Kirby’s Return To Dreamland Deluxe (Switch)

Kirby’s Return To Dreamland Deluxe is a remake of the original Kirby’s Return To Dreamland which released on the Wii back in 2011. The platformer has been remade for the Nintendo Switch with improved visuals and some extra content, the biggest of which being an extra epilogue after completing the game. The game released Feb 24^th 2023 exclusively on Nintendo Switch.  

The story for the game is pretty straightforward with Kirby being tasked with collecting the pieces of a interdimensional spaceship called the Lor Starcutter to help Magalor, an interdimensional traveler  return to his home world. The story of the game is fairly light and is mostly there to explain why Kirby is travelling through the games different worlds however I did enjoy the story, particularly towards the end of the game after the pieces of the spaceship are collected.

The game plays out as a 2D platformer across a number of worlds each with around 5 or 6 levels to work through. These levels are fairly short but are definitely fun to work though. A major part of the Kirby series is the copy abilities Kirby can get after inhaling certain enemies and this is just as important in this game. Each ability has its own move set to help you get through the games levels and defeat enemies. For the most part these abilities are a lot of fun to use, with my personal favourites being the Fighter and Mecha costumes. Each of the abilities can be used in different ways to clear obstacles, for example the fire ability can melt ice and the sword ability can cut ropes. These different abilities add a lot of variety to the game so the game never gets stale. There are also special “super” abilities which are much stronger versions of normal copy abilities that can even destroy parts of the environment. These abilities are a lot of fun to use and let you wipe out anything in front of you as you move through the levels.

For the most part, the levels of the game are fairly easy and you can get through them without too much issue. The challenge of the game lies in collecting the optional energy spheres scattered across the levels. These can occasionally pose an actual challenge to get to, sometimes requiring a specific copy ability to access or being behind a boss hidden at the end of a short platforming challenge accessed via a portal. These energy spheres make up a good amount of the replayablity of the game, seeking them out also unlocks extra challenges on Magalor’s ship which adds an incentive and some extra side content to work through.

Being a “Deluxe” port of the game, there is some new content to talk about. The main two additions outside of the visual upgrade is in the two new modes: Merry Magoland and the Epilogue unlocked after finishing the game. Merry Magoland is a theme park where you can play a number of minigames and buy masks to wear in levels. These minigames are fun to play but personally don’t keep your attention for too long which is to be expected with smaller side games. However I definitely think that it is a good addition to the game and can definitely be a lot of fun. The other new mode is Magalor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveler.

Without spoiling too much of the games story, this new mode puts you in control of Magalor as he attempts to gain enough power to return home. This is another good addition to the game which adds some extra runtime to the game with a few more levels. Other smaller changes to the game include updating characters to reflect themselves in more recent titles in the series and some new copy abilities like the Mecha ability. Overall, I think the gameplay of the game is fantastic and a lot of fun to play through the levels with some good new content for people who’ve played the original to enjoy

The visuals of the game got a huge overhaul with this remake. The games environments are vibrant and colorful and each area feels distinct from the last with some great theming. The character models themselves are also great, standing out well and are distinctive with good animation, especially with the “Super” copy abilities that have a short cutscene as you absorb them. The music of the game also fits the games cheerful atmosphere with it being upbeat and catchy. The game is just full of that classic Nintendo charm that appeals to kids and adults alike with it being full of bright visuals and upbeat music. The visual overhaul is fantastic and I feel it is one of the best looking games in the series.  

Overall, Kirby’s Return To Dreamland Deluxe is the best way to play the game with its visual improvements and great additions to the game with its 2 new modes. The game is a fantastic profile that is full of charm and I personally feel its one of the best titles in the series and fans of the series should enjoy it, whether they played the original or not