A sparkly update proves Kirby still has plenty of puff.
In Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World, one of the Switch’s most endearing platformers gets a lick of paint, a performance boost, and a generous serving of new content. The result is a welcome reminder of just how good this game is, and a great excuse to revisit it.
At its core, the Nintendo Switch 2 edition of Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the same enjoyable adventure that launched in 2022. It’s an accessible 3D platformer, full of cuteness, colour, and chaos. None of that has changed, but as the unwieldy title suggests, the power of Nintendo’s new system brings a host of improvements.
Visually, the game is noticeably sharper, with a higher resolution and running at a steady 60fps. It loses some of the dreamlike softness of the original release, but the newfound crispness makes the game’s bizarre, post-apocalyptic whimsy all the more striking. It’s also pleasing to see distant characters and enemies finally moving at full speed, rather than their previously jerky, low frame rates.
It’s all good stuff from a performance perspective, but it’s also a testament to HAL Laboratory’s work that none of it feels absolutely essential. Despite the visual uplift, the original version still holds up remarkably well. These enhancements should be considered more of a polish than a radical overhaul.
As we said in our original review, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is an exceptional experience with a strong sense of momentum and discovery. Kirby is always pushing forward, moving on to the next idea, level gimmick, or visual surprise. It’s more linear than Super Mario Odyssey, or the recent Donkey Kong Bananza, but despite feeling like a 2D platformer turned on its axis, it still feels expansive and accommodates a surprising number of secrets, collectibles, mini-games, and challenging moments.
There’s joy in every jump and puff Kirby makes, and fun to be found in every suspicious nook, cranny, and enemy encounter. And don’t be fooled by the franchise’s cutesy, kiddie reputation. The game can pack a punch in its later stages, and especially so when Wild Mode is enabled.
Already a generous package, Kirby and the Forgotten Land becomes even more puffed up on Nintendo Switch 2, thanks to a substantial, system-exclusive content expansion called Star-Crossed World.
Much like the base game’s post-credit content – which smartly reimagines earlier stages with new layouts and higher difficulty – the new expansion builds creatively on existing foundations. It remixes a selection of existing stages, this time with crystalline structures that arc through each environment, carving out new paths or opening hidden spaces to explore.
Along for the ride are new and revamped enemies, plus a new cast of rescuable companions – called Starries – scattered throughout the world. Three new Mouthful Mode abilities are included, all of which are as absurd and wonderful as before. The Gear Mouth, in particular, is a highlight that blends utility with comedy and requires a fair degree of skill to master.
In one sense, Star-Crossed World is simply more of the same, but when the “same” is this much fun, that’s hardly a complaint. The consistently high quality of the level design, and the often spectacular visuals of the new stages, feel well beyond what the original Switch could have managed.
If you already own the Nintendo Switch original, there’s a reasonably priced upgrade path that grants access to both the Switch 2 enhancements and the Star-Crossed World expansion. Newcomers will have to pay full price, but I’d say the package justifies the cost, certainly in comparison to the likes of, say, Kirby Star Allies or Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Between the base game and the new content, this is a packed, polished, and deeply enjoyable platforming experience.
Perhaps the game’s biggest challenge is that it arrives hot on the heels of the tremendous Donkey Kong Bananza. Despite the level of craft on display, huffing and puffing through this gentler adventure might feel slightly twee after 40 hours of smashing your way to a planet’s molten core.
It’s also curious – but rather wonderful – that the first year of the Nintendo Switch 2 isn’t being led by a marquee Super Mario platformer. But this game, alongside Donkey Kong’s grand adventure – and with Metroid Prime 4 and Kirby Air Riders on the horizon – is a reminder of how good Nintendo’s second-string heroes can be. And so far, they’re filling the plumber-shaped void more than capably.
Game: Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: August 28, 2025
