![]() The staleness and repetitiveness wouldn’t be so much of an issue if most of the characters and unique costumes were easier to unlock. I had to name my Kirby after me or else I’d lose him Image: Nintendo via Polygon In Kirby Fighters 2, nearly everything is a round ball of mayhem. In those titles, the visual overload is broken up by uniquely designed characters whose silhouettes can be distinguished from the visual pizzazz. It’s a different sort of confusion than you’d find in a Super Smash Bros. When every character on screen is Kirby - or a Kirby-shaped enemy - everything turns into a polka-dotted world of chaos. The problem is that everything melds together so fast. It’s a shame because this game is oozing with charm, from its inventive levels that are brimming with character to all the Kirby franchise-specific weapons. match where everyone decided to choose Kirby as a goof. In these moments, Kirby Fighters 2 feels more like a traditional Kirby game, compared to every other moment that feels like a Super Smash Bros. The bosses fill up the stage, dishing out large attacks that I have to frantically dodge. These encounters play out just like they might in the action games that inspired them. Story mode branches out into boss fights occasionally Image: Nintendo via Polygon I face off against a boss from a past Kirby game every few floors. The fights aren’t especially challenging, and the ever-increasing upgrades I get from power-ups makes the climb even easier. Once I win, I get the option to unlock unique power-ups that persist throughout that run, like buffs to my strength or stickers that increase the effectiveness of items that appear on each stage. As I move up through each floor, I take part in a battle against one or two opponents in standard fights. In this adventure mode, I travel up a tower aiming to reach the duo of evildoers at the top. The story is light, much like most fighting games, but it adds a few twists to move you through its parade of similar battles. ![]() The main event is a story mode that can be played alone or with a partner, with the second player taking on the role of one of the non-Kirby combatants. Only one mode is meant to be played solo, in fact. Kirby Fighters 2 offers a small handful of modes with an emphasis on playing with others in exchange. Matches tend to end so quickly, however, that I’ve yet to see a wild tug-of-war between living and dead Kirbys. They have a limited amount of moves in this form, but they can get revived with a small bit of health if they manage to strike a surviving player with a slow punch. Once defeated, my enemy is turned into a ghost. To win battles, I must whittle my opponent’s health to zero. It feels weird to swallow an enemy without the chance to copy their abilities, but removing this option allows each Kirby to feel like a unique character. I can’t use this attack to switch abilities on the fly. I can only use this skill to spit my enemies out like a cannonball, however. I can even swallow enemies, much as you’d expect from Kirby. Kirby’s trademark floating jumps allow me to float around each stage, dodging attacks or various hazards. This style of play extends across all characters, so learning new fighters is easy. Unsurprisingly, doing the same with Sword Kirby makes him swing his sword skyward. Holding up and attack, for instance, might make Staff Kirby jab his weapon above his head. To perform attacks, I press the main attack button and a different direction at the same time. Each playable fighter embodies one of those skills, be it swinging a deadly yo-yo, pile-driving enemies with wrestling skills, or crafting deadly arts and crafts with the Artist ability. All 17 playable Kirby characters use different abilities, similar to how the character adopts attacks from the enemies he swallows. The deviation between characters comes from which Kirby you choose. Every character has the same options mapped to the same buttons: an attack, jump, grab, block, and dodge maneuver. Kirby CombatĬontrolling your puffball pugilists is straightforward in Kirby Fighters 2. Having this much access to a cache of Kirbys would be exciting in any other context, but Kirby Fighters 2 proves you can have too much of a good thing. This stand-alone sequel makes its way to Nintendo Switch with 17 Kirbys to control, plus a few enemies to fill the roster of fighters. The last time we bore witness to all-Kirby combat was back in 2014, when the original Kirby Fighters was packed in as an additional mode in Kirby: Triple Deluxe on Nintendo 3DS. It’s a cute concept, but the game struggles to keep its charm once the novelty wears off. Kirby Fighters 2 has a very simple premise: It’s a fighting game where nearly every playable character is Kirby.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |