Nintendo sometimes gets fairly criticized for putting out games that are too similar to one another. That repetition breeds loyalty and trust from their fans; the people who buy Nintendo games know what they’re getting from them.
The best part of being a Nintendo fan, though, is when the Japanese giant takes a risk on something completely novel. Those chances come randomly and often without warning, and it’s one of the biggest treats in the gaming industry.
Kirby’s Epic Yarn shines as a daring example of this ingenuity that other companies often get too scared to try. Kirby was one of the, dare I say, stale franchises in Nintendo’s catalogue at the end of the 2000s. This Wii game retained the pink puffball’s charm and nostalgic undertones while introducing variance to the gameplay and especially to the aesthetics of the world.
Kirby and the world around him are transformed into yarn, art materials, crochet, blankets, beads, and so much more. It’s clearly inspired by the craftwork of Paper Mario, but it’s an expansion of that idea rather than a copycat. At first glance, some might think the style is to garner a more youthful audience, but Nintendo has always catered to children. Older gamers with a love for graphical history and artistry surely got even more out of an appreciation for these creative decisions, though.
Game Informer described the game’s captivating efforts perfectly back in 2010. “Honestly, the only crowd that I can imagine not enjoying Kirby is jaded gamers who are too cool for something so whimsical. Whatever the case, they’re missing out on a colorful, unique game that reminds me of why I fell in love with gaming back on my NES: imagination, challenge, and fun.”
Nintendo decided that the series would be better suited for Yoshi, but none of the spinoffs have been as much unbridled fun as Kirby’s Epic Yarn.
