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5) Kirby’s Epic Yarn
Released: Wii, 2010
People often liked to chide Wii for being underpowered compared to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but it did little to prevent developers from creating some powerful visuals for the system. Kirby’s Epic Yarn was one of those games. The entirety of Epic Yarn was rendered to appear as though made from the titular thread, and rather than just serving as eye candy, it also informed the title’s gameplay. Epic Yarn jettisoned a couple of Kirby standards, like copy abilities and the threat of death, but the game was so excellent, it more than compensated for those so-called losses.
Rather than inhale his enemies, Kirby used a shoot of yarn to ensnare them, instead. Kirby could turn his foes into formless messes or twirl them into balls that could be flung like projectiles. What was more, Kirby could also use his lasso to snag bits of the environment and rearrange it in great patches. Scrunching part of the playing field, for instance, would allow Kirby to reach previously unreachable locations. Rather than saddle players with cumbersome lives to keep track of, Kirby would lose precious gems as a result of attacks or pitfalls. It was a somewhat controversial decision, as the game was already a touch easy, but considering the game countered with squirreled away treasures to find and a ranking system based on accumulating a maximum amount of gems, Kirby’s innovations shone brightly through any small complaints fans might have had.
I wouldn’t consider Muramasa a platformer. I think it’s more of a 2D hack and slash. Otherwise, great list. It’s good to see Tropical Freeze get some recognition.