I put my name forward to review Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe purely on the basis of the title character being my main fighter in the Super Smash Bros series. Shallow I know, but also being a complete beginner to this mini game turned fleshed out standalone title, I can safely say that not only did it provide a few hours of great fun, it also served as an enticing advert to check out the main game it was taken from, Kirby's Triple Deluxe.

At its core, this is a simple, rhythm based, game. Dedede drops on to the stage, and from there it s up to you to steer Kirby's colourful nemesis to the end of the level, via drums, symbols, moving and breakable platforms, and any number of hazards in between. It gets the difficulty level just right, the levels growing in ideas as you clear each one, introducing new elements and then building on them as you progress. Once the initial six stages have been bested, new ones open up which ramp up the difficulty even further. Each level is graded from bronze to platinum, so if you have a high score itch to scratch, this title will keep you coming back again and again to get the perfect run and improve your scores.

Visually the title is lovely, using a similar palette to Triple Deluxe, with vibrant worlds and enemies complimenting King Dedede perfectly. The tunes are nicely remixed Kirby classics and this is where a rhythm game is ultimately going to sink or swim, thankfully Dedede keeps its head well and truly above water with catchy, familiar, fun tunes that make each level easy to replay, no matter how infuriating they can become later on.

I reviewed Steam World Dig awhile ago, and my main gripe about that was the pricing of the game. Sadly again I feel this title, no matter how much fun it is, is not good value at £6.29. A price closer to £5 or even the super cheap's Splash or Crash would have suited the title more. With no hint of DLC or add ins expected, it's just a little bit too much for the length of the experience.

Overall if you are looking for a quick blast of a game to complement something like Monster Hunter, Majora's Mask or even Kirby's Triple Deluxe itself, this is a great little title, full of colour, fun, and good replayability. If you can stretch to the marginally to high price point, you won't be disappointed by Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe for the five or so hours fun you have with it.