Review: Kirby’s Epic Yarn

Just finished weaving my way through one of the most unique and impressive titles for the Wii, and wanted to share my thoughts on it with all of you. Kirby’s Epic Yarn is a departure from what this series is known for, which may turn off some longtime fans who have grown accustomed to certain aspects of how these games should play. Don’t worry though, because these new ideas do not change the fact that this is one of the most charming titles to hit the console in recent memory. Is the little pink puffballs first adventure on this system a memorable one, or just alot of hot air?

Developer:Good Feel
Publisher:Nintendo
Genre:Platformer
Platform(s):Wii
If you like: A large amount of gameplay variety, beautiful scenery, a charming story, figuring out the many different uses of yarn, and cake.

When it comes to stories in Kirby games, simplicity is pretty much expected, and Yarn follows this formula to the max. All that anybody needs to know here is that our hero has been taken away from his home in Dream Land by a man named Yin-Yarn, and is now a prisoner in Patch Land, that’s it. The cutscenes are shown in a sort of bedtime story manner, which will appeal more towards the younger players, but nevertheless, they are still charming and entertaining to watch. As far as audio presentation goes, sound effects are solid, and the music is tense and relaxing exactly when it needs to be.

What can I say about the games visual design other than it is gorgeous. Each level is just a wonder to look at, and has a number of different areas for the player to explore. Character designs are not too shabby either, same goes with the animations. Never really thought a piece of colored string outlined to look like somebody would end up being a contributing factor to great game design, guess I was wrong. Controls are solid, and don’t rely too heavily on waggling, which is always a plus.



My favorite thing about Epic Yarn is that it never made me feel like I was playing a traditional platformer at all. This could be because the way you play through a stage changes quite often. Sometimes you will be shooting down enemies in a spaceship Galaga style, or you might have to trace and outline a pattern for a train to follow, there may even be times where old powderpuff may have to outrace enemies in a monster truck, the list goes on and on. Substituting different vehicles for Kirby’s inhaling abilities might turn some off at first, but they will soon realise that this decision was the right one. Before we move on, manipulating the environment to bring platforms closer, or to access new areas was extremely fun to do as well, and added even more variety and depth to the overall experience.

There is plenty to do outside of the main quest, which will take about 6 hours or so to complete. Anyone looking for help in certain areas can have a friend jump in at any time by using the drop in- drop out co-op feature. Have a score to settle with somebody?, don’t worry, versus minigames will help solve that problem. Items for Kirby’s apartment, along with concept art, and musical compositions, can be found in each level as well. Earning a high ranking (which is based on how many gems you collect in each stage) in all stages will unlock secret areas within each world. To put it bluntly, having nothing to do will most likely never happen.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn is a charming, entertaining, and unique experience that Wii owners should not pass on. Not bad for a first outing on a current generation console in my opinion, can’t wait to see what they think of next. (A+)

 - Matt H.