Kirby's Pinball Land

The popular hero of Kirby's Dream Land and Kirby's Adventure is back in a multiscreen pinball game, and Kirby's the ball. You control the levers that send Kirby on adventures through many levels and bonus stages. Like real pinball, you can bump the playing field, but if you go too far...TILT!

Just in time to rejuvenate the shrinking Game Boy cart list, Kirby's Pinball Land goes back to an old game theme. Just how good is this game? Good enough to please both Game Boy owners and pinball wizards.

Kickin' with Kirby

Three Pinball Lands have been invaded by King Dedede, and it's up to Kirby to rout the evil King and his minions from the land. Each pinball board represents a captured land, and at the top of each board you face off with one of the King's Henchmen (or rather, hench-things): Wispy Woods, a maleficent maple tree; Kracko, a boisterous thundercloud; or the Poppy Brothers, two bomb-happy brothers who want to put Kirby out of commission.

Kirby needs help against these foes, and he gets it from Chilly, Nimbus, Cloudy, and Big Boo. No, they're not a jazz band, they're various Kirby-esque helpers who rebound balls, take you into Warp Zones, and help you get to the bosses.

And the action doesn't stop; each board has Bonus Games and boss levels. You could play this game all the way through and never see the same enemy twice! The Bonus Games take place on soccer fields and cloud conveyor belts, and there's even an Arkanoid-type block-busting game!

Fast and Fat

The graphics in Kirby's Pinball Land are smooth and well-defined. The ball (which is Kirby) moves so fast that you've got to struggle to keep up with it visually. Every detail stands out-you can clearly see the cringing faces on your enemies.

The music is a treat as well, with different music for each stage. There's even accompanying music for the bosses. You can hear every bell, whistle, whoop, and clank, so it's just like a real machine!

No Pinball Pushover

Kirby won't let your thumbs rest, either. The game requires patience, dexterity, and very fast reflexes. Just like with a real pinball machine, sometimes you just have to watch the ball slide away.

Occasionally, though, some rejected balls shoot back into the playing field. Add to this a unique Save feature that saves your game exactly where you left off (it even remembers the ball's position), and you've got an unusual and very playable pinball cart. Don't let the cute graphics and young-ish theme deter you. Kirby's Pinball Land is just as much fun - and as challenging - as any of the top Game Boy titles.