People should know to just expect solid outings from Kirby
games these days. Kirby: Squeak Squad isn't a revolutionary Kirby game, it's
just an incredibly well-designed game. The only really unique elements that are
added to this game are the Squeaks, a band of rodent thieves who cause trouble
for our hero Kirby throughout the game, and the ability to store items and copy
abilities on the DS' touch screen. Other than that you should know what to
expect from this game if you've ever picked up a Kirby game before.
You're taken through eight different stages, each has its own general theme and
between five and seven level, along with one hidden level. Adding a little
spice to each level are the hidden treasure chests which contain various
goodies to make Kirby's life a little easier. The game's world map tells you
how many treasures each stage has hidden in it, and how many you have left to
find in them, so hunting down whatever treasures remain is never horribly
frustrating. In fact, like most Kirby games this isn't very difficult. It
doesn't get so easy that you lose interest mind you, but as long as you are
fairly experienced with platforming games Squeak Squad's difficulty won't anger
you in the least.
The game looks absolutely gorgeous. Graphics shouldn't be an important part of
rating a video game, but Kirby: Squeak Squad's visual presentation is
incredibly well done. The dreamlike quality of Kirby's homeworld is touched
upon with incredible detail in stages with gorgeous scenery and excellent enemy
designs. Dreamland lives up to its name more than ever in this game.
If you're looking for an excellent platformer for the DS, this is it. It can
easily be criticized for not changing much from the rest of the Kirby series,
and that's a very valid point. But the Kirby formula isn't really broken either,
there’s nothing really wrong with it or anything that could be considered
outdated on modern handhelds. The Kirby series can at least be considered
reliable. If you hear about a new Kirby game in development, you can be sure
you know what you'll be getting from it.
