Kids and grown-ups love it so, the happy world of Kirby.

By Rob Leane

Published: Thursday, 23 February 2023 at 12:00 am


4.0 out of 5 star rating

If you’re a fully-grown adult, you might find yourself wondering if Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is really meant for you, with its bright colours and paper-thin plot making it feel utterly kid-focused.

You might also find yourself wondering if you’ve played this game before. If this new Switch title sounds familiar, that’s likely because Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is an enhanced re-release of a 2011 Wii game.

But is Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe any good? Will kids and grown-ups love it so? And how does it compare to last year’s brilliant Kirby and the Forgotten Land? Read on for the full RadioTimes.com review that will answer all those questions and more.

First things first, it’s worth stressing that this is a very fun game. Even as a jaded 30-something who has played far too many games over the last few years, this reviewer found plenty to enjoy, from imaginative level design to brilliantly silly abilities.

Compared to last year’s Forgotten Land – which shifted the franchise into 3D and added the hilarious mouthful mode, allowing Kirby to adopt the shape and powers of everything from a car to a vending machine – there’s no denying that Return to Dream Land feels a bit more old school. But this 2D platformer still has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.

Despite not having mouthful mode, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe still has loads of great abilities for Kirby to collect as you guide that adorable pink blob around a series of increasingly more elaborate 2D platforming levels.

From swords to ice blasts, via plasma whips and giant dragon-shaped fire attacks, this game finds loads of fun ways to keep you on your toes. It’s worth remembering that the game is intended as a family-friendly offering (and it also supports up to four players in co-op mode, encouraging families to tackle it together).

That being said, there are settings you can turn on or off depending how much you want the game to help any nearby kids or yourself out (e.g. if you want to be punished every time you fail a platforming segment, you can enable that if you like). Even if you leave those kiddy settings on, though, there’s fun to be had in working out each level and witnessing each silly idea as it appears.