You can’t replace Kirby!
By blog on Jun. 17, 2009.
That’s right Starfy, I’m talking to you, Prince of Pufftop indeed! Yeah, you know you have no right to that title, you’re a starfish! You’re not puffy! You know who’s puffy, Starfy? Kirby! Yeah, that’s who. Don’t give me that look, Starfy, you know I’m telling the truth. You don’t even inflate! No matter how cutely you swim, or how many cute outfits you put on, you can’t replace Kirby!
On a more serious note, that’s what this game feels like. Knowing that Nintendo have plans for Starfy to be the next big mascot, aspects of the game-play started to stand out as being rather Kirby-like. The games play very similarly, they both have this almost super-speed feel to them, even though there are numerous foes, none are particularly challenging, so you just speed right past them. Also Starfy, like Kirby, is altered throughout the game. He joins up with Bunston at points during the game, which makes for a much more tough Starfy. He also has a sort of tag-team mode with his sister Starly.
So I feel a few things about this game. On the one hand, it is fun to zoom around in the water, much less arduous than Mario water levels. And Starfy is undeniably cute, I mean, the Kitty Outfit is adorable! However, I do feel that there are a few draw backs to the game. For one, it is too easy. Granted I have only gone through the first two worlds in the game, but yeah, so far too easy. I am also left a little underwhelmed with the graphics in the game. They are alright, and I know they were going for a certain style, but I know what the DS is capable of, and I think Starfy could have pushed for more.
As for those questioning whether Starfy is ‘too Japanese’, I don’t think so. I know what is being referenced here, the story-line and sound effects mostly, but it really isn’t too much. This is a pick-up-and-play title, so the story-line really isn’t the focus, so if it is a little wacky, it doesn’t matter. As for the sound effects, Starfy’s noises are clearly Japanese, but they are cute and appropriate. I mean a creature with no central nervous system (a brain) probably won’t be capable of speech.
Category: Technology