Before Kirby: Canvas Curse graced the Nintendo DS, the then-new Japanese handheld was considered largely unproven. Sure, the software library at the time pointed to potential, but none of the DS’s dual-screened magic seemed realized until Kirby arrived for the platform. Canvas Curse, a surprising game that deviated greatly from “Kirby conventions” (the ferocious appetite and stealing enemy powers), wowed critics and fans through charming game mechanics and refined stylus-based controls. The success of the DS and its software library didn’t happen overnight, but Canvas Curse started the fire, transforming the dubious portable into a relevant investment.
In a surprising case of symmetry, Kirby Mass Attack taps the same vein of creativity and sophistication that made Canvas Curse so appealing, but still manages to do its own thing. Simply put: Mass Attack is a brilliant Kirby game from developer Hal Laboratory. But one that feels bittersweet, as it possibly closes the door on first-party developed DS games. Obviously Mass Attack isn’t the last great game for the system, but it’s not a stretch to assume that Nintendo’s run is officially over as the Japanese publisher looks to the 3DS.
