Anyone who hasn’t looked at it with a magnifying glass and only seen its announcement and nothing else (which is basically the communication they got) might think that Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is just another one of the many ports of the previous platforms such as Wii or Wii U which reaches Nintendo Switch with HD graphics and nothing else to fill the schedule, but nothing could be further from the truth. This umpteenth DX release is essentially the 2011 Wii original, yes (a game that itself went through its own “development hell” since it was released six years ago for the Gamecube), but both the Restoration work and the additional material done on This Time They make it as round a game as Kirby.
The platform’s original title (Kirby’s Adventure Wii or Kirby’s Return to Dream Land) is completely redesigned with stunning HD graphics and plenty of extras, challenges and unlockables, but it also brings enhanced controls, party play full of Mini games sub-games and a whole new campaign dedicated to a new playable character.
The main experience is the basic 2D Kirby series in Dream Land, the authentic one born on Game Boy and before the pink ball dared with various innovations (threads, brushes) or already debuted in 3D last year with the magnificent Kirby and the Forgotten Land. That is to say, an accessible platform, a character who can jump endlessly like a balloon and the possibility of copying enemy abilities, perhaps more fun than ever on this occasion. I never tire of using the whip, the rock or the water, not to mention the new mechanical capacity (with wick, robotic suit), but the most spectacular are the super abilitiesover-the-top versions of the usual powers that take up the entire screen, destroying half the stage (and your own TV) along the way.
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Just like the original, the entire adventure is playable in four-player multiplayer, and it’s super easy to get in and out of the game, even with just one Joy-Con controller. The truth is that it plays fairly well in doubles or with more players, better than The Forgotten Land (which usually happens with 3D games, like Super Mario 3D World). That said, while it’s fun and there’s a lot of sharing in the adventure (e.g. father and son), it doesn’t quite reach the multiplayer level of the New Super Mario Bros. series, and there will always be moments of: “you have to wait for me!” The thing is, Player 1 is still Kirby and he’s the one in charge, so he’ll mark the scroll and the game will be over when he dies. The others, who may be another Kirby, Meta Knight, King Dedede and Waddle Dee with bandana and throws, they complement each other very well, and in the case of a second Kirby, both users can copy abilities, but the game still feels a bit unbalanced.
Thus, from one to four players, they overcome classic platform levels in which the secrets are not too hidden and serve to unlock much more complicated challenges. There are several quite long levels and a handful that stand out (for example, the aquatic and volcanic ones are very neat) but, going back to the comparisons, this game falls a notch below the latest adventures of Yoshi or Donkey Kong. And if there is something that falters above all, it is the pattern design, middle and upper rank. They are repetitive and out of ideas until they come to a certain confrontation that they desperately try to make up for.
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Besides challenge levels (there are way more challenges than we can mention), progression unlocks up to ten sub-games in Maglolandia Fantasy, almost like a Mario Party. Based on the two minigames of the original, it’s another great novelty, since these four-player trials are really fun, worthy of the king of board games. And if you want even more unlocks, there are tons of skins to customize playable characters in any of the modes, another great idea in this definitive version.
But if only restoration work were to be valued, it should also be praised. The mention of Metroid Prime Remastered isn’t accidental: there’s a lot of really good graphical work here, not just resizing. We’re talking about added geometry and elements, richer colors, new effects, and much better image quality and smoothness. Besides, controls are betterthey respond wonderfully and facilitate actions such as running, To dodge or absorb, having more buttons and dispensing with the tremor of the Wiimote.
More things? Well yes. If the main adventure is a bit short for you (it’s true that as long as you don’t stop at the secrets it’s done in a nutshell) and the challenges and sub-games aren’t your thing, the big plus of this edition is the Maglor’s Epilogue, which makes the character playable, as you can see they give all the importance. The curious thing about this mode is that Maglor is controlled a bit differently than the other four heroes and they have incorporated a skill progression system with upgrades, with an RPG touch. Certainly a welcome addition.
In summary, many of you who come from last year’s surprise bestseller that was Kirby and the Forgotten Land will surely enjoy this luxurious return to Dream Land very much. It’s great to share it with the little ones or with beginners in video games, boosting them on the platforms or giving them a little life when you eat a hot dog. The abilities are fun, the content is vast, and the graphics, as you can see, look like they’re from a new game. And when you’re tired of jumping around, you can always host a party game with a hilarious mask.
