Kirby may seem cute and cheesy, but he really can provide an entertaining experience that hasn't been seen before.
The Bad: Some levels are too short, boss levels can get repetitive. Introduction: Kirby Canvas Curse, a Nintendo DS game that completely takes advantage of the DS's Stylus- although this time the pink little blob known as Kirby is a ball instead of a pancake with large feet. But really this game was in fact, the start of the time when some really good titles starting making there way unto the Nintendo DS; and this game happens to be one of them. This game may even be the best Kirby game ever made. The game uses only the Stylus, and no buttons are used whatsoever. This game is known to be completely original, and some think it has relations to Yoshi's Touch and Go, but it is very different. In fact, this game is so different that one may want to check this one out to experience it.
Story: For the most part, this game has a pretty corny story overall, but its a story nevertheless. Basically, there is an evil witch that has entered the land of Dreamland. She causes terror and evil and sparks horror in the eyes of all of Dreamlands disgustingly cute creatures. So Kirby, the savior and guardian of Dreamland, ventures out to stop her. But he is then transformed into a sphere, and does not have direct control over his movements. The witch the turns Dreamland into a painting, and is now a two dimensional land of.... well... paint. But Kirby does succeed, and steals her Magic Paintbrush (A.K.A. Stylus), and you are appointed as his guardian to help Kirby stop the evil witch, by directing his movements in whatever way possible.
Graphics: I personally believe this game to have some of the most beautiful 2D graphics I have ever seen. Everything is extremely colorful, and there smooth animations. The rainbow effects, or paths you draw with the Stylus, are engaging and eye appealing. This game is glory to look at.
Sound: Ok, the sound in this game is actually pretty good. There are many sound effects that occur throughout the game, with tunes in every worlds you travel as well. There is even a Sound Room in which you can use to listen to the different tunes from past Kirby Games, as well as this one. However, some songs sound a bit.... outdated in some ways, but are somewhat meant to be that way. As well as that, the songs are a bit too happy, and somewhat is a bit scary to listen to.
Gameplay: Wow, this game is extremely engaging and innovative. You use the stylus to control all of Kirby's animations and moves, and it is very very addictive. You can tap Kirby, and he will roll faster., but mainly your objective is to draw a path in which Kirby must travel upon. The path is done with an Ink Meter, in which you use to keep an eye on how much paint you have left. The Ink, when it runs out, will replenish over time, but can land you in a situation where it will be needed so best not to waste it. It recovers quite quickly actually, and it even recovers quicker when you are on solid ground as opposed to the air (on a rainbow path). As with the rainbow paths, there are many techniques you can learn by which to improve your skill and help you succeed in the game. For example, you can draw a loop and Kirby (when he reaches into the loop), travel much faster and get a little speed boost. As well, you need to draw rainbow paths to block enemy attacks from things such as lasers or enemy fire. But one thing to keep in mind, is that Kirby always rolls in one direction. He can be stopped however, if he lands into something solid (but not an enemy). So you can either let his roll into a wall that is usually a distance away, or just draw a small rainbow path in his way in which he will hit and head towards the opposite direction. It is actually quite easy to learn, and is engaging once you do learn it. Now a Kirby game wouldn't be a Kirby game if you couldn't control you characters abilities now would it? Well, there are many different abilities that Kirby can (temporarily, but not time limited) obtain. You can do this by striking an enemy by tapping on him with your stylus. The enemy will be stunned, and then Kirby must attack the enemy by ramming into it; he will then obtain the enemies ability, and the enemy will be destroyed. You can use different things, such as turn into a Rocket, a Fireball, or even control Lightning. It is very fun to use, and there are plenty of power ups you can experiment with. Of course, if you don't want the power up, you can discard it by touching an icon on the screen. Now another thing in Kirby Canvas Curse is the boss battles. You will have a choice of battling three different bosses at the end of each world. The bosses are the same for every level, but they are usually on a harder difficulty (unless you haven't battled that particular boss before). But these bosses seem more like a mini game rather than battles. One game you try and draw the symbols that the boss creates, and another is when you race a boss to the finish with just the Stylus. All of these boss mini games are quite entertaining, but they could have had more boss battles to choose from. Either way, it can be a nice break from the normal game. In Kirby Canvas Curse, they also have a Rainbow Run mode. There you have what is called a Time Trial and a Line Trial. In Time Trial, you try and get to the end of the level in the fastest time. In Line Trial, you try and get to the end of the level by using the least amount of ink as you possibly can. If you succeed , and beat one of the three High Scores, you are awarded a medal, which is now to be explained. The last feature in which I will discuss in Kirby Canvas Curse is the medals. In each level, there are three medals (and three levels in each of the eight worlds), and you can then collect the medals;. You then can use the medals to unlock different specials, such as new themes, Rainbow Paths, or even some health in which will make Kirby live longer in the main game. It really adds to the gameplay, and will keep you coming back for more.
Value: Kirby Canvas Curse truly is one of the better Nintendo DS titles. It is very addictive and innovative, and will last you for quite a while if you are the type in collecting things (which is not difficult by the way). Some of these levels can become quite challenging and others seem a bit easy. The bosses are fun, and they add to the game. The only thing missing in Kirby CC would probably be a Multiplayer Mode, which would add a lot to the game. But in the end, this is one of the better DS games, and one you should definitely check out.