Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii) review "It's just a darn good game."

The Wii was never a doomed platform; it sparkles with possibility and is home to some of gaming’s most iconic motion controls. Well, the controls that people actually enjoyed. Masahiro Sakurai took the road less travelled, however: There are no motion controls in Epic Yarn.

That’s a sharp departure from a system that was built upon that feature. It was, at the time, a surprise and a welcome shift in visual quality. Sakurai had a clear message for us gamers: “I haven’t forgotten what makes a good game.” That, my friends, is what Epic Yarn is ... a darn good game.

Okay, I’ll try to take it easy on the puns because, in point of fact, Epic Yarn has a light-hearted gravity to its story. For those not in the know, Kirby’s Epic Yarn recounts the adventure of everybody’s favourite pink hoover pulled into a universe in which everything is made of textiles.

The world is a segmented pie of fabrics; space is but one large sheet of ... probably felt. Buildings, platforms and everything else consist of buttons, string, yarn and more. Kirby and Prince Fluff can interact with these things to pull apart enemies or pull together large structures. Oh, so who’s Prince Fluff?

Epic Yarn is presented in a storybook format, which word has it was developed by Good-Feel and then adapted by HAL Laboratories into a Kirby-branded title. Prince Fluff was to be the protagonist, and he still rules his kingdom, except that a nasty thief by the name of Yin-Yarn is using his magic to disrupt the world.

Prince Fluff, of course, needs Kirby’s help to recover all of the missing buttons, defeat Yin-Yarn’s unruly minions and bring order to his kingdom. Kirby, ever the helpful little starfella, is pleased to oblige. For an introduction, we’re welcomed by a gentle-sounding narrator who explains and almost participates in the cut fabric scenes, which serve as exposition.

Does the story matter? In this case, yes, as understanding the world you’re in helps you realize how some of the interactions play out. You begin by exploring the Prince’s castle, which provides easy-to-follow visual instructions for new players. It’s a short run that acquaints you with Epic Yarn’s fairly simple mechanics.

Epic Yarn has a follow-along play style that is unabashedly relaxing for anyone who is comfortable with platforming. If you play anything as intense as Megaman Zero or Meatboy, you’re not going to find any challenge here, and that’s exactly what the developers intended.

For example, the soundtrack is led predominantly by piano, xylophone and the occasional touch of strings with an always gentle but clear emotional representation. Who says you need a one-hundred-piece orchestra to leave a lasting impression? Epic Yarn’s musicians understand the power of subtlety.

In-kind, Kirby’s ability to defeat enemies by unravelling them is not left unexplored. In a thoughtful move, a second player can join at any time and add a cooperative element to play. You can’t hurt each other, but you can pick up and throw your partner toward a ledge - or an enemy of you’re feeling impish.

This brings up the point of how Epic Yarn treats the win state. It’s literally not possible to die; you’ll be rescued automatically if you fall into a pit. However, as you’re collecting beads and buttons, any damage you take causes you to drop your precious - and shiny - cargo. Each level has a fixed total of these, so the more you bring to the end of the level, the higher your rank will be.

Higher ranks are rewarded with patches, one to open the next level and sometimes another for a bonus level. Now that you’ve collected several thousand beads, what do you do with them? Why furnish the room in the hotel where you happen to be staying? What else?

You’ll buy furnishings, wallpaper and carpet with the buttons you’ve amassed to create your personal style. Decorating your hotel room is a short-lived diversion, however, as there is no way to share your masterwork with friends - unless they’re in the room with you. This and other mini-quests will pass a bit of time and introduce you to some very cute neighbours who move in and offer you mini-games to play with them.

Speaking of mini-games... as you travel, you’ll encounter a large multicoloured ball of swirling yarn. Jumping into it will turn you into a giant spherical tank bot, a surfer, a mole that carves through cotton baton with aplomb, a train with somewhat fidgety controls, and more. The train sections can be annoying, as you point the Wiimote at the screen and draw out the tracks - it can take some getting used to.

Epic Yarn borders on what could be called a spectacle fighter. It just looks so good. All of the textiles have been painstakingly modelled after their real-world counterparts and are very tactile-looking. Nothing is overdone, and not once did any of the simulations spaz out or glitch.

This game was, without a doubt, thoroughly tested, but one of its standout qualities is the boss fights. While they amount to no more than yarn tracings, they have carefully planned stages and are expressive and detailed. You’re knocking the buttons out of these beasts, and they react accordingly: panting and wheezing, looking burned and crushed.

I was so satisfied with the boss fight that I was pleased to go back and do it again with my improved mastery of Epic Yarn’s combat. Having a partner puts emphasis on your cooperative skills, so be sure to talk it through. Remember, any buttons spilled by mistake can cost you a valuable rank.

Is it worth ranking up every level and hoarding every fastener you can find? Unless you really enjoy redecorating, no. Some levels can be difficult, so having a way to unwind between attempts can ease the tension of play. It’s a great way to let the kids play so that they aren’t wound up just before bed. Good-Feel and HAL have given this game’s demographic all due consideration.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn is a bigger game than it looks, both in length, mechanics and mini-games. There’s plenty to do, and while there are no difficulty options, the always-available second player allows a helpful friend, sibling or parent to join at any time. If you love Kirby music, this score is a different take on the hyper-energetic mode of its cousins. Still, it is a welcome change and worth consideration for your personal music library.

Point cursor controls, particularly for the train sections of levels, can be frustrating, even though you have no limits in time or resources while learning. Epic Yarn is a big departure from the quick reflex action of other titles in the franchise, so keep that in mind. Two players can lead to irritating spats if cooperation isn’t a high priority, but it could be a safe way to ease out some competition.

There are just a couple of ways to get your hands on a copy of this title, and that's through the Nintendo eShop for the Wii U (while it lasts) and secondhand. If you have a Wii wasting away on a dusty shelf and a child pining for something fun, Kirby’s Epic Yarn delivers on all fronts, and you can be assured to enjoy it even if you don’t participate; but don’t hesitate - you’ll be missing out on a charming, rewarding experience.

Tweet

Community review by hastypixels (February 01, 2017) Wisdom comes from effort and mistakes.