Kirby’s Epic Yarn is brimming with so much charm, elegance, and infatuation that it’s almost impossible not to like at least something the game offers. Because of this, there really isn’t a reason not to suggest the game to anyone of any age group. It unquestionably features a very kid-friendly presentation right down to the storybook introduction and the simplistic gameplay, but the game is designed so competently that its childish nature is something of a nonissue when all is said and done.
For the most part Kirby’s Epic Yarn makes you feel good—nothing more, nothing less. It strives to do very un-platformer-like characteristics that make the game more of a carefree romp. It never tries to push your patience, or test your skill; the game just wants you to have an easygoing time. Luckily, it does this in a very suitable manner. There’s no lives, no continues, and no death screens. It’s a game to be experienced from start to finish, no matter what type of gamer you are. It wants to make you happy, and it most definitely will.
But this could ultimately lead to some backlash, too. Some gamers like a challenges, and in a game where you literally can’t die, it may come off as boring to some. I definitely felt as if the latter quarter of the game was wearing on a bit. It never found any particular stage to be boring or unenthusiastic, but some of the hooks were beginning to get thin.
That’s not to say that Kirby’s Epic Yarn is a bad game, it just has the potential to turn some gamers off. I’m unhesitant to suggest the game to anybody, but the fact that the game can be played, for start to finish, without dying, in one sitting, is a little disappointing. But I never felt as if I wanted to play more when the game was over; the 5-6 hours it takes to beat it seemed fair, as if my thirst for Kirby was successfully quenched.
As a game, Epic Yarn has a lot of unique gameplay elements to keep you entertained which ultimately goes along with the game’s greatest asset: its unique presentation. Epic Yarn, if you haven’t already guessed from the name alone, is presented in a story-book, bed quilt look. The fore—and backgrounds are entirely made of fabric, like a pair of jeans, or a blanket, that usually hold some sort of gameplay variation for you play around with. Zippers can be opened to find hidden backdrops. Fabric can be pulled to reveal hidden holes. Button can be pulled, moving the rest of the level closer to you.
It’s something that has never been done before—or at least, has never been done successfully. Its colourful art and surreal level designs are complemented with gorgeous character models and animation. It’s almost like being sucked inside a children’s story book, wrapped in a blanket. It helps, too, that the game runs at a silky-smooth 60 frames per second.
The manipulation of the game’s world isn’t the only way to get through levels, however. Epic Yarn is still a traditional platformer; you jump, grab, stomp, and use just about every other move in Kirby’s previous repertoire. This time, however, Kirby’s famous “suck” move is gone. Instead, periodically throughout the adventure Kirby will come across power-ups that will transform him into specific entities. One level, for example, Kirby will change into a Tank that uses the tilt function of the Wii remote to point at specific targets for shooting.
Kirby’s power-ups are all pretty fun and are a fantastic feature to mix up the same old platforming that could potentially become boring. The Fire Truck shoots water that can put out fire, while the Off-Road Jeep blazes through level at high speeds. There’s even a Train that uses a Kirby’s Canvas Curse-like drawing system to control its direction. Not all of the power-ups are necessarily fun to control, though (in fact, the train can get frustrating) but some of the later levels get one specific power-up that I thought was loads of fun.
Epic Yarn also features a pretty neat cooperative mode that lets a second player join in on the adventure. It doesn’t change too much of the general gameplay, but trying to collect a Gold Medal in every level does become a bit more of a challenge. I also noticed that some collectables are impossible to gather without some help.
Kirby’s Epic Yarn is all about the experience. If you think you’d rather have a better time with a more difficult game, then it’s not for you. It ultimately makes you feel good, whether you plow through the entire game in one sitting or you sporadically jump in for a level or two; the game’s tremendously joyful visual style and soundtrack give a great sense of tranquility. Kirby may not have had a true platforming adventure on a console since its Nintendo 64 days, but it’s latest Wii journey is definitely worth checking out. Rest assured: it’s not an Epic Yawn.