Kirby's Block Ball 1995

Is it still worth playing?

Kirby is the ball in this 1995 Game Boy take on Breakout, where you control paddles along the edges of the screen to knock him into destructible bricks. There are eleven stages of five rounds each, and a spike covered edge costs a life. Later stages add a paddle on each wall. A well timed hit gives a powerful bounce to break harder blocks, and ten block types differ in durability and points. Copy abilities change how Kirby deals with blocks: the spark form breaks through otherwise indestructible blocks, and the needle form sticks him back to a paddle to launch again. Warp stars lead to minigames such as air hockey, where you can win extra lives. Every stage ends in a boss fight, and a first playthrough takes about three hours. A ball with Kirby's powers is easy to understand and still gives each round something to aim at.