Kirby Super Star Ultra

Kirby Super Star Ultra for Nintendo DS is HAL Laboratory's expanded remake of the 1996 Super NES collection Kirby Super Star, released by Nintendo in North America in September 2008. Japan received it that November as Hoshi no Kirby Ultra Super Deluxe, followed by Europe in September 2009. Rather than presenting one continuous quest, the DS game packages a broad set of Kirby adventures, challenge modes, and quick-play sub-games around the familiar copy-ability platforming that defines the series.

At its core, each action game has Kirby move through side-scrolling stages by running, jumping, swimming, and briefly flying after inhaling air. Inhaling enemies and certain objects lets him spit them back as projectiles, while swallowing suitable foes grants Copy Abilities with distinct attacks. The Nintendo DS controls handle the main action with the buttons, and the second screen is used differently between modes, supplying useful information such as maps, score details, or ability-related options. Food restores health, while hazards and enemy hits whittle it down, so choosing an ability and handling its moveset are central to getting through tougher encounters.

A major feature carried over from the Super NES game is the Helper system. Kirby can turn a held Copy Ability into an allied character that fights beside him, either under computer control or in the hands of another player through local wireless play. That arrangement turns the platforming adventures into cooperative sessions, while the collection’s competitive sub-games accommodate up to four players. Spring Breeze also supports Nintendo DS Download Play for a two-player adventure, allowing a second participant to join without needing another Game Card.

The selection of stories and objectives gives the game an anthology-like rhythm. Spring Breeze sends Kirby after King Dedede when Dream Land’s food has been taken, while Dyna Blade concerns a giant bird disrupting the land’s crops. The Great Cave Offensive is a treasure hunt across a sprawling underground area, and Gourmet Race makes Kirby compete with Dedede while collecting food across its courses. Revenge of Meta Knight adds a timed attempt to halt Meta Knight and the Halberd, while Milky Way Wishes sends Kirby on a space-spanning mission and changes the usual ability system by letting him collect abilities for later selection.

Kirby Super Star Ultra also adds substantial material beyond the original game. Revenge of the King revisits the opening adventure with a tougher confrontation against Dedede, Helper to Hero turns the supporting characters into the stars of boss-focused challenges, and Meta Knightmare Ultra lets players take Meta Knight through remixed scenarios using his own techniques. The True Arena offers a more demanding boss gauntlet, while the returning Arena provides another endurance test. Updated visuals, new rendered cutscenes, added enemies and bosses, revised difficulty in places, and additional stages help distinguish this version from its Super NES source.

The Nintendo DS hardware also shaped the new sub-games. Kirby Card Swipe asks players to react to changing cards, Kirby on the Draw has them use the stylus to hit appearing targets while avoiding bombs, and Snack Tracks is built around guiding Kirby to eat the right items. Alongside the returning diversions, they bring the collection to five sub-games. With eleven platform games and five sub-games advertised by Nintendo, Kirby Super Star Ultra offers both short challenges and longer adventures, making it a notably full-featured handheld Kirby release and a distinct remake rather than a simple port.