It’s small. It’s pink. It’s fa….uhhh… plump! Most importantly, it’s down right adorable! No, no, no, it’s not Jigglypuff; it’s KIRBY!!! Super Smash Bros. can move on over, because who needs all those different fighters when you can watch Kirby fight Kirby!

OK, so it’s not that exciting, and it’s definitely not my preferred pace for a game, but it’s certainly a more gentle introduction to a battle royale genre for kids. Let’s dive right into Nintendo’s secretly released Kirby Fighters 2.

The reason I say Kirby Fighters 2 was secretly released, is due to the fact that there was no warning or any real fanfare around it. Nintendo’s follow up to their 2014 Kirby Fighters Deluxe was leaked on their website and then quickly removed before the actual release date.

Kirby Fighters 2 allows the gamer to play as 1 of any 17 Kirbys that are unlocked as you play through the tower and increase your “fighter level”. Each Kirby comes with it’s own unique fighting abilities allowing you to play to whatever style best suits you, be it close range with a short sword, mid-range with a staff, or long range with a yo-yo. Yes, a yo-yo, you heard me. Between the yo-yo and the fact that there’s an abundance of Kirby, this game is packed full of early 2000’s nostalgia. Sadly, for someone that’s looking for a little more action or depth, that’s about where the excitement for Kirby Fighters 2 ends.

The graphics and music are both classic Nintendo. Cute, colourful, and energetic, it really looks like they threw a Kirby, a Ditto, and a game of Super Smash Bros. into a blender and this is the end result.

One of the best parts of Kirby Fighters 2 is definitely the multiplayer facet. The fact that this bad boy allows for multiplayer, locally or online, is awesome! It allows you and up to 3 friends to get together and see who is the best Kirby out there.

The controls are pretty basic, with just jump, attack, and….eat? Swallow? Absorb? I don’t know, but the mouth opens wide and then spits you out. Simple enough, really, with a few fancy combos in there that vary from Kirby to Kirby. My personal favourite is definitely Bandana Waddle Dee; rocking a long spear, this little beast can fight close range and launch a 3x spear ranged attack.

Overall, I loved the concept of a new Kirby fighting game, but unfortunately I think I’m just a little bit too old to be the target market for this one. Kirby Fighters 2 seems to be a cute entry level fighting game, however the lack of options in fighter, as well as the fact that it seems like a dulled down version of Super Smash Bros., makes me think that Nintendo missed the mark a little with this one. Hopefully I’m wrong, and a lot of the next generation of gamers remember this Nintendo creation fondly.

Written by: HadesTheHobo