Kirby's Tilt 'n Tumble
Review by Peter

First Impressions---Some people call him a puffball, while others simply think he's a big pink marshmallow... however you look at him, though, Kirby has been one of Nintendo's biggest stars. Yet for some reason, Kirby has been denied his dues on the Game Boy Color... that is until he threatened with legal action. So Kirby, that Hoover vacuum sucking marshmallow puffball is back - and this time he's gonna prove that he is the greatest cottonpuff of all time! Game Structure - Night falls in dreamland... yet, where are all the stars? Oh no! King Dedede has stolen them yet again! Now it's up to Kirby to put King Dedede in his place and restore the heavens to their former glory. Sounds easy right? Well, not exactly... see, Kirby can't walk. I'm sure most of you are crying out in agony! No, King Dedede hasn't crippled Kirby and Kirby hasn't been in a horrific accident... it's a whole new concept in gaming which involves motion sensors... sound confusing? Read on! Kirby rolls wherever he goes and wherever he goes he rolls, rolls, rolls... thanks to Nintendo's newest innovation in gaming, the motion sensor. When the game begins, the game prompts you to hold your Game Boy in a flat position, thereby calibrating the built in motion sensor. Once calibrated, Kirby's ready to roll with the punches. By tilting the cartridge left, right, up and down, Kirby rolls into motion, spinning around like a ball in a labyrinth. Want Kirby to jump?? No problem! Just snap the Game Boy up with a flick of the wrist and watch Kirby launch himself into a gymnastic routine worthy of Mary Lou Retton! Level designs feature many types of items that you'd find on a pinball machine, giving Kirby's Tilt 'n Tumble a Kirby's Pinball Land feel. You'll find bumpers, launchers, pits and more as you move Kirby around the screen. Using the action button allows you to jump out of holes and oftentimes blow wisps of air at certain enemies. What's more, levels oftentimes offer odd and unique challenges including levels with conveyor belts and levels with zero gravity... it's weird, but cool. Of course, most of you are probably thinking that this is purely a novelty game and that the whole motion sensor thing is a big con... well, you couldn't be more wrong. The motion sensor is a feature that makes the game so challenging and fun that I'm surprised it hasn't been thought of previously.

Visual Appeal---The graphics are crisp and colorful, more akin to the SNES versions of the Kirby games. All of the familiar enemies, bosses and characters are here and are beautifully rendered. Thankfully, the game designers didn't make the game annoyingly colorful, a fear I had from the time I learned of this game. It would've made the game that much harder to play. One notable flaw in the game is light, or the lack thereof. Once you start tilting the unit around, it becomes increasingly harder to see the screen, even with a worm light. However, under the right light, the game is fantastic!

Soundtrack---Overall, the soundtrack is pretty good. There are some easily familiar Kirby tunes to be heard within the game cartridges pink casing (that's right guys, it's pink...). Sound effects are decent, but frankly, you'll be too busy concentrating on the gameplay to even notice the music and sound!

Important Feature---Motion sensor built-in to the cartridge; Over 5 mini-games; Lot's of puzzle action

Difficulty leve---MODERATE Three SRAM save slots Only for Game Boy Color Gameplay Value - It's a huge game that requires a steady hand and a lot of patience. Add to that a bunch of mini-games and you've got a package that's got replayability written all over it!

Final Impressions---What could've been nothing more than a cash cow gimmick has become one of this years hottest titles. Kirby's Tilt 'n Tumble is one of those games that you simply must own... not just because it's the only game to feature a motion sensor, but because it's a great game that you'll enjoy playing for a long, long, time. Trust me, make this one an addition to your library!

Closing Quote---"Kirby - the worlds first living marshmallow."

Overall Score---9.5 out of 10