Kirby: Super Star Ultra is a remake of the SNES game, Kirby: Super Star. Now in most cases, remakes are no replacement for a full-fledged sequel. Surely this – nor any other Kirby game – can compete with the highly innovative Kirby: Canvas Curse (released for the Nintendo DS in 2005). But if the enemy-inhaling, power-mimicking gameplay is what you’ve been craving, and if varying unique touches – such as the ability turn a power-up into an AI-controlled ally – are to your liking, Super Star Ultra is super fun.

As opposed to one adventure with several worlds, Super Star Ultra offers six primary modes and three sub-games, all of which are fairly short. The idea is that by giving players more than one mode (or more appropriately, more than one adventure) to choose from, they’ll keep players engaged longer. This was a smart move, as it also allowed the developers to create additional play styles without interfering with the traditional Kirby gameplay.

One such addition, Gourmet Race, is Kirby’s take on the Sonic the Hedgehog competitions where two characters race through the same stage. The “gourmet” aspect comes from Kirby’s insatiable taste for life, most notably the life of an enemy… (This is where the creepy Halloween music starts to play. Just kidding!) During the race, he’ll eat various snacks and desserts to prove his hunger prowess at the end of the stage. But you’ve also got to cross the finish line first since both food and goal-crossings calculate Kirby’s entire score. In single-player mode, you race against King Dedede. However, kings like to be one in control, so in a two-player game, the second contestant will have to settle for a yellow Kirby.

Run yellow Kirby. Run!

But don’t let that make you think this isn’t a true Kirby game. While it does offer a few diversions, the majority of the modes are true action/adventure experiences. Starting with Spring Breeze (the only mode you can play in the beginning), Super Star Ultra brings us back to familiar lands. The main goal sounds easy enough: reacquire the food that King Dedede has stolen. Along the way to accomplishing this goal, players will have the chance to inhale more than a half-dozen different enemies, all of which contain a unique power. Whether it’s the ability to set things on fire, to punch with super strength or throw bombs like a pointy-eared hero named Link, Kirby’s gameplay is as lovable as ever.

The level design is good but by no means unexpected. Super Star Ultra is primarily a side-scroller and occasionally an upward-scrolling adventure where Kirby must climb (jump/float) through an environment to reach the goal. This is used really well in the Revenge of the Meta Knight mode, which takes place entirely within an aerial battleship. But there are times when it feels like you’re traveling elsewhere, thanks to an intricate set of passageways (displayed in the form of rectangular doors) that take you to a multitude of locations. Many look nothing like the ship. Some appear to have a spaced-out or in-the-clouds appearance, while others will make you think you’ve returned to Terra Firma.

Another mode, Milky Way Wishes, prohibits Kirby from gaining abilities through enemy inhalation. Instead, players must find items called Copy Essence Deluxe. Each time one is found, Kirby gains a new ability – permanently. His permanent abilities may be changed at any time with a touch of the bottom screen.

The Pokémon parody is hilarious.

Note that each of these modes contain unique levels and environments, as well as slightly different objectives (very slight). All of this is great, and will surely appeal to Kirby fans young and old. But there are a couple of minor issues to consider, starting with the sub-games. If you don’t like simple tap-the-screen-with-no-real-purpose mini-games, you won’t like these either. Second, in most of the modes, Kirby has the option to turn any ability into a fully functional ally. As cool as this is, it allows players to kick back and let the ally do all the work during a boss battle. That makes the game much easier than it already was, which is huge considering that this is a Kirby game, a series known for being easy to complete (Canvas Curse excluded). Also, most of the multiplayer features require multiple game cards, which is disappointing for a first-party game.