Anyone who hasn’t looked at it with a magnifying glass and only seen its announcement and little more (which is basically the communication) might think that Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is another of many ports from previous platforms like Wii or Wii U reaching the Nintendo Switch with HD graphics and little else to fill the calendar, but nothing is further from the truth. This umpteenth DX release is basically the 2011 Wii original, yes (a game that has itself gone through its own ‘development hell’, having been released for the Gamecube six years ago), but both the restoration work and also additional material was carried out this time Make it a well-rounded game like Kirby.
The original platform title (Kirby’s Adventure Wii or Kirby’s Return to Dream Land) comes completely redrawn with beautiful HD graphics and lots of extras, challenges and unlockables, but it also brings improved controls, a party game full of minigames Subgames and a brand new campaign dedicated to a new playable character.
The main experience is the basic 2D Kirby series in Dream Land, the authentic one that was born on the Game Boy and before the pink ball ventured with various innovations (threads, brushes) or already last year with the great Kirby and the Forgotten Land in 3D debuted. That said, an accessible platform, a character who can endlessly bounce like a balloon, and the ability to copy enemy abilities might make this occasion more fun than ever. I never tire of using the whip, stone, or water, let alone the new one mech ability (with wick, robot suit), but the most spectacular are those great skillsexaggerated versions of the usual forces that take up the entire screen and destroy half the stage (and your own TV) in the process.
Advertising:
Like the original, the entire adventure is playable in four-person multiplayer, and it’s very easy to get in and out of the game even with a single Joy-Con controller. The truth is that it plays pretty well in doubles or with more players, better than The Forgotten Land (something that usually happens in 3D games like Super Mario 3D World). That said, while it’s fun and there’s plenty of 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 gotta get up.” wait for me!” The fact is that player 1 is always Kirby and he’s in charge, so if he dies he marks the scroll and it’s game over. The others, who might be another Kirby, Meta Knight, King Dedede and Waddle Dee with bandana and throws complement each other very well, and on a second Kirby, both users can copy abilities, but the game always feels a bit unbalanced.
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 fairly lengthy levels and a handful that stand out (for example, the aquatic and volcanic ones are very decent), but going back to the comparisons, this game falls a notch short of the latest adventures from Yoshi or Donkey Kong. And if there’s one thing that’s particularly faltering, it’s that design bosses, both middle and higher rank. They are repetitive and run out of ideas until they reach a certain confrontation which they are desperately trying to balance.
Advertising:
Aside from the challenge levels (there are far more challenges than we can mention), progression unlocks up to ten sub-games Maglolandia Fantasy, almost like a Mario party. Based on the two mini-games of the original, it’s another great novelty as these tests for four are really fun and worthy of the king of party games. And if you want even more unlockables, there are tons of skins to customize playable characters in each of the modes, another great touch in this definitive version.
But if only the restoration work was to be appreciated, it should also be commended. The mention of Metroid Prime Remastered is no accident: there is a lot of very good graphics work here, not a simple rescaling. We’re talking geometry and added elements, richer colors, new effects, and much better image quality and smoothness. Next to, The controls are betterthey respond beautifully and facilitate actions such as running, Evade or absorb by having more buttons and eliminating Wiimote wobble.
More things? Oh well. If the main adventure is a bit too short for you (it’s true, as long as you don’t stop at the secrets it’ll take care of it in no time) and the challenges and sidegames aren’t your thing, the big extra of this edition is that Maglor’s Epilogue, which makes the character playable, as you can see they give all the prominence. What’s odd about this mode is that Maglor is controlled a bit differently than the other four heroes and they’ve built in a progression system through skills with upgrades with an RPG twist. Certainly a welcome addition.
In summary, coming from last year’s surprise bestseller Kirby and the Forgotten Land, I’m sure many of you will thoroughly enjoy this luxurious return to dreamland. It’s great to share with little ones or with video game newbies, take them to the platforms or give them a little life when you’re eating a hot dog. The skills are fun, the content is rich and the graphics, as you can see, look like they’re straight out of a new game. And when you are tired of jumping, you can always have a party game with a fun mask.
