Kirby's Dream Land 1992 VIDEO GAME REVIEW

 

This game took me two hours to complete and I was absolutely thrilled when I completed it. I had to put it on my Instagram story that I had completed the game because it took me so long and I thought it was a big achievement of mine. I know that sounds ridiculous, but God forbid (I don't believe in God. I just like the phrase) someone like me wants to have fun. For anybody that is interested, I didn't play this on a Game Boy. I played on an emulator on my laptop, so the reason that it took me so long to complete was either the very complex controls on the emulator or that I suck arse at video games. It might be both. So I mark this post the first ever video game review on this my blog. 

Kirby's Dream Land is the video game equivalent of a light snack. It's charming, easy to consume, and leaves you wanting a bit more. When it launched for the original Game Boy in 1992, it introduced the world to Kirby, the puffy pink puffball (in the game and on the cover, he is white) with a bottomless stomach. I'm surprised he doesn't get diabetes. Looking back, it's clear this was more of a charming first step than a grand adventure, but it's one that laid the foundation for one of Nintendo's most enduring franchises.

The game's premise is simple: King Dedede has stolen all the food from Dream Land and it's up to Kirby to get it back. The gameplay is equally straightforward. As Kirby, you float through the air by inhaling air and, most importantly, you can swallow enemies or spit them out as a projectile. Unlike later games in the series, there are no copy abilities here. You can't steal a sword from a enemy or breathe fire; you can only use their bodies as ammunition. While this keeps things simple, it also means the game lacks the strategic depth that would come to define the series.

The biggest thing that holds the game back is its length and difficulty. You can breeze through all five levels in about thirty minutes, and there's very little to challenge even the most casual player, like I just said that it took me two hours to complete the game. The bosses are a fun showcase of the game's mechanics, but they go down quickly. This makes it perfect for a first-time gamer or a quick trip down memory lane, but it doesn't offer much in the way of a long-lasting experience.

On the other hand, the game's presentation is spot-on. The graphics are simple, yet full of personality, making the most of the Game Boy's limited grayscale palette. The cheerful soundtrack is an instant mood-lifter and is still recognizable to this day. It's a testament to the game's artistic direction that it can still feel so bright and lively despite the hardware's constraints.

6/10