I'm currently trying to play all the Kirby games in release order, and this is the first spin-off title on that list. I really didn't know much about it before going in, other than it's a "mini-golf" style game. Quite frankly, I think this Kirby's Dream Course is more brilliant than it sounds on paper.

This is just another one of those classic Nintendo games with some really smart game design (alongside some that come to mind for me like Wrecking Crew and Panel De Pon). Yes, the main goal is to putt Kirby into various enemies before reaching the hole, but there's much more variety here than a typical game of golf. Not only do holes appear where the last enemy on the course is located, but the game utilizes traditional Kirby mechanics like tomato health and power-ups. This combination actually creates a puzzle game with various strategies and solutions the player can choose to go forward with. Especially during the later courses, it's almost required to examine the map and plan out your moves and power-ups ahead of time, and that makes for some brilliant design.

My only wish is that there were more courses, perhaps some post-game challenges, especially after an obtuse final boss fight. Those cons definitely outweigh the pros though, and Kirby's Dream Course is simply another smart and charming game to come out of old-school Nintendo. It's great, and definitely worth your time if you're looking for another puzzle game.