
Much like its infinitely versatile mascot, the Kirby series has always been comfortable in taking many forms; Kirby has starred in several roles that diverge significantly from the copy-ability platforming of the mainline series. Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn – an enhanced re-release of the seminal 2010 title – falls in this lineage of off-beat sequels, exchanging the floating and power-copying with a more traditionally-focused platforming experience that features a striking visual art style. This new release also features a host of new gameplay and content updates to elevate its status above that of the original, making some welcome and much-needed changes while losing none of the charm that marked the initial release as such a classic.
The story opens with Kirby encountering a mysterious magician named Yin-Yarn while roaming Dreamland, and after a brief conflict, Yin-Yarn transports Kirby to a magical universe called Patch Land where everything is made out of yarn. Here, Kirby no longer has the ability to eat foes or fly indefinitely, but his new, stringy form allows him to shapeshift in myriad ways while also granting him a trusty whip that lets him unravel and ball up his enemies. The story – narrated by a hammy, but charming narrator – then follows Kirby’s adventures with Patch Land’s Prince Fluff, as they embark on a journey to sew Patch Land back together, get Kirby home, and defeat Yin-Yarn.

A typical stage in Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn plays out a bit like a level in the Yoshi series, where the focus is less on raw platforming challenge and more on taking things slow and finding secrets tucked away in all the nooks and crannies that pack each level. Along the way, you collect beads – the game’s main currency – along with furniture items and soundtracks hidden in obscure places. In the main mode, enemies are relatively harmless and Kirby can’t die; should you find yourself falling into a pit or crushed by a ceiling, Kirby simply respawns after spilling out a significant amount of beads. In the original release, this lack of death garnered plenty of criticism for the game being ‘too easy’, but we’d argue that misses the point. Every level awards you a bronze, silver, or gold medal upon completion depending on how many beads you finish with, and getting that gold on every level can sometimes prove to be a stiff challenge. With this set-up, less skilled players can still see all the content that the game has to offer, while those going for a full completion still have some resistance.
Those of you that still find Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn to be too easy an experience can then also choose to play any level in the new “Devilish Mode”, which sees Kirby having to clear a level while constantly being pursued by a flying demon of some sort – think the angry sun from Super Mario Bros. 3 – while also being restricted by a five-celled health bar. Should you take damage from the demon (or anything else) and have your health emptied, the level resets and you have to do everything over again. What’s nice about this system is that it neatly addresses the complaints of difficulty while not radically changing the base game; those of you that want more challenge can certainly find a more balanced experience here, while those of you that want something lighter and easier can just ignore it entirely.

Each world consists of a series of four levels that, once completed, unlock a boss battle, which then unlocks two extra levels. Each level is memorable and lovingly crafted around a central gimmick, such as how one stage is populated by dinosaurs that must be ridden across fast-moving rivers. Other levels orient the gimmick around a transformation for Kirby, such as how he can turn into a fire truck that can put out fires with its hose or a digging machine that can claw its way through loose cotton. These transformation levels are infrequent, but act as a nice break from the usual action of the rest of the levels, offering up the opportunity to try a different playstyle.
New to this re-release is a mechanic called “Ravel Abilities”, which brings gameplay a little more in line with the traditional Kirby experience. At key points of just about every level, you can find special hats for Kirby to wear that grant him something like copy abilities, and these can alter your approach to the level in fascinating ways. For example, one ability is a bit like the traditional Tornado ability, but here it essentially gives Kirby an extra jump, while also acting as a way of drawing in any nearby beads. It’s clear that the Ravel Abilities weren’t a part of the original design; their presence can seem kind of awkward in some levels that were obviously built with just the whip in mind, but their inclusion helps to add some replayability while also not muddling the original experience too drastically. We would’ve liked to have seen more content developed specifically with these abilities in mind, but it’s still a neat way of bringing Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn more in line with the core series without losing what makes this release so unique.

All those beads that you collect on your adventures can then be taken back to Quilty Square, which acts as a sort of home base that you can build up over the course of the campaign. At the outset of Kirby’s adventure, he’s given an apartment that can then be decorated with all the treasure you find, and more furniture can then be bought at a nearby store. On top of this, you can occasionally give a sizable donation to the apartment manager which can then be reinvested into building new floors that can host additional tenants. These tenants act as the main mini-game portion of Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn, allowing you to run through slices of cleared levels with new objectives, such as playing hide and seek or collecting a set amount of beads in exchange for new wallpapers to decorate your apartment with. It’s clear that Quilty Square isn’t meant to be the main focus of your experience with Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn, but it acts as a nice diversion from the main game that still ties in nicely with your overall goal.
Speaking of side content, two other, more substantial mini-games – called Slash & Bead and DeDeDe GoGoGo – have been added in for this re-release, both of which build on the ideas of the main campaign in interesting ways. Slash & Bead stars Meta Knight, and sees him flying and cutting his way through hordes of enemies in custom auto-scrolling levels that are built almost around a brawler style of gameplay. As the screen moves, Meta Knight must collect as many ‘Fuse Beads’ as possible while fighting through a relentless barrage of enemies and obstacles. These auto-scrolling segments are then punctuated by occasional timed arena-based segments where enemies pour in from all sides of the screen; racking up enough kills adds a few seconds to the timer and gives Meta Knight more time to collect those precious beads.

DeDeDe GoGoGo is similar, but here King DeDeDe is the star and gameplay functions more alike to an auto-runner. Here, the penguin king runs wildly through a stage and must collect as many Fuse Beads as possible while smacking things with his iconic hammer and dodging obstacles as they rush at him from the right. Both of these modes only feature a handful of levels, but are oriented around pushing for a high-score by repeated attempts that help to build up muscle memory. You’re graded at the end of each stage according to how fast and how efficiently you cleared it, but the main hook comes in the kinds of fuse beads you collected. Earning higher grades gives you more “Mats” that each require different colours and amounts of Fuse Beads; completing them allows you to craft elaborate, pixel art-like decorations that can then be hung in your apartment. Though neither of these mini-games prove to be an enormous draw, they each provide just enough extra challenge and fun to be worth the few hours that it takes to clear them, while further adding to the overall experience of Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn.
We’d be remiss to talk about Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn without mentioning the presentation, which drew enough acclaim and attention to warrant two (arguably) spiritual sequels in the Yoshi series. Though the details have taken a bit of a hit in the transition to a portable and sadly stereoscopic 3D has been omitted, the strength of the yarn-centric visuals still shines through and resonates just as much today as it did nine years ago. Little details, like unraveling yarn representing the downward sinking motion of quicksand, show immense creativity on the developers’ part, and using the yarn whip to do things like pulling on buttons and zippers creates a nice link between gameplay ideas and art style. Meanwhile, the colourful and cutesy visuals are backed by a similarly charming soundtrack that relies heavily on relaxing and chipper piano solos. Much like the visuals, the music creates a loving and friendly atmosphere that actively invites you to continue exploring new levels.
Conclusion
Nine years on from the original release, Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn displays how focused gameplay design, creativity, and strong art direction are timeless qualities that can keep a game enjoyable and relevant for years to come. This design is then made even stronger by the inclusion of all the ‘extra’ elements, such as Ravel Abilities, new mini-games, and optional harder difficulty, which range from being harmless to actively changing the base game for the better. For those of you that never got the chance to play the original Kirby’s Epic Yarn, this is certainly the best way to experience it, while those of you that have played it will find this to be a solid portable version that loses none of the quality of the original. Either way, Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn is a fantastic and standout addition to the deep software library of the 3DS; we’d highly encourage you to give it a go.
Comments 102
3DS Swan Song?
"sadly stereoscopic 3D has been omitted"
so what was even the point of releasing it on the 3D S?
The 3ds was/is great.
I wish Nintendo still made portable hardware.
@JHDK
@Charlie_Girl What's that thing?
This game is great and one title I'd never regret, but it would be nice if this was ported to the Switch as well. I love my 3DS, but I just hardly go back to it nowadays since I have my Switch...
Looks good. Since i never owned a Wii i'll be picking this up at launch.
Yeah, this is by no means a "timeless classic". I love the Kirby series, and I absolutely hated this game.
I understand some people loved this game, and that is fair. I also don't think this is a poorly made game either. I just don't think this game would have sold half as well if they wouldn't have slapped Kirby's face on it.
@JHDK
"I wish Nintendo still made portable hardware."
I beg your pardon??
Do you need the bottom screen to control this game?
@Skid You may have a point, but the same point probably applies to a lot of Mario games too. There's value in identifiable characters that people have an attachment to.
@Charlie_Girl
@MoonKnight7
If it doesn't fit in my pants pocket, it isn't portable enough for me.
Can't see this shift many units!
I am still on the fence about this one, but odds are that I will buy it.
@nukatha
Well that's fair, you really need a bag to take the Switch anywhere. Though for me, it's not much different than traveling with a standard ipad. To each their own.
@nukatha for YOU
but it's still portable by definition
@StephenYap3 but it would be nice if this was ported to the Switch as well.
Port whining, I feel sick.
Would have double dipped if it had 3d effect.
I loved playing Epic Yarn on Wii. It's such a feel-good game. I'm in the middle of playing Happy Home Designer on the 3DS though, which gives me the same good feelings. I'll probably just hold out on this game until there's a MyNintendo deal on it.
@Crono1973 You can't play Extra Epic Yarn in co-op mode or on the big screen.
Epic Yarn was the second-to-last (I think? depends on if Mass Attack came before or after) Kirby game I enjoyed, so I'll be sure to pick this one up.
I enjoyed this game on Wii. I’ll get this as my last 3DS game.
The 3ds is still awesome!!!
I gave this game a 10 on the Wii. A 9 on the 3DS seems fitting. This still ranks as one of the top WiI experiences in my book, and probably the best side-scrolling effort next to DKCR.
what th...no 3D effect? So what is point to have it on the 3DS?
I feel they ignore too much the fact that COOP has been omitted.
If you don't need the bottom screen then why not on switch?
@Charlie_Girl Exactly what I think. And they mention it, but it doesn't make them lower the score. I doubt the 9 (and not a 10) is any kind of "punishment". They just didn't care at all.
This game would have been great with 3D effect, that's the only point to re-release a game for the 3DS, especially after all these years. Luigi's Mansion and Captain Toad had it. Why Kirby doesn't?
I was gonna boot it up yesterday, but I can't find the disc! Looks like this'll be one of my last 3DS purchases.
Would love an Epic Yarn/Woolly World double pack for Switch. Don't get releasing this on the 3DS now as 2D only. Odd.
@Charlie_Girl
Probably because it could be done without having to make any HD assets. It's just a straight Wii port.
Haha, are you kidding me, it's not even in 3D. What an obvious, low effort cash in. I still have the Wii version and found it tremendously dull, anyway
Normally no 3D means no buy but Kirby overpowers that rule by megatons
I hate how Nintendo completely abandoned the stereoscopic 3D aspect of their system. It's the one feature that really distinguishes 3DS games from those on any other system, and several games put it to great use.
@nukatha Plenty of people can't fit a 3DS XL in their pocket, either. Doesn't mean it's not a portable console.
People have speculated for years about Nintendo going portable-only, and they sort of have, but in a cool, having-your-cake-and-eating-it-too sort of way: they went with a portable system that is able to output HD graphics and connect to the TV.
i don‘t care too much about the game but i want a Yarn Kirby Amiibo! No i desperately need one! Seriously!!
No 3D equals no buy from me. Still play all my 3DS games with the slider to the max!
@Ralizah
But the 3DS has a pocket-sized version, and in fact launched im that form factor. The existence of XL models doesn't disqualify the feature-equivalent smaller ones.
@StephenYap3
Really? Not even Multi-Card?
Played the demo; found it a slow, clunky, unfulfilling bit of nothing. I'm shocked the same people made the best 2D platformer of the decade in Yoshi's Woolly World.
I love the soundtrack to this game,especially when you reach Snow Land. The music to Frosty Wheel is relaxing.
I've no problem with this not being on Switch...
...but no 3D is unacceptable when the game is not technically demanding. It just screams of 'we couldn't be arsed including the 3DS core feature.' I honestly can't think of another reason beyond shear laziness - and I do take strong issue with Nintendo's decision to abandon 3D in their most recent 3DS releases.
To me, Kirby Epic Yarn is the worst Kirby game of all.
Not only because they killed and removed any sense of challenge, but also the fact that it was literally a babyfied Wario Land: Shake It!
I hope this one is better.
Also the story is quite epic, the bad guy is bad because yes.
:I
Playing through Triple Deluxe at the moment (which is quite brilliant) and have got this on order.
Really looking forward to it after reading this review.
Hopefully this sells a bit better than Mario and Luigi. My 3DS enjoys time in the sun
@Dezzy Donkey Kong Country Returns was a Wii port, and that had beautiful 3D.
@Charlie_Girl I just can't consider the Switch to be a portable device, what with how big it is, how tenuous the joy-cons seem to be when attached, and how bad the battery life is. It is used exclusively as a home console in our house.
@teamdave2002 I mostly agree and in general it's nice to hear some admitting that for a portable - it's very big. It's also rather heavy and as you say battery life is less that stellar. I do enjoy it portably - but not any where near as much as as a home console - and my portable play is time-limited due to the weight. Whenever I pick up my almost weightless and very comfortable Vita Slim or New 3DS (not XL) I'm reminded – this is what real portables are like. However I do like my Switch for a myriad of other reasons. If they keep it dock-able then I'm a prime candidate for the legend of the Switch mini.
Oh, how I’d love to play this in HD on the Switch... Woolly World, too.
Will be my last 3DS game, unless new will be announced (even i doubt that).
Switch is nowadays my main console and handheld mode only.
@Charlie_Girl
That was a game that already had 3D depth in its levels. This doesn't really.
I played and loved this on the Wii. If they could have been bothered to include 3D, I would have double-dipped, but seeing as they couldn't, I can't be bothered to buy it.
I have never played a Kirby game besides star allies on the switch. This seems promising, star allies was kind of boring. It was too easy and too difficult at the same time. Also the worlds and stages did not look nice to me. I'm tempted to pick this one up even tho it's on the 3DS instead of the switch.
@brunojenso Thank you!! Preach it. Every time I say the same thing, people just say the 3DS is dead and that the Switch isn't even that bad to carry around. Idk, I don't feel like carrying around my backpack every where I go and pull out my tablet (Switch). Its to big and bulky, not for moving around the house but for outside. The 3DS is an actual HANDHELD so yeah, that travels with me more. No to mention it feels more like a game system or Nintendo console because it has that charm the minute you boot it up that the Switch lacks. I could go on but bottom line, I totally agree with you. I just wish more people were vocal about the dang system. I know its winding down but it literally has carved it's own market and fanbase by this point
@Dezzy and they halved dkc's framerate also. My guess is the assets are all in 2d and that would have required extra work to get to work in 3d.
@nukatha Of course not. But, by the logic people were responding to in the first place, the XL isn't a portable console because you can't fit it in your pocket. And the OG 3DS might not be one to someone with especially tight skinny jeans. You see how silly this logic is?
A tablet might not fit in your pocket, but it's still, by definition, portable hardware. Same is true of the Switch.
@Eagle9 The February Nintendo Direct was the first main "Nintendo Direct" (as in, not a Mini or a Wii U Direct or anything like that) EVER to not feature the Nintendo 3DS at all. Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn is currently set to be Nintendo's last game for the system, and I doubt that will change (but who knows)
@Tokiwa absolutely- the switch may be ‘portable’ but it’s not a handheld like the ds/gba
@teamdave2002 good for you.
thousands of people literally use it as a portable device, so it's still a portable device.
Wish more people understood the value of a console like the 3DS, if I had a Switch I would never take it out of the house.
I think Nintendo should revisit the GB Micro idea. There's a huge advantage to having consoles slip clean into yer pockets. Plus I don't want any of my friends to say "is that nintendo switch in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"
@JHDK I'm with you on that one, the Switch is too big for me to enjoy playing comfortably in handheld mode. The PS Vita was a decent size without being too big.
I'd like another 'proper' handheld console too.
no 3D no buy for me. Shame.
@ALinkttPresent
So just like i said ;P
No stereoscopic 3D is a deal breaker.
I enjoyed the demo and have though about buying this game. I even played Yoshi's New Island again and it still looks OK on the 3ds. And it is a 3d game.
But it's like @Charlie-girl said, see post #2. This game should have been in 3d.
I have not abandoned the 3ds, Nintendo have. They are drip feeding a few 2d games for the new 2d console buyers.
So should I get it? I enjoyed the demo but it's not in 3d. But then I did not pay for the demo and Nintendo want £30 for the game.
I will give it a miss and if I still have a 3ds when the game is discounted I might reconsider.
It does look like Nintendo are bringing 3d gaming to an end, so unless a new 3ds is on the way or a Mini Switch arrives with 3d capabilities then we can file the 3ds in the box labelled Nintendo gimmicks, and not Nintendo innovations.
@Charlie_Girl with that being said anything that even one person used as a portable device could be deemed portable. For instance, if you have an electric source, you could bring a small tv with you and plug in a console. Or a toaster could be deemed as portable. So it doesn't really matter to me what thousands of people do. The Switch is great, another iteration for Nintendo. But for me, because the portability is simply not there for reasons I brought up earlier, it's not a portable device.
I was somewhat excited to double-dip for this game. But then I found out that it doesn’t support 3D and any excitement I had was instantly destroyed.
@molliolli182 what do you mean by too easy and too difficult?
I'd have actually cared about this if it was on Switch... I'd rather hook up the ol' Wii if it means playing it on the TV. Only time I prefer doing anything mobile if I have a choice (at home) is if I'm grinding in an RPG.
@nukatha Nope. It's strictly single player only, according to its page on Nintendo.com.
probably too much to ask that they release expanded versions of the minigames as standalone titles at this point
would be cool though
I envy people who have time to play both their Switch and the 3DS. It's also pretty cool to think that my 3DS sitting somewhere in the house is still having games come out for it.
I don't know if I will ever get to the 3DS again unfortunately. For existing Nintendo customers, I agree it's kind of weird to expect us to buy a non 3D game for the 3DS. My Wii is actually still connected to the TV. I can play it again more easily... so these two mini games must be really really good.... for new players, I wonder how many of them are interested in playing the 3DS in 2D instead of Switch games.
I don’t get why everyone is so bothered by a lack of 3D for this title. I haven’t used the 3D function since the 3ds released 8 years ago.
People downvoting why this cant be on switch as well.... SMH...
@teamdave2002 I meant that most of the game i could breeze trough and then there was, for example, the last boss I barely managed to beat. I also think the game had so much going on with the different power-ups but I really didn't even need to bother with most of them. That said I did not 100% complete the game with everything but I got trough the main story. It wasn't that bad game to say but I borrowed it and after returning it I don't think I need to re-visit it.
@Ralizah
And then there's also the fact that with the Switch you have exposed joysticks.
The Game Boy Pocket/Color/original Advance can be (relatively) safely thrown into into a pocket or backpack without a case and probably end up completely fine.
The Clamshell SP/DS series you have VERY little to worry about.
The Switch necessitates a case to protect it, same as tablet basically requires at least one of those plastic things to cover the screen.
I genuinely loved this game on Wii. With the single addition of a way to properly fail/die, so the game actually had some real sense of loss when you fail, and therefore a real sense of accomplishment when you succeed, it likely would have been in my top 3 platformers of all time. In fact, it's kinda up there already, but that one little tweak and it would have been a nigh-on perfect game all-round for me. It's even genuinely possible it might have been my favourite platformer of all time, which, crazy now that I'm saying it, would also technically have mad it sort of my favourite game of all time--although I think I'm just being crazy here. But, even without that extra difficulty/challenge, it's just a pure joy of a game imo. I simply cannot help but smile and feel good when I play it--and that is an extremely valuable thing to me. Nintendo should have at least put it on Switch as well though.
@teamdave2002
you said it yourself.
for YOU.
@teamdave2002
fun fact:
there are people with gaming preferences different from yours
@teamdave2002 I mean the battery life isn't bad. The most demanding games can last for 3 hours on a single charge, which is probably more than the healthy amount of time for a person to spend on games per day. Any more than that on a regular basis and you'll just end up wasting time. Also if you can use a power bank to make a toaster portable, then you can probably use it as well on the switch
Honestly to me, Kirby Epic Yarn game is not for me. (but will still get it eventually)
@Charlie_Girl well clearly. Not sure what the point is.
Co-op on Wii was a huge part of fun in this title for me, not so great in a solo. This port is inferior & mini-games don't justify the loss. I just play again on Wii or Wii U (both are still under my TV along N64 & Switch).
Looking forward to this.
Got mine pre-ordered from GAME. I've also had Planet Robobot for nearly 3 months now sitting on my shelf still sealed, waiting to be played. Not sure which Kirby game to start first now lol
Hm. A lot of Internet being thrown around here. Too bad.
Doubt I'll get it again, though it is a super-nifty game. It's pretty tempting.
Why on earth don't Nintendo big it to Switch.. yes we've got another Kirby arriving shortly, but so what.. a great game is a great game & as long as a good job is done of the port it seems such a shame that all the folk who haven't had the pleasure won't get to sample it on Switch.
@Charlie_Girl most Nintendo released 3DS games over the past couple of years have been playable in 2D only, frankly I'm surprised that the Luigi's Mansion remake had the feature.
@duffmmann it's so sad. the 3DS deserved better in the twilight of its life.
Sold. I’ll grab it this week.
I absolutely hate Epic Yarn. LOL. LOVE Kirby but hate Epic Yarn. Epic Yarn sold worst than RtDL and I can't image a 3DS title selling much more than a Wii version.
I've never been attracted to Kirby games, and was confirmed when I played the demo of one on the Switch - the only Kirby game I've ever tried.
@HalBailman Try Planet Robobot or Kirby Super Star/U. The best titles in the franchise honestly. If you still don't dig it than it's just not for you and that's fine. I'm not much into Zelda games or Megaman games. Don't game Megaman and like some Zelda games but I'm just not THAT into the franchises as a whole and don't really rush to buy them or overall care. Everyone likes different franchises.
"Feels right home on 3DS"
More like abandoned on 3DS, should've put it on Switch.
No 3D = thanks, but no thanks.
No 3D, no sale, no point.
I was hoping they would patch 3D into Minecraft too, but that never happened so it's a hard pass.
They really should provide 3D (at least) on the New 3DS, that would be a selling point for the system if most of the newer games had 3D on it (due to more CPU).
This was released on the wrong console.
@Wavey84 You must've a very steady head The head-tracking 3D on the New 3DS (XL) feels much more natural to me though.
@Wavey84 Wow, that is really weird. Really the opposite for me and from what I hear from many others. At least we can all enjoy the 3DS system this way, although you don't have the c-stick on the former (I don't use it a lot, just in Zelda's for the camera).
@sixrings I thought you had great questions. I am not sure what the lower screen shows during the game. Probably status, map, or inventory.
As some have said, maybe it was a lot easier/cheaper to port to 3DS. Or maybe this has been in the works for a while and they just kept it as a 2DS/3DS title.
Also, the 2DS is very affordable and this game would appeal to kids.
But yeah, a Switch version would interest me more.
I'm now convinced that your review scores are click and comment bait.
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