Kirby's Dream Land Reviews

Kirby's Dream Land set out to do one major goal and succeeds in that regard pretty well: to be accessible to anyone and everyone. It now has an entire franchise that's still going strong to this date, and it all started with this game. Simple platforming with Kirby's defining feature that he can inhale air to float, or inhale enemies to shoot at other enemies. Copy abilities were not a thing yet in this game, so the basic Kirby gameplay is all there is to the game. The game is pretty short with only 4 worlds which can easily be done under an hour. However, what Kirby does offer that makes it stand out amongst other easy, short platformers on the Gameboy is a significantly harder mode that can be unlocked with a cheat or after clearing the game once. This mode is no joke and can even challenge Kirby veterans. I find this a very welcoming addition to an already fine but short platformer.

The game that started it all, Kirby's Dream Land was a simple, straightforward platformer, which was intended, by the way. It's full of hilarious moments, especially in Bubbly Clouds with those weird things with their tongues sticking out that randomly fall out of the sky. Like I said, a simple, straightforward, and funny game that should be fondly remembered.

My rating: 7/10 (at least)

Being a recently re-acquired staple I lost back in 2003 when my *lovely* roommates robbed me blind, Kirby's Dream Land was the first game featuring everyone's favorite pink puffball. While my experiences with Kirby titles beyond this one are extremely limited (the only other one being Kirby's Adventure/Nightmare in Dream Land) and the fact I could probably go on and on why this, along with Metroid II, deserves a place in any serious Game Boy collection, I'll dive right into the game's two main problems:

Problem One: It's too short.

At five levels, Kirby's Dream Land is simply too short. The levels are fantastic (and beat the tar out of those in Kirby's Adventure) but the game is over before it begins. Add to this the fact the final level is basically a Mega Man-esque recap of all the bosses you've fought up to that point and it's easy to see how it's entirely possible to blow through the game in one sitting within an hour.

Problem Two: It's too easy.

Kirby's Dream Land is a cakewalk. Sure, it may be a delicious cakewalk, but it's still a cakewalk. When one can go seven to eight years without playing a game and come back to it and beat it with a single life there's nothing challenging about it. This isn't saying anything however, as some games, like Mega Man Legends, lack in this department and still manage to deliver the goods. In similar fashion to Mega Man Legends, it's possible to increase the difficulty level (press up, select and A on the title screen) to give King Dedede's minions one hell of a booster shot. Seriously, once you get to the previously pathetic Whispy Woods you'll realize the spike in difficulty is no joke - they're out for blood now - and unfortunately leave you no middle ground to traverse.

Beyond the above, Kirby's Dream Land is astounding in just about every other category. I mean really, who doesn't remember the music from Green Greens? Who doesn't remember crushing King Dedede? Sure, a lot of what's here and what I'm saying is tinged (ok, littered) with nostalgia, but after playing through Kirby's Adventure last year, Dream Land's simplicity is hardly a vice. More (in terms of Kirby's abilities) did not equal out to a better game in my opinion, nor did more levels. There's a charm here that's missing from some of the game's immediate successors; an intangible x-factor you can't put a price on.

Kirby's Dream Land may have some significant flaws, but it's one of the best (original) GameBoy titles out there. If you haven't experienced it you owe it to yourself to try it.