In 2005, Nintendo released Kirby: Canvas Curse for the DS, a game that took the pink puffball and turned him into a sphere. Players drew routes for their hero while collecting stars and defeating enemies, and occasionally clashing with bosses. The game quickly became a fan favorite, prompting the publisher to return with a sequel this year (better late than never), Kirby and the Rainbow Curse.
The title, available now for the Wii U, once again pits Kirby (along with his buddy Waddle Dee) against a sinister force that deleted color from the universe. With the help of a magical fairy – and his rolling powers – he vows to bring color back to his world.
On that note, use these Kirby and the Rainbow Curse tips to beat the game.
Tip: The game looks great displayed on a TV, but you’ll have the most success playing Rainbow Curse on the GamePad screen.
Draw to win
The object of the game is to guide Kirby to a door that moves him to the next section. Along the way, you’ll collect stars and defeat enemies while drawing routes on your GamePad touchscreen.
When it comes to drawing, go for loop-de-loops. These give you an increase in speed and help you get through a level much faster, as well as collecting groups of stars. Don’t make the loop-de-loop too big, however, as you may hit enemies while rolling, or run out of drawing power and wait for the meter to quickly refill before creating another route; keep this in mind when navigating across pits.
To defeat enemies, you’ll need to launch Kirby into a dash technique, which you can do by tapping the hero with the GamePad stylus. Doing this will give him a burst of speed that lets him run through certain foes, as well as blocks that get in his way. Breaking through blocks is good practice, and some will yield a few extra stars that Kirby acquires automatically.
When you collect 100 stars in a stage, you’ll be able to use the Star Dash. This temporarily increases Kirby’s size and gives him a speed boost while allowing the character to smash through blocks he would be unable to break otherwise. Make sure you save these Star Dashes for when they count (like grabbing that hard to reach chest), although you can unlock its ability right away if you have the right amiibo.
Tip: Each stage (excluding boss levels) contains a different number of collectible chests. Some are in plain sight, while others are hidden. Collect a chest to unlock an amiibo-like figure or musical track. You’re able to replay levels as much as you want, so be sure to go back and find all of these chests.
Transform and roll out
In some levels, Kirby will transform into different vehicles. By running into icons scattered on a few of the stages, Kirby morphs into a submarine, a rocket and a tank. They’re similar to the vehicles found in the previously released Kirby’s Epic Yarn for the Wii.
The tank is the best of the bunch, as you can shoot enemies with an unlimited amount of bullets as you rumble along. However, the submarine is great for getting past underwater dangers, and the rocket is good for zooming past trouble.
You won’t have much choice as far as vehicles are concerned, but if you can, go for the tank. This is easily our favorite, and provides a lot of firepower to defeat enemies. Plus, you can pick up a few extra stars as well. From there, use the Star Dash ability for a super charged burst of gunfire
Finally, these vehicle levels are on-rails, meaning the stage scrolls along by itself. That gives you less time to collect everything, so keep an eye out for stars and chests.
Tip: Once you go through a door, Kirby cannot go back. Be sure to collect everything in one section before advancing.
Bring friends for challenge mode
The campaign has 28 levels, but there’s also a Challenge Mode, where you take on 40 additional stages packed with stars, enemies and plenty of danger. We suggest getting through the main story first before tackling the Challenge Mode. Doing this will help prepare you for what lies ahead.
If you want to make your journey a bit easier, invite some friends. Up to three players take on the role of assistive Waddle Dees, who carry Kirby through certain sections (when he doesn’t have room to roll) and attack enemies that get in the way. There’s no penalty for using these guys, and it makes the game chaotically fun, as the Waddle Dees fight alongside Kirby to see who can defeat an enemy first.
In Challenge mode, it pays to have as much help as you can get, but ultimately, it’s up to Kirby to finish the stage and roll on. If you get frustrated, start over and try again.
Grab your amiibos
Finally, if you want to give yourself a boost in Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, make sure you have a few amiibos. The game works with Kirby, King Dedede and Meta Knight.
By using Kirby (easily the best of the three), you’ll be able to use the Star Dash ability at any time, which will make getting through a stage much easier.
King Dedede, meanwhile, provides additional hit points, so Kirby can last longer in a stage. Finally, Meta Knight provides greater power with Kirby’s dash attack, which comes in handy when fighting bosses or tougher enemies.
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is available now for Wii U.
Published: Feb 25, 2015 06:07 pm