Kirby and the Lost Land for Nintendo Switch 2 is not just a technical update

In 2022 Kirby and the Lost Land sold more than 6 million copies on Nintendo Switch, making it the best-selling title in the series. Three years later, Nintendo's Switch 2 couldn't fail to put its hand to a title that in fact anticipates the pink ball's first exclusive Kirby Air Ride for the new console due out in November. So the operation is as necessary as the upgrade of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. But let's start by saying that Kirby and the Lost Land Nintendo Switch 2 + The Astral World isn't just a technical upgrade, nor is it just an aesthetic expansion. It introduces over 30 new collectible figurines, twelve new levels, an additional final boss, and an average play time that extends by 8-10 hours. It adds three new transformations, an updated boss rush mode, stable 60 frames per second, and improved resolution.

The reviews in the trade press are very positive. Personally, I found it less easy than its predecessor. There is the pressure of time limits and consecutive sequences of platforms, multi-step puzzles and bosses with more health, attacks and various stages. Kirby was not meant to be a tough challenge but a sugary dive into colourful worlds where in the end all you need is to choose the right transformation (and thus the right button) to solve puzzles. With this upgrade, it seems Nintendo has somehow tried to raise the bar. And perhaps as they noted it is a test of the 'game as a platform' model: keeping a title alive with paid content without releasing a sequel. For players, especially those who have already completed the original campaign, it is a chance to return to a familiar world with new rules.