Nintendo certainly likes to make Kirby do a lot of experimental things. Pikmin platformers, tetris games, pinball, block games, even that touch screen only game where you directed Kirby via lines; Kirby has been through a lot more game mechanics then almost any other character out there. And while a lot of the previous games mentioned didn't really give off a Kirby game vibe, I feel that Epic Yarn does actually achieve that. Epic Yarn is just so cutesy and whimsical that it just feels at home with Kirby, and by that sentiment I feel that Epic Yarn is perhaps the best ascetically pleasing game to feature Kirby. Everything about it just makes Kirby a little more Kirby. Not to mention the game does actually look surprisingly like yarn. Its as if someone made these animations of yarn in front of you, its just that smooth and just looks so well done. Even the smallest things like fabric and stitching are constantly present to show more of an effect on any given level.
Epic Yarn isn't all visuals though, as it still provides with some classic platforming fun. Its a simple platformer where you can run, jump, and spin enemies or items into a big ball of yarn to hurl at other enemies or objects. Epic Yarn also has several different transformations throughout certain levels. Kirby transforms into a penguin, ufo, train, monster truck, tank, and even a rocket. While they are too big an impact on the game itself, these transformations offer a nice break from the usual platforming, focusing more on collecting gems, timing jumps, or even shooting enemies. Aside from that though, there really isn't much Epic Yarn offers differently aside from mini-games like playing hide and seek or a somewhat tacked on Co-op mode. Perhaps the real objective to the majority of Epic Yarn's levels however are finding all the various items scattered throughout the levels and collecting enough gems to obtain a gold rank. Its very true that Kirby can't die throughout the whole game, but that doesn't mean all the challenge is taken out of Epic Yarn. Epic Yarn is more so focused on obtaining better rankings via medals. If Kirby collects enough gems he gets a gold, silver, or bronze medal, but if you get hit any time you lose gems. So the real goal in Epic Yarn is to not get hit at all so you don' lose all your gems, thus keeping a your ranking toward the sought out gold medal. But even with this challenge tacked on to players minds, the game is still very easy, and I doubt anyone would actually have difficulty beating it. With that note I don't think this game would be really worth mentioning either if it weren't for the fact it is very ascetically pleasing. While it does have decent gameplay and challenge, the overall appeal is about the flash this game offers. In a lot of ways, and I'm surprised I'm saying this, the yarn out does the actual gameplay behind it. Its basic gameplay patted with a neat looking look to it. If this looked like any other game I doubt people would give it a second chance, but for what it is, its nice to look at. Its not all flash, but the substance isn't all that good either, its a pretty game to look and nice to spend sometime with, but I wouldn't say its really much of a game worth playing.
Final Thoughts:
Kirby's Epic Yarn is one of the most ascetically pleasing game this generation, the way Nintendo works yarn into a gameplay mechanic is really cool, and makes for a very visually appealing experience. However, Epic Yarn really isn't that challenging, even when going for gold medals, so it really just ends up being a very basic game under the guise of a very visually appealing effect. By no means does this make Epic Yarn a bad game though, but more so its a pleasant experience of seeing a visual style collide with gameplay mechanics, its different and that’s whats worth noting.