Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is a Clay-Ful Family Adventure

Animated. Clay-ful. Play-D’awwwww. There is no shortage of puns to describe Nintendo’s cute and whimsical release, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse. Another standout title for the Wii U, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse makes excellent use of the GamePad for a unique gaming experience in a colorful and memorable world—it’s just a shame that you spend so much time staring at the GamePad that you never really get to fully enjoy those colors in glorious HD.

A mysterious villain has stolen all of the colors from Dream Land, and with the help of Elline and Waddle Dee, Kirby must navigate through Pop Star and defeat monsters to save his home. With a swipe of the stylus on the GamePad screen, you can get Kirby started on his journey, drawing a rainbow path to scale tall walls, make a way through and around obstacles, and even attack (adorable) enemies.

It’s a unique way to play that was introduced in Kirby’s DS adventure, Canvas Curse, and drawing the rainbow rope adds a bit of a learning curve for players of all ages. Or, if you’ll forgive one more pun, it takes a while to learn the ropes. Kirby is controlled only with a tap or swipe of the stylus, not with the D-pad, so your brain may take a little bit of time to adjust. But it won’t take long, and you’ll appreciate the change of pace from your standard platformer.

Since you have to stare at the GamePad to plan the next move of the rainbow rope, the person controlling Kirby rarely looks at the big screen to appreciate the vibrant world of Dream Land. The clay effect is done so well that it’s a shame to see it only on the GamePad’s small screen.

Your partner, however, gets to enjoy it as they use the Wii controller to join in the fun. As Waddle Dee, the second player uses standard controls to help Kirby along the way. If your kids have trouble getting Kirby where he needs to go, controlling Waddle Dee instead can lead to much less irritation and a fun gaming experience for you and your kids together. (Up to three other players can join in.) There are no time limits, and Waddle Dee is instantly transported to Kirby’s side without penalty if he falls behind, making it ideal to play with younger kids.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is a great break from the Skylanders and Lego games that you may typically play co-op as a family. It’s an adventure game that will get you thinking in new ways as you play with your kids, and it’s sure to provoke a few “awws!” along the way.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is available now for the Wii U for a suggested retail price of $39.99.

GeekMom received this item for review purposes.