QCF: Kirby Planet Robobot

ne of the more endearing qualities to Nintendo’s fuchsia-hued star warrior is his ability to reinvent himself in a way that’s fresh while maintaining a sense of familiarity that retains the franchise’s charm and appeal. Granted, a lot of the more innovative titles in the Kirby series are the unorthodox offshoots that focus around a certain gimmick, and het spherical hero’s platform ventures generally tend to play it safe, and expand off of what the Big N knows to already work

Kirby’s latest exploit on the 3DS however is an exception to that trend, and is easily the smoothest blend of old and new that I’ve taken in yet. Planet Robobot (trying saying that five times fast) throws the pink copy-cat into a mobile mech-suit, resulting in a twist that may just be just be the one of the most captivating directions that his side-scrolling affairs have taken in years.

The flow of Planet Robobot is the conventional hop ‘n bop side-scrolling we’ve seen out of the last title on the handheld, Triple Deluxe, implementing the same kind of 2.5D level plane that will switch Kirby between the background, and foreground during key points of the level.  Those conventional game beats change up however the moment Kirby enters one of these metal walkers; As you’d imagine, it veritably augments Kirby in nearly every way, from his attack strength, to his speed, while presenting new limits to navigating levels that you didn’t have before like your bulky size, or inability to fly.

The core to maneuvering isn’t the only difference as there additional dynamics that present a slew of new possibilities to interact with the level before much like the way specific powers have in previous entries.

Operating the robot will give way to element encounter through each of the game’s courses like screws that can ratchet mechanisms or platforms, bolts that can be tightened or loosened, and even certain doors can only be accessed when Kirby is riding the machine. Then there are the specific obstacles that can only be dealt with when Kirby uses his iconic ability of stealing powers from his hapless foes from within the cockpit of his bipedal vehicle—this the meat of the gameplay in Planet Robobot, and it’s also where the game is at its tastiest.

While the concept of Kirby piloting a robot mount in his newest 3DS outing is skeptically inventive for his wheelhouse, the execution of the idea is what really makes it ingenious, and the further you progress through the title, the more apparent its brilliance becomes.

The Robot suit in Planet Robot offers a new level of can depth to how players can explore and complete a stage similar to way the puffball did way back with his animal buddies in Kirby’s Dreamland 3, as nearly every power that’s compatible with gyrating armor gets redefined into skills that’re almost completely different their original pedestrian versions.

Take the staple Parasol ability for instance; it’s a self-explanatory power-up that gives Kirby a parasol that can be used to assault enemies, or float around with—but occupying a suit and copying it will transform you in a gyrocopter-mobile suit hybrid, equipping giant propeller blades onto your arms. Aside from the evident upgrades, this power-up will give you unlimited flight using the robot, something it can barely do in its native form, allowing players to take the suit to new areas of the level that it wouldn’t normally be able to reach, or poison clouds that can only be blown away from the powerful force from Robot Kirby’s powerful propellers.

The nuances to these puzzle triggers gradually range anywhere from obvious to perplexing the further you press on, pushing you survey your surrounding much deeper than series ever demanded before.

There are new powers thrown into the mix too, and unlike the forgettable Archer, or Circus power, these new ones are more uniquely charismatic and memorable, like the Doctor power-up, which is essentially Kirby outdoing the famous plumber with his Dr. Mario impression. The other powers also offer more practicality for puzzle solving too, like navigating poison clouds through gales of fan gust, or using a sequence of different telepathic abilities with the ESP power.

The visuals are also slightly more polished and sharp than the graphics that Triple Deluxe offered, especially on New Nintendo 3DS hardware, and the eclectic range of electronic, techno, and industrial rearrangements done to the classic Kirby score is the best work I’ve ever heard from the series, and one of the best soundtracks from the franchise yet.

Even though Planet Robobot’s main mechanic is essentially an expansion to territory that we’ve crossed in Kirby titles before, the seamless integration and intuitive design to the game manages to deliver a transformative tone to an aged experience that still retains its trademark charm.

Kirby platformers are generally geared towards Kirby fans while his weird spin-off titles are aimed at the casual player; Planet Robobot is for everyone who wants a fun, and surprisingly engaging game to play on their 3DS, and you don’t have to like Kirby to appreciate it—it’s just that good.