When you think of Nintendo mascots, odds are high Mario, Link and even Donkey Kong come to mind. And of course, Kirby, who has had his fair share of cracking games over the years as well as serving as a proving ground for a few of Nintendo’s new ideas. His latest outing, Kirby’s Dream Buffet, is not quite a new idea but it’s definitely a cracking game.

Our last spin with the puffy one was the brilliant Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Now he’s back in a party game developed by Japanese studio HAL Laboratory for Nintendo.

Falls-Like

Think Fall Guys and you have a rough idea of what’s being served up in Kirby’s Dream Buffet.

You get a number of different races and arenas in the Gourmet Grand Prix, where you battle it out with three other players to bag the most strawberries in order to win.

Former Limerick Hurler Gary Kirby after the 1994 Munster Final. Super Mario was also on the victorious Limerick team. — Gary Kirby missed three championship matches after being injured by an avocado

Other than a few variations on the core game loop and some other bits and bobs, that’s the entire buffet – but that’s all it needs to be at €14.99/£13.49/$14.99. Kirby’s Dream Buffet delivers fast paced chaos-fuelled fun, time and time again.

Though the Grand Prix are random, they do follow a set template in terms of what you’ll be doing. You’ll have two races with a mini-game between them, before battling it out in a battle royale-style arena – where things can totally change.

Plus odds are you’ll never see the exact same order of Grand Prix twice, as there is a healthy pool of tracks and mini-games.

Power Buffet

Being a Nintendo game, there are also a few power-ups that can help turn things around. All based on food for example there is a chilli power-up – that gives you a speed boost and a cupcake one – that turns you into a spinning tornado.

As you win you’ll bank XP, which helps you to level up and unlock new customisable options. This quickly allows you to make your mark on Kirby, from his colour to adding hats and backpacks. Beyond that, it’s a bit light on content.

Everything else is based on unlocking content for a sort of Kirby-style museum. A very nice touch given this year marks Kirby’s 35^th anniversary.

The game’s visuals are packed with so much charm and cuteness that it’s almost sickening in ways. Kirby’s Dream Buffet looks great, both artistically and technically. The game features an interesting range of textures, from sponge and wafer and does them justice within its art style.

Sound wise everything is upbeat and cheerful, which is guaranteed to put a smile on your face whenever you turn the game on, as everything has the Nintendo vibe and tone.

Limited Local Multiplayer

Multiplayer functionality is a bit limited if you’re playing on the same Switch. Only two players can play on the same console. Your friends will need their own Switches and their own copies of the game, if you want larger local multiplayer games.

And though it’s mostly an online game, the netcode is patchy. With one or two points in nearly every game seeing huge input lag or some slowdown.

That said, the game’s issues do little to take away from the overall package. With its enticing price, chaotic fun and sugar-coated visuals, Kirby’s Dream Buffet is a bite-sized title perfect for anyone after a short, sharp multiplayer snack

Review code provided by publisher