The first Kirby adventure for the DS, Canvas Curse, was the first game for the system to really take advantage of the touch screen without coming off like a glorified tech demo (I'm looking at you, Yoshi Touch & Go). Given how great that game was, it's somewhat odd to see Kirby's latest game return to the series' platforming roots instead of continuing to innovate with the DS's unique capabilities.

Not that I'm complaining, mind you. The Kirby platform titles have always been loads of fun, if not a bit too simplistic for their own good. For better or worse, Kirby Squeak Squad maintains both of those values. Gone is the "Metroidvania"-style gameplay that was featured in Kirby's last platformer, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror. This one is plain ol' "point A to point B" side-scrolling excitement.

As is the case in most Kirby games, the main gameplay gimmick is the pink puffball's ability to inhale his enemies and absorb their powers. The little guy can utilize over 25 different powers this time around, and many areas require specific skills to get through, so you'll have to do some experimentation. Although Squeak Squad ditches the Canvas Curse-ish touch-screen interface, it still makes good use of the DS's bottom screen. Occasionally, you'll encounter bubbles containing power-up icons. Unlike swallowing an enemy, sucking in these bubbles won't immediately give Kirby a new power. Instead, the bubbles are stored on the bottom screen (which is apparently a cross-section view of Kirby's stomach).


Toil and Trouble

Kirby can carry up to five bubbled items in his belly, and a quick touch is all it takes to pop the bubble and activate the power-up. This new skill comes in remarkably handy, and having this extra control over what abilities Kirby can use makes level exploration all the more fun and intuitive. Additionally, you can also store health items and you have the ability to combine bubbles to form new power-ups. There's even a new enemy that, when swallowed, allows Kirby to shoot his own bubbles, capturing enemies in such a way that their skills can be stored for later use. This power-up storage may seem like a small addition, but it adds a lot to the gameplay. If future Kirby titles lack this feature, it will be sorely missed.

The big tradeoff when storing power-ups comes in the form of treasure chests. Each level contains one to three hidden treasure chests, each of which grants you an extra goodie if you carry it out of the stage with you. The only problem is that the chests must be stored in Kirby's stomach, giving you less freedom to carry around different power-ups. So do you take that chest out now, or hang onto that invincibility power-up that you have stored and come back for the chest later? It becomes a bit of a balancing act, and it adds another small dimension to the proceedings.