There is only one attack button, a jump and a block, and although the developers are certainly creative with their moveset designs the fighting never gets deeper than positioning yourself well and whacking away. The single player campaign tosses you into a variety of scenarios against other computer controlled Kirbys, and clearing the series of levels for a powerup unlocks its alternate hat. Unfortunately, the overall package is short with only an arcade mode featuring two bosses and a customisable free for all mode. With bright blues, pinks and yellows lighting up every stage, this might just be the least grim-dark fighting game you’ll ever play. Players new to Kirby can still look forward to the series’ trademark colour and cheerful tone. Similarly, the powers are all taken from earlier Kirby games and you’ll get a lot more value from the title if you’re already familiar with the series.

Long time fans of the series will be delighted to hop around recreations of Butter Building or the Fountain of Dreams. The game certainly has a love for the Kirby franchise’s long history, with featured stages and powerups referencing many classic titles reaching back to even the NES era. If you’ve ever had an argument over whether Sword or Hammer was a better copy ability, this is the best way to solve it. There are melee powers like Hammer, midrange ones like Cutter and long range options like Archer. Each ability has been fleshed out to offer a variety of attacks, and there’s a good sense that each ability has strengths, weaknesses and a definitive playstyle.

Using one of the various abilities, players control a Kirby and duke it out against up to three other opponents. Kirby Fighters Deluxe is a repackaged minigame originally found in Kirby Triple Deluxe, which takes the signature ability-copying mechanic of the titular hero and places it into a casual fighting game context. He’s a pink puffball with no real defining features and yet no matter if he’s platforming, pinballing or puzzling, he’s sure to bring a grin to any player’s face.

The long running studio has always been about unabashed fun and joy, and there’s no better mascot for HAL’s ethos than Kirby.

If you’re familiar with HAL Laboratory, you’ll know exactly what to expect when starting up one of its games.

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