When I first reviewed Kirby and the Forgotten Land on Nintendo Switch, I called it one of the series’ best. It was Kirby’s leap into 3D platforming, and it gave the pink puffball a fresh kind of adventure that really worked. Now, a few years later, Nintendo has re-released that same game with an upgrade and an expansion bundled in. Kirby and the Forgotten Land: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World takes the strong foundation of the original and builds on it.
The Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade makes everything look sharper and run smoother. The expansion brings in new levels, powers, and challenges that slot neatly into the adventure. It’s worth pointing out that this package is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2. Kirby and the Forgotten Land on Nintendo Switch is not getting these improvements and additional content. What I like about this release is how it works for both sides of the audience: fans returning for another run and people who skipped it the first time.
You get the full original game plus new content that makes revisiting it worthwhile. Together, it feels like a complete edition that shows just how far Kirby has come.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World Details
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch 2
Developer(s): Nintendo
Publisher(s): Nintendo
Genre: Platform
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer (local co-op)
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)
Chasing Starries across new worlds
The core adventure remains the same as in Kirby and the Forgotten Land. The difference comes with the Star-Crossed World expansion, which introduces a new storyline once the main game is done.
This new chapter starts with a meteor crashing into the land and breaking apart a glowing crystal. That event unleashes the Star of Darkness, and Kirby teams up with Astronomer Waddle Dee to stop it. Their goal is to track down shards called Starries, which are scattered across the expansion’s levels. Some are tucked away as secrets, while others show up as rewards after clearing challenges.
I liked how finding these pieces wasn’t just about collecting. Grabbing one could alter a stage, opening up a route or changing how enemies behaved. It made me want to keep pushing forward just to see how things would shift next. The setup never gets complicated, but it brings in a darker edge while still keeping the usual light Kirby tone.
What surprised me most was how invested I became in this side story. Watching Kirby and Elfilin head off again felt familiar in a good way, and I actually wanted to see how the meteor storyline would wrap up.
Spring, Gear, and Sign: Mouthful Modes shake things up
Kirby and the Forgotten Land brought the series into 3D with creative level design and Mouthful Mode. That foundation hasn’t changed here, but the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition adds new content and smoother performance that make the adventure worth replaying.
The biggest addition is the Star-Crossed World expansion, which drops in 12 remixed levels spread across the existing regions. These stages reuse familiar layouts but layer on extraterrestrial twists. Frozen walkways, glowing crystal growths, and enemy variants give stages a different feel. Each level also ties into the new story, with Starries serving as collectibles that often unlock shifts in the environment. I liked how collecting one could transform a stage, opening new routes or changing enemy patterns. It made revisiting areas I already knew more rewarding.
Kirby also gains three new Mouthful Mode transformations. Spring Mouth lets you chain high bounces and smash through obstacles, Gear Mouth turns you into a giant cog that scales walls and crushes barriers, and Sign Mouth transforms stages into downhill obstacle runs. These fit naturally into level design, and each one adds a new type of challenge. One of my favourite parts was bouncing around with Spring Mouth, trying to stay steady across a row of moving platforms. Missing even once would have dropped me, but sticking every jump was satisfying.
Together, the new levels and transformations expand what was already a strong gameplay loop. Combined with the sharper, smoother performance on Nintendo Switch 2, it feels like a refreshed take that gave me plenty of reasons to dive back in.
Sharper, faster, smoother on Nintendo Switch 2
On Nintendo Switch, Kirby and the Forgotten Land was already a colourful and well-designed adventure. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition pushes it further with sharper visuals and smoother performance. The game now runs at a steady 60 frames per second, with 1080p resolution in handheld mode and 1440p when docked. Characters, environments, and even small background details look noticeably clearer. I also found movement felt more responsive, which made everything from combat to platforming easier on the eyes.
These improvements stand out even more in the Star-Crossed World expansion. Familiar areas are remixed with glowing crystals, icy platforms, and new effects that bring extra flair without slowing down the action. One level had me moving through a cityscape covered in shimmering crystal growths, and the way the light bounced off the surfaces made it feel completely different from the version I remembered on Nintendo Switch.
What impressed me most is how solid the game felt. Even with particle effects like falling stardust or crystal shards breaking apart, the performance stayed consistent. Everything ran without a hitch, making the levels easy to enjoy from start to finish. The upgraded visuals, along with the expansion’s new environments, gave me plenty of reasons to stop and take in the sights.
Kirby and Waddle Dee team up again
In Kirby and the Forgotten Land on Nintendo Switch co-op made the game more fun to play. That setup returns unchanged in the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, with a second player jumping in as Bandana Waddle Dee. While Kirby handles Mouthful Mode transformations, Waddle Dee brings his own spear attacks and quick jumps, making him feel useful rather than just a sidekick.
What’s nice is that this carries directly into the Star-Crossed World expansion. Every new stage, enemy encounter, and boss fight can be played together, and the balance between the two characters still works well. During one run, I was focused on clearing a tricky section using Spring Mouth, while my son handled enemies and grabbed a hidden collectible I would have missed. It made the level flow more smoothly and showed how co-op adds value beyond just sharing the screen.
Performance in co-op also felt consistent on Nintendo Switch 2, with no noticeable drops even when things got hectic on screen. Whether you want to run through the entire campaign together or just hop in for a few levels, the co-op mode continues to be a strong part of the experience here.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World is Kirby’s best adventure yet
Looking back, Kirby and the Forgotten Land was already one of the best games in the series. Kirby and the Forgotten Land: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World makes it even better. The higher resolution, smoother performance, and more responsive feel all make a noticeable difference whether you’re playing docked or in handheld. It felt great returning to levels I remembered and seeing them run this smoothly.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade makes the game run smoother and look sharper in both handheld and docked mode. | Some bosses and environments are reused from the original release. |
| The Star-Crossed World expansion adds 12 remixed levels with new twists that keep familiar areas exciting. | The Star-Crossed World expansion doesn’t feel like a full sequel. |
| Three new Mouthful Mode transformations Spring, Gear, and Sign add creative challenges and bring variety to stages. | |
| The mix of upgraded visuals, smoother performance, and new content makes this the best version of the game. |
The Star-Crossed World expansion adds even more reasons to jump back in. The 12 remixed levels bring creative twists, and the three new Mouthful Mode transformations make the gameplay feel fresh without losing what worked the first time around. I had fun revisiting familiar areas with new surprises waiting, and I liked how the story gave me a clear goal while keeping the lighthearted style Kirby is known for.
Overall assessment of Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World
Gameplay: 4.5/5
Graphics: 4.5/5
Sound: 4/5
Lasting appeal/Replayability: 4.5/5
Overall rating: 4.4/5 (88%)
Not everything feels brand new. Some bosses and locations are reused, which reminds you this is an expansion rather than a full sequel. If you didn’t enjoy the original release, this won’t change your mind. But for me, the mix of upgrades and extra content struck the right balance between comfort and discovery. The best part was being able to enjoy the old and new content together.
I found myself smiling at the same moments I did years ago while still being surprised by new challenges. That combination made this edition feel rewarding, and it reminded me why Kirby continues to be one of Nintendo’s most reliable series.
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