The Kirby series is known for being easy. Kirby, as a character, was designed this way from the start, hence his ability to just float over most stages. However, the original Kirby’s Dreamland for Gameboy has a level of challenge that other entries lack.
Kirby controls sluggishly, which is true for all his releases. But the game lacks copy abilities, where Kirby sucks in enemies and steals their powers. He can only suck up and spit out foes. It’s an action that’s slow and restricts Kirby’s movement. So if there’s more than one enemy on screen at once, you’re often vulnerable for a significant period of time.
I really enjoyed the challenge. I’d actually like the franchise more if it wasn’t so easy to bulldoze over each release. But at the same time, I absolutely love Kirby’s copy abilities. While having one game without them is nice, I think they’ve helped keep the franchise around as long as it has been.
(Header Image Source: RetroArchive)
