Kirby is no stranger to reinvention. For over three decades, Nintendo’s pink hero has shape-shifted through 2D platformers, spin-offs, party games, and even pinball.
Yet 2022’s Kirby and the Forgotten Land felt like a genuine breakthrough the moment when HAL Laboratory finally committed to a fully 3D Kirby adventure, blending classic charm with bold new ideas. It was both familiar and fresh, a game that proved this long-running series still had tricks up its sleeve (you can read our review of the original Switch game here)
Now, three years later, Kirby returns with Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World on the Nintendo Switch 2. This release isn’t just a simple upgrade.
It’s the definitive edition of one of Nintendo’s most creative modern platformers, complete with an ambitious expansion that builds seamlessly on what came before. Together, they form a package that feels joyous, meticulously polished, and easily one of the standout titles of the Switch 2’s young library.
A Meteor, A New Quest, And Familiar Comforts
The new expansion begins with a spectacle. A colossal meteor plummets from the skies, crashing onto a volcanic island just off the coast of Waddle Dee Town. With the meteor comes a sinister energy that threatens the world Kirby just saved. Astronomer Waddle Dee quickly enlists your help to collect “starries” magical shards powerful enough to counteract the meteor’s destructive influence.
This narrative setup is simple yet effective, providing Kirby fans with a clear motivation while maintaining a light-hearted and whimsical tone. From here, you’ll find yourself diving into a new chain of levels connected to both fresh environments and reimagined areas from the original campaign.
The best part is how naturally these additions fit within the game’s world map – nothing feels bolted on, and the expansion respects the player’s investment in Forgotten Land by layering new content into its established structure.
HAL Laboratory At Its Best
What makes Star-Crossed World so exciting isn’t that it reinvents the Kirby formula, but that it demonstrates HAL Laboratory’s mastery of it. Each new stage is bursting with creativity, offering clever gimmicks, unique environmental twists, and a wealth of secrets that encourage exploration.
The expansion’s “Meteor Shower’s Arrival” stage sets the tone beautifully – a fiery gauntlet of collapsing platforms, glowing crystals, and shimmering fragments that immediately communicates the threat of the fallen star. From there, you’ll encounter mouthful modes that push Kirby’s versatility even further.
Whether you’re inhabiting volcanic machinery to redirect lava flows or using meteor fragments as makeshift gliders, these transformations are never gimmicks for their own sake. They’re tightly woven into the design of each stage, making them feel natural and rewarding.
There’s also a pleasing rhythm to how Star-Crossed World unfolds. Some stages are intense set-pieces with timed hazards and layered mechanics, while others lean into playful discovery, full of puzzles and hidden paths.
Long-time Kirby fans will know what to expect, approachable platforming, joyful transformations, and a steady drip-feed of secrets – but the sheer confidence in execution makes this expansion feel fresh.
Visual Flourish On Switch 2
As impressive as the expansion is, it’s the Switch 2 upgrade that makes this package shine. Kirby and the Forgotten Land was already one of the best-looking titles on the original Switch, but the leap in performance and fidelity is immediately noticeable.
On TV, the game runs at a rock-solid 60fps in 4K, while handheld mode delivers a flawless 1080p presentation. Particle-heavy areas that once showed slowdown – such as crowded boss fights or destructible set-pieces – are now silky smooth. The difference isn’t just technical; it enhances the overall experience.
Forgotten Land’s painterly visuals now glow with sharper lighting and colour depth, and the whimsical character animations feel more alive than ever. There is a beach and reef level that was devoid of life in the Switch version, here the ocean is flooded with sea creatures that really help this game feel atmospheric.
Kirby has rarely looked this good. It’s not a hyper-realistic showcase for the new hardware, but it doesn’t need to be. What it does prove is how much a technical upgrade can elevate an already well-designed game, letting its artistry shine without compromise.
Extras That Respect Your Time
Beyond the new campaign content, Star-Crossed World adds thoughtful extras for dedicated players. “The Ultimate Cup Z EX” in the Colosseum is a thrilling challenge gauntlet, bringing back bosses with clever twists and testing your mastery of Kirby’s copy abilities. It’s tough, but fair, the kind of post-game challenge fans crave.
There are also new collectible figures to discover, a small but meaningful addition that will be appreciated by completionists. Like the original’s collection system, these are more than just trinkets , they’re a playful nod to Kirby’s history, celebrating the series in a way that feels both nostalgic and rewarding.
How Kirby Stacks Up Against Nintendo’s Platforming Greats
Nintendo’s platformers are going through something of a renaissance on the Switch 2. Super Mario Bros. Wonder brought a colourful new spark to the 2D Mario formula, while Donkey Kong Returns HD reminded players of how challenging and precise that series can be.
Against those heavy hitters, Kirby might seem like the lighter, friendlier option – but that’s exactly where its strength lies. We saw this extend out this year with Donkey Kony Bananza reinvigorating the genre again while still keeping a platforming element at its core in a 3D open(ish) world.
Where Mario pushes boundaries with inventive level gimmicks and Donkey Kong doubles down on difficulty, Kirby strikes a balance between accessibility and depth. It’s approachable enough for younger or casual players, yet packed with secrets and side challenges that satisfy veterans. In many ways, Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World sits comfortably alongside Nintendo’s finest – a reminder that the company doesn’t just have one mascot capable of delivering platforming greatness.
With its enhanced visuals, joyful gameplay, and expansion that adds meaningful depth without overstaying its welcome, Kirby proves he belongs in the same conversation as Mario and Donkey Kong when it comes to definitive Nintendo platformers.
Final Thoughs
If you weren’t a fan of Forgotten Land to begin with, Star-Crossed World isn’t going to transform your opinion. It is, at its core, an expansion of an already excellent foundation. But for those who loved the 2022 release, this new edition is as close to perfect as Kirby has ever been.
What HAL Laboratory has achieved here is a true modern Nintendo classic. It combines accessibility with depth, charm with challenge, and creativity with polish. It’s a celebration of Kirby’s legacy, while also pointing to a bright future for the series on new hardware.
With the enhanced visuals and performance of the Switch 2, the joyfully inventive expansion, and the strength of the base game still intact, Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World is nothing less than a must-play.
A joyous, definitive edition of Kirby’s best modern adventure. Sitting proudly alongside Mario and Donkey Kong, this is Nintendo platforming at its most playful, polished, and irresistible.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Engaging gameplay; Solid visuals and performance; Enough extras to feel like a new experience
Lowlights: None
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2
Available: Now
Review conducted on Nintendo Switch 2 with a pre-release code provided by the publisher.
Featured header image provided by Nintendo.
