Kirby's Block Ball

Gameplay

Kirby's Block Ball features 11 different worlds, each with their own specific theme relative to the Kirby universe. Each world is comprised of 5 different stages, including a boss stage at the end of the world. Levels 1-3 are standard fare, simply asking players to break all the bricks in the level before moving on. One thing that made Kirby's Block Ball unique is the fact that players always use two paddles simultaneously on levels 1-3, one on the top and one on the bottom. This dual-paddling system was previously unseen in other Arkanoid-clones.

Kirby's Block ball also has a few other never before seen features for the genre. In addition to the dual-paddling system, players can also use a well-timed and placed button press to turn the ball into KIrby which would enable them to destroy certain bricks. Some bricks require users to utilize this tactic to destroy them. Also in levels 1-3, instead of an empty void for the ball to fall into, there isa spike floor. If a normal, non-Kirby-form ball hits the spikes, the player loses a life. However, if players hit the spikes while the ball is in Kirby form, it will bounce harmlessly off the spikes with no penalization. This would prove to be a strategy in that players would constantly and consistently try to create the Kirby-form version of the ball to avoid losing lives when hitting the spikes. The first three levels also feature enemies for the player to hit. Upon hitting the enemies, they turn into tasty treats for the player to collect to add to their point total.

Levels 4-5 is slightly different than the previous 3 in a few ways. First off, level fours no longer have the player controlling two paddles. The top paddle is non-existent, forcing the player to only use the bottom paddle to launch and deflect the ball. Also, instead of normal bricks to destroy, every level 4 in each world has star bricks. If players can destroy every single star brick and destroy the enemy pacing on top of the level, they are treated to an extra life. The enemy pacing on top of the level is a miniature version of the upcoming boss players will face in the fifth and final level of the different worlds.

The fifth level in world is a boss fight. Players fight an enlarged version of the enemy they defeated in level four. Level five also differs from the previous four levels in two unique ways. One, players no longer have one or two paddles. Instead, players are required to control four paddles, one on each side of the screen. Each paddle moves in unison according to the opposite paddle. Hitting up or down would move both left and right-side paddles up and down, etc. Each side of the level also has spiked floors, which are covered by a layer of star blocks.

Each boss in each world is unique and each possess their own tactic for defense. For example, in world two the boss is a squid. After being hit a certain amount of times the squid catches any balls directed at its frontside and hurl it back at the player. Other bosses may paralyze the paddles, or shrink them by 75%.

Upon finishing each world, players either receive a flag or a star icon on the defeated world. A flag symbolizes that the player now owns the high score for the world while a star icon simply recognizes the player managed to beat that specific world.