Nintendo don’t often do low-key releases, usually kicking off marketing campaigns months in advance to build hype and expectation.

Especially when it comes to their cornerstone franchises like Mario, Zelda, and Kirby. Particularly when that IP has already had a significant year with a big title release.

It seems hard to believe it was only a few months ago since we got the brilliant Forgotten Land in a year that’s just been full of so many great games, but it seems the bigger surprise is that it’s not Kirby’s last outing this year.

Introducing Dream Buffet, a real divergence from Nintendo’s heavy schedule this year that’s included everything from Football to Fire Emblem and more still to come.

With its lower price point comes more limited content but what’s here is very entertaining and engaging. As Kirby, you can compete against three other AI, local friends or go online to take part in a series of sweet mini-games that blend the best of Fall Guys, Cake Bash, and Mario Kart.

Even a little bit of Katamari Damacy and Monkey Ball, quite frankly.

The goal is to make your Kirby the biggest of them all and break the scales. You do this by gathering and eating berries, rolling around in cream and crumbs, and pushing other Kirby’s off ramps and platforms in order to get out in front.

The pushing is very Fall Guys in that the one who stays grounded is often considered winner. And the courses you have to keep yourselves on feel very much like the tracks you’ll find in Monkey Ball.

Gobbling up everything and growing in size for the privilege just screams Katamari and while you’re on course, battling against others, you can hit power boxes which let you change into different Kirby forms. You know, a bit like Mario Kart.

And finally we come to the confectionary-themed aesthetic that really stands side by side with the gorgeous Cake Bash. Even some of the quirks and mini games feel familiar as you’ll evade a hovering hand trying to pick you up and munch a large gauteau of Strawberries to get the edge on your adversaries.

It all comes together quite nicely in a well-presented and polished package that can be a lot of fun in a pinch. Kirby’s Dream Buffet is great if you’re looking for a nice party game to dive into, though it definitely doesn’t have the variety of a Mario Party or Kart.

It’s a nice pick-up and play on a slightly more budget price point and there’s also some decent replayability here, with lots of unlockables got from winning. You can change everything from the colour of your Kirby to the bandana around their head. It helps build some individuality, especially when you head online.

Verdict

Kirby’s Dream Buffet is a fine party game that offers a nice alternative to other Nintendo properties, uses the Kirby license well and is at a competitive price point to other indies that it borrows elements from. The variety is limited, and the games are quite repetitive, so it’s not of the same caliber and quality of other party games but what Dream Buffet does, it does very well.