Nintendo has been giving long-time fans present upon present in recent weeks. Beloved game Metroid Prime is heading back to the small screen – and a host of Game Boy originals are slowly being remastered for the Switch.
Now Nintendo has gone one better and released Kirby’s Return to Dreamland (Deluxe). Originally a Nintendo Wii game (it was released all the way back in 2011), Return to Dreamland was a somewhat overlooked multiplayer that never really earned its place in the annals of Nintendo gaming.
That all changed with the smash-hit Kirby and the Forgotten Land – which doubtless prompted this reboot. However, the Forgotten Land’s shadow hangs heavy over Return to Dreamland, which struggles to make much of an impression in comparison.
In the remastered Return to Dreamland, we’re back in 2D, following a group of four heroes (the game is multiplayer) across eight lands, in search of missing parts to fix alien visitor Magolor’s spaceship.
Fresh from the 3D delights and constant inventiveness of the Forgotten Land, the art style here feels rather flat by contrast, and none of the locations really make much of an impact: they’re all either snow, desert, volcano, or forest. In other words, bog-standard early-Nintendo fare, exacerbated by the simple levels; that is, heading left to right across the screen.
The joy of playing Kirby lies in his unique fighting abilities, which are on full display here
As might also be expected, there’s also no plot here – beyond the above. That’s not the point. The joy of playing Kirby lies in his unique fighting abilities, which are on full display here: the floating pink blob can take on the powers of whatever he chooses to ingest.
This spans the gamut from Kirby throwing giant snowballs and even turning into characters like an angry wizard and a muscled hunk: it’s beautifully imaginative, which makes the lack of decent enemies to use these abilities on rather annoying.
In fact, the most frustrating thing (if you happen to be a gamer who appreciates a challenge, which I myself am not really) is just how easy these levels are. Enemies are so pitiful as to barely offer up any resistance – I steamrollered through the boss fights, which is saying something, while the puzzles can be solved in seconds.
The most interesting bit is the game’s new epilogue, where you play Magolor as he travels across Another Dimension
Adults returning to Kirby after an 11-year break will find an almost insulting lack of challenge here; on the other hand, kids will most likely love it. And yes, while there is a hard mode (hard here meaning slightly less easy), it can only be unlocked after you finish the game.
This being a Deluxe, Nintendo have added some extra bits to Kirby, which are rather lovely: in addition to some new abilities (such as the Mecha Copy Ability) and subgames, the most interesting bit is the game’s new epilogue, where you play Magolor as he travels across Another Dimension, relearning the magical abilities he lost after betraying (and subsequently losing to) Kirby and friends. It’s something that’s never been explored in any Kirby game before, and lends the ending an unexpectedly poignant note.
Special mention must also be given to the game’s upgraded co-op abilities, too, which are especially evident on the Switch. With four controllers connected, it’s supremely easy to join or drop out of the game – a blessing if you’re playing with kids.
Look, if you’re looking for ground-breaking, Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe ain’t it. But it is a lovely, simple little game, that’s still just as enjoyable to play with friends and family as it ever was. Relax and enjoy.
Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is out now on Nintendo Switch; get it for RRP £49.99, or on sale for £42.95.
