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Garr's Kirby's Adventure (NES)
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| [January 14, 2007 09:06:12 PM]
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Gamelog #2 Session #2 for CS 80K
Start Time: 5:20
End Time: 6:15
Assignment due 1/19/07
After taking a second look a Kirby I considered some different properties of the game as I advanced from stage 2 to stage 4. I began to understand the context the story is in a bit more though having not beat the game the player wouldn't know at all about the story since it is reliant on the end of the game. Its all about a dreamland which makes since that there are strange rooms that are purple or walking bombs or polarbears in trees. It all has to do with Kirby saving dreamland. Even though a player just starting out doesn't know the context, he/she can still gain an attachment with Kirby the main character. Everything about the character is lovable. The way he looks and the little arm movements when he's flying, the whole combination makes the player get attached to Kirby. I found myself looking for or desperatly trying to keep the freeze ability because I like the way Kirby looks in his blue color. I became attached to the progression of Kirby rather than the story that only unfolds in the end. It is unusual to have a game where the character prgresses without having levels but the unvealing of new monsters to suck up makes for progression anyhow. This keeps the player interested in the game even if the colorful level design doesn't.
The boss fights are surprisingly innovative considering that there is little AI that involves reaction to the player. The bosses stick to patterns of providing Kirby with some sort of weapon by attacking him with a suckable item. This happens in each fight but the changes in the appearance, pattern and level make each fight surprisingly innovative. My favorite is the fight with Meta-knight where you both fight with swords, but the more innovative would have to be the Sun/Moon boss. The sun and moon fight you but take separate turns in the sky. If Kirby has a range ability to shoot them with then battle is not too bad but if he has to get up close then there's trouble since both bosses can't be touched and they charge you. The boss in the sky sends down either stars or ultra-vilolate rays (I guess). This is where the right planning by going into the fight with a good ability and knowing which strategies work makes things easy. For example, if you have super jump then when each boss goes to jump on you then you can jump up into them and they take damage. The problem is if they charge you straight on, your ability is worthless. This is how the game is complex, by adding the different ways to victory.
Overall the game is rather easy. I got to stage 4 and I was trying to play around with everything in Kirby's world. I think there is about 8 stages which means a long sitting and a good player would equal game completion. I plan on using a lot of the elements in this game in my game maker game. The levels are colorful and strange but still appropriate which is what I would like to go for. I like the design of the levels where it never feels like your going in a line from left to right but sometimes going up or changing areas part way. All these level design factors are what I want to happen in my game.
Kirby is an excellent game that pushes the NES to the limit.
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| [January 14, 2007 07:39:09 PM]
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Gamelog #2 for CDS 80k
Start Time: 4:00
End Time: 4:55
Kirby's Adventure n the classics list for assignment due 1/19/07
Kirby's Adventure is a very unique experience even for a platformer on the NES. Kirby is a very colorful game that displays a very dreamland feeling, which has to do with the story. The game doesn't have much odf a story but it really doesn't need one since the gameplay is the highlight. You don't seem to care what sort of strange thing (i.e a polarbear in a tree) your defeating as long as you get new abilities by sucking up enemies. The level design is very well done and through the levels don't make since in general they do flow together. For example, your in a strange tropical level with water and palm trees and you come across a warp star that takes you to a cloud area where everything is different. It makes it fluid because of the stars and the make-believe but still realistic nature. When your in the main "lobby" choosing your level you can see the background behind the entrance what sort of level it is. Also, if its a cloud level the stage is higher to enter. All these things together make the abtract levels blend.
I enjoy playing the game because I get a since of emergence from the different strategies that are avalible from Kirby's many abilities. Kirby gains abilities from sucking up monsters and using their abilities which also changes his appreance. Since their are many different monsters you get to choose what ability works best for you. I found that using the rock ability is very effective when fighting the alarm-clock subboss. Usually I shoot at him with the beam ability or somthing like that back floating above his head and turing into a rock works perfectly and you can't get hurt while in this form. Sometimes abilities don't work so well against certain monsters. For instance, the backdrop subboss can't be hurt by the wheel abilty because as you speed towards him he just pickds you up and back-slams you. So using certain abilties against the right foe can create a good sense of emergence in a platform game.
The fighting, abilities, and very cheerful/original premise makes Kirby very enjoyable. I'm going to do my second session now.
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Garr's Kirby's Adventure (NES)
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Current Status: Finished playing
GameLog started on: Sunday 14 January, 2007
GameLog closed on: Saturday 3 February, 2007 |
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