Kirby's Epic Yarn

Kirby's Epic Yarn, is the tenth platform installment of the Kirby video game series. It was developed for the Wii video game console by Good-Feel and HAL Laboratory, and published by Nintendo.

It was officially unveiled at E3 2010. It is the first entry in the Kirby series on a home console since 2003's Kirby Air Ride and its first home console platform game since 2000's Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards.

Gameplay

The game is played with the Wii Remote held sideways. Differing from other games in the Kirby series, Kirby's usual ability to copy enemies by swallowing them has been removed. He instead uses a whip-like ability to attack enemies, while he can also capture the enemies and turn them into a ball of yarn (which can then be thrown by Kirby). He also no longer floats in the air by holding his breath like in previous games, instead gliding in the form of a parachute. Kirby can also transform into a car for extra speed, a dolphin for underwater travel, among other things.

Each level has three secret treasure chests for Kirby to find (similar to Kirby: Squeak Squad); also, colored beads are scattered throughout every level, which Kirby can collect to increase the score at the end of the level, which earns medals. The treasure chests and medals can unlock extra levels, which could provide greater challenges. Kirby does not have health or extra lives, but will lose some of his beads upon damage or falling into bottomless pits. These beads can be spent in an in-game shop to purchase furniture and wallpapers, which can then be used to customize Kirby's living space. Occasionally, other characters will show up in Kirby's living space and set him challenges, such as time trials and collecting all the beads in a level. Two-player co-op is possible at any point in the game; the second player can play as Prince Fluff, who plays identically to Kirby.

Graphics

The game features graphics rendered in a unique knitted design based on animated yarn and a world of cloth and textiles. The game works its graphics style into the gameplay through creating interaction between the game and its graphical style, such as allowing Kirby to pull on buttons, stray threads and zips and spin balls of yarn to reveal hidden areas or alter the shape of the terrain.

Plot

While walking through Dream Land, Kirby discovers a tomato and decides to eat it. Yin-Yarn, the evil sorceror who possessed the tomato (revealed to be a Metamato), appears and magically banishes Kirby into Patch Land, a world completely made of fabric, via the sock carried around his neck. In Patch Land, Kirby's body transforms into yarn, rendering his power to inhale useless. Instead, Kirby is granted the ability to transform by the magic of the Metamato, which he uses to rescue a boy being attacked by a monster. The boy, named Prince Fluff, explains that Yin-Yarn has separated Patch Land into pieces, which was tied together by magic yarn. Kirby decides to help Prince Fluff collect all seven pieces of the yarn and restore Patch Land.

Meanwhile, Yin-Yarn captures King Dedede and Meta Knight and places them under his control. Kirby is forced to fight Dedede and Meta Knight after they ambush him in Patch Land. When Kirby and Prince Fluff finally collect all the Magic Yarn, Meta Knight, no longer under the sorceror's influence, informs Kirby that Yin-Yarn is turning Dream Land into fabric. Prince Fluff produces the second sock, its magic fully restored, and uses it to transport Kirby and himself into Dream Land. Kirby defeats Yin-Yarn, breaking the spell and returning Dream Land and himself back to normal. Prince Fluff parts with Kirby, stating that he can visit Patch Land anytime via Yin-Yarn's magic sock.

Development

Kirby's Epic Yarn was officially revealed at Nintendo's press conference at E3 2010, where it was announced to be released during the autumn that year. It is the third game to be developed by Good-Feel for Nintendo, after Wario Land: Shake It! and Looksley's Line Up. The idea of a "world of yarn" was proposed by Madoka Yamauchi, the Planning Section Manager of Good-Feel, and ideas for the game mechanics grew after the staff experimented with store-bought cloth. The game began development under the name "Keito no Fluff" (lit. "Fluff of Yarn"), featuring Prince Fluff as the main character. During the summer of 2009, Nintendo proposed that the game be altered and released as a title in the Kirby series, though Prince Fluff remains in the final product as Kirby's partner. At least three months were spent focusing on Kirby's movements and character design. To create an "authentic feel" for the cloth and textiles, the graphics were created by using digital photographs of fabric, which were placed under polygons. The game's soundtrack was scored by Good-Feel's Tomoya Tomita and HAL Laboratory's Jun Ishikawa and Hirokazu Ando, who worked on previous Kirby games.

I really like this game mostly because of the great gameplay it has. The only problem, it is to easy to finish the game, but that doesn't makes it less fun!!!