Platform: Wii | Overall Score: 6/10
Although cute and mildly entertaining, there isn't enough here to make Kirby's Epic Yarn a must-buy.

I was so excited for this game. I used to love playing Kirby games when I was a little kid. Heck, Kirby's Dreamland 3 and Kirby Super Star were some of my favorite games on the Super Nintendo. Although Kirby's Epic Yarn IS adorable at times and has a lot of charm, I personally would not consider this one of the best games in the series.

Story (6/10): Kirby games have never been about storytelling. Usually the plot involves saving Dreamland from some kind of peril involving "monsters" who are, in general, just as precious as Kirby himself. In this game everything is presented in the form of a children's storybook. The story isn't particularly good, and I won't "ruin" it for you (it's incredibly predictable), but you can't really hate on it because it is what it is.

Gameplay (7/10): KIRBY CAN'T FLY. Yes, you heard it, one of Kirby's signature moves is gone, and it is sorely missed. You can't draw out special powers from enemies either. I know this a new game, but still, it's like playing a Super Mario game where you can't jump.. you feel tied down! The other problem is how painfully slow Kirby is here. Dashing takes a couple of seconds, floating down as a parachute doesn't help very much, and Kirby sometimes doesn't react fast enough when jumping. I don't know, I think the controls could have been a little tighter.

There are a couple of reasons why gameplay is getting a 7 and not a 5. First is because of the transformation sections. Every once in a while you get to transform into some sort of vehicle and wreak havoc upon the cuddly creatures of Patch Land. Most of these are fun, a couple are a little bit frustrating, but overall, they feel a lot like the vehicles you get in Yoshi's Island for the SNES. The second reason is how creatively they push the whole "yarn/fabric" thing. You can swing from buttons and roam under yards of cloth; there's always a new and interesting way to interact with the environment.

Co-op play is fun as well, but there isn't much to say about it. The extras consist of a few hide-and-seek/timed mini-games, and an apartment with furniture to decorate it (If you're thinking "WTF?", I agree). Most of the game is ridiculously easy. You can't even die. Save for a select group of levels, this should be a cakewalk. Same goes for the bosses. Just make sure to grab as many beads as possible and to collect all of the furniture if you want 100%.

Visuals (9/10): This is one of Kirby's Epic Yarn's best features. Details everywhere, from backgrounds to Kirby's move-set and everything in between. My only complaints are a lack in variety when it comes to enemies, and how lazy they were when it came to cut-scenes.

Audio (6/10): Most of the songs are legit. Some are remixes of past music, and there is plenty of new music (lots of piano), although nothing is as memorable as Kirby's old-school beats. The sound effects seem on point as well. The real downfall is the ONE voice-over they have for the whole game. It's some old guy, and he is as cheesy as storybook narrators come (or worse). He does the voice for every single character in the cut-scenes, which wouldn't be as bad if they didn't recycle the same exact clip at the end of every world. Even my little sister couldn't stand it.

Overall Score (6/10): In the end, although most reviews for this game have been positive, I don't really think Kirby's Epic Yarn is worth the purchase unless you have children around to get the most out of it. If you HAVE to play it (like I did), just borrow or rent it!

-Luisito