Kirby's Return to Dream Land

Nintendo’s acclaimed franchise made a return in 2011 with Kirby’s Return to Dreamland. The game was released exclusively for Wii and had was later re-released for the Wii U in 2015. This is a long-awaited title that saw Kirby return to its original platformer origins. Received with generally positive reviews, the game was praised for delivering great entertainment and sticking to Kirby’s roots.

Kirby is Back, Back Again

Since the Nintendo 64 days, there weren’t any Kirby titles that felt like the original ones, mainly because they weren’t side-scrolling platformers. Here we are graced with that platformer feeling, but with advanced technology, and graphics. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland is a 2.5D side-scrolling game, that has 3D characters and enemies, vibrant colors, and cute scenarios. It comes as no surprise that the gameplay, visuals, and narrative are aimed at either young gamers or old fans of the character.

In Kirby’s Return to Dreamland, a mysterious alien shipwreck happens on Kirby’s planet Popstar. The alien pilot named Magalor requests help from Kirby and friends to repair his ship, by finding the scattered pieces from the wreck. With the promise to get a tour of Magalor’s planet, if the ship is fixed, Kirby begins his journey.

Kirby and Friends

Gameplay-wise, Kirby’s Return to Dreamland will feel very familiar to those who played the character’s previous platformer. Instead of the wild experimentation that Kirby went through, here the objectives are simple, walk right and defeat bad guys. Controls are simple, and easy to navigate, while the game’s core mechanics revolve around Kirby’s ability to mimic the power of enemies. Each level has its own collectibles, and mini-games, but ultimately is single-player as well as multiplayer revolves around Kirby’s mimicking power. Simple, yet fun.

Multiplayer here comes in Kirby’s Return to Dreamland’s co-op mode. Players can choose to play as different colored Kirby’s or as his friends Meta Knight, King Dedede, and Waddle Dee. Each character has its own abilities, health bar, and a number of lives. Players can join back if they die, but if player one runs out of lives the game is over. This game mode is fun, especially because it requires coordination since players hold abilities and throw them for Kirby to mimic later on.

Conclusion

Kirby’s Return to Dreamland is simply a fun game. Easy to play, cool mechanics, and a perfect throwback to what popularized the character. Nintendo hit the mark on the decision to bring Kirby back to its roots while maintaining its magical, and childish appeal.

PROS:

• Nostalgia Factor
• Upgraded Graphics
• Family Friendly
• Genuine Kirby Story
• Cool Mechanics
• Fun Co-op

CONS:

• Low Replayability
• Not Very Challenging