''Super Kirby Clash'' is a 2019

freeware Freeware is software, most often proprietary, that is distributed at no monetary cost to the end user. There is no agreed-upon set of rights, license, or EULA that defines ''freeware'' unambiguously; every publisher defines its own rules for the f ...

action role-playing game An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre. Definition The games emphasize real-time combat where the player h ...

for the

Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...

. It was developed by

HAL Laboratory formerly shortened as HALKEN (derived from its native name), is a Japanese video game developer founded on 21 February 1980. While independent, it has been closely tied with Nintendo throughout its history, and is often referred to as a secon ...

and

Vanpool Vanpools or Vanpooling is an element of the transit system that allow groups of people to share the ride similar to a carpool, but on a larger scale with concurrent savings in fuel and vehicle operating costs and thus usually a lower cost to the ...

, and is a game in the ''

Kirby Kirby may refer to: Buildings * Kirby Building, a skyscraper in Dallas, Texas, United States * Kirby Hall, an Elizabethan country house near Corby, Northamptonshire, England * Kirby House (disambiguation), various houses in England and the Unit ...

'' series. ''Super Kirby Clash'' features

microtransactions Microtransactions, often abbreviated as mtx, are a business model where users can purchase virtual goods with micropayments. Microtransactions are often used in free-to-play games to provide a revenue source for the developers. While microtransact ...

and is a sequel to ''

Team Kirby Clash Deluxe ''Kirby: Planet Robobot'' is a 2016 platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. It is the eleventh mainline installment in the ''Kirby (series), Kirby series'' and the spiritual sequel to ''Kirby: Tri ...

'' for the

Nintendo 3DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...

, which is an expanded version of a minigame from '' Kirby: Planet Robobot'' for the same console. The game received "mixed or average reviews" according to

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...

Gameplay

''Super Kirby Clash'' is an

where players control Kirby and his team, who must fight an array of different bosses. There are four Kirbys in the game. The player is the pink Kirby, and the yellow, blue, and green Kirbys can be controlled by CPUs or other players. The player can choose a role, as well as a weapon and suit of armor, and interact with the notice board to begin a fight. The role options allows the player to utilize a sword, hammer, offensive spells, or healing. The game features

to purchase necessary Gem Apples to progress, but they can be acquired in other ways, and the game can be completed without purchasing anything. Players can ring the adventurer bell to receive gifts from other players.

Plot

At the start of the game, a large number of monsters threaten the realm, and

must fight them. Kirby forms a group of fellow Kirbys, named Team Kirby, to stop the threat. They advance through the realm, slaying monsters, until they encounter Parallel Nightmare, the mastermind behind the threat. Team Kirby defeats him and he flees to the Empyrean. Team Kirby advances towards the Empyrean while vanquishing more monsters, and they eventually arrive. As they do, they encounter what they think is Parallel Nightmare, and fight it. They realize that this is not Parallel Nightmare, but instead Taranza. They proceed to the Decisive Battlefield, where they encounter Parallel Nightmare again. As they prepare to fight him, he summons the dreaded King D-Mind to fight them. King D-Mind turns on Parallel Nightmare, and flings him away, before being defeated by Team Kirby. The threat appears to be over, but the monsters return, stronger than before. Team Kirby kills more monsters, and discovers that Parallel Nightmare survived. They chase him to another realm called the Dreamscape and defeat him again. Parallel Nightmare summons a powerful warrior called Aeon Hero to fight them. Aeon Hero kills Parallel Nightmare and engages Team Kirby, but loses to them after a long battle. After the battle, peace is restored.

Development and release

''Super Kirby Clash'' is a sequel to ''

'', which is an expanded version of the ''Team Kirby Clash'' minigame from '' Kirby: Planet Robobot''. The game was developed using the same engine as ''

Kirby Star Allies ''Kirby Star Allies'' is a 2018 platform video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. The twelfth mainline installment in the ''Kirby'' series, the player controls Kirby in his quest to prevent a pri ...

''.

Hal Laboratory formerly shortened as HALKEN (derived from its native name), is a Japanese video game developer founded on 21 February 1980. While independent, it has been closely tied with Nintendo throughout its history, and is often referred to as a secon ...

co-developed the game with another company,

. ''Super Kirby Clash'' was released on September 4, 2019. Later that month, Nintendo held a ''

Tetris 99 ' is an online version of the tile-matching video game ''Tetris'', developed by Arika, and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch in February 2019. The software is free, but only to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Incorporating element ...

'' Maximus Cup themed around the game. The rewards, obtained for getting more than 100 points, were a Kirby-based theme in ''Tetris 99'' and ninety-nine Gem Apples in ''Super Kirby Clash''. In December 2019, the game reached four million downloads, prompting HAL Laboratory to host a temporary twenty-percent off sale on the game's Gem Apple currency.

Reception

The game received a 74 on

. Mitch Vogel of

Nintendo Life Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British mass media company based in Brighton. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and other ...

praised the role-playing mechanics and roster of familiar characters and comparing the game to the ''

Monster Hunter is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fantasy-themed action role-playing video games that started with the game ''Monster Hunter'' for the PlayStation 2, released in 2004. Titles have been released across a variety of platforms, ...

'' series, but they disliked the online functionality, citing

input lag Input lag or input latency is the amount of time that passes between sending an electrical signal and the occurrence of a corresponding action. In video games the term is often used to describe any latency between an input and either the game or ...

as a major flaw. The game was listed by

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

as one of the fourteen best free-to-play games on the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo World Report stated that it was a fun game, and easy to play for young children, but they also said to "just go play '' Kirby: Star Allies''". A

Kotaku ''Kotaku'' is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network. Notable former contributors to the site include Luke Smith, Cecilia D'Anastasio, Tim Rogers, and Jason Schreier. History ...

reviewer disliked the microtransactions, but enjoyed the game's cute visuals.

Notes

References

External links

''Super Kirby Clash'' on Nintendo.com
{{Kirby series 2019 video games Video games with 2.5D graphics Nintendo Switch games Nintendo Switch-only games Free-to-play video games Video games developed in Japan Video games that use Amiibo figurines Kirby (series) video games HAL Laboratory games Vanpool games Video games about parallel universes