New Challenge Stages
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New Challenge Stages is a Sub-Game which appears in Kirby's Dream Collection, complimenting the six games that were included. It is based on the Challenge Stages from Kirby's Return to Dream Land, and uses the same engine and play-style. It can be considered to be an expanded version of those stages, though it utilizes some different Copy Abilities, and also features races with Magolor.
Story
Magolor - one of the principal non-player characters from Return to Dream Land - has used his power to build an amusement park for Kirby to enjoy. This park consists of many different challenges that Kirby can undertake using his various Copy Abilities. At the end of each section of the park, Magolor challenges Kirby to a race through a special course. After Kirby beats him three times in three different courses, Magolor will see Kirby off, and the credits will roll.
Overview
There are three levels in this game, which act as hubs containing several different challenge stages. Each challenge stage is an obstacle course, taking place in a wooden toy-block environment. The goal is to make it through the course as quickly as possible, while collecting Score Coins and defeating enemies along the way. Each stage has Kirby using a specific Copy Ability (except a couple which Kirby must play without an ability). Kirby cannot discard or otherwise lose the ability while playing the course. To clear the course with a high score, Kirby is intended to utilize the specific attacks and/or movement options those abilities grant him in various ways to clear the obstacles more efficiently.
The stage is complete once Kirby makes it through the door at the end. It will end early if Kirby loses all his Vitality, gets crushed, or falls into a Void along the way - or if the timer runs out. Various bonuses can be awarded based on how well Kirby performs in the stage, and a medal will then be given based on the final score. The medal ranges from bronze, to silver, to gold, and then to platinum, with platinum requiring a nearly flawless performance. Completing a stage also unlocks a Ghost Race for that stage, which allows Kirby to race a spectre representing his current best time.
Once Kirby has completed all the standard challenge stages in a level, he can unlock the Magolor Race stage. Here, he can race Magolor through a special course, and choose any one of the abilities he used in the previous stages to do so. Fundamentally these stages aren't too different from the standard stages, but Magolor does have a nasty habit of conjuring foes to get in Kirby's way. In the last level, there are a number of EX stages that are unlocked after the third Magolor Race is finished, which will really put Kirby's skills to the test.
Copy Abilities
The following abilities are utilized in New Challenge Stages:
Scoring
The score is calculated based on the following factors:
- Each Score Coin collected adds to the score.
- Silver coins are worth 100 points.
- Gold coins are worth 1000 points.
- Collecting every coin in the course rewards the Coins Complete bonus, worth an additional 1000 points.
- Each standard enemy defeated is worth 50 points.
- Gold Waddle Dees, Mid-Bosses and Whispy Woods are worth 1000 points.
- Defeating every enemy in the course rewards the All Foes Defeated bonus, worth an additional 1000 points.
- Naturally, invincible enemies like Gordos are not counted toward this bonus.
- Clearing the stage is worth 3000 points on its own.
- Each second left on the clock at the end is worth 50 points. Points are also added for fractions of a second.
- Completing the course with more than 30 seconds left awards the 30 Seconds Left bonus, worth an additional 1000 points.
- If Kirby is hit, he loses 500 points.
- Completing the course without taking a hit awards the No Damage bonus, worth an additional 1000 points.
Once the final score is calculated, a medal is awarded. The minimum points required for each medal are different for each stage, and listed in the Levels tables.
Additionally, the total score from all the stages combined is kept and displayed to the unknown reader in the level hubs, and on the save file. Reaching certain milestones will award Kirby with a special trophy. The trophies are as follows:
| Trophies | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Image | Score Needed |
| File:Challenge Bronze Trophy.jpg | ||
| File:Challenge Silver Trophy.jpg | ||
| File:Challenge Gold Trophy.jpg | ||
| File:Challenge Platinum Trophy.jpg | ||
| File:Challenge King Trophy.jpg | ||
Once the King Trophy is obtained, the game is considered 100% Complete.
Levels
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This article or section is under construction. Therefore, please excuse its informal appearance while it's being worked on. We hope to have it completed as soon as possible. No reason has been specified. |
The levels and stages are as follows:
Happiness Hall
| Challenge Stages | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge | Stage Time | Bronze Score | Silver Score | Gold Score | Platinum Score |
Apricot Atrium
| Challenge Stages | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge | Stage Time | Bronze Score | Silver Score | Gold Score | Platinum Score |
Last Land
| Challenge Stages | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge | Stage Time | Bronze Score | Silver Score | Gold Score | Platinum Score |
For a full description of the levels and their contents, see the Happiness Hall, Apricot Atrium, and Last Land pages.
Trivia
- In addition to being played using a sideways Wii Remote, the unknown reader also has the option of playing with a Nintendo Gamecube controller.
- As New Challenge Stages is essentially a 'Deluxe' version of the Challenge Stages from Return to Dream Land, it is entirely plausible that this game was the impetus for making Deluxe versions of Sub-Games in subsequent Kirby series titles.
- The names of the three levels spell out 'HAL' if the first letters are taken from each.
