Kirby’s Epic Yarn: Just a Happy Game to Play
Kirby’s Epic Yarn is a simple and fun platformer released on the Nintendo Wii in 2010 with a remake made for the 3DS in 2019. This review will not cover any of the added or changed features in the 3DS version though both versions share a majority of features.
Epic Yarn’s plot is that an evil sorcerer made of yarn called Yin-Yarn has split apart Patch Land into pieces and is trying to take over Dream Land. Over the course of the game, you gather magic yarn to stitch Patch Land back together and to stop Yin-Yarn’s plans.
What sets this game apart from other games in the series is its yarn aesthetic. Along with this, the game goes with a simple approach regarding the Kirby formula. The game lacks any of the signature copy abilities along with Kirby’s suction and flight abilities. Instead Kirby’s attacks with a yarn whip. This ability acts similarly to his traditional standard moveset as you can roll enemies into yarn balls and throw them at other enemies.
Kirby also is given special forms that range from a mech to a surfing penguin. These forms are all fun to use with the exception of the train form. This form requires the use of the motion sensor which can be annoying and the form moves quite slowly. My favorite form though would be the dolphin as the movement feels very fluid and fun.
When it comes to difficulty, it is more or less nonexistent. The game choses to minimize difficulty with little penalty for failure. The game lacks any form of HP or lives and instead getting hit causes you to lose beads (the game’s currency and score system). Along with this, falling into pits and getting crushed causes a character called Angie to grab Kirby and put him in a safe spot while all the beads you’ve collected fall out. This lack of difficulty may not sound appealing to some, however it results in a very fun and stress free experience, something people can always use.
To aid in this soothing and fun feel, the game’s music is also incredibly cheerful and it’s hard to not smile at least a little bit when some of them start playing. The yarn aesthetic also aids this as everything is made quite cute and pleasing. One feature that uses the aethetic well is how you unlock levels with patches. These patches all have unique ways of unlocking levels from planting a tree, making a snowman, or even summoning a boxing genie.
It’s hard to pull out a specific moment I would consider memorable, though I would say that going through Dreamland’s levels would be it. I happen to be a major sucker for Kirby nostalgia so going through the levels hearing remixes of old Kirby songs was very enjoyable. Along with this, before I decided to pick the game up for the first time in years, the most I could actively remember was having a lot of trouble with the Yarn Meta Knight boss as you have to time throwing yarn balls after his attacks as he will simply cut through them otherwise.
Epic Yarn overall succeeds in being a fun and relaxing game to play and I recommend it to anyone looking for something to relax to. Along with this, the game is incredibly accessible (outside of the fact its only available on the Wii and 3DS) so even those who do not play many games may find some fun in the experience. As a game in the Kirby franchise, it can be seen as a bit disappointing to some. The game does not push the series much further and did not have a lasting effect on the franchise. I would say that either version would be worth the purchase if one was interested and if you had the option of either or, the only pro of the Wii version that I know of is that it features co-op which is absent in the 3DS port.
