Exploring Kirby & Star Crossed World: A Journey through Lost Lands

One of the Best Kirby Games Expands

It’s been several months since the presentation of the Nintendo Switch 2, where we were introduced to a number of new titles, particularly focusing on editions with upgrades for the console. Notable examples included The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which offered significant performance improvements but no additional features. In contrast, the same Direct announced Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World, promising entirely new levels alongside visual enhancements, exciting fans who had been waiting for new Kirby content since 2022 — separate from the Return to Dream Land remaster and Dream Buffet. Its August release date, coinciding with the launch of major titles like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, offered a refreshing change of pace amidst so much hype, especially after the underwhelming Drag x Drive.

After a long wait since the reveal trailer, launch week is here, and as you might expect, we’ve had the opportunity to experience it early at Atomix. Our aim was to determine if it’s truly worth the investment and inform you if it’s a purchase worth making. While we received the full game, we’ll focus our review on the added expansion content, including image quality improvements and frame rate performance in both docked and portable modes. The review caters to all audiences, whether you’re considering the expansion or experiencing it on Switch for the first time.

With these points in mind, one might ask: Are the new levels in Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World worth the extra cost, or is it better to wait for a completely new game like Metroid Prime 4 Beyond? Let’s explore this question in the Atomix Review I’ve prepared for you. Grab your Warp Star and join us on a new adventure to save the world once more with our lovely pink hero.

Visitors and Meteors

The story of Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World unfolds in two parts. The first part revisits the tale from three years ago, where our hero from Planet Pop is suddenly whisked away to a new world. There, Kirby meets a peculiar character named Elfilin, who’s on a quest to recover lost memories.

To achieve this goal, they journey through the Forgotten Lands, domains controlled by a group known as La Jauría, who, for unknown reasons, are pursuing Kirby’s dessert-loving companion. Together, they must fight for their freedom while attempting to rescue Waddle Dees across different areas and establish a base.

Initially, the game’s narrative resembles any typical entry in the series, where Kirby encounters a character needing help and jumps in without an obvious reason. However, this installment presents interesting elements leading to the final battle and in the postgame, tying up loose ends with some of the saga’s villains.

With the DLC, post-game events lead our friends to witness a meteor crashing into the sea, creating a volcanic island. Sensing danger, Kirby and friends investigate, discovering a damaged heart that releases small aliens called Astralines. Their mission becomes clear — restore the heart at sea by gathering its missing pieces. It’s an engaging addition, though lacking a broader universe crossover that fans might have hoped for. While the ending isn’t groundbreaking — avoiding spoilers here — it does little to expand the franchise’s lore.

The Foundation of Forgotten Land

Before diving into the extras of Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World, it’s worth briefly covering the base game for newcomers. This 3D platformer features our gumdrop protagonist with tiny limbs and a cute voice.

The game contains six sections, each with four to five levels, moving players through 3D environments while maintaining linear level progression. Departing from its side-scrolling roots, the game represents a perfect evolution for the series.

Classic abilities like sword and fire are obtained by inhaling enemies, and these can be upgraded using blueprints found in levels and brought to Waddle Dee Town’s hub for upgrades.

This isn’t all. Kirby can “swallow” certain inanimate objects, unlocking creative transformations into a car, a ring, or even a forklift platform. These unique abilities are central to the game’s charm.

Achieving success requires prudent exploration for collectible Waddle Dees, crucial for unlocking the area bosses versus repeating past levels. Whichever skill level players select, it’s rewarding, even if the upgraded powers make the toughest bosses seemingly effortless. The post-game segment enhances replayability.

A World Full of Crystals

The true highlight of Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World is its expansion. Introducing a new storyline centered around saving the Astralines, it adds excitement with 12 new levels spread across the worlds — two per world. Although this might seem modest, it offers nearly half the original game’s content, justifying the expansion’s cost.

While familiar, these levels provide unique features unseen in the main campaign. Utilizing crystals to unlock alternate paths is a clever instance of asset recycling.

Adding to this are three new abilities — spring, gear, and signpost. They’re thoughtfully integrated, differing distinctly from prior transformations, suggesting potential concepts scrapped during the base game’s development.

With more formidable foes altered by the meteorite, collecting special stars becomes crucial to unlocking new stages. The final challenge comes after completing new levels and defeating bosses, opening an extra coliseum for skill testing against max phase villains. Though not a walk in the park unless using extraordinarily powerful upgraded abilities.

Unlockables include a new gachapon machine, full of figures from the expansion, obtainable through special coins and challenges. It’s recommended to pursue the new currency for a complete collection.

This expansion showcases the Switch 2 Edition’s potential, suggesting future releases might include extras in other Nintendo relaunches, such as additional missions for Luigi’s Mansion 3. Ultimately, this review encourages purchasing for those who craved more after the original Switch experience.

Visuals That Show Kirby’s Beauty

This review cannot ignore the graphics in Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World, which display vibrant and lively colors synonymous with the franchise. The improved hardware drives notable visual enhancement from the start.

Stable 60 frames per second enhance boss battles, creating a fluid experience. However, some distant items, like healing aids, may appear slower-moving.

The resolution is another highlight, vastly improved over the original Switch version. Docked mode offers clear 1440p resolution, while portable mode reaches 1080p. The console’s performance maximizes these features, albeit with a shorter battery life.

Musically, while the OST remains the same, slight tonal alterations bring a mystical sound to levels, encouraging users to immerse themselves fully.