I can't judge this game on the merits of being "Kirby's first 3D outing", as it's a great disservice to Kirby's Blowout Blast, a vital component of the series' history that deserves no slander. That being said, I'm willing to begrudgingly forgive those who do because, I mean... take a look at Blowout Blast, and then at Forgotten Land.... practically night and day.

For how much work clearly went into preparing for this title, it's remarkable how seamless the transition feels, with all the highlights you'd come to expect from modern 2D Kirby games. In some ways it's even an improvement on the traditional formula, especially with regards to side content. The most I can nitpick at is how the game's pacing is impacted by missing a spare side mission or needing to upgrade certain abilities, but these problems are really softened on repeat playthroughs. Either way, the game is an absolute joy from start to finish, and hopefully it'll serve as a strong foundation for future 3D Kirby titles.