All entries for Thursday 06 July 2006

Kirby: Power Paintbrush

Title:

Kirby: Power Paintbrush (Nintendo DS)

Publisher:

Nintendo

ASIN:

B00095LIC0

Rating:

Not rated

Kirby: Power Paintbrush is HAL Laboratory’s bold reinvention of the 2D platform game. Abandoning traditional input methods, Kirby (a pink blob with eyes, in case you weren’t sure) is controlled using the Nintendo DS’s touchscreen and stylus. Drawing on the screen will paint a rainbow for Kirby to travel along, and tapping him will give him a speed boost. Enemies can be tapped to stun them, and various pieces of on-screen scenery can be interacted with using the stylus. Though the control scheme feels strange and gimmicky at first, it soon becomes intuitive, and gives Kirby’s world an impressive tactility.

The opening level is a superb demonstration of what this control scheme can offer. The amount of vertical freedom granted feels new to platform games. Most importantly, it is simply a fun way to control your character. In its finer moments, Power Paintbrush evokes memories of the Mega Drive Sonic games. The difference is that it is that you are the one drawing the ramps and the loop-the-loops, and never do you feel like you are merely watching a character dash about the screen, it is always you in control. The penultimate level stands out, doing away with platforms almost entirely, asking you to use your drawing skills to defy gravity. Furthermore, the ability to interact with everything on screen, not just that which your character can reach, opens the way for challenges that will feel fresh even to veterans of the 16-bit golden era of platform games.

Disappointingly, the game does not maintain such high standards throughout. Many levels feel like they have been designed with scant regard for the unique control system. Often I was left aching for D-pad controls and a jump button. Certainly this is a game that is at its best when trying new approaches and making full use of the DS’s touchscreen.

Fittingly for a game whose story involves a witch turning Kirby’s world into a painting, Power Paintbrush’s artwork is impressive. The worlds are vibrant and varied, rendered in rich oil painting colours. However the inhabitants of Kirby’s world lack the charm and character found in, say, Yoshi’s Island. The music ranges from unremarkable to mildly grating, and is done no favours by the DS’s tiny speakers.

Beyond the main game, there a variety of modes such as time trial and ink trial, where the player must complete levels with strict limits on how much ink they have to draw rainbows for Kirby. While these may be seen as a cheap way of extending Power Paintbrush’s lifespan, they are surprisingly compelling and will certainly please those who enjoy spending hours working on their high scores. Also worthy of note is the drawing subgame which involves watching patterns being drawn on the screen and then copying them. It may not sound fun on paper, but with the strict time limit, and the rating it gives you for accuracy, it is a remarkably addictive challenge. All the included subgames lend themselves well to very short bouts of gaming, so can provide entertainment even if you have no more than a couple of minutes to spare.

Given that Kirby: Power Paintbrush was developed with no similarly controlled games to look to, HAL deserve recognition for how much they get right first time round. It is a shame however, that the quality of the experience provided is not more consistent.

Bryan Gale : 06 Jul 2006 00:13 |  Tags: Boar Game Review |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem