Kirby and the Rainbow Curse

 Wii U
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 262 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 194 out of 262
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 262
  3. Negative: 31 out of 262
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. rodericrinehart
    Feb 22, 2015
    6
    I can't believe I am giving a Kirby game less than a 5, especially one that looks this gorgeous in HD and clay. The two Kirby games on the Wii were astonishingly great and my daughter and I still play them both. ThiS is NOT a traditional Kirby game. Player one looks at the GamePad for the ENTIRE game and if Kirby dies, the game is over. The two Kirby games on the Wii has some of the bestI can't believe I am giving a Kirby game less than a 5, especially one that looks this gorgeous in HD and clay. The two Kirby games on the Wii were astonishingly great and my daughter and I still play them both. ThiS is NOT a traditional Kirby game. Player one looks at the GamePad for the ENTIRE game and if Kirby dies, the game is over. The two Kirby games on the Wii has some of the best same-couch co-op of any game ever. This Kirby is more difficult (which I am ok with) but the problems are compounded by the undesirable controls.

    I really hope Nintendo makes a proper Kirby game for the Wii U for 2016, like Kirby Epic Yarn or Return to Dreamland.

    And the last boss is one of the most annoying fights I've done in many years. God, it was awful.    … Expand
  2. Kirby_fanatic
    Feb 20, 2015
    5
    I'm a huge Kirby fan. I do love how varied the games are. I'm certainly not shy from even the non traditional titles. However I can't say I was won over by the spiritual Sequel to Canvas Curse. As inventive as Canvas Curse was at the time, I don't know if the same experiences was necessary again. People are quick to review this game as original but it's really just the same gameplay asI'm a huge Kirby fan. I do love how varied the games are. I'm certainly not shy from even the non traditional titles. However I can't say I was won over by the spiritual Sequel to Canvas Curse. As inventive as Canvas Curse was at the time, I don't know if the same experiences was necessary again. People are quick to review this game as original but it's really just the same gameplay as it's predecessor. So if you're familiar with Canvas Curse, than truly nothing new here. (In fact less, as Kirby is truly powerless and doesn't even get different powers from bumping into enemies) The music and graphics are of course gorgeous as is with all Kirby games. However I've never been too partial to this platforming style. I didn't find it hard to eventually get the hang of, but it's just not particularly engaging. It's sad to see people praise experimental Kirby games as doing something "hip" and "fresh" for the franchise, when the franchise has always taken risks. Even the more traditional stuff had a more interesting level of hidden depth that made the games worth speed running, defeating arenas with different powers, experimenting with the various moves for quick kills, or just generally seeing and mastering everything Kirby can do. When Kirby becomes "experimental" he really just becomes more basic. Going from versatile move master to a hindered hero bond by the simplicity of the game's "innovative" gimmick. The concept of guiding a ball to a goal is a simple one and it sums up how basic an experience the game is. As a long time Kirby fan since Dreamland, I really just can't wait for the next power-packed entry to the franchise. The game is an decent and solid diversion but I need more of the classic good stuff. If HAL wants to really make an innovative Kirby game, they should consider doing a 3D platformer and finally getting those powers functioning in a 3rd dimension.… Expand
  3. jingQ
    Oct 18, 2015
    7
    +Graphics maintains the look and feel of clay
    +Collect elements
    +kick ass OST(Seriously)

    -No preparation time challenge room
    -Operation feeling awkward
    -Recycled boss battle
  4. FreedomFighters
    Mar 4, 2018
    5
    "Kirby Canvas Curse" was one of my personal favorite Nintendo DS games. It was fun, interesting, and all-around enjoyable. So, when I heard a sequel was coming out for the Wii U, I was honestly more excited than I probably should've been. So, to that point, it's a shame that I walked away from the game feeling less than satisfied.
    "Kirby and the Rainbow Curse" is certainly a visually    "Kirby Canvas Curse" was one of my personal favorite Nintendo DS games. It was fun, interesting, and all-around enjoyable. So, when I heard a sequel was coming out for the Wii U, I was honestly more excited than I probably should've been. So, to that point, it's a shame that I walked away from the game feeling less than satisfied.
    "Kirby and the Rainbow Curse" is certainly a visually inventive game. The extra effort put into making the game look clay-made was great, and the game is very colorful and interesting to look at. On top of that, the game has a solid balance in regards to difficulty, in that it has some easy moments, but it also has some nice, more challenging moments.
    Unfortunately, it's also held back by a number of flaws. For starters, the game is insanely short: I got through the game in just over 4 hours, and it's probably not much longer if you get all of the collectibles. On top of that, the controls are not as smooth as "Canvas Curse," and the levels tend to get overly-long and extremely bland. Furthermore, the "gimmicks" that the game adds (the rocket, the submarine, and the tank) only add to the game's poor controls.
    All things considered, "Kirby and the Rainbow Curse" might be a nice, decent little game at a lower price, but all in all, I can't sit here and say with all sincerity that I "loved" the game, or even "liked" it, because I didn't. The game was just so "meh" to me that I couldn't really get interested in it. If you're a huge Kirby fan, you'll probably get a small kick out of it, but otherwise, there are far more enticing options out there.
    Final rating: 5 out of 10 "Hmm..."    … Expand
  5. nonchalantgamer
    Jun 26, 2015
    7
    Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is a gorgeous game which makes good use of the Wii U game-pad.

    Story The story behind Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is a cute tale, but doesn't offer many cut-scenes or details as to whats going on, its more or less a backdrop for you to paint with your stylus and progress through the levels. Its unfortunate that the story is not fleshed out more and that no    Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is a gorgeous game which makes good use of the Wii U game-pad.

    Story

    The story behind Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is a cute tale, but doesn't offer many cut-scenes or details as to whats going on, its more or less a backdrop for you to paint with your stylus and progress through the levels. Its unfortunate that the story is not fleshed out more and that no characters were really introduced or explained.

    Graphics/Presentation

    The art direction in this game is phenomenal, and the use of clay modeled effects works wonders, as everything looks like it was handcrafted. The textures are smooth and it truly is a unique one of a kind design that i have never seen before. Also the presentation was good as expected from a Nintendo game, as i experienced no frame-rate dips or slowdowns throughout my playthrough.

    Gameplay

    This is one of the few Wii U games that makes great use of the Game-pad, and i found that it was a very intuitive and fun design with the stylus that overall worked well. There are some clunky moments when drawing the ropes but this was not the case often.

    Overall Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is a fun, unique, and gorgeous game that makes good use of what the tablet like game-pad has to offer. Although the story is nothing special and can be completed within 10 or so hours, its an enjoyable adventure and its unique approach and style makes it worth a try.    … Expand
  6. ToFewViews
    Jun 22, 2015
    5
    The newest addition to the Kirby franchise is a little different then the more standard Kirby plat-formers, Not longer do you run through the levels eating your enemy to gain new powers, You now move along a rainbow line you draw on the game-pad to help Kirby move around the map. This may sound like a creative idea on paper but the transfer to game makes it extremely frustrating andThe newest addition to the Kirby franchise is a little different then the more standard Kirby plat-formers, Not longer do you run through the levels eating your enemy to gain new powers, You now move along a rainbow line you draw on the game-pad to help Kirby move around the map. This may sound like a creative idea on paper but the transfer to game makes it extremely frustrating and difficult to get Kirby to go where you want to go. There is a Co-op element to the game as well that let's a friend play as waddle dee and run along the course and fight enemy's with his spear and that maybe more fun then playing as Kirby himself. Sadly most the time you have your eyes glued to the gamepad and are unable to look up at your TV because you would have no idea where you are drawing, This makes longer gaming sessions extremely hard on the eyes. The Artstyle in Rainbow curse is amazing, the game looks like it's all claymation and is one of the nicer looking Kirby games I've seen since Epic Yarn. Sadly the amazing Art Style doesn't save the game from being very Clunky and frustrating. Fans of Kirby games should stick to Triple Deluxe (3DS) or Epic Yarn (Wii).… Expand
  7. JRo55
    Jan 26, 2023
    7
    Cute little game with a unique gimmick. Nice artsyle and pleasant music. I had fun with it.
  8. jswessler
    Mar 5, 2015
    6
    -Had so much potential but kind of wasted it. If the entire game didn't look like it was running at 10 fps it would have been so much better. Other then that the game is amazing.
  9. NatT96
    Jul 18, 2015
    6
    Thank goodness I rented this title becuase it was not hard to beat at all. Rainbow curses gamepad mechanic immediately turned me off. It It reminded me of a sticky version of canvas curse and leads to fustration is some gameplay moments. Its way too slow paced and limited compared to 2014's Triple Deluxe. I'm serious it fails to even meet the level of Triple Deluxe!
  10. GameCritque
    Jun 7, 2016
    7
    I like this game a lot but It is a little short. Personally I think the Gamepad for this game is great but the original game was on the DS and I think this game could have worked on 3DS. The story is simple, normal Kirby. The art style is fantastic and as a say a lot, some of the best on Wii U. You have lots of cool abilities and amiibos can help in tough portions. Yes towards the endI like this game a lot but It is a little short. Personally I think the Gamepad for this game is great but the original game was on the DS and I think this game could have worked on 3DS. The story is simple, normal Kirby. The art style is fantastic and as a say a lot, some of the best on Wii U. You have lots of cool abilities and amiibos can help in tough portions. Yes towards the end levels do get hard! The challenge mode towards the end is insanely difficult. This game keeps you busy for long enough but is a little short still.… Expand
  11. Whatarethose
    Jul 10, 2016
    7
    Look I didn't hate this game the art style is great and the music is good to but to me everything else is meh. Just have in mind this isn't a traditional kirby game but that doesn't mean it's bad but the gameplay while sometimes charming is mostly dull but one positive is that the variety of worlds is pretty large but this game just wasn't for me but if the gameplay isn't to much for youLook I didn't hate this game the art style is great and the music is good to but to me everything else is meh. Just have in mind this isn't a traditional kirby game but that doesn't mean it's bad but the gameplay while sometimes charming is mostly dull but one positive is that the variety of worlds is pretty large but this game just wasn't for me but if the gameplay isn't to much for you and you love the art style and charm i recommend this game for you.… Expand
  12. IndieCrit
    Feb 27, 2018
    7
    While I have to love this game's art style, to me this game bored me.. and quickly. Partially because I haven't played the original, but this game just isn't as good as some of the other outings of Kirby.
  13. CB186
    Jan 5, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While I would have preferred a traditional Kirby game on the Wii U, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is still a very fun and beautiful game.

    The biggest problem is how beautiful it is though. You are forced to use the gamepad to control Kirby with the touch screen and while the graphics on the gamepad is good, it is disappointing as you can't look at the gorgeous visuals on the TV screen for most of the games.
    The other flaw is the final boss. It is pathetic. Far too easy but with amazing music and visuals. Even for Kirby standards, this was way too easy.

    However, the rest of the game is wonderful. The cutscenes, collectibles and other bosses are great! Probably one of the best Kirby spin off games I've played. The controls are great, the transformations are great too. Its just a shame that the ending is disappointing.

    Overall, this is a good game with flaws but still a recommendation for any Wii U owners.    … Expand
  14. yangfanhong
    Apr 13, 2023
    7
    This is a good game. But I personally couldn’t get used to not controlling Kirby directly but a color pen influencing a paralyzed Kirby.
  15. hector_bcn98
    Oct 31, 2022
    7
    La jugabilidad con el puntero y el lápiz no es tan precisa como hubiera esperado. Cortito.
  16. OmegaJ17
    Jan 2, 2023
    5
    I remember getting game for my birthday, and I really liked it. Then I returned to it, and yeah, it was average. What did I like? I really liked the aesthetics, every level and character looks like they were really modeled out of clay (anyone out there remember clayfighter? It was just like that!). I also love the music. But even with those, It’s just a blob of mediocrity.

    To get the    I remember getting game for my birthday, and I really liked it. Then I returned to it, and yeah, it was average. What did I like? I really liked the aesthetics, every level and character looks like they were really modeled out of clay (anyone out there remember clayfighter? It was just like that!). I also love the music. But even with those, It’s just a blob of mediocrity.

    To get the elephant out of the room, the drawing gimmick is ABYSMAL. You have to use the stylus to draw Kirby to the end goal, but the stylus is really picky when the line should end. It’s even worse when you use your finger. I never played canvas curse, but if the controls are this picky, count me out!

    I really don’t like the bosses in this game, either, they’re almost always the same thing. The first one is against this tree, and you can just spam attacks until he’s dead. You fight him again in world 4, but it’s literally the exact same fight but you have to use a different attack to kill him. The next one, one the other hand, is frustrating. You have to break his armor four times, but he’s mostly coated with electricity, and it’s hard to properly time it, and the rematch is even worse because you’re constantly being pushed upwards by water! The last one is a squid pirate with tentacles you have to hit, but like the rematch with the 2nd boss, you’re pulled up by the water, making it hard to land a proper hit. Ironically, the rematch is easier and probably the best boss in the game.

    What’s the difficulty of this game supposed to be? Easy or hard? One the easy side, the vehicle sections are a downright joke, as most of the bad guys go down in one hit. On the hard side however, the game often puts instakill hazards in your way with no warning whatsoever. One of the levels has you running away from stone pillars the kill you in one go. BUT, they put goodies to trick you into getting killed because the controls are unresponsive.

    Yeah, Rainbow curse is average and only average. Am I the only one who feels bad for the Wii U library? Most of it got ported to the switch instead of making new sequels for those games. At one point I hope this is a switch game and most of the problems are improved. If not, I guess it’ll just roll into obscurity.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

25
#25 Best Wii U Game of 2015
9
#9 Most Discussed Wii U Game of 2015
16
#16 Most Shared Wii U Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 72 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 72
  3. Negative: 4 out of 72
  1. GamePro Germany
    Aug 12, 2015
    68
    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.
    Read full review
  2. NZGamer
    Jun 15, 2015
    85
    Cuddly cute, surprisingly, outrageously fun and best of all ­ minimally flawed.
    Read full review
  3. SpazioGames
    Jun 8, 2015
    70
    The game fails to show its beauty from the small screen of the GamePad, forcing the player in the role of Kirby to lose part of an otherwise fascinating game. A partial success, then, that it stands on its own due to the increasingly high quality and cleanliness of Nintendo's games.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »