This is primarily a review of the DLC that comes with the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Kirby and the Forgotten Land. You can check out our review of the original game here. 

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a game that seemed to have been… forgotten soon after its release. Sure, it sold great, but I saw and heard very little about it after the spring 2022 launch. It’s strange, too — I thought the game was extremely solid all around, and I’d say others felt the same. It probably was just overshadowed by the 3D Mario and Zelda titles on the Switch that are larger in scope. 

However, that actually makes this game a prime candidate for a Switch 2 version, and it got one, with new content to boot! This $20 upgrade to the original experience offers sharper graphics, smoother framerates, and an additional campaign: Star-Crossed World.

Story

When a mysterious meteor falls on the island, Kirby and his pal Elefin are first to investigate. They soon discover that it has come from outer space, and contains a great evil that was being concealed by creatures known as “Starries”. Unfortunately in its arrival the Starries were scattered across the Forgotten Land, as well as large crystals that transform various levels and infect Kirby’s enemies. The two friends set off to rescue the Starries and seal away the threat that now looms over the land. 

I find this story to be pretty satisfactory, although I do have some qualms with how it resolves. I won’t spoil anything, but I think the developers could have made it more distinct from the original campaign. It reuses a lot of the same themes without putting much of a spin on things.

Gameplay

This campaign is definitely designed to be played after the base game. The star-crossed world levels take place in already existing locations, they typically take you up above the level and include many branching paths. Along with some new mouthful mode transformations, these feel like completely new levels to me. Granted, I haven’t played the main campaign in a few years.

It’s fair to say that the difficulty has increased, too. It’s not a tough experience by any means — especially since your copy ability upgrades carry over — but there were some tricky platforming sections, and I had to return to many levels in order to complete missions and find secrets that I missed. You will have to pay attention if you want to snag everything. 

The developers threw in some extra collectibles as well. There are several dozen more figurines to collect, exclusive to this edition of the game. Some of these even include extra lore nuggets to enjoy!

To top it off, there’s a little something to check out in the colosseum once you beat the final boss. 

Graphics

The graphical improvements can really be felt with this one. The frame rate has been bumped up from 30 to 60 FPS, and the game runs at a higher resolution (1440p when docked). The performance stayed pretty consistent, too. I did still notice frame drops in a few far-away enemies, though. While I didn’t take the time to run back through the original game, I’m sure my next playthrough will feel even better than the last. 

Faith Perspective 

Kirby’s world was shaken up suddenly, without any warning, but he handled it pretty well. He and Elefin immediately got to work and tackled new challenges using their tried and true methods. They adapted when appropriate, but stayed firm when necessary. 

We must be able to do the same when new difficulties come our way. You often hear about how important it is to improvise, adapt, and overcome, but it is also critical to remain steadfast in what doesn’t change. New developments in technology, social issues, and the environment do not call us to throw out our morals so we can “get with the times”. We see the Church remain steadfast when she continues to condemn birth control, IVF, abortion, etc, despite being an unpopular move — because she will always value human life.

At the same time, if we refuse to make changes when warranted, we risk missing out on good things, causing harm, falling out of touch with others, and ultimately failing to utilize the many gifts God has given us. We see the Church make changes when she evangelizes new cultures, deals with scandals, and approaches new challenges. 

Let us not forget the value of both steadfastness and adaptability.

About Catoons