Play Kirby: Squeak Squad Online

Kirby: Squeak Squad came out for the Nintendo DS in 2006, developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo. It arrived during a time when the handheld was full of inventive platformers, and this one fit right in with its bright, cheerful style and straightforward level design. The game doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but it makes clever use of the DS hardware in a few small, satisfying ways.

You control Kirby as he sets out to recover his stolen strawberry shortcake from the Squeaks, a mischievous mouse troupe. You move through side scrolling stages, inhaling enemies to copy their abilities or spitting them back as projectiles. A key feature is the Bubble ability, which lets you store up to five copied powers or health items in Kirby's stomach, accessed via the touchscreen. You explore levels screen by screen, hunting for treasure chests often guarded by bosses or hidden behind environmental puzzles. The pacing is generally relaxed, with forgiving difficulty that makes it easy to pick up and play. It feels light and cheerful, like a comfortable afternoon spent in a familiar world.