9th Anniversary: Kirby Super Star
This year we changed things up and went with an older game neither of us had played much of. Kirby Super Star is usually discussed in reverent tones, so we played through all "8 GAMES IN ONE!" as a co-op team. Let me tell you, this game is straight up BONKERS.
Some of the "8 games" devote a fair amount of energy to their narratives, but plot beats fly by at the same pace as the frantic gameplay and we were left scratching our heads at every conclusion. There's a lot in there to unpack, but you'd really need to dedicate yourself to figuring out why the giant metal bird you beat up becomes your friend after you steal its children.
There is an impressive amount of variety on display, but the whole experience was markedly weirder than we expected going in. A dash of melancholy arose during the credits when I realized that several of the developers listed are now dead. All in all, the experience of playing Kirby Super Star drew unexpected thematic parallels to life amidst COVID-19.
Speaking of pandemics, there's no one I'd rather be locked in a house for months on end with than Kelly. Next year we plan on ditching the platformers and digging into a Final Fantasy game!














