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Kirby Super Star made its debut on the Super Nintendo console in 1996, and although the game came late in the system's lifecycle, it's gone on to become one of the most sought-after games in the series. Now with the release of the game on the Virtual Console, Wii fans can enjoy the classic in all of its original glory.

The gameplay of Kirby Super Star remains quite similar to past releases — although there are a few new wrinkles to keep things interesting — so long-time fans of the series should feel right at home. Instead of one giant storyline and quest to complete, Kirby Super Star breaks things down into seven different platforming games and two mini-games for gamers to tackle. Each game features its own unique plot, not to mention small variances in gameplay from time to time, to create a wildly varied experience that feels fresh throughout.

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As with most Kirby games, you can still inhale enemies and take on their unique powers, but this time around you can also use that enemy's powers to create a CPU-controlled helper that can play alongside you. A second person can even control them alongside you for a little cooperative play.

The controls are spot-on throughout the various games and the new gameplay mechanics only add to the fun. The low level of difficulty is likely to turn some gamers off, but given the sheer number of levels included in the package, you certainly won't be at a loss for things to do; you should get more than your money's worth out of this release.

From a visual standpoint, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more vivid or colourful game than this one. Everything about the game jumps off the screen and there's a ton of detail in each of the many backdrops. As if the beautiful scenery wasn't enough, the developers still managed to find time to create some absolutely gorgeous bosses, not to mention top notch character and enemy animations to go along with them.

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The musical score is as impressive as it is varied. There are absolutely tons of different tunes to enjoy throughout the game and the Super Nintendo's sound chip is put to good use with a solid set of audio effects to further complement them. While it would have been easy for the developers to just rehash the same music throughout the package, it's nice to see that they took the time to get it right; it really pays off.

Conclusion

If you're a fan of the Kirby series, Kirby Super Star is the game to own. Not only are there quite a few homages to classic releases in the series strung throughout, but there are also enough new gameplay ideas tossed into the mix to please even long-time fans of the series who've given the previous titles countless play-throughs. The difficulty is a bit on the easy side, but as anyone familiar with the series should know by now, difficulty is certainly not what the Kirby games are about anyway. It won't take you long to see why Kirby Super Star is widely regarded as the best release in the series once you dive into these entertaining adventures.