Kirby Super Star Ultra

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We don't know why Kirby hasn't reached the same heady heights of fame as his fellow Nintendo chums like Mario, Link and Pikachu. The vast majority of Kirby games have been enjoyable platforming romps and there's rarely been a stinker in the pink lad's 17-year history. Yet for some reason he's the sort of character who feels obliged to stand in the back row of any Nintendo group photo.

One of the most critically acclaimed Kirby games back in the day was 1996's Kirby's Fun Pak (or Kirby's Super Star in the US, hence this DS remake's title). At the time it felt packed with platforming action, offering many different game types on one cartridge. Thirteen years later we find ourselves with a DS remake, but does it still hold up to today's standards? Yes and no.

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Tiny Miracles
First things first, let's not put you under any illusions: Kirby Super Star Ultra may claim to feature over ten different games on one cartridge but many of these are either mini-games, re-jigged versions of other games or are simply too short to be considered full platforming adventures. Take Spring Breeze, the first game on offer, for example. It's designed for beginners and consists of only four short levels. It'll take you all of ten minutes to complete, and you probably won't play it again after you've finished it. The second game, Dyna Blade, doesn't take much longer to finish with its five stages - by the time you completed it you may be feeling a bit cheated by Kirby Super Star Ultra. After all, there are six main games on offer and if you're a half decent gamer you'll have the first two licked in less than half an hour.

Thankfully, things start to pick up a bit after this with The Great Cave Offensive, in which you have to explore a single huge cave level split into smaller screens as you try to search for 60 pieces of hidden treasure. Some pieces are easy to find, while others require careful use of Kirby's ability to steal his enemies' powers before you can reach them. It's a fun game and a nice change of pace because you suddenly have to use your brain and work out how to get as much treasure as possible instead of ploughing through a handful of levels.

Gourmet Race is another slight disappointment. Here you have to race King Dedede to the end of three stages while picking up food along the way. This literally takes around two and a half minutes to fully complete, which is a shame because it's fun while it lasts.

The final two games are slightly longer, but once again they're not exactly full games in their own right. One sees you sprinting through various levels as quickly as possible to try and take down Metaknight's airship the Halberd, whereas the other has Kirby travelling through seven planets to gain their star power. Once again they're fun but short, offering classic Kirby gameplay in bite-sized chunks.

Throughout all six games there's one problem - the whole thing is just too easy. Thankfully, the difficulty ramps up once you've cleared them all because then you unlock some harder modes. These also break up the gameplay in interesting ways, with some of them allowing you to play as Metaknight or helper characters instead of Kirby.

Filler Not Killer
There are a number of mini-games, some of which can be played by up to four players, but these are fairly forgettable and won't keep you entertained for more than a few minutes at a time. This is all about the platforming first and foremost and the mini-games just feel like filler.

Long story short, Kirby Super Star Ultra is fun while it lasts. Don't be fooled by the 'multiple games on one cartridge' claim, since each one is so short that they feel more like smaller groups of levels making up one large game. Treat the whole game as a single adventure split into various different chapters and you'll find yourself enjoying it like you would any other Kirby game.

Ultimately, your enjoyment of Ultra will come down to how difficult you like your games. Unlockable bonus games aside, the main adventure is easy to get through and while this might be suitable for younger gamers or anyone looking for some simple stress-free fun, anyone after a challenge will be disappointed. If difficulty isn't a problem, this offers some of the most pleasant platforming on the DS.