GCL Game of the Month!

March 2015
Title: Kirby's Block Ball
Platforms: GB, 3DS VC
Release Date: December 14th, 1995
Developer: HAL Laboratory / TOSE
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Paddle and Ball

User Progress Rating Review and/or Comments

Apple Completed on 2015/03/05 70/100 Images

Choas Completed on 2015/03/21 17/100 Taking into account the flaws inherent to Breakout-style games and the fact that I've never liked the genre, as well as my indifference toward the Kirby series, this score was never going to be above a 30. KBB is plagued by the same tedium, slow pacing, and mind-numbing repetition that any game like this will suffer from. The highlight of the game is definitely the boss fights, but they were ultimately still more of the same. The music was forgettable, but I suppose may have some sort of nostalgia factor for fans of the Kirby series. The final score is about ten points lower than I'd originally planned due to some of the atrocious level design later in the game. Clear Screen

Clank Incomplete on Stage 5

gamma Completed on 2015/03/06 73/100 This is, without a doubt, the best Breakout-style game I've ever played. I don't like passing something off as a clone while I lose all interest, so this is called a Breakout-style game. I'm sure I messed up by not playing this game when I was younger, because I probably would have appreciated it as a great pick-up-and-play Kirby spin-off. The music stood out the most to me; all of the songs were upbeat and felt classic and nostalgic on the first listen. Power-ups from the Kirby series and multiple paddles made the game more interesting when it, a bit too quickly, needed to be. Mostly worth spending the 1-2 hours. Images

Kuro Completed on 2015/03/22 27/100 In a word, tedious. I admire the fellas for picking a casual game, but there are more compelling choices. Atari games and their clones are boring, fossils from a time well before anybody realized what kind of potential the medium had. I have no specific complaints with the gameplay; it's fine for what it is. There's just not really any reason to play it, and doing so was a chore. In my mind this is the worst GotM pick so far; not as bad in in its own context as Phantasy Star II, but with that, you could just press A over and over again. It didn't demand your attention like KBB does. You can't daydream about more interesting things while you're playing it.

ladyjuice Completed on 2015/03/31 60/100 I found the game very cute and fun. As what I expect out of a kirby game. There were times I got very frustrated from the difficulty with some levels. I lack good hand eye coordination and having multiple sides of spikes made it somewhat hard for myself. The power ups were fun to use as, but I did end up losing a lot of them before I used them from death. Would I play it again? Yes, yes I would. Images

Mock Completed on 2015/03/12 68/100 Clear Screen

Rinkin Completed on 2015/03/17 50/100 I can see why some like it and others don't. Images

sfc Completed on 2015/03/08 60/100 Clear Screen

sickeningmark Incomplete on Stage 5

Yoshi Completed on 2015/03/01 62/100 The best breakout style game there is and one of my personal favorites in Kirby. Not as good as I remember from childhood, but very fun nonetheless. Incredible music that I could listen to all day long. I wish there were more abilities, and I also wish the game itself was longer. I particularly loved the stages where you could control all 4 sides and had spikes on each. I think I could revisit this game once a year and it would always remain fun to me. The minigames leave much to be desired for, but the gameplay itself and the reflexes and attention you need to pull everything off are very well done. Game Time: 01h30m. Clear Screen. Game Log.

		March 2015 Title: Kirby's Block Ball Platforms: GB, 3DS VC Release Date: December 14th, 1995 Developer: HAL Laboratory / TOSE Publisher: Nintendo Genre: Paddle and Ball

User	Progress	Rating	Review and/or Comments
Apple	Completed on 2015/03/05	70/100	Images
Choas	Completed on 2015/03/21	17/100	Taking into account the flaws inherent to Breakout-style games and the fact that I've never liked the genre, as well as my indifference toward the Kirby series, this score was never going to be above a 30. KBB is plagued by the same tedium, slow pacing, and mind-numbing repetition that any game like this will suffer from. The highlight of the game is definitely the boss fights, but they were ultimately still more of the same. The music was forgettable, but I suppose may have some sort of nostalgia factor for fans of the Kirby series. The final score is about ten points lower than I'd originally planned due to some of the atrocious level design later in the game. Clear Screen
Clank	Incomplete on Stage 5
gamma	Completed on 2015/03/06	73/100	This is, without a doubt, the best Breakout-style game I've ever played. I don't like passing something off as a clone while I lose all interest, so this is called a Breakout-style game. I'm sure I messed up by not playing this game when I was younger, because I probably would have appreciated it as a great pick-up-and-play Kirby spin-off. The music stood out the most to me; all of the songs were upbeat and felt classic and nostalgic on the first listen. Power-ups from the Kirby series and multiple paddles made the game more interesting when it, a bit too quickly, needed to be. Mostly worth spending the 1-2 hours. Images
Kuro	Completed on 2015/03/22	27/100	In a word, tedious. I admire the fellas for picking a casual game, but there are more compelling choices. Atari games and their clones are boring, fossils from a time well before anybody realized what kind of potential the medium had. I have no specific complaints with the gameplay; it's fine for what it is. There's just not really any reason to play it, and doing so was a chore. In my mind this is the worst GotM pick so far; not as bad in in its own context as Phantasy Star II, but with that, you could just press A over and over again. It didn't demand your attention like KBB does. You can't daydream about more interesting things while you're playing it.
ladyjuice	Completed on 2015/03/31	60/100	I found the game very cute and fun. As what I expect out of a kirby game. There were times I got very frustrated from the difficulty with some levels. I lack good hand eye coordination and having multiple sides of spikes made it somewhat hard for myself. The power ups were fun to use as, but I did end up losing a lot of them before I used them from death. Would I play it again? Yes, yes I would. Images
Mock	Completed on 2015/03/12	68/100	Clear Screen
Rinkin	Completed on 2015/03/17	50/100	I can see why some like it and others don't. Images
sfc	Completed on 2015/03/08	60/100	Clear Screen
sickeningmark	Incomplete on Stage 5
Yoshi	Completed on 2015/03/01	62/100	The best breakout style game there is and one of my personal favorites in Kirby. Not as good as I remember from childhood, but very fun nonetheless. Incredible music that I could listen to all day long. I wish there were more abilities, and I also wish the game itself was longer. I particularly loved the stages where you could control all 4 sides and had spikes on each. I think I could revisit this game once a year and it would always remain fun to me. The minigames leave much to be desired for, but the gameplay itself and the reflexes and attention you need to pull everything off are very well done. Game Time: 01h30m. Clear Screen. Game Log.