Kirby's Return to Dream Land#Remake

Return to Dream Land is a 2.5D side-scrolling platform game, controlled by holding the Wii Remote sideways. Unlike previous entries in the Kirby series, the game features 3D models for player characters and enemies rather than sprites.

Throughout the game, Kirby can collect items which will heal him; food items that recover health, items that give him an extra life, or by collecting 100 stars, which immediately grants him an extra life. There are also various items Kirby can use to interact with the environment. At the end of each stage, a bonus game is played in which players time a button press to jump as high as possible to earn additional items.{{cite web |url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/117/1173967p1.html |title=E3 2011: Kirby Wii -- Same Ol' Kirby |date=7 June 2011 |access-date=22 August 2011 |author=Claibron, Samuel |archive-date=11 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611221124/http://wii.ign.com/articles/117/1173967p1.html |url-status=dead }}

File:Kirby rtdl wii.jpg

The player controls Kirby, who retains his signature ability to inhale objects and enemies. The inhaled objects can either be swallowed, or propelled back out as a projectile. Kirby can also do a "Super Inhale", where shaking the Wii Remote or inhaling for a long time makes Kirby's inhale stronger. A Super Inhale has extended range and can suck up "Heave-ho Blocks", which are immovable from a regular inhale; the Super Inhale also allows Kirby to inhale other players and most large enemies.

Certain enemies, when swallowed, give Kirby access to a wide variety of "Copy Abilities", which gives Kirby the attack properties of the enemies he inhales. Kirby can only possess one copy ability at a time. Other players playing as another character through multiplayer, or those playing as King Dedede, Meta Knight, or Waddle Dee, can hold onto a Copy Ability's essence and throw them back to Kirby to be inhaled. If a discarded ability from these characters is left untouched, it will vanish shortly afterward.

Each copy ability has multiple attacks that are utilized depending on the combination of button-inputs pressed by the player. New abilities introduced in this game are the Whip ability, which lets Kirby grab out-of-reach items, the Water ability, which allows Kirby to extinguish fires, and the Leaf ability, which lets Kirby use leaves as a form of attack and conjure a pile of leaves to hide in and become invulnerable to nearly all attacks. The Nintendo Switch remake introduces both the Mecha ability, which gives Kirby laser cannons and robotic arms, and the Sand ability, which allows Kirby to morph sand into various shapes, as well as reintroducing the Festival ability from Kirby Star Allies.{{cite web|title = Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe announced for Switch|url = https://nintendoeverything.com/kirbys-return-to-dreamland-deluxe-announced-for-switch/|website = Nintendo Everything|date = 13 September 2022|accessdate = 13 September 2022|archive-date = September 13, 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220913145621/https://nintendoeverything.com/kirbys-return-to-dreamland-deluxe-announced-for-switch/|url-status = live}}{{Cite web |last=Brian |date=2023-01-11 |title=Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe adds Sand and Festival Copy Abilities, new gameplay |url=https://nintendoeverything.com/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-adds-sand-and-festival-copy-abilities-new-gameplay/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Nintendo Everything |language=en |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208233815/https://nintendoeverything.com/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-adds-sand-and-festival-copy-abilities-new-gameplay/ |url-status=live }}

The game introduces more powerful, temporary Copy Abilities called "Super Abilities," which are able to destroy parts of the environment and inflict tremendous damage across a wide range. Unlike regular Copy Abilities, ejecting a Super Ability will cause the Super Ability to be discarded instantly. Five Super Abilities exist: Ultra Sword, Monster Flame, Flare Beam, Grand Hammer, and Snow Bowl, which are enhanced versions of the Sword, Fire, Beam, Hammer, and Ice Copy Abilities respectively.

The game features drop-in cooperative multiplayer for up to three additional players. These players can either play as a yellow, blue or green Kirby, or as one of three unique characters: Meta Knight, King Dedede, and Waddle Dee. Each of these characters possess traits from corresponding Copy Abilities based on the way each character moves and attacks, though only Kirbys are able to inhale enemies and use Copy Abilities. Players are able to ride on top of each other as a "totem", which, with perfect timing, allows the use of a charged attack, called the "Team Attack", driven by the player at the bottom. Players can also share recently ingested health-restoring items through a move called "Face-to-Face". Within the Epilogue introduced in the Switch remake, Magolor becomes a playable character, having been stripped of his powers and forced to regain them. He is able to levitate for short periods and produce energy attacks at first, and gains more abilities when a player upgrades them. Players 2–4 people can play as various recolors of Magolor in this mode.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-08 |title=Kirby's Return to Dreamland Gets Demo Magolor Epilogue |url=https://www.siliconera.com/kirbys-return-to-dreamland-gets-demo-magolor-epilogue/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Siliconera |language=en-US |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208233817/https://www.siliconera.com/kirbys-return-to-dreamland-gets-demo-magolor-epilogue/ |url-status=live }}

All players share from a pool of lives, with each player requiring one life to enter the game. If one of the three additional players loses a life, they can spend an extra life to rejoin the game. However, if player one dies, all players stop play and gameplay restarts from the last checkpoint.

{{redirect|Landia|the closed train station|Landia station}}

One day, a dimension-hopping spaceship called the Lor Starcutter suddenly flies out of a dimensional rift and crashes onto Kirby's home planet of Popstar. As Kirby, Meta Knight, King Dedede and Bandana Waddle Dee go to investigate, they meet an alien named Magolor, who discovers that the five vital pieces of his ship have been scattered across the planet, with the 120 Energy Spheres being scattered across both Popstar and Halcandra. With Magolor offering them a trip to his homeworld of Halcandra should they help fix his ship, Kirby and his friends set off to recover the lost pieces.

After retrieving the main pieces, they travel to Halcandra, where they are attacked by a four-headed dragon named Landia. Magolor claims Landia is an evil beast that has taken over Halcandra and sends Kirby to defeat it. However, after Landia is defeated, Magolor reveals his true motive was to steal the Master Crown on its head and become all-powerful, as he wears the crown and uses it to turn into a large monster, with the intent of making the entire universe bow before him, beginning with Popstar. Teaming up with Landia, who has split into four individual dragons, Kirby and his friends go chase Magolor in Another Dimension. During the chase, Magalor uses the Lor Starcutter to try to defeat Kirby and his friends, but Kirby and his friends defeat the Lor Starcutter. Magalor removes Kirby and his friends from the Landia dragons before they come to fight him in a final battle. During the battle, Magolor transforms into a larger monster. Kirby and his friends destroy the Master Crown, while Magolor is transported to somewhere. With the Master Crown shattered and Magolor defeated, Kirby and friends return to Popstar, after a close call escaping the now collapsing Another Dimension. The Landia dragons take the Lor Starcutter and return home. A non-canon Extra Mode, which replaces Magolor's final form with Magolor Soul, reveals that Magolor may have been used as a puppet by the Master Crown itself.

Development on a new Kirby game for the GameCube began after the release of Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards for the Nintendo 64 in 2000. The game underwent an 11-year development period, in which three different proposed versions of the game were developed and scrapped. The first version was similar to the graphical and gameplay style of Kirby 64, rendered in 3D, but using traditional 2D side-scrolling gameplay. The tentatively-titled Kirby for Nintendo GameCube would also support multiplayer with up to four players, featuring an expansion of the Helper system from Kirby Super Star. This build was demonstrated at E3 in 2005, and was set for release later that year. However, difficulty with programming multiplayer led to this version being scrapped, though the expanded Helper concept would resurface with Kirby Star Allies for the Nintendo Switch.

The second build placed Kirby in a 3D environment, and the third build returned to side-scrolling gameplay, but had the graphical style of a pop-up book, similar to Yoshi's Story for the Nintendo 64 in the late 1990s. Although the second build was canceled due to not meeting HAL Laboratory's quality standards, they would continue to experiment with 3D Kirby titles, eventually culminating in Kirby and the Forgotten Land for the Nintendo Switch. Shinya Kumazaki, who had directed Kirby Super Star Ultra, was brought on to direct the Wii project when the third build was canceled in early 2010. Realizing that the failures of the first three attempts were caused by too much focus on multiplayer, the development team shifted focus to the single-player experience, though they ultimately kept multiplayer as a low-priority feature. Development of the final version accelerated in October 2010, when the game began to take form.{{cite web |title=Iwata Asks: Kirby's Return to Dream Land |publisher=Nintendo of America |access-date=25 October 2011 |url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/kirby-dream-land/0/0 |archive-date=25 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725233103/http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/kirby-dream-land/0/0 |url-status=live }}

Kirby{{'}}s long development caused the game to frequently appear and then disappear from Nintendo's upcoming game lists. On September 14, 2006, the Kirby game appeared on a list of upcoming Wii games, tentatively named {{Nihongo|Hoshi no Kābī|星のカービィ|lit. "Kirby of the Stars"}}, set for release in Japan. The December 2006 issue of Nintendo Power removed Kirby from its list of GameCube releases, but did not place it on its list of Wii releases. Matt Casamassina of IGN, posting on his blog, furthered the idea of a Wii release by stating that it would indeed be released for the Wii in 2007.{{cite web|title=Having a Blast on Wii |date=February 2, 2007 |url=http://blogs.ign.com/Matt-IGN/2007/02/02/45604/ |access-date=2007-07-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715133451/http://blogs.ign.com/Matt-IGN/2007/02/02/45604/ |archive-date=July 15, 2007 }} He compared it to Donkey Kong Barrel Blast, another game that was originally announced as a GameCube title, but eventually released on Wii. While the game did not appear at E3 2007, Beth Llewelyn of Nintendo of America confirmed the game "had not been abandoned."{{cite web |url=http://gonintendo.com/?p=21195 |work=GoNintendo |date=July 12, 2007 |title=Disaster coming along, Project H.A.M.M.E.R. on hold, Smash online not confirmed, and Kirby! |access-date=July 13, 2007 |archive-date=February 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214000431/http://gonintendo.com/?p=21195 |url-status=live }} The December 2007 issue of Official Nintendo Magazine claimed that a Kirby game for Wii was not in development.{{cite web |url=http://gonintendo.com/?p=31762 |work=GoNintendo |date=December 17, 2007 |title=Say it ain't so - No Kirby game in development for Wii |access-date=December 17, 2007 |archive-date=August 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825233147/http://gonintendo.com/?p=31762 |url-status=live }} On May 7, 2010, Nintendo confirmed that a Kirby Wii title was still in the making.{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2009/090731e.pdf |work=NCL |date=July 31, 2009 |title=Financial Results Briefing for the Three-Month Period ended June 2009 |access-date=August 4, 2009 |archive-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808183006/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2009/090731e.pdf |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3179188 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716150244/http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3179188 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-16 |title=Kirby Wii Still in Development, But Release Still TBA |publisher=1up.com |date=2010-05-07 |access-date=2010-06-28 }}

Nintendo announced the game Kirby's Epic Yarn at E3 2010, a separate title that was in development by Good-Feel.{{cite web|last=Hernandez|first=Pedro|date=June 15, 2010|url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23277/nintendo-unveils-kirbys-epic-yarn-for-wii|title=Nintendo Unveils Kirby's Epic Yarn for Wii|website=Nintendo World Report|access-date=October 1, 2024}} Some believed this to be the manifestation of the canceled Kirby game until Nintendo re-announced the game in January 2011, with a release date set within the same year.{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/110128/07.html |title=Third Quarter Financial Results Briefing for Fiscal Year Ending March 2011 |date=28 January 2011 |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |access-date=20 August 2011 |archive-date=7 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807093317/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/110128/07.html |url-status=live }} At E3 2011, the game was demonstrated in playable form under the tentative title Kirby Wii.{{cite web|url=http://e3.gamespot.com/story/6318130/e3-2011-kirby-wii-preview-hands-on |title=E3 2011: Kirby Wii Preview Hands-On |author=Tom Mc Shea |publisher=GameSpot |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615065456/http://e3.gamespot.com/story/6318130/e3-2011-kirby-wii-preview-hands-on |archive-date=2011-06-15 }} The game was later renamed Kirby's Return to Dream Land in North America,{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2011/07/21/kirby-wiis-actual-name-is|title=Kirby Wii{{'}}s actual name is...|author=Spencer|date=21 July 2011|publisher=Siliconera|access-date=31 July 2011|archive-date=17 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017124704/http://www.siliconera.com/2011/07/21/kirby-wiis-actual-name-is/|url-status=live}} Kirby's Adventure Wii in Europe and Australia,{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/news/2011/nintendo_announces_packed_2011_line-up_of_upcoming_games_44323.html|title=Nintendo announces packed 2011 line-up of upcoming games|publisher=Nintendo |date=17 August 2011}} and Hoshi no Kirby Wii in Japan. The music was composed by Jun Ishikawa and Hirokazu Ando, with a soundtrack called Kirby Wii Music Selection featuring 45 musical pieces from the game.

{{Infobox video game

| title = Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe

| image =

| caption =

| developer = {{ubl|HAL Laboratory|Vanpool}}

| publisher = Nintendo

| director = Yutaka Watanabe

| composer = {{ubl|Hirokazu Ando|Yuki Shimooka|Jun Ishikawa}}

| producer = {{ubl|Tadashi Kamitake|Jun Tsuda|Toyokazu Nonaka}}

| programmer = {{ubl|Takashi Nozue|Yohei Fukuda}}

| artist = Tsuyoshi Fujita

| writer = Shinya Kumazaki

| series = Kirby

| platforms = {{ubl|Nintendo Switch}}

| released = February 24, 2023

| genre = Action, platform

| modes = Single-player, multiplayer

}}

During the Nintendo Direct on September 13, 2022, an enhanced remake of the game was announced for the Nintendo Switch titled Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe. Additions to the original include new Mecha and Sand Abilities, the addition of the Festival ability introduced in Kirby Star Allies, a comic book-esque graphical style, revamped controls based on those introduced in Kirby: Triple Deluxe, and new sub-games, as well as some returning from past Kirby titles that did not appear in the original, though Scope Shot is not included.{{cite web |last=Romano |first=Sal |date=13 September 2022 |title=Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe announced for Switch |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2022/09/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-announced-for-switch |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920172646/https://www.gematsu.com/2022/09/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-announced-for-switch |archive-date=September 20, 2022 |accessdate=13 September 2022 |website=Gematsu}} During the Nintendo Direct on February 8, 2023, a new mode, Magolor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveler, was announced. The game was released on February 24, 2023.

Magolor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveler stars Magolor after his defeat at the hands of Kirby and his friends. Stranded in the depths of Another Dimension and without most of his powers, Magolor sets out trying to reclaim them while also collecting Fruit Fragments, parts of a mysterious fruit called the Gem Apple. He eventually repairs the Gem Apple Seed at the Ethereal Altar, but it is soon corrupted by the remnants of the Master Crown, becoming the Crowned Doomer. After its defeat, the Master Crown remnants combine with the Gem Apple, transforming into a massive tree-like being, known as the Tree Crown Without a Ruler. Magolor fights the Master Crown, and eventually defeats it for good by infusing a sword with his magic, turning it into an Ultra Sword, and slicing the Master Crown in half. Magolor then leaves Another Dimension through a dimensional rift that opens up after the Master Crown is defeated. The credits sequence reveals that via the portal, Magolor ends up in the village of the Dream Kingdom, which is located in an alternate universe, with the Gem Apple seed, now reduced to a sapling, being planted as the village's Gem Apple tree. Having now redeemed himself, Magolor takes up residence as the Dream Kingdom's shopkeeper, leading into the events of Team Kirby Clash Deluxe and Super Kirby Clash.{{Cite web |last=Rochlin |first=Jason |date=2023-03-19 |title=Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe Makes a Strange Spin-Off Canon |url=https://gamerant.com/kirby-return-dream-land-deluxe-super-team-clash-magolor-epilogue-gem-apples/ |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=Game Rant |language=en}}

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 77/100

| GR = 80.50%{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/wii/935607-kirbys-return-to-dream-land/index.html |title=Kirby's Return to Dream Land for Wii |work=GameRankings |publisher=CBC Interactive |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-date=February 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212030519/http://www.gamerankings.com/wii/935607-kirbys-return-to-dream-land/index.html |url-status=live }}

| MC 77/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/kirbys-return-to-dream-land/critic-reviews/?platform=wii |title=Kirby's Return to Dream Land for Wii Reviews |work=Metacritic |publisher=CBC Interactive |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-date=December 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227072910/http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii/kirbys-return-to-dream-land |url-status=live }}

| 1UP = B{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/reviews/kirby-returns-dreamland-wii |title=Review: Kirby Treads Familiar Ground in His Return to Dreamland |last=Parish |first=Jeremy |date=October 24, 2011 |publisher=1UP.com |access-date=April 21, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130319061740/http://www.1up.com/reviews/kirby-returns-dreamland-wii |archive-date=March 19, 2013}}

| EuroG= 6/10{{cite news|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-25-kirbys-adventure-wii-review|title=Kirby's Return to Dreamland Eurogamer review|newspaper=Eurogamer.net|date=25 November 2011|access-date=January 23, 2021|archive-date=March 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326185123/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-25-kirbys-adventure-wii-review|url-status=live}}

| Destruct= 10/10{{cite web |url=http://www.destructoid.com/review-kirby-s-return-to-dream-land-214324.phtml |title=Review: Kirby's Return to Dream Land |last=Sterling |first=Jim |date=October 23, 2011 |publisher=Destructoid |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-date=January 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121063719/http://www.destructoid.com/review-kirby-s-return-to-dream-land-214324.phtml |url-status=live }}

| Fam = 36/40{{cite web|url=https://www.gonintendo.com/stories/176643-famitsu-review-scores|access-date=October 23, 2011|title=Kirby for Wii review|date=19 October 2011 |archive-date=April 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429113958/http://www.gonintendo.com/stories/176643-famitsu-review-scores|url-status=live}}

| GSpot = 7.5/10{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/kirby-return-to-dreamland/review.html|publisher=GameSpot|title=Kirby's Adventure Wii review|access-date=October 24, 2011|archive-date=October 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111025202457/http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/kirby-return-to-dreamland/review.html|url-status=live}}

| GI = 8.5/10{{cite web |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/games/kirbys_return_to_dream_land/b/wii/archive/2011/10/24/kirby-review.aspx |title=Classic Gameplay Meets Great Co-Op - Kirby's Return to Dream Land |last=Ryckert |first=Dan |date=October 24, 2011 |publisher=Game Informer |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109193326/http://www.gameinformer.com/games/kirbys_return_to_dream_land/b/wii/archive/2011/10/24/kirby-review.aspx |archive-date=2013-11-09 |url-status=dead }}

| GRadar = 4.5/5{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-review/|title=Kirby's Return to Dream Land|date=24 October 2011 |publisher=GamesRadar+|access-date=October 24, 2011|archive-date=December 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121220144003/http://www.gamesradar.com/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-review/|url-status=live}}

| GT = 8.3/10{{cite web |url=http://www.gametrailers.com/reviews/m6a1hf/kirby-s-return-to-dream-land-review |title=Kirby's Return to Dream Land Review |date=October 25, 2011 |publisher=GameTrailers |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-date=August 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120827201919/http://www.gametrailers.com/reviews/m6a1hf/kirby-s-return-to-dream-land-review |url-status=live }}

| IGN = 7.5/10{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/10/24/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-review |title=Kirby's Return to Dream Land Review |last=George |first=Richard |date=October 24, 2011 |work=IGN |publisher=IGN Entertainment |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-date=January 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110011428/http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/10/24/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-review |url-status=live }}

| NLife = 9/10{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wii/kirbys_return_to_dream_land|title=Kirby's Adventure Wii review|publisher=Nintendo Life|access-date=October 21, 2011|archive-date=February 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216215756/http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wii/kirbys_return_to_dream_land|url-status=live}}

| NWR = 9/10{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/28188/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-wii|title=Kirby for Wii review|publisher=Nintendo World Report|access-date=October 24, 2011|archive-date=May 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515005312/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/28188/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-wii|url-status=live}}

}}

Kirby's Return to Dream Land received "generally favorable" reviews, based on review aggregator Metacritic. According to Nintendo, the game sold 1.31 million copies by March 2012.{{cite web |title=Nintendo Financial Results Briefing for Fiscal Year Ended March 2012 |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2012/120427e.pdf#page=7 |website=Nintendo |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |access-date=20 April 2019 |archive-date=3 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503200818/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2012/120427e.pdf#page=7 |url-status=live }}

Multiple critics appreciated the return of traditional Kirby gameplay, compared to unique content such as Kirby's Epic Yarn. The game was called nostalgic and reminiscent of previous games,{{Cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/kirbys-return-to-dreamland-the-kotaku-review-5855269|title=Kirby's Return to Dreamland: The Kotaku Review|date=2011-11-01|website=Kotaku|last=Totilio|first=Stephen|access-date=December 8, 2020|archive-date=March 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326185123/https://kotaku.com/kirbys-return-to-dreamland-the-kotaku-review-5855269|url-status=live}} with James Stephanie Sterling of Destructoid describing the game as "refreshing" and stating that "Kirby doesn't need to innovate, he just needs to be fun; Return to Dream Land brings the fun in spades." The graphics and visuals were praised for being detailed and vibrant. GameSpot reviewer Nathan Meunier called the levels beautifully designed, appreciating each one's environment.

Complaints were raised of how the game lacked difficulty, mostly from the use of multiplayer. IGN stated that the game could appeal to a younger audience with a simple difficulty level.

{{Video game reviews

| MC= 79/100{{Cite web|title=Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe for Switch Reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch|access-date=February 24, 2023|website=Metacritic|archive-date=February 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224042912/https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe|url-status=live}}

| Destruct= 9/10{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Chris |date=2023-02-22 |title=Review: Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe |url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-switch/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Destructoid |language=en-US |archive-date=February 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222232407/https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-switch/ |url-status=live }}

| GSpot = 7/10{{Cite web |last=Watts |first=Steve |date=2023-02-22 |title=Kirby's Return To Dream Land Deluxe Review - Kirb Your Enthusiasm |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-review-kirb-your-enthusiasm/1900-6418034/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US |archive-date=February 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222232408/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-review-kirb-your-enthusiasm/1900-6418034/ |url-status=live }}

| GI=8.75/10{{Cite magazine |last=Shea |first=Brian |date=2023-02-22 |title=Kirby's Return To Dream Land Deluxe Review - Better Than A Copy |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/review/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe/better-than-a-copy |access-date=2023-02-22 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=February 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222232411/https://www.gameinformer.com/review/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe/better-than-a-copy |url-status=live }}

| IGN = 7/10{{Cite web |last=Stevens |first=Colin |date=2023-02-22 |title=Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-review |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=IGN |language=en |archive-date=February 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222232407/https://www.ign.com/articles/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-review |url-status=live }}

| NLife=9/10{{Cite web |last=O'Reilly |first=PJ |date=2023-02-22 |title=Review: Kirby's Return To Dream Land Deluxe - A Suitably Dreamy Encore For One Of Kirby's Best |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB |archive-date=February 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222232411/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe |url-status=live }}

}}

Like the original, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe also received "generally favorable" reviews according to Metacritic, scoring slightly higher than the original. Morgan Shaver of Shacknews stated that they liked the new Merry Magoland feature in the Switch remake, giving the overall game a positive review.{{cite web|last=Shaver|first=Morgan|title=Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe review: Magical merriment|website=Shacknews|date=February 22, 2023 |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/134268/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-review-score|access-date=May 5, 2023|archive-date=May 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505133216/https://www.shacknews.com/article/134268/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-review-score|url-status=live}} The Switch remake sold 1.46 million copies as of March 2023.{{cite web |title=Financial Results Explanatory Material |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2023/230509_3e.pdf |website=Nintendo |access-date=9 May 2023 |archive-date=9 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509154008/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2023/230509_3e.pdf |url-status=live }}

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{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140517170501/http://kirby.nintendo.com/returntodreamland/ Official website]
• [https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/kirbys-return-to-dream-land-deluxe-switch/ Official website (Nintendo of America)]
• [https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/Kirby-s-Return-to-Dream-Land-Deluxe-2267334.html Official website (Nintendo UK)]

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