Kirby and the Rainbow Curse

It’s simply a beautiful looking game, which offers several hours in the main mode and even more in the challenge mode. As a budget release, there’s enough content here to justify it, though perhaps not quite enough difficulty for platforming aficionados.

The concept has lost the original feeling that the previous episode had, but still is an interesting platformer with a twist that deserves a try.

Overshadowed by the games that inspired it. [Issue#160, p.99]

HAL Laboratory didn't manage to remodel platforming with this magnificent, yet superficial facelift made of clay. But Rainbow Curse succeeds in combining the tactile approach of the brush and Kirby's traditional gameplay design through the cooperative multiplayer, thus adding a new tone to the already colorful palette of the series.

Kirby and the Rainbow Course shows what happens when you have a good idea but you don't know how to keep it fresh and engaging for a few hours. Not to mention the beautiful visuals completely wasted on a standard definition GamePad screen.

It's an interesting way to reimagine platforming, but it doesn't have the courage or the lasting appeal of other recent Nintendo's titles. It's still fun, and sometimes engaging, but the slow pace is something you'll surely notice.

Secretly we would have liked a more conventional Kirby platformer, although this one definitely is entertaining. The controls are not precise enough to draw good lines for Kirby, but the game makes us feel upbeat and there is lots to explore (single-player and co-op).

This Kirby game looks amazing and for kids it is fun to give them the feeling that they can paint and play at the same time. However it's annoying to use the stylus through he whole game. So therefore it's a bit disappointing.

Despite its shortcomings, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse offers up an entertaining, albeit a frequently frustrating experience. The game’s rainbow drawing mechanic makes great use of the Wii U’s GamePad but the resulting gameplay unfortunately isn’t always as fun as it could be.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is a weird and beautiful game, but it's an odd fit for the Wii U.

Charming the game may be, Rainbow Curse is a few strokes from greatness: overly repetitive mechanics, underused ideas, and a failure to integrate its clay theme into gameplay in any meaningful way keep it from reaching the lofty heights to which it potentially could. Well crafted, but not a masterpiece.

It certainly isn’t awful, but what strengths it does have only really appeal to the Kirby faithful, or less serious gamers.

It's Kirby without the real Kirby or free movements. A lot of the series's charm is lost that way and the controls are repetitive.

Kirby's most characteristic skill has been taken away from him, which does not do this game any good. Plus, the beautiful art style and music are not really coming to live on Wii U GamePad. As most Kirby-games, this one is still entertaining and easy accessible, but it could have been much more.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is an awesome looking game, with few major issues. The control system is great for an handheld console, but playing at home a gamer is supposed to be interested in watching the TV panel, instead of the tiny GamePad screen. The linear level design and the lack of variety, ruin this colorful experience.

It's fun and accessible, but doesn't offer enough substance to serve as anything more than fodder for a few lazy Sunday afternoons.

Gets several points right, especially its artwork and visual environment. There’s a lot of content to unlock and its difficulty curve is balanced enough. Where it fails is on providing a more captivating gameplay, as the game forces the players to constantly look down to their GamePads, wasting time in the process.

As with many other series in Nintendo’s stable, the game’s difficulty rapidly scales from level to level with the inclusion of optional pathways capable of putting more seasoned gamers through their paces. Indeed, as a friend of mine more or less said, “At first you think that ‘Hi!’ at the beginning means the game is for babies. Then you realize the game will make you cry like a baby.”

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is still a thing of beauty, lovely to look at and challenging (but not punitive) in play. In places, you can even see the sculptor’s fingerprints, but you can’t leave any of your own.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse was obviously an experimental platformer in every sense of the word, and while some aspects of the experiment completely succeeded (the claymation looks so good), the most important parts fell short of expectations.

Bottom line: If you play only one new Nintendo platformer starring an adorable character, you should definitely pick up Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. If, however, you have time for two, then get ready to stare directly at your GamePad for Kirby and the Rainbow Curse.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse offers up unique visuals and gameplay, but largely fails to bring them together into a fun game. The colorful world is worth exploring, but only for those that are especially interested in the different nature of the game.

In an attempt to prove the viability of the GamePad touchscreen as a primary input device, Nintendo accidentally created an inferior sequel to a decade-old DS puzzler. Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush squanders much of its potential and achingly beautiful visuals, functional but lacking in lasting fun.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse has its moments, but is ultimately marred by frustrating controls and questionable game design.