Kirby Battle Royale 3DS Game Review

By: Max Cannon

It looks like Nintendo just loves putting those party games onto the 3DS console. Just a few months ago we got our hands on Mario Party: The Top 100 and now we're returning to Dreamland with Kirby Battle Royale an online-focused multiplayer party game that stars the copycat pink puffball himself: Kirby.

A New Party Package

10 different mini-games make up the package of the game, with a sort of story mode campaign to take you through each of the different games. Mini-games aren't new to the Kirby games, from the crane simulators of the NES games or the multiplayer modes in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, small bite-sized gameplay modes are always part of the package -- but that keyword is "part." This game banks on the idea that players would rather dive into these side dishes than the main meal. 

Kirby Battle Royale Launch Trailer - Nintendo 3DS

Of the available modes that players can choose from you have: Battle Arena, Apple Scramble, Coin Clash, Attack Riders, Crazy Theater, Rocket Rumble, Robo Bonkers, Slam Hockey, Ore Express, and Flag Ball. While these all vary in terms of gameplay and fun, they all share sort of a similar visual style that ends up feeling a little bland as you keep playing. While the obvious comparisons to games like Mario Party will remind players how vibrant and diverse a game of this genre could be.

Kirby's colorful variations are still as recognizable as ever.Courtesy of Nintendo

A Fun Party with A High Cost of Entry

While Mario Party throws you a lot of different modes, Kirby Battle Royale is a bit more focused with a universal control scheme between each of the different games. This consistent means of playing the different modes actually works in favor of the game, there's a sense of mastery and less random chance then you'd find in other mini-game collections. The games are mostly fun with a few low points, like Slam Hockey, bringing down the overall game and with only 10 modes you really feel it when a mode is painfully boring. 

Though colorful, the repetitive enviornments make the game feel bland.Courtesy of Nintendo

The other big catch here is the price. Without the content found in a traditional Kirby game, the $39.99 asking price feels pretty steep. I've certainly had some fun in here with the more engaging games, like Flagball, but I'd be a little disappointed to have paid the full price to play the game. Especially when Mario Party: The Top 100 offered up 10 times the amount of games just a couple months ago. 

Final Thoughts

Kirby Battle Royale would be an excellent $5 or $10 title to play for a weekend with some friends but the 10 mini-games on show here -- while occasionally more complex than your traditional Mario Party game -- doesn't offer nearly enough content to keep players satisfied for long. I'd personally pick up a different Kirby game if you're a 3DS player or just wait for the upcoming entry on the Nintendo Switch.

Pros

• Complex Games
• Unified Controls

Cons

• High Cost
• Low Content

Kirby Battle Royale Game Rating:

Kirby Battle Royale 3DS Box ArtCourtesy of Nintendo

Available for Nintendo 3DS

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