Kirby's Blowout Blast

Kirby's Blowout Blast is built on the 3D Rumble minigame, which players first encountered as a bonus mode in Kirby: Planet Robobot for the 3DS. Nintendo and HAL Laboratory decided to expand this idea into a standalone digital game available through the Nintendo eShop, creating a title distinct from the series' usual two-dimensional platformers and from its classic big boxed releases.

The game transports Kirby into fully three-dimensional arenas, where the player moves around a defined space and, by inhaling enemies, turns them into projectiles used to destroy remaining opponents and the environment around them. Both the camera and controls are adapted to three-dimensional space, so the game plays noticeably differently from classic Kirby titles with jumping and side-scrolling – the emphasis is on aiming and chaining explosions rather than exploring levels or collecting items. The console's stereoscopic 3D effect is also used, underscoring the sense of space in the arena in a way the series' two-dimensional entries never could.

The individual arenas are shorter and focused on score and quick completion, which matches their origin as a side mode, but even so, compared to the original minigame it offers substantially more levels and bosses, so it holds up as a standalone paid game even years later.

Compared to the main series, Blowout Blast thus sets a different priority – instead of discovering secret passages and collecting items, it's mainly about pure score and the speed with which the player can clear an arena of enemies. This emphasis on replayability and chasing a better result makes it more of an arcade title than a classic platformer with a story, and its low eShop entry price matched its smaller scope compared to the series' boxed entries.

Why play: Kirby's Blowout Blast is a great choice for players who want Kirby in a different guise than usual – the three-dimensional action arenas offer quick, focused play sessions, ideal for moments when there's no time for a whole platformer.