Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch 2 edition review – a sparkling step up

Despite being a certified Kirby enjoyer, I never got around to playing the pink puffball’s post-apocalyptic platformer on the Switch, so I was delighted to get the chance to pick it up for this Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World review. The upgrade for the latest handheld breathes new life into an already fantastic base game with improved graphics and frame rates, as well as a whole new DLC story.

If you somehow don’t know, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the first truly 3D game in the series, and sees the titular Kirby sucked through a wormhole out of Dream Land and onto an overgrown planet that looks like an abandoned version of Earth. Alongside an adorable mouse-fairy-creature called Elfilin, you help Kirby explore this wasteland and rescue all the Waddle Dees scattered around it. It’s classic platforming and puzzling fun, and Tilly went into immense detail in her Kirby and the Forgotten Land review in 2022.

The Nintendo Switch 2 edition, much like the upgrades for some of the other best Switch games, includes graphical enhancements and frame rate improvements that utilize the Switch 2’s beefed-up hardware, and it makes this game truly stunning. From the grass-covered buildings in the Natural Plains reminiscent of scenes from games like The Last of Us, to the glittering oceans of Everbay Coast, this game is deliciously gorgeous and a treat for the eyes. In both handheld and docked mode, the experience is as smooth as a hot knife through butter, and the environments are so detailed that I could get lost in them for hours.

The 12 extra stages that form the Star-Crossed World DLC just add to the visual feast, thanks to their sparkling, space-themed aesthetic. This additional story sees a crystal-covered meteor crash into the Forgotten Land, scattering Starries across the world and revealing a dark core that Kirby and his friends must repair to avoid disaster. These ‘Starry Stages’ take you back to two levels in each of the game’s worlds and let you explore them in entirely new ways, thanks to the meteor and its crystals opening up unexplored paths and giving you access to fresh mechanics.

Collecting the Starries works in much the same way as collecting Waddle Dees – you get a set number for completing a stage, you can find hidden Starries throughout the level, and then there are hidden quests to find the final few. Aside from the beautiful aesthetics, my favorite thing about the Star-Crossed World expansion is that it starts during the Natural Plains, rather than purely functioning as endgame content. If you’re new to the game, like me, or you played it years ago and never managed to finish it, you don’t have to grind all the way to the end just to experience the new features alongside everyone else.

As Tilly mentioned in her initial review, the main Kirby and the Forgotten Land story isn’t that long, but the sheer amount of additional content means you won’t find yourself bored at any point. Of course, the Starry Stages bring a whole new collectible to the table with the Starries, but you can also challenge yourself on Treasure Road – which is a speedrunner’s dream, by the way – and hang out in Waddle Dee Town. I’ve never considered myself much of a completionist, but if I don’t save every single one of Kirby and the Forgotten Land’s Waddle Dees, I will never forgive myself.

Kirby has always been an approachable series, but Kirby and the Forgotten Land feels particularly beginner-friendly. You can freely switch between two difficulties, with the easier giving you more health, and the harder rewarding you with more coins for completing tasks, and there’s two-player couch co-op, which is perfect for introducing a little sibling or your child to the game via Bandana Waddle Dee. This second player isn’t as involved (which might be why my partner wasn’t as enthused by the game as I was), but still gets to feel part of the action.

Overall, Kirby and the Forgotten Land’s Switch 2 edition and Star-Crossed World DLC are more than worth your time. If you’re a returning player, the upgrade pack is affordable and adds tons more content, or if you’re new like me, this 2022 game is still phenomenal, and perfectly complements the Switch 2’s capabilities. It’s a grand old time, and I don’t want to put it down.

If you want more from one of the best Kirby games of all time, make sure to check out our Kirby and the Forgotten Land capsules and Kirby and the Forgotten Land blueprints guides. We’ve also got all the info you need on the new Kirby game coming soon, Kirby Air Riders.