Nintendo's decision to return to their classic 2-D roots beginning with "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" has produced some of the most enjoyable titles of the console's life cycle. After last year's stylistic "Kirby's Epic Yarn," "Kirby's Return to Dreamland" returns the franchise to its traditional roots. Sucking up enemies and exploring all of Kirby's expansive powers is a great mechanic still today and this game continues Nintendo's successful 2-D trend adding another impressive addition to their library of titles.
The plot centers around a spaceship that has crash landed on planet Popstar, whose captain then implores Kirby and his friends to collect the ship's missing parts. It's essentially a cookie cutter platformer plot which only serves to provide a context for the player to explore each different world discovering the 120 energy spheres scattered throughout. The gameplay is the main draw as Kirby gleefully inhales anything he can find and transforming into his various forms. From Shock Kirby to Needle Kirby his powers run the gamut and each one is necessary in various levels to collect every energy sphere. The game also provides players with many choices over which power to take and at what time as puzzles often pop up requiring specific abilities to solve them.
Drop-in drop-out co-op is a nice addition as up to four players can play at one time. While other playable characters include King Dedede, Waddle Dee, and MetaKnight, they're limited to a single moveset while Kirby's changes depending on what power he acquires. The list of moves is deep and intricate for every power and will take some learning if you hope to master each one. The locales often vary as you explore anywhere from deserts to arctic environments. Many individual levels also hearken back to Kirby's previous forays on past Nintendo consoles. However, the level design becomes somewhat repetitive and doesn't provide as much gameplay variation or challenge as other titles like "Donkey Kong Country Returns." The underwater sections also occur too frequently and tend to bog down the pace and depth of gameplay.
In terms of replay value there are various mini games and challenge rooms to unlock that test your proficiency with Kirby's collection of powers. Beating the main story also unlocks a new mode in which you traverse the main campaign once more but this time with half the health. While none of these additions are overly impressive, it's still entertaining to gather some buddies and try to collect every energy sphere once again.
"Kirby's Return to Dreamland" is another solid title from Nintendo in what will most likely be the Wii's final holiday season. The return to Kirby's traditional formula and addition of four-player co-op create an engaging gameplay experience that adapts well to modern consoles. While the level design and quality don't quite measure up to past 2-D titles such as last year's "Donkey Kong Country Returns," "Return to Dreamland" is a terrific return to this franchise's traditional form and is sure to scratch anyone's platforming itch this winter.
