Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Kirby: Super Star Ultra Review
Kirby has had his ups and downs in his video game career, but many of his peaks happen in games that eschew his traditional platforming gameplay – most notably Kirby Canvas Curse, Kirby's Dream Course, and Kirby Tilt n' Tumble. The reason for this should be pretty obvious to anyone who plays Kirby Super Star Ultra. Simply, his floaty, slow controls make him a fairly unexciting platforming character. While his habit of inhaling and copying abilities from enemies lends the gameplay variety, he just can't manage the precise, quick-paced jumping that is the heart of the genre.
Super Star Ultra is a port of a forgotten SNES title that offered (for its day) innovative co-op gameplay. With the DS wireless connection, this feature is still present; you can also spawn an AI-controlled compatriot for solo play. While it makes a great bullet point for a press release, the reality is that this pokey, fairly easy platformer often isn't difficult enough for one player, let alone two. While the Gourmet Race level is much better for duos (especially the versus mode), this feature doesn't impact the gameplay enough to truly elevate the overall experience.
What's left is a game that is clearly a few generations behind the times. Like most HAL Laboratory titles, it's well made, but the craftsmanship doesn't equal much excitement, especially when compared to DS titles like New Super Mario Bros. or Kirby's own innovative Canvas Curse. If you're looking for an old-school experience of exploring 2D levels while collecting various trinkets and avoiding enemies you could do worse. It's certainly a fun and solidly made title. However, there are plenty of similar DS games that I would recommend over Super Star Ultra.
Products In This Article
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
