(LOOTPRESS) – This weekend marks the return of everyone’s favorite pink, round hero as Kirby returns to Dream Land for the latest installment in the ongoing game series.
Slated for release on Friday, February 24, 2023, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe – as the name suggests – revisits the ninth entry in the Kirby series, 2011’s Kirby’s Return to Dream Land, taking gamers on a 1-4 player adventure across Planet Popstar.
Nintendo made an announcement indicating plans for a remake release during a September 13, 2022, Nintendo Direct presentation. But players would be remiss to write off the Deluxe Return to Dream Land as a mere reissue of the original Wii version, as developers have brought along plenty of new content into which gamers can sink their teeth.
Simply from a technological standpoint, much has changed in the decade-plus since the release of the original Dream Land. Developers have clearly taken notice and make as much clear through various elements of this new release, which incorporates an impressive and satisfying attention to detail.
Firstly, the title has essentially undergone a complete overhaul graphically as evidenced by the arresting visuals seen in aspects from gameplay environments and cutscenes to the models of the characters themselves.
While the original title very much remains at the core of this remake, several substantial additions have been added to the gameplay itself while maintaining the integrity of the original experience. For example, three new abilities have been added to the “copy” mechanism around which the adventure is navigated.
These abilities include “Festival,” – brought over from 2018’s Star Allies – which transforms on-screen foes into assist items such as stars and food. “Sand” is another new addition which allows Kirby to manipulate sand in various ways including shooting waves of sand, constructing castles, and attacking opponent with objects formed from sand.
The newly introduced “Mecha” endows players with perhaps more power than any other copy ability available in the game, providing access to lasers, mines, rockets, and similarly frightening weaponry which is sure to clear the path for the protagonist as he continues along on his adventure.
While the gameplay of the original story mode remains mostly faithful to the original, Return to Dream Land Deluxe boasts a number of alternate play modes to augment the fun in addition to the delightfully engaging multi-player mode.
The game introduces the “Helper Magolor” mode, which sees the Dream Land character taking on the role of “keeper” of sorts for more inexperienced players. In this mode, Magolor will assist players by saving them from blunders or contributing helpful items.
Magolor also serves as the bases for one of the most notable additions to this remake: Magolor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveler. This portion of the game runs across the span of two-hours and essentially serves as a worthwhile adventure in its own right, allowing players to gain power and abilities while navigating a series of impressively constructed levels.
The mini-games present in the original are back once more, but this time they are to be found at Merry Magland rather than Magolor’s ship. Two new mini-games are now accessible to players in addition to the half-dozen-plus brought over from the original.
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe will serve as an exceptional introduction to the series for those unfamiliar, but also brings enough in the way of fresh ideas to appeal to veterans of the series, even those intently familiar with the original title upon which the deluxe issue is based.
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe hits shelves this Friday, February 24, 2023.