For whatever reason, Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land was one of the most sought after titles this holiday season. It was odd for a Nintendo title to be out of stock everywhere and I didn't manage to find my copy until I lucked upon it at an EB that just restocked. Somehow I think this was just a regional thing since I can't imagine that demand was that high for a little game like this. Either way, I was happy to finally snag a copy and happier to play it, especially since I'm heavy into my quirky game phase.

Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land is actually a remake of the old NES Kirby game, with a major facelift in the graphics department. The end result is a good looking update to a classic little unsung mascot of Nintendo that will give you a nice little diversion from a lot of the generic action available on the GBA. Kirby is a fine little platformer with a fun gameplay gimmick which allows for a little experimentation and exploration.

I never played the original game extensively so I wouldn't be able to tell you if everything is in the exact same locations or if the enemies attack in the exact same patterns. What I can tell you is that Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land provides a decent dose of platforming action, albeit a bit on the easy side. I tell you right now, this is not a game that will challenge you all that much, if at all. Most seasoned gamers will fly through this game pretty fast, adding a few hours to the game just to search out every nook and cranny to unlock a couple extra modes, which may or may not really be worth it for most gamers out there.

The facelift that Kirby received for his GBA release will make it easily recognizable for people who have been watching the Saturday morning cartoon. (Yes... I'll admit it, I've been watching it here and there, the little puff ball is just hard to resist.) The game doesn't push the system to it's limits in any way, but Kirby will certainly hold it's own against most of the games that have been released on the system. The best part about Kirby's graphics are the use of color and overall playfulness of the atmosphere. Kirby's "Dreamland" is rich in personality and charm, but the levels aren't really all that complex as far as their arrangement, especially considering Kirby's various abilities.

The animation in Kirby is actually quite fluid and really brings the game world to life. Some of the forms Kirby can assume come with a bevy of graphical effects, just the fire breathing form which gives Kirby a flaming hat which burns as he meanders through the levels burning enemies with his dragon breath. Throughout the game there are over 20 forms which Kirby can assume, all with their own unique animations and fluid attacks. The little intro screen is also great with the 'hundred Kirby stampede' that swarms the screen.

The core of the gameplay revolves around Kirby's ability to inhale enemies and absorb their abilities, such as sucking in a knight will give you a sword or a UFO that lets Kirby fly around and blast enemies with 4 different attacks. Each form Kirby can take will give you different advantages that will come in handy throughout the game. For instance, you may see a button on the ground that you can hit if you were in hammer form which gives you a mallet that you can use to hit the button, triggering an event which allows you to progress through the level or access a hidden area. Figuring out which form to use in each situation is where the strategy of the game comes from. Sure, there isn't too much that will really bake your noodle, but it saves the game from being a complete pushover at least.

To be honest, I really didn't notice the music in the game. What does this mean? It means that it didn't annoy me, nor did it thrill me in the least. I wasn't expecting to be blown away by the compositions, but I did at least expect a couple tunes to stick in my head for a little bit. The sound though is reasonable with a lot of effects for the various forms and enemies. I'm a little disappointed that what little voice Kirby displays wasn't used in the game... or at least I didn't notice it anywhere, and I even poured through the sound test mode to make sure. I liked his little taunt in Super Smash Bros.: Melee, sue me.

Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land also features a few little mini games to break up the action, however these aren't mini games like we see in Monkey Ball which can overtake the main game in fun and hours played. They are very simple little distractions that allow you to rack up some bonus points and extra lives as you progress through the game. The games feature one button gameplay and include a quick draw game, a mini rail grind game where you make simple jumps and a hot potato type game that seems to annoy me more than anything else. As I indicated, the games really aren't that exciting and luckily don't take up too much game time since they are just optional events in the game.

Overall, Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land is a simple, yet fun platformer on the GBA. The main thing saving this game from mediocrity is the style, charm and gameplay gimmick of the star of the game. I can't really say this game is worth purchasing over a game like Mario World or Yoshi's Island since those games offer much more for veteran gamers. Kirby is a perfect 'break game.' You know, a little game you play that doesn't tax you too much in between serious games like Castlevania and Metroid. Unless you're a big fan of the puff ball, you may want to wait for a sale or a used pickup since the length of this title will really count against it if your budget is tight. Kirby is a lot of fun though, and tends to be a nice transition game for those who don't game all that much.