This is a game that I’m glad to have for those days when explosions, online friends, and zombies puts too much strain on the senses. Not to mention that it will be a perfect starter game for the coming years when the kids will need something light-hearted and appealing to play. The story is narrated by a man with a singsong voice, which makes it very reminiscent of Thomas the Tank Engine videos and similar tales designed to keep children’s attention. These are also skippable, for the impatient adult.
From the technical side it should be noted that Epic Yarn does not support true drop-in/drop-out. A second player can enter at the beginning of any level, but not during. The screen is always shared by both players; if one gets left behind they are warped closer to their partner via the same little yarn fairy that appears if you fall into a pit.
All in all, Kirby’s Epic Yarn just oozes substance and an apparent deep love for classic games. It’s perfect for the child with an imagination or the adult who just wants to unravel like a ball of yarn. There are no bugs or glitches to speak of - it’s exquisitely polished. For slightly less than the full usual retail price of a video game, it’s a hard sell to gamers with any kind of established library; but for pure fun and the whimsical freedom of a relaxing, simple game...Kirby has transcended his own legacy.
Verdict
Co-Op Score
Overall
The Co-Op Experience: Two players can share the screen and beat the campaign together.
Co-Optimus game reviews focus on the cooperative experience of a game, our final score graphic represents this experience along with an average score for the game overall. For an explanation of our scores please check our Review Score Explanation Guide.