Kirby Super Star (or, alternatively, Kirby's Fun Pak) is a game that stands out as a hallmark of many gamers' childhoods. With its piecemeal presentation that speaks perfectly to today's "ADD generation," it was one of the first multi-game mascot adventures that gave players not one, but over eight games to unlock and enjoy. Newly remade and reworked for the Nintendo DS, Kirby Super Star Ultra is more than just a classic with a new coat of paint. No, it's a classic with over ten new games, new CG movies, a bit of touch screen bonuses, and a splash of paint that will leave you smiling (and possibly a little hungry) afterwards.

The action plays out as expected, with Kirby inhaling enemies to gain their powers and create “helper” copies of enemies to help him take on bosses. These helper enemies, which are simply palate-swapped versions of their violent doppelgangers and were new to Super Star back in ‘96, function admirably and are extremely useful when taking on the occasional boss that packs a punch.

Unfortunately, many of the opponents you face don't pack much of a punch, and in many ways are largely the game's biggest shortcoming. While some of the later stages with Kirby (along with the end half of the bonus extras) might induce a couple of careless deaths, dying in the preliminary half of the game is about as rare as running into a useless helper. The game just doesn’t offer much in the way of challenge, and mild-to-moderate Kirby veterans will probably be able to complete the vast majority of the minigames with only one or two lives lost.

Thankfully, even though his henchmen are rarely difficult, King Dedede went out of his way to craft some beautifully dense surroundings for Kirby to trudge through. Even though veterans could probably beat the totality of the cartridge within 7-10 hours, completionists planning to get 100% in every adventure will almost certainly spend twice as much time exploring every nook and collecting every treasure. Aside from the few levels that see you blindly running from point A to B, nearly every game mode has either something to collect (such as treasures or copy abilities), or multiple paths to take and explore. If you’re doing anything more than just plowing through the many modes, Super Star Ultra packs a surprisingly substantial adventure for a Kirby game.

Even though Kirby is no stranger to the Nintendo DS (this is his third outing, after all), it’s only the second time one of his games has been taken from the big screen to the little screen(s). While the GBA port, Nightmare in Dreamland, might have stood out a little bit more from its source material, Kirby Super Star Ultra survives its transition from the big screen remarkably well. The music is clear, the colors are vibrant, and even though things are smaller this time around, everything plays out perfectly. All of the stages, abilities, and copies are spot-on, and it feels like an extremely solid and polished game that longtime fans will find little to complain about.

Secondly, while the game does a great job in giving you myriad options and game modes to choose from, I couldn’t help but feel like I was left wanting a more substantial adventure to play through. Almost every game mode seemed to end right as they were getting good, and some of the more innovative scenarios, such as Revenge of Meta Knight and Milky Way Wishes, deserve much more than the hour they were given. Even though I could hardly move after getting my fill of the entirety of the game, I never quite felt like I got a full meal anywhere along the way.

Truth be told, my grievances are relatively mild in the long run, as Kirby Super Star Ultra remains just as fun today as it was a little over 12 years ago. Sure, the lack of button swaps and piecemeal presentation may be a bit of an annoyance, but the game looks and plays better than it ever has. Whether you’re looking for a few hours of fun, or want a game you can sit down with for a while and really squeeze out every last drop, this is a delightful (and deserving) remake of an old-school classic that deserves a spot on any Kirby aficionado’s shelf.

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