level per World. Hopefully I'm wrong though.

Otherwise it's great fun though, and I even think the generic feeling goes away after the first world. World 2 in particular is very diverse. ESP is as fun as ever, and I really like Cleaning Kirby (the calico cat that pushes Kirby along like a wash rag is just too adorable). Jambastion looks so cool and would be totally intimidating as a kid. I can just see the awe on a kid's face who's playing this as one of their first games.

Anyhow, I just finished the fight with Francesca (didn't spoiler tag since they officially unveiled her in a pre-release trailer).

@RR529 You are wrong.

Okay guys I have been on the fence about this forever and I can't decide whether to go for this or not. I tried the demo and I liked almost everything about it would be in an instant purchase for me if it wasnt for all the team mates!! I know everyone has had something to say about this after the demo but now it's out in the wild can people tell me whether it is a big issue?? I find the screen over crowded and that they just seem to want to do everything. I know you can set self imposed limits based on whether there essential for a puzzle but I obviously don't know how many that is on an average level. Anyone like to recommend this for me despite team mate issues??

Honestly its a non-issue. Characters that can become team-mates are pretty much accessible at the puzzle points anyway, so if you really want to go solo just collect them for the puzzle then unfriend them as soon as it's done.
Currently on world two and I'm having fun.

^Yeah, just finished up Jambastion, and arrived at the next world.

Also, even IF this one turns out to be the last one, and I'm not so sure, that mothership behind the barrier could be the final world, if it's not a level, the amount of extra levels within a world is higher than the amount of extra levels in PR, so things look like they'll even out overall.

And I must say, this game has the best world maps ever.

If you have one extra player, I see almost no point entirely to the allies. So far everything has been incredibly fun, and my second player got used to the controls quickly even though I offered to change it to the second option. Do wish there were more collectables in the levels, the level designs are fine but Kirby design is interweaved with collecting imo.

Happy I didn't waver, its not gonna top Robobot I can already tell but just because its not the best in the series doesn't mean jack.

Just beat the main storyline, and yes, this game is insanely short, but not as short as @RR529 thinks. I was utterly shocked when I got to the final boss as soon as it is.

FYI,

Although it does look like there's some post game content in Story Mode. Checking that out now.

EDIT:

@Bolt_Strike Ya think four worlds is short? Try four LEVELS in the very first game. Even for a Game Boy title, such a short length is nigh unprecedented outside arcade games, and Dream Land 2 proves it ain't hardware limitations.

But honestly, who cares? Doesn't matter how short or long a Kirby game's main campaign to us seasoned gamers, because almost none of it is going to provide a serious challenge either way. The extra modes and boss rushes are what I REALLY play Kirby games for, and this game both fleshes out and streamlines them. You can pick multiple characters for the speedrun extra campaign (complete with bonus boss), and the boss rush has customizable length and difficulty, plus lets you select abilities that will stay with you the whole run.

tl;dr: The story mode in Kirby is pretty much just a formality for most of us at this point.

Honestly, I couldn't care less about challenge, I just care about content. And no, extra modes and arenas don't really count, extra modes are basically "play the game all over again, but not with Kirby" and the arenas are purely combat. The actual meat of the game just isn't satisfying, especially not for a console Kirby game. I expect a console game to last longer than a day.

@Bolt_Strike Can you name a single mainline Kirby that you can't beat in a single day marathon session based on your standard?

Lack of imagination and/or drive to improve varied skills is your loss. I find the same qualities needed to fully enjoy most fighting games enhance the main Kirby gameplay.

@meleebrawler Idk I always thought the storymode was cool! Like yes comparing it to the other gamemodes reveals its an easy going experience but it makes it no less exciting. Going through the dialogues with Suzie and seeing the mechanized versions of old bosses was amazing. Plus the final bosses, even when easy give me an epic conclusion. By no means can I consider it a formality, in fact if HAL half-asses the story mode, it would make me incredibly upset.

That said I haven't finished the Star Allies campaign yet. I hope its not disappointing because the transition from world 1 to two was just so cool! If not eh, it'll just be another Triple Deluxe to me, which isn't bad but not what I would have hoped for Switches first Kirby game, that being a downgrade to Robobot.

Content wise it'll never beat Super Star Ultra though :3

Yeah, I really think that they're just getting a feel for the hardware with this game, and hopefully they'll be a bit more bold with the next mainline release which I'm sure we'll see in 2 years or so.

Granted, I haven't beat it yet, but they haven't used any of the creative aspects that PR used, such as special camera angles (such as the circular boss arenas), or multiple layers (which always seems like a good way to make use out of 3D space in a 2D game).

Next game should be a full fledged 3D game. They've been skirting around 3D gameplay a lot lately with 3D Rumble/Blowout Blast and the Void Termina battle, but Kirby could use a new direction and 3D gameplay would provide a much needed breath of fresh air. Maybe they could bring back the Metroidvania style from Great Cave Offensive/Amazing Mirror for 3D, that would be a nice change of pace.

@ieatdragonz You'll probably like the final boss. It drags on a bit IMO, but it is a pretty epic fight.

Heh, found a HAL room. Not sure if there are any others (Planet Robobot had 3 of the things, but I think it was the first game to have more than one).

@RR529 Smash isn't in the game. In fact I only think its ever been in 2.