Kirby Squeak Squad [DS]

As pink and vibrant as he is, Kirby's games are often dark-horse platformers. That's because he's not nearly as popular as Mario or Sonic, and tends to be a B-list gaming icon. With Canvas Curse on the DS, Kirby got more of the spotlight. But with this newer, more traditional platform game, the pink ball once again rolls into the shadow of obscurity.

Squeak Squad is a definite return to Kirby's roots. He's once again one of the most powerful platform stars in an easy, kid-friendly quest. This one starts off pretty wacky -- with Kirby looking for the thief of his piece of strawberry shortcake. Instead of being the usual suspect, King DeDeDe, it's a gang of no-good mice. Whiskers or flippers, Kirby's fittin' to teach them all a lesson!

Like his older exploits, Kirby has the ability to suck in enemies and steal their powers. This includes turning himself into a fireball, a heavy boulder, and even a floating angel. The DS's bottom screen houses an inventory, where you can store five objects -- health power-ups and treasure as well as enemy powers. By combining things with the stylus, new powers are unlocked: Spark plus sword equals thunder blade; bomb and ice becomes snow-bomb. It adds even more experimentation to Kirby's already-varied offense, though there aren't as many combinations as you may hope. Still, trying out new weapons never gets old, and fodder is in no short supply.

The best Kirby games have non-linear level design, allowing for fun exploration. Squeak Squad sits somewhere in the middle of the Kirby canon in this respect. You'll see branching paths, but most stages require a second play to see all they have to offer. Mini-bosses are everywhere, as are secrets. It's an entertaining play, but doesn't advance the series all that much.

In terms of difficulty, this is one of the easier platformers on the DS. Kirby has a life bar instead of his hit point gauge, and replenishing snacks abound. Enemies also have health bars this time around, and not all disappear after one hit. You won't amass as many spare lives in Squeak Squad, but continuing comes with little consequence. This game definitely catered to the less patient and less experienced DS owners.

Mini-games are another beloved aspect of Kirby titles, but Squeak Squad's are disappointing: Play a variation on bumper cars, engage in speed eating, or avoid bombs in a treasure hunt. Even the prospect of multiplayer competitions can't add much longevity to these quickly cast-aside diversions.

Kirby Squeak Squad doesn't reinvent the platform genre -- or even the Kirby games, for that matter. What it does offer is a solid, easy platformer that's colorful, fun, and full of variety. Kids and casual players should love it, but hardcore players may gulp it all down too fast and be left hungry for more.