SNES Game Review: Kirby's Dream Course

Typically this blog is all about my travels and sports, but I also enjoy a sidetracking once in a while so this blog will also be about Super Nintendo games that I complete over time.  There at this point have been three that I have recently completed; Top Gear, Chrono Trigger and Kirby's Dream Course.  The first of the video game reviews will be everyone's favorite pink Bubblegum ball that inhales about everything, Kirby and the game I completed, Kirby's Dream Course.

Upon the start, you notice Course as in either obstacle course or something else?  That's right on the something else, as it is technically a golf game, just with a massive difference.  It features a lot of the foes Kirby has encountered over the course of video games past for SNES and NES.  However, instead of having a random power up to get rid of them, he just is hit and eliminates the foe right away.  The strategy is simply, you get three lives, four shots per life, if you hit a foe you get to essentially have a free shot, miss and you lose a shot practically.  Otherwise, try for lowest score and get a star at the end of the course.  The star just gives you bragging rights that you are good on that specific course.  It doesn't actually do anything.  The layout is 8 courses plus a final boss.  With that, here is what I thought was good and what wasn't good with the game.

Pros:

1. This is much more fun than golf.  
2. Multiplayer mode is a challenge but always worth the fun as well.  The multiplayer mode probably adds a point to this score with how well set up it is as it doesn't play differently than a single player course but the courses themselves are vastly different.  
3. Power-ups are very unique and you have the power to determine how you use them.  However, you have to plan how to use them because they are either to your benefit or detriment.  
4. Variety of courses.  Some have barriers, some do not which complicates the shot selection/power up you use at any given time.  Also some can be short holes, some long.  The variety also adds at least a couple points to the overall rating of the game.

Cons:

1. This game is tough unless you somehow are a genius at this sort of game or can use some sort of tool assisted system.  If you do have to use TAS (aforementioned tool-assisted system) then you are deemed to much criticism for not even trying to enjoy the game. 
2. The ending: It was dull.  After the work of trying to beat all the courses, I thought the ending was lackluster.  Frankly, if you can't beat the final boss.. then I feel woefully bad for you and wonder how on Earth you beat the eight courses first.

Those are the only cons that I found with this game.  It is super tough, but it gave me a great deal of hopeful insight and achievement upon beating it.  So I think people would enjoy this game if they didn't get too frustrated and end up breaking controllers.  I didn't but this game will frustrate you.

Overall Rating: I would say 8.6/10.  Added points for the variety, multiplayer mode.  I would decrease a point for the ending though.  Overall, a very solid game.  I would rank it somewhere around 25th-35th on Top 50 SNES games.  Overall best golf game, if we can call this a golf game.