26th February 2003, 1:44 PM
(This post was last modified: 10th September 2005, 5:12 PM by A Black Falcon.)
Kirby Tilt ‘n' Tumble
Release Date: 2000
Date: review started 10/24/2001; continued and finished on 5/17/2002
Review republished at Tendo City on 2/26/2003
System: Game Boy Color Only
Developed by HAL
Published by Nintendo
Game Overview: Kirby Tilt ‘n' Tumble (Yes, that's how its spelled in the game... I think it should be "Kirby's Tilt n' Tumble", but it isn't) is a unique game. It is the only Game Boy game that uses "Tilt" technology -- you move the game boy to move Kirby on the screen. This unique gameplay does have some problems, but overall it's good. Everyone should try it, if just to try the interesting tilt technology.
Gameplay: Kirby Tilt ‘n' Tumble is, as mentioned, unique. The tilt sensor in the cartridge means that to move Kirby, you tilt the system. To have him jump up on the screen, you flip up the system. This is a interesting and definitely unique control scheme. While the game wouldn't be nearly as good with normal controls, with the added interest of tilt control it is a lot of fun. As for the gameplay itsself, it is viewed from a top down perspective and you tilt to roll Kirby around on the maps to avoid obstacles, solve puzzles, and kill enemies. While there is no swallowing enemies or other forms of Kirby like the main sidescrolling games in the series, as it is top down and Kirby essentially is playing the role of a ball that can inflate, it doesn't seem like a missing feature because that kind of thing would not work as well in the topdown game style that it is. Even so, it is too bad that Kirby is missing his trademark ability. The game is still a lot of fun to play so those small issues are not enough to bring the score down much.
There is one important issue here: this game cannot be used like other Game Boy games. Because it tilts, using it in a car can be problematic-- if the car shakes, takes a turn too sharply, etc, the game will shake and Kirby will move. Because of this, it is best to be stationary. Also, because you must constantly tilt the system, lighting can be bad. Even when under direct light that normally is fine for most Game Boy games, this one can at times be dark because of some positions you must have it in sometimes to move to some places. If you can live with, or look past, those issues, though, there really aren't many other problems with the game except its short length.
Score:9 /10
Single Player: There are eight levels, each with a boss, and then a mode where you play the levels again and try to get all possible points in each level. After that, you play it again in hard mode. Even so with all that, it is not a very hard game. While not super short, it will probably seem a little short, but since it is a lot of fun along the way, it is a good game. It could stand to have a higher difficulty level though. Once you get good at the game and beat the levels, there is little reason to play again because it is not very hard and has no more rewards. There are no hidden modes or games beyond the hard mode, unfortunately, unlike previous games in the Kirby series (Kirby 2 had several minigames at 100%, for example). Even so, the fun factor cannot be denied so the game gets a good score for the single player game.
Score: 8/10
Multi Player: None.
Graphics: For a Game Boy Color game, Kirby Tilt ‘n' Tumble has good graphics. While they certainly can't compare to Game Boy Advance graphics, they are good for the system it is on. Every level has its own look and its own hazards and environments, and it all looks good. It is about as good as a topdown Game Boy Color game can look. Some people will not like them as much, though. They are definitely cartoonish and ‘cute', as all the rest of the Kirby games are. For some that style may not be appealing, but I liked it and have no complaints about the graphics.
Score: 9/10
Sound: Like the graphics, they are pretty much what you would expect for a somewhat cute Game Boy Color game from Nintendo, and a Kirby game in specific. The music is OK if you like the style of Kirby game music, you will like this. Some may find it too ‘nice' or something', but I think it fits the game perfectly.
Score: 8/10 (this is comparing it to other original Game Boy games, not any other platforms...
otherwise a GB game would never get more than a 4 or 5 except for very rare occasions)
Other Info: This is the only Game Boy game that has tilt technology int it, so if you want other games similar to it, you will have to wait for the Game Boy Advance / Gamecube sequel coming sometime this year, hopefully. The Kirby series, though, has many games in it in many genres-- sidescrolling platformer, pinball, breakout, golf, tetris-style puzzle game, etc, and is generally very good. This game is no exception. I recommend that it should be at least rented to see if you think the game is long enough to justify owning. That depends on how much you like it and how good you are at the game.
Scores:
Gameplay:9 /10
Single Player:8 /10
Multi Player: N/A
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
Total: 34/40 or % (not the final score-- this is just the total of the parts)
*Final Score: 88% (not an average)*
Release Date: 2000
Date: review started 10/24/2001; continued and finished on 5/17/2002
Review republished at Tendo City on 2/26/2003
System: Game Boy Color Only
Developed by HAL
Published by Nintendo
Game Overview: Kirby Tilt ‘n' Tumble (Yes, that's how its spelled in the game... I think it should be "Kirby's Tilt n' Tumble", but it isn't) is a unique game. It is the only Game Boy game that uses "Tilt" technology -- you move the game boy to move Kirby on the screen. This unique gameplay does have some problems, but overall it's good. Everyone should try it, if just to try the interesting tilt technology.
Gameplay: Kirby Tilt ‘n' Tumble is, as mentioned, unique. The tilt sensor in the cartridge means that to move Kirby, you tilt the system. To have him jump up on the screen, you flip up the system. This is a interesting and definitely unique control scheme. While the game wouldn't be nearly as good with normal controls, with the added interest of tilt control it is a lot of fun. As for the gameplay itsself, it is viewed from a top down perspective and you tilt to roll Kirby around on the maps to avoid obstacles, solve puzzles, and kill enemies. While there is no swallowing enemies or other forms of Kirby like the main sidescrolling games in the series, as it is top down and Kirby essentially is playing the role of a ball that can inflate, it doesn't seem like a missing feature because that kind of thing would not work as well in the topdown game style that it is. Even so, it is too bad that Kirby is missing his trademark ability. The game is still a lot of fun to play so those small issues are not enough to bring the score down much.
There is one important issue here: this game cannot be used like other Game Boy games. Because it tilts, using it in a car can be problematic-- if the car shakes, takes a turn too sharply, etc, the game will shake and Kirby will move. Because of this, it is best to be stationary. Also, because you must constantly tilt the system, lighting can be bad. Even when under direct light that normally is fine for most Game Boy games, this one can at times be dark because of some positions you must have it in sometimes to move to some places. If you can live with, or look past, those issues, though, there really aren't many other problems with the game except its short length.
Score:9 /10
Single Player: There are eight levels, each with a boss, and then a mode where you play the levels again and try to get all possible points in each level. After that, you play it again in hard mode. Even so with all that, it is not a very hard game. While not super short, it will probably seem a little short, but since it is a lot of fun along the way, it is a good game. It could stand to have a higher difficulty level though. Once you get good at the game and beat the levels, there is little reason to play again because it is not very hard and has no more rewards. There are no hidden modes or games beyond the hard mode, unfortunately, unlike previous games in the Kirby series (Kirby 2 had several minigames at 100%, for example). Even so, the fun factor cannot be denied so the game gets a good score for the single player game.
Score: 8/10
Multi Player: None.
Graphics: For a Game Boy Color game, Kirby Tilt ‘n' Tumble has good graphics. While they certainly can't compare to Game Boy Advance graphics, they are good for the system it is on. Every level has its own look and its own hazards and environments, and it all looks good. It is about as good as a topdown Game Boy Color game can look. Some people will not like them as much, though. They are definitely cartoonish and ‘cute', as all the rest of the Kirby games are. For some that style may not be appealing, but I liked it and have no complaints about the graphics.
Score: 9/10
Sound: Like the graphics, they are pretty much what you would expect for a somewhat cute Game Boy Color game from Nintendo, and a Kirby game in specific. The music is OK if you like the style of Kirby game music, you will like this. Some may find it too ‘nice' or something', but I think it fits the game perfectly.
Score: 8/10 (this is comparing it to other original Game Boy games, not any other platforms...
otherwise a GB game would never get more than a 4 or 5 except for very rare occasions)
Other Info: This is the only Game Boy game that has tilt technology int it, so if you want other games similar to it, you will have to wait for the Game Boy Advance / Gamecube sequel coming sometime this year, hopefully. The Kirby series, though, has many games in it in many genres-- sidescrolling platformer, pinball, breakout, golf, tetris-style puzzle game, etc, and is generally very good. This game is no exception. I recommend that it should be at least rented to see if you think the game is long enough to justify owning. That depends on how much you like it and how good you are at the game.
Scores:
Gameplay:9 /10
Single Player:8 /10
Multi Player: N/A
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
Total: 34/40 or % (not the final score-- this is just the total of the parts)
*Final Score: 88% (not an average)*