The coolest thing about Kirby's Adventure may be the simple fact that it's on the NES. With a release date of 1993, Nintendo could have crafted a slick new SNES title, but instead went for broke and dropped one of the biggest and baddest 8-bit games ever seen.
In many ways, Kirby's Adventure represents the game some people wish Kirby's Dream Land had been. Yes, Dream Land was quite good in its own right, but many (not me) found it wholly lacking in content and replay value. Adventure builds on the Dream Land foundation mixed with the Super Mario Bros. 3 blueprint, with Kirby traveling through an array of "worlds" each split into discrete levels, with some optional bonus games to be played along the way, and a boss door looming at each world end. Interesting to note that the "world map" remains sidescrolling, rather than the top-down variety seen in similar platformers.
There's a charming story here. The residents of Dream Land no longer receive any semblance of restful sleep, as the mystical "Star Rod" has been stolen from the Fountain of Dreams. King Dedede, the antagonist of Kirby's previous outing and vaguely penguin-esque creature, is assumed to be the culprit. The rod, much like the Triforce of olde, has been split into segments and scattered across the land. Each boss is, naturally, an associate of Dedede and a possesses such a segment. Kirby's plan is to unify the rod so he and his pals can once again slip into pleasant slumber. There's a twist at the end, however -- I won't reveal it, but anyone who's played one of the later Kirby games can likely guess what happens.
Nintendo platformers tend to have flawless control schemes, this one included. Kirby retains his old moves: he walks, he ducks, he climbs ladders, he jumps, and he flies with a push of the up button. Pressing B while in midair once again causes Kirby to "deflate" while emitting a lethal air puff. Enemies can be inhaled and subsequently swallowed, or spit out as a star-shaped projectile. Kirby's got a couple of new tricks up his sleeve too. Double-tapping a directional button commences running, and Kirby can initiate a slide kick if an action button is pressed while ducking. Once again Kirby's granted a six-block lifebar, which can be replenished with specific items. Collisions with enemies and their attacks will deduct one block of life, and contact with a hole means insta-death. Some very specific enemy attacks actually trigger "knock-back" damage, which can send Kirby careening into a pit, where he'll presumably unite with Simon Belmont and Ryu Hayabusa.
The most important innovation seen in Adventure, which would become integrated into future Kirby releases, is the addition of the "copy" system. By inhaling and swallowing certain enemies, Kirby is able to absorb their powers, which then supplants the traditional "suck and blow" method of attack. Not all enemies grant powers, and an ability can be abandoned with a simple flick of the select button. Moreover, if Kirby gets hit he looses his current ability: it abandons his body in the form a bouncing star, though the game provides a brief window for Kirby to inhale said star and regain his power.
Not all powers are created equally. The most immediately advantageous ones are those that grant Kirby a long-range attack (cutter and laser). Others can be executed quickly, but lack distance (sword and hammer). Some alter the way Kirby maneuvers and transform his body into weaponry (wheel and tornado). There are oddballs like crash, which destroys all enemies onscreen but can only be used once, and UFO, which is ultra-powerful but also stripped from Kirby automatically when he completes a level. Sleep is the game's "troll" ability: it literally puts Kirby to sleep for a limited period. Utterly useless, but also painfully cute, so it's worth getting once. Certain abilities are clunky to the point where it's better to simply pass them by: I never found any use for ball, backdrop, or throw.
The stage layouts are brilliant. Environments that twist and turn vertically and horizontally, replete with hidden passes, without ever resorting to frustrating labyrinthine mazes. The game alternates smoothly between on-land segments, flying stretches, and endurance swims (many of Kirby's powers are useless in the water). Each world is given a food theme -- Vegetable Valley and Ice Cream Garden kick things off -- which is reflected in the graphical design. What's most remarkable is how the levels are cleverly structured with Kirby's powers in mind. There are racetracks built for wheeling, cannon wicks to be lit by fire, angled "reflectors" begging for a laser hit, widely-spaced platforms designed to be navigated via the hi-jump ability, coconut trees shedding fruit that can thwarted by a parasol-carrying Kirby, and so on. That said, nabbing special abilities is never mandatory, and the game can be played start to finish with "vanilla" Kirby.
In addition to the standard levels there are varied bonus games to be played, the rewards ranging from the ever-useless "points" to clusters of extra lives. Upon completing a stage, Kirby is launched into the clouds via a moving platform. A perfectly-timed button press leads to a one-up. Other bonus games are found scattered about the world map. There's a gunslinger competition (Kirby with a gun?!) which is once again predicated on precise button presses: too slow and Kirby himself is blown away. The "crane game" emulates those found in the real world, where Kirby goes for plushies made in his own likeness. In the "egg catcher" rounds Kirby must swallow the eggs rapidly launched by King Dedede while avoiding the bombs mixed in. Arenas house minibosses that can be slain for both abilities and health refills. The world map additionally houses museums, where Kirby is freely granted an ability or two, as well as the "Star Road" which can speedily launch Kirby to areas he's already visited.
Upon reaching the third world, players will notice that certain bonus games are locked behind walls. Such walls are cleared by finding hidden switches in the standard stages. These are easy to locate at first. As the game progresses switches can only accessed if Kirby possesses a certain ability (like the hammer, which can clear blocks out of the way). Some of the final switches are quite devious, requiring Kirby enter a stage with an ability not contained within its boundaries. It's a shame that the switches merely unlock bonus games and not entirely new stages à la Super Mario World. And 100% game completion doesn't grant any substantial new content. Instead, a "hard mode" version of the game is unlocked. It's a neat challenge, though most gamers will probably be feeling the Kirby fatigue at that point.
The enemy design is lovely. Those old foes from Kirby's Dream Land are back: these are the most standard baddies and grant no powers. Added to the mix are what would become the series staples (and allies in later Kirby installments): the cutter-tossing knight Sir Kibble, the beam-spinning Waddle Dee, and many more. Minibosses are encountered occasionally. These big dudes take a couple of hits to take down and always grant a power upon defeat. The main bosses showcase some instances of recycling; it was here that the developers decided an apple tree and a giant eyeball would forever bless Kirby games with their presence. Also included in the the boss roster are a painter who brings his creations to life, a tag team consisting of the sun and moon, a digging mechanical "mole" battled within an autoscrolling tunnel, and the "Meta Knight" who demands Kirby face him with a sword.
Aesthetically, the game is gorgeous and very "late stage NES." It's inundated with color: blue skies, orange oceans, white icebergs, green forests, starlit deep space. Graphics are detailed but not overly so, maintaining that "soft" Kirby look. Animations are smooth, and there exists a plethora of cutesy artistic touches. For example, the game opens with a Kirby-drawing tutorial "cutscene." Pausing the game at any point displays Kirby, pencil in hand, attempting a self-portrait. A beefy status bar covering the screen's button also displays an image of Kirby utilizing whatever special ability he happens to possess. This "box" also displays a special "Ouch!" image when Kirby takes damage and a bummed-out Kirby whenever a "powerless" enemy is swallowed. Each world is introduced with a humorous visual: usually of Kirby finding himself in some sort of mishap due to his excessive need for food and/or sleep. The music is just delightful. Perpetually cheery and upbeat, it keeps pace with the gameplay perfectly. The variety of tunes is mind-boggling; each section of the overworld is granted its own song and stage themes rarely seem to be recycled. Sound effects are also notable, with each ability resonating in its own way, harmoniously blending into the stage themes themselves.
Kirby's Adventure takes about two and a half hours to complete, but does not demand the player sit for a single session. Autosaving occurs after each and every individual stage, though it's that classic "Nintendo save" that keeps track only of location, not net lives. That said, difficulty is kept to a minimum and one-ups are easy to obtain. All told, this is just a phenomenal game. One can nitpick, sure, but mechanically and aesthetically speaking it's essentially perfect and overflowing with charm. It's right up there with Super Mario Bros. 3 as being the best NES platformer, though Kirby may get the nod due to quality of life improvements. Anyone even remotely interested in 2D platformers needs to take this one out for a spin, and it's well-suited for those little Waddle Dees among us, who prefer things easy and breezy.
