Although the Nintendo Switch 2 is only a few months old, new games, or at least updated ones, keep emerging at a steady, slow clip.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land, which was one of my favorite late-era Switch games, got an upgraded edition that’s available this week. The full title, Kirby and the Forgotten Land Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World, is unwieldy in name, much like the recent Mario Party Jamboree upgrade. But I found this one a lot more worthwhile.
While you don’t get too much for an added cost, I’ve come to appreciate the entire game all over again. Existing Forgotten Land owners can pay $20 for the extra DLC.
Anyone else would have to pay $80 for the entire game with the extra story mode and upgraded graphics, which feels like an awful lot for a game that isn’t even new. However, spending $20 for the upgrade alone is worth it, especially if you’ve been hoping for improved Kirby graphics and the 12 new stages (only a fraction of what the rest of the game already has). It was a blast to play with my Kirby-loving 12-year-old.
Forgotten Land’s graphics and 3D-level design were already pushing the envelope for the original Switch, and the graphics boost on Switch 2 gives everything a smooth 60-frames-per-second performance and high-res look on big TVs. It’s a welcome remaster.
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The graphics updates are really nice-looking on Switch 2.
Star-Crossed World’s new story involves a mysterious meteor that’s covered the land in crystals. The new stages are basically altered versions of existing levels throughout the game, which play differently with new paths, secrets and “Starry” fragments you have to uncover.
There are a few new transforming shapes Kirby can suck up this time (Mouthful Mode, which is different from the standard enemy-power-absorbing abilities Kirby normally has, in case you’ve never played this game before). They’re all fun and kinetic, and I loved discovering what they could do. One of the most unique, a spinning gear, can stick to surfaces for some challenging wall-crawls.
The only downside to this new upgrade is that there isn’t more of it. I appreciate what’s there, and anyone with a Switch 2 who likes and owns the original game should give it a spin. Just be ready for a pleasant bonus extension rather than a whole new sprawling game, mainly so you’ll keep your expectations in check.
I’ve been discovering how much the Switch 2 makes me revisit older games as much as new exclusives. There’s a ton of territory Nintendo can mine for future upgrades to the Switch library. Forgotten Land follows the best template so far in bundling graphics and DLC extras, but I want even more.
Then again, with new games like Kirby Air Riders, Pokemon Legends Z-A and Metroid Prime 4 expected by the end of the year, there will be plenty of other games to lose time in.
