Review: Kirby's Epic Yarn

The yarn-constructed sand pit slowly unravels, alternating between sand colored tones. A button is lassoed and pulls a string which in turn causes the level constructed in fabric to bunch up, pulling a platform within jumping distance. Even the water’s surface is constructed from yarn. It is safe to say few games have their aesthetic and game design intertwined like Kirby’s Epic Yarn.

Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii)
Developer: Good-Feel
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: October 17, 2010

In nearly every aspect, there is a sewing motif to be found. The levels are constructed out of a multitude of different fabrics: from felt to denim, to woven or sheer. Each level truly looks like it is constructed from these materials stitched together—making it feel as if someone could make a physical copy of each one of these areas. It is by far the most inspired visual design of any game this year.

The irrefutable charm of this aesthetic permeates throughout the rest of game. While it generally lacks an outright cleverness in the structural design of its levels, it usually compensates for that by focusing its smarts towards the melding of aesthetics and play. For example, there are moments where there is something sewn into the surface of the fabric, like a building. Kirby can then twist in between the background fabric and foreground building layer, looking like a little cotton ball stuffed between two pieces of fabric. The simple platforms are then based on how the building is stitched into the background. There are still some really enjoyable mechanic-based maneuvers though, like having to lasso multiple swinging points (in game as sewn buttons) in a row with Kirby’s whip-like object.

This platforming is largely consequence-free but it isn’t challenge-free. The difficultly is mostly based on player motivation through the collection of beads, a scoring and currency system, and through various other collectibles. This is a fairly well designed rewards system, as many of the collectibles unlock additional content like new levels or specific challenges on old levels. Beads can be lost by the player being hit or dying, but no real progress in the level is ever lost. The enemies won’t put up much of a fight, and some even literally fall on their faces in a cutely clumsy style.

The transformations that Kirby can take on at the end of certain levels is always a source of surprise. In these segments Kirby will take on different, incredibly adorable, yarn forms. The earliest of which is an oddly saccharine tank-like form with thrusters underneath to jump and rockets that are aimed by tilting the Wii Remote side to side. Like the game previously developed by the appropriately named Good-Feel, Wario Land: Shake It, this side ways aiming is a surprisingly effective and enjoyable control method. There is one transformation that can be incredibly finicky and frustrating but like most transformations, it doesn’t show up very often—keeping a special feel for each one.

The sound design has its moments, like the tambourine during the ground pound move, and the pitch perfect car beep when Kirby transforms into a car, which is effectively the way to run. Most of the music though felt like it ran together a little bit too much, often lacking diversity and distinction. Also, the story might be enjoyable by the very youngest of children with a painfully generic storybook narrator. It is a shame that it couldn’t appeal to all ages, though it can be easily skipped without feeling like something is missing.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn is a continuously charming creation that one can’t help but admire. While the structural design might not be anything special, it would be a reductionist criticism to levy against this game. Epic Yarn takes the standards of the genre and integrates them beautifully with the most distinct aesthetic this year. It may not completely overcome every fault but it sure isn’t anything one will soon forget.

Score: 83
(80-89%: Great - Only very minor issues get in the way of greatness)