GameSided Game of the Year 2015 | Rebekah’s Picks
Rebekah’s Game of the Year – #9: Kirby and the Rainbow Curse
Bursting with cuteness, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse was definitely one of the happiest games I played all year. Claycia steals the color from Kirby and Waddle’s Dee’s world, and the two go on an adventure through seven differently colored worlds to stop her and restore all the colors. The story is simple and told only with visuals, not words. There are additional components to the story unlockable through certain objectives, but these aren’t necessary to understand the plot.
The game is wrought in adorable clay models, and capitalizes on a unique form of gameplay using the Gamepad and stylus. While up to three other players can move freely as Waddle Dee, the single player with the Gamepad must draw a road for Kirby to roll along with the stylus. There’s only a certain amount of ink available at a time, so you can’t draw indefinitely, and the lines must also be used to block off certain obstacles or climb over others. This makes for interesting puzzles and boss fights when playing solo, while simultaneously allowing friends to participate in a meaningful way, though it isn’t necessary for completion.
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse’s biggest flaw is that it’s short, and there’s not enough collectibles or interesting challenges to keep me returning to the title in spite of how bright and squishable it looks. But for the short time I had with the title, I loved every clayful bit.
Next: #8 - Keep rocking on