Kirby: Planet Robobot

This has been a busy decade for Kirby, with at least one Kirby title dropping every year the guy's become a staple for the company it seems. And why not? Kirby's been doing well lately! With Triple Deluxe we saw some fair improvements to the formula. And Kirby: Planet Robobot models itself fairly closely to Triple Deluxe, with it's solid use of duel planes, interactive environments, the overworld setup, the collectables, and even the lil'mini-game at the end of each stage! Yes, it sticks very closely to the estabolished formula to an almost eye-rolling degree, but don't be disappointed just yet! Because Planet Robobot has it's own tricks up it's sleeves that give this game a life of it's own. First is the main selling point of this title....... The mech suit! :D......... Here's the deal, when piloting the various mech suits scattered throughout the world you have the ability to copy enemy abilities just as Kirby would otherwise, only these abilities translate over to the mech suit to produce sometimes fascinating results! And as exciting as it sounds it does tend to make the game super easy, but man it's pretty funny and satisfying to watch.

There's nothing quite like Kirby - in all his cutness and cuddly-ness - jumping into a mech suit and mauling his adorable enemy's face's off with giant saw blades or burning everything alive with his massive flame thrower! >:D ....... Ahem, I haven't been this excited about Kirby's abilities since the "mix & match" mechanic from Crystal Shards! And there are some new ones thrown in here, like the very Earthbound inspired ESP ability, and there's one that even makes you a wizard..... (YOU'RE A WIZARD KIRBY!!! :O)..... Should your mech suit copy the brand new rocket ability made avaliable in certain levels you're mech will turn into a ship and suddenly the game turns into a very basic bullet hell minigame. The bottom line here is that there's effort made for gameplay variety and I'm only really scratching the surface on how many abilities are at your disposal!

The design on display here is above average for the series. Many stages utilies their 3D elements and duel planes in interesting ways. There are some creative hazards and enemies presented in certain levels, more so than in past games actually, I can't imagine any other Kirby game where I'd worry about being chased by giant billiard balls in a casino or trying not to get run over by cars and busses on a busy downtown street. The bosses in this game are multi-stage fights, but what sets this game apart is that the stages of each fight are very distinct to the point where the boss will change form and/or the environment will be altered during the course of the fight. The bosses are pretty creative despite composing of many familiar faces you'd expect to be fighting in a Kirby game, there's enough new-ness to their design that warrant a rematch I'd say! ;D I should note here that the story is fairly throw-away, there are some nods to environmental exploitation and I like the mechanised motif of the world; but overall the narrative won't surprise you in anyway.

Okay so, real talk; the story is kinda lame, the game's design is very safe and non-challenging. So for some this game could be an incredable bore. However I feel like the developers put enough excitiment in here by ways of mech suit power ups, intricate boss fights, and neat stage concepts that I was reletively entertained from beggining to end. I think after so many darn Kirby adventures the formula is growing tiresome but this game manages to still stick it's head out as a highlight for the series! Look into this one people! ;D