Kirby and the Rainbow Curse

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse brings to Wii U the drawn-line control concept made famous by the DS title Kirby: Canvas Curse, this time rendered in a claymation art style drawn entirely on the GamePad. Rather than moving Kirby directly, the player draws rainbow lines on the touchscreen, along which the round hero rolls like a marble, solving puzzles involving platforms, switches, pushable blocks, and enemies placed along the way, while the line also functions as a temporary protective barrier and can be tapped to knock away nearby enemies or grab distant items.

The visual style is built on a stylized claymation aesthetic, where the entire world and all characters are modeled as if they were a real plasticine diorama, complete with visible fingerprints and surface imperfections, which at the time was among the most technically and artistically striking things on the console. The gameplay remains undemanding on reflexes, instead emphasizing smoothness of the drawn line, spatial thinking, and targeted bead collecting, making the game function as a relaxed yet thoughtful puzzle-platformer suitable even for less experienced players, including a second-player option controlling a helper. The accompanying music continues the cheerful, melodic style of the Kirby series and complements the cozy, playful atmosphere of the individual worlds well.

Reviews praised especially the originality of the control scheme and the care put into the visual presentation, though some players missed a steeper difficulty curve and a longer playtime. Within the Kirby series it stands as one of the most distinctive spin-offs, showing just how far the series' core mechanic can be bent without ceasing to feel like Kirby. Even today it remains a pleasant, visually timeless showcase of what the GamePad could offer as a distinctive gaming tool beyond a traditional controller, and many players still remember it as one of the most delightful surprises of the late Wii U era.

Why play it: For its original control scheme and carefully crafted visual presentation, it is one of the series' most distinctive spin-offs, even if the difficulty curve and playtime could have been longer.