The Kirby franchise is starting 2023 with a bang. Early in the year, it will bring one of its most acclaimed 2.5D titles to the Switch, turning its 2011 Wii title into Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe. After a single mainline title on the N64 and only Kirby's Air Ride gracing the GameCube, fans had been waiting a decade for Kirby to get another big console title while it experimented on the DS. Not only did Return to Dream Land deliver, but it also introduced four-player local co-op multiplayer using multiple distinct characters. Complete with a great art style and a good spread of Copy Abilities, it's no wonder that this title has been brought to the Switch as Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe.
Indeed, Kirby is literally on a roll right now if one accounts for Kirby's Dream Buffet releasing midway through 2022. Although this game didn't make a big splash, it was undeniably an impressive feat for this major Nintendo franchise to debut in true 3D with Kirby and the Forgotten Land and then release a spin-off in the same year. Kirby's ability to give every spin-off and side game polish while upholding a frequent output stands out among Nintendo's biggest franchises. This trait looks to be present in the upcoming Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe as well, as marketing materials indicate this is far more than a simple remaster.
New Copy Abilities Are A Big Deal For Kirby
So far, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe seems to be taking an additive approach to adapting the original game. The art style has been changed to have shading somewhat similar to a comic book, and King Dedede now has his updated design from Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Such details feel trivial when compared to everything else in Return to Dream Land Deluxe, however. One of the largest possible additions a Kirby game can get are two new Copy Abilities that have never been seen before: Mecha and Sand.
It really can't be understated how transformative debuting new Kirby powers is for Return to Dream Land Deluxe. With that alone, the case could be made that Deluxe is not only a remaster and a port, but a full-scale remake of the Wii classic. New Copy Abilities imply new enemies as well, and possibly even new mini-bosses. The additions don't stop there, as a screen-clearing Copy Ability in the vein of Crash and Mike has been added in the form of Festival. This Copy Ability debuted in Kirby Star Allies, but that still makes it another new power added to this old game.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe Will Feel Distinct
With multiple new Copy Abilities, Kirby's Return to Dream Land will feel like a whole new game. That appears to be the intent, as Deluxe holds many more changes. Old Copy Abilities such as Hammer and Stone have been updated to be more like later incarnations, and Meta Knight, King Dedede, and Bandana Waddle Dee have received their updated Kirby Star Allies movelists. New challenge stages have been added to the Lor Starcutter, and the minigame section will be separated into a new area called Merry Magoland. On top of the new minigames, one of which is a Tetris 99-like adaptation of the classic Samurai Kirby, there are even new collectibles like stickers and Magoland tickets.
At this point, it's abundantly clear that Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe is just about a ground-up remake of Return to Dream Land. Playing it will still feel similar most of the time, but it has more than enough differences to make it the clear definitive version. With so many new things to see and do, even owners of the original title should still enjoy their time with this new release. Above all else, the new changes made up front will definitely keep Kirby fans attentive for any other additions made late in the game.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe launches February 24 for the Nintendo Switch.