Review – Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World

At a time when remains and turbocharged ports have become a fad, few games receive a treatment that really lives up to the potential of the new hardware and that’s just where it stands out. Originally released in 2022, this title marked the debut of the 3D universe with feet stuck in post-apocalyptic scenarios full of charm and creativity, but only with the arrival of Nintendo Switch 2, the Hal Laboratory pink ball returns more round and bright than ever, taking advantage of each extra power wire.

Even with a high value, you will discover news with mechanics, upgrade in the direction of art and soundtrack, as well as the hits and slips of this version, which make the investment worthwhile, whether you are a veteran in search of the definitive experience or a newcomer wanting to start on the right foot. After all DLC’s promise makes us have the experience of a reinvention in the narrative accompanied by technical improvements that have been able to turn this edition into a true compulsory game.

New stars to shine

The first thing you will notice when connecting the game is the glaring visual difference, with Switch 2 delivering what the previous console could not: a truly fluid experience with 60fps. While the original version crashed in 30fps, now we have a much more responsive and smooth gameplay, especially in the most intense platform moments. The resolution also made a considerable leap, running above 1080p of the original Switch version in Dock mode. And for those who already have the game on the original switch, the upgrade costs $ 119.90, a fair price considering all the additional content included, even while I still believe the best option would be to launch a free upgrade.

Once the appropriate technical presentations, Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World has the great attraction of the DLC that comes with the name of the game and adds a completely new campaign with 12 redesigned stages. The premise presents itself simply, but works very well, with a meteor reaching the Forgotten Land and dramatically changing the environments we already knew. The new Starry Stages are transformed versions of the original levels, with crystalline structures that create alternative routes and unpublished challenges. It’s not just a “Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V”, as developers really struggled to make each stage look fresh and different, bringing even different finals and a pleasant surprise to the most dedicated.

The Star-Crossed World narrative, though simple, works perfectly within the Kirby universe, with a meteor that falls on the island and creates a cosmic threat that should be sealed by collecting the Staries, nothing more than fragments of stars scattered around the world divided into their biomes. What is most impressive is how Hal Laboratory has managed to integrate this new story into the base game without breaking the narrative rhythm, and recreating enemies, bringing their candlestick versions that are not only redone color, but adding improved and visibly more challenging behaviors. For example, Wild Frosty becomes Crystal Wild Frosty, in which Fleurina gains a crystallized version, making this change repeat several worlds and even happen to the last chief of the game.

Going far beyond visual and performance upgrades (already expected), small details have been rework, such as loading times are remarkably faster, and those distant NPCs moving to leaps on the original switch now flow naturally. The dynamic shadows have received a quality upgrade and the field depth has been adjusted to take advantage of the new resolution, bringing subtle improvements but raising the experience as a whole. However, the pop-in problem of geometry still persists at times, showing that not everything has been resolved in this version, but it is not something that significantly harms the gameplay.

New mouths open new paths

The Kirby and the Forgotten Land base and the center of the whole franchise still remains intact, where you will need to suck enemies, copy skills, and explore extremely colorful worlds. The new stages vary in quality, but everyone maintains that feeling of discovery and fun, while Big Starryflowers act as switches that dynamically alter the level layout and feature mechanics that could have been explored even more, offering more significant changes.

The new Ultimate Cup Z mode in Coliseu is the place of the real challenge, where the most demanding players will really have fun when facing a brutal sequence of 12 battles against boss ghost versions, making you sweat even if you are an experienced in the Kirby universe. With easy controls and the diversity of transformations, the replay factor of the game shines in this mode and adds the possibility of playing history cooperatively. After all, we have a first -time collection that will surely require good hours to be completely completed, including speed challenges.

In addition, Star-Crossed World features three new Mouthful modes and which were very well introduced: Spring Mouth, Gear Mouth and Sign Mouth. They are all so much fun, allowing Kirby to jump to areas previously inaccessible with refined platform mechanics, making them interact creatively with the scenario to further explore the three -dimensional factor of Level Design. However, you can see that unfortunately the game continues in English, even with all Nintendo’s efforts to voice or subtitle the other recently released games.

Visually, Kirby has never been so beautiful and responsible for this is the power of Switch 2, which allows environments to shine with their vibrant colors and the effects of reflection on crystalline surfaces appear genuinely impressive. All with an art direction that keeps that cute post-apocalyptic footprint that made the original game so striking. In parallel, the soundtrack remains charming, with the crystal clear tracks of the new stages mingling harmoniously with the original compositions, but do not expect great musical additions, as the basics have been well performed and works perfectly.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World is the type of upgrade that every game deserved to receive, however it is for discussion if free or for a more affordable value. Hal Laboratory not only technically improved the title, but added substantial content that justifies the investment, making your investment really rewarded and proof that when done with love, a remaster can be much more than just a commercial play. After all, Kirby was never so nice to play.