Kirby’s Blowout Blast (3DS eShop) Review

I loved Kirby Planet Robobot when it released last year, and while Team Kirby Clash was fun, the decision to make the expanded deluxe version free to start left me largely uninterested with how grind-y the game already was. Kirby’s 3D Rumble, however, left me wanting more – and now with Kirby’s Blowout Blast there are over 40 levels to enjoy.

While both Triple Deluxe & Robobot had their mini games expanded into Deluxe versions (Drum Dash Deluxe, Kirby Fighters Deluxe & aforementioned Team Kirby Clash Deluxe, Kirby’s Blowout Blast drops the ‘Deluxe’ suffix and for good reason. While the Deluxe games are great, most only added a handful of extra levels or a new mode, however, Kirby’s Blowout Blast takes the original 4 levels and increases that to nearly 50 across 5 worlds, 5 Ex worlds & a Special bonus world.

For those unfamiliar with Kirby’s 3D Rumble, the gameplay remains largely the same. Kirby can move around in a fully 3D environment and the goal is to inhale other enemies to chain together in a puzzle-like fashion. Inhaling two enemies or a larger one will create a star that you can spit out and will go through other enemies creating a chain. Levels are divided up into four or five subsections with four medals and a rank being awarded after each. No Damage, All Coins, Speed Clear & All Enemies defeated will give you bonus points and all four will be required to get Platinum rankings.

To Unlock the EX variant you will need a gold ranking or better in every sub-stage for that Level. As you would expect from a Kirby game, the EX Stages are much more difficult but largely the same level design. Harder enemies are introduced to earlier levels and the Size/Damage of enemies increases. The main game while largely simple to complete, it can be a challenge to achieve a gold rank and the EX levels make this much less forgiving.

This game also has amiibo support because, well of course it does. All your Kirby Series amiibo will work (and even the Smash variants) and…. you… well, get a Statue? And… some Music….? Yeah, look it’s not the greatest use of amiibo (I’d argue one of the worst) but wait there’s more! If you have Save Data for Planet Robobot, you unlock… more Statues. Brilliant.

Kirby’s Blowout Blast is easily my favourite of the mini games released on the 3DS due to how much more depth is has compared to the others. You’re getting around 5-6 hours of play from your $10 purchase, making it a good way to tide you over until Kirby returns later this year on the 3DS and Switch in 2018.

Rating: 5/5