Kirby is adorable. No doubt about it. The pink puffball has graced our screens since his 1992, marking his 31st anniversary in the industry. Now, their cutest platforming hero is ready for his first Switch outing in 2023. Following his 3D success in last year’s Kirby and the Forgotten Lands, it’s time to return to Kirby’s roots with his deluxe Kirby’s Return to Dreamland. This upgraded version of his 2011 Wii title has many perks and is worth rehashin’ an already great title.
In Return to Dream Land Deluxe, Kirby helps a visiting alien named Magorol recover the missing parts of the airship. This takes the Pink hero on a journey through his home planet of Popstar, collecting stars and energy spheres along the way.
The platform is predictably colorful and fluid. Everything about Kirby is adorable, from the rounded pink to the scattered enemies. For example, Waddle Dee is too cute to destroy. But you must destroy them!
There are many elements that help Kirby’s Adventure stand out from other adventures in the genre. First, he cannot jump on enemies. This is the typical fighting method that someone like Mario likes.Well you can Jump on it, but it’s better to avoid it because you’ll take damage even if you defeat the enemy. Instead, you can hit or inhale enemies. The former is effective, but the latter is much more fun. At first it seems like a move borrowed from Yoshi, but Kirby swallows them whole while Yoshi turns enemies into useful eggs. Kirby’s famous copy ability.
Whether you want to be a sword-wielding hero like Link or a leaf-blowing, tree-hugging hippie, there are plenty of abilities you can try out on your journey. In fact, it’s one of the most fun elements of the game. Every time a new enemy appears, I can’t help but wonder if it will give me a new ability once swallowed. With well over 20 features to discover and try, there’s plenty of room for experimentation. You’ll know right away which one you prefer.
Return to Dream Land Deluxe has two new Copy Abilities: Sand and Mecha. Sand abilities provide Kirby with a series of sand-related attacks, such as creating sand demons, sand fists, and even using sand castles to attack from below, while mech abilities provide Kirby with a series of sand-related attacks. , protects Kirby with his armor, a mechanical robot. You can use it to perform heavy and electric punches, fly with a jetpack, drop mines, and more.
Each level has a number of energy spheres to collect, a bit like Mario’s star coins. Also, like Mario, these spheres are often hidden or hard to reach, posing a major challenge for completionists. In some cases, specific copy functions may be required to discover hiding places. It keeps you on your toes and creates something accessible for all skill levels.
If you’re looking for an even greater challenge, try additional unlockable stages. Collect to open. Aim for the highest score in speedrun, collect as many stars as possible, and kill as many enemies as possible in time. Your efforts will result in a Gold, Silver or Bronze rating depending on your final score. Gold medals are hard to come by and there is a strong incentive to play ‘just one more time’ to conquer these short outings. The main game itself isn’t too difficult, so these additional challenges are worth including.
One of the best additions to this deluxe version is an all-new mode full of mini-games. These are hosted in a completely separate section called Merry Magoland. This theme park has 10 sub-games, two of which are new to the Kirby series, but they’re all super fun. These addictive activities include concepts like Ninja Dojo. At the Ninja Dojo, you throw shurikens at moving targets. Competing for the best score is an indescribable pleasure.
Each subgame has different difficulties and multiple missions to complete, adding even more to your to-do list. Not to mention the many prizes you collect along the way, such as statues and masks (another adorable addition – resist Kirby in a hamster mask!). Most of the time, these mini-games can be enjoyed with a group of friends. Yes, you can also play against each other online.
Switch owners are accustomed to fancy remakes of classic titles, but these were mostly Wii U titles that were understandably not well received. This time around, Nintendo has taken a prominent Wii title and given it the luxury treatment. The original is now 12 years old. This means that a whole new generation has arrived in the world, ready to play. And that’s very good.
Overall, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe uses pink puffs for another platforming romp. It’s not a completely new game, but it’s packed with content that’s worth buying. And hopefully this will teach a whole new generation how Kirby is still great after 31 years.
