Home Video Games Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe review on Nintendo Switch

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe review on Nintendo Switch

February 23, 2023

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Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe

Kirby, the worlds favourite pink puff, returns for a thrilling multiplayer platforming experience in Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe. While not one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises, Kirby’s popularity has definitely grown over the last half decade or so.

Kirby has become a fan favourite in Smash Bros, and really was shown off to the masses when the 3D adventure, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, was released last year. This latest release, Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe, is yet another of a long line of remakes and remasters hitting the Nintendo Switch in 2023.

The original came out on the Wii over a decade ago, but is that too soon to consider remaking it? Let’s take a look at Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe on Nintendo Switch!

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe Details

Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Developer(s): HAL Laboratory
Publisher(s): Nintendo
Genre: Platformer, Action
Mode(s): Multiplayer 1-4 players
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)

Beautifully recreated for a modern console

When Kirby’s Return to Dreamland launched in 2011, it was one of the better looking games on the Nintendo Wii. Watching back some video of that release today, I was reminded of how good Nintendo has been at creating vibrant titles. Still, things have been polished for Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe. Everything feels just a little brighter this time around. Both the environments and characters have also been cleaned up for displaying in glorious HD.

The differences, however, are still subtle. That isn’t a knock on this remaster at all – it just again proves how good Nintendo games have been for the last decade. The audio is just as impressive as I remembered. The outstanding musical score is nostalgic and fitting, highlighting the journey of Kirby perfectly.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe

A typical Kirby story

There isn’t a single person on the planet handing out awards for the storyline in an Kirby adventure. The mysterious Magolor has crashed his ship on Planet Popstar, and it is up to Kirby and his friends to find all the parts and put the ship back together. Whether alone or with up to three other friends, you will travel across the game’s worlds collecting parts and slowly rebuilding the ship. While the story does have a few twists that keep it somewhat fresh, there is nothing here to make you gasp in wonder.

The game is overtly easy, even without the help of Magolor. Nintendo has been releasing games with lots of accessibility for younger audiences, and Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe probably falls on the side of being too easy. That being said, kids of all ages will have a blast exploring the world and unraveling the story presented here. Ultimately, for those who have played this in the past, it’s the new content that impresses the most.

Brand new content to explore

A few notable changes have been made to Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe. Two new copy abilities have been included this time around. These are the Sand and Mecha Copy abilities. While I found the Sand Copy ability forgettable, I did enjoy using the Mecah ability to wreak havoc on the world around me. It didn’t fundamentally change the game in any major way, but was a nice addition none-the-less.

While the original Kirby’s Return to Dreamland had a number of minigames you could play, these have been greatly expanded and wrapped up in a brand new package. Outside of adventure mode, players can visit Merry Magolor, a theme park created by Magolor where prizes can be earned by completing various mini games. While none of these are going to rival what you might find in Mario Party, there are still a few that kept me coming back again and again. As you play these minigames and earn high scores, you will earn stamps that will help you unlock masks for Kirby to wear.

There are other ways to unlock these masks as well, tied to an achievement like system. This was a great way to extend the gameplay of the title, and was enough to make me return to past levels to try and complete everything.

An entire new story to experience

The most notable addition to Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is a brand new epilogue adventure. If you played Bowser’s Fury, the standalone game added to Super Mario 3D World on Switch, then you have some idea of what to expect here. Magolor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveler is a 20 level final story for players to explore, which includes unique elements not typical in a Kirby game.

The whole system has an RPG feel to it, where you will be unlocking and upgrading various magical attacks to help in your quest. I don’t want to spoil this brand new adventure here, but it is easily the highlight of this release.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is worth the price of admission

I often become skeptical of re-released games that come with a AAA price tag. However, after spending over a dozen hours with Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe, I’m confident that the price is justified by the content within. If you are looking for another adventure starting our favourite pink puff ball, then Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is exactly what you are looking for.

+ Beautiful worlds rich in detail
+ Fantastic area for playing minigames
+ Outstanding epilogue story breathes new life into an old title

– Some may find the game too easy to play