Kirby Fighters Deluxe (2014)

In 2014 Hal Laboratory released Kirby Fighters Deluxe, an expansion of the subgame Kirby Fighters from Kirby: Triple Deluxe... Although it isn't that much of an expansion.

Just like the original subgame, the objetive here is playing nine rounds using the same copy ability, fighting against other Kirbys and taking advantage of the random items dropped and the stage hazards. The problem is that it's the same experience than completing the subgame, and the few new items and scenarios don't change anything, as they lose their novelty after the third time you complete the game with a different ability.

Another new element is the introduction of two bosses: Kracko and King Dedede. At first they are fun, and King Dedede in the hardest difficulty is challenging, but you quickly learn their patterns and they become as repetitive as the rest of the game. This could have been fixed if they had added more bosses that alternate between rounds to create variation and surprise factor, but it seems Hal Laboratory was too lazy to do that.

Oh, and after defeating King Dedede with a copy ability you get an alternate costume. The "100% completion" is getting all the costumes, including a shadow color that you unlock after completing the game in the hardest difficulty at least once, feats that you can achieve after 3-6 hours, depending of the difficulty you choose. There is also a multiplayer mode (local only), although if you want to play a multiplayer fighting videogame developed by HAL Laboratory you should try Super Smash Bros. instead, which is better in every way.

In conclusion, this "spin-off" is pretty lackluster even for its low price of $6.99, and it should have been a Kirby: Triple Deluxe DLC with a price tag no higher than $4.99.