This is my first attempt at an actually good review and it'll probably be awkward/clunky so bear with me on this.

Ever since the days of the Wii, Kirby's mainline formula has always been simple. While reinvention wasn't foreign in the series (with new mechanics, characters, etc. always being added in every new release), the basis for each mainline game for about a decade has been traditional, 2D platforming. It started with Return to Dreamland being released after a rough era during the Gamecube (with only AirRide, a spinoff that was really the only 3D Kirby game up until now, being released for the system and a canceled mainline game only known as 'Kirby GCN'), which returned to the traditional 2D formula which spanned across almost a decade; and this was fine, sticking to 2D isn't a sin, all the mainline titles since then have been great. But, unsurprisingly, after spending a decade with the same formula and not feeling obligated to step out of the box for once, it was growing stale by the release of Star Allies.

Of course, this is all just my opinion, but looking back on Star Allies almost five years after its release, I was surprised at how disappointing it was, especially coming after Robobot. Gameplay? Boring, too easy even for Kirby standards. Story? Pretty lackluster. Roster of characters and call-back to early entries? Fantastic, but really the only thing that stands out. The main heart mechanic the game is built around? It's cool for, like, the first world until the AI inevitably annoys the hell out of you. I mean yeah the post-game content is cool and it was the game that introduced me to the mindfuck that is Kirby lore, but honestly? It's pretty forgettable. Now, I wrote this mini-sorta review to show that by the 5th game using the traditional 2D formula it was growing stale, and HAL really needed to step out of its comfort zone; which is why Forgotten Land was such a breath of fresh air for the series, and for the first game ushering in a new era for Kirby I had a blast with it.

End of provided context and ramblings, on to the actual review. First thing to address: the switch from 2D to 3D. I'll admit, I was cautiously excited going into this only having an inkling of how the gameplay was going to be from just some footage I've seen. But for a series that's always been bound to 2D, it managed to integrate itself into 3D very, very well. Graphically, the environments are absolutely beautiful (my personal favorite being Winter Horns) and pop out with the colors on the decayed, apocalyptic scenery in the backgrounds, with the only real issue being the animation lag present on distant enemies and objects when you're standing far away from them, but then again it's not really noticeable at all. The level design is linear, yes, but that isn't a bad thing at all when at the same time it's constantly engaging and never feels tedious. Additionally, even though it's linear, exploration is still encouraged with the inclusion of the hidden waddle dees to collect. Speaking of that, one of the main gameplay elements, and also serving as one of the things that also sets Forgotten Land apart from the other mainline titles, is the fact that Waddle Dees are something to be rescued/collected and not enemies as they've always been. Instead, the replacement enemies are Awoofies, which I hope are included in future titles. The point of collecting the Waddle Dees, besides being required to 100% the game, is the Waddle Dee Town. As you collect more as you progress, the town grows bigger (shocking right?) and more shops and side mini-games are introduced. In my opinion, the town is easily the best part of the game; I don't know, there was just something about watching the town grow in size with every new shop added that was so rewarding, and just returning to it and running around was so fun and relaxing. Throughout my run, I kept returning to it not because I was required to but because I wanted to, and I really hope it makes a return in future titles. Also, the gacha machines, I love collecting them even though it's kinda like gambling.

Anyways, the gameplay is great; as I said, constantly engaging, and the Waddle Dee missions add more flavor to it. It gets harder to collect all of them on your first try when the missions begin to become hidden as you progress further into the game, but at the same time it encourages replayability and, as I said before, never feel tedious to go back and collect them all with the exception of a few (ex: The 'Beat Twin Frosty' without getting hit' mission. Fuck that one). Of course, can't mention the gameplay without talking about Mouthful Mode, the main mechanic introduced. While there's only a limited number of objects to swallow (including a traffic cone, car, lightbulb, vending machine Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing, etc.), each one has its own unique function and doesn't feel as 'situational' as one might expect if you get what I mean. Basically, it's a fun gimmick and doesn't overstay it's welcome too much. While I've done nothing but praise the gameplay so far, one of the main gripes I have with it is Kirby himself. In the 2D titles, one thing I've always liked is how Kirby has two main speed options, walking and running, which aren't present here. I'm going to go on a whim and guess because he's in a 3D environment, Kirby is largely stuck at one speed and can feel sluggish from time to time, which can be jarring as usually his movement is very fluid.

The other main gripe I have with the gameplay is the odd lack of copy abilities. This game only has twelve copy abilities to use from. Twelve. Wanna know how many Kirby's Adventure had? Twenty-Five, and that game was released almost 30 years ago. Additionally, some copy abilities that are staples of the series are weirdly gone, such as spark, fighter, beam, etc. As much as I didn't really like Star Allies, one of the things about the game I thought was nice was the variety of copy abilities to choose from, so it's a let-down seeing how many were cut from this game. I mean, ranger and drill are both pretty good additions (even if ranger is basically just arrow from Triple Deluxe), but the main thing about copy abilities in this game, which is probably why so many were cut, is the ability to upgrade them at Waddle Dee's shop in the town. Collecting star coins and Rare Stones from the Treasure Roads (which I will be getting to later) will allow you to upgrade copy abilities when you collect blueprints hidden in levels for certain abilities to be upgraded. Think of them like the Ability Scrolls in Squeak Squad but better. Upgrading the abilities not only gives them a complete visual over-hall but also adds new attacks to its movesets. It's a neat addition and a very cool mechanic, but I don't think it makes up for the lack of a variety of copy abilities in this game, and I'm hoping that if this does return in another mainline title down the road, there will be way more abilities to upgrade/choose from.

The worst part of the game? Treasure Roads. Definitely Treasure Roads. Look, I found them fun at the start. Racing through each and testing my skills with each copy ability was fun, and I felt obligated to do them since not only did they give you Rare Stones for upgrading, but I'm one of those people who feel bad if I don't 100% a game. But as the game went on, I found that these Roads got less challenging and just frustrating. I get that the difficulty increased for them as you progress through the game, but these just turn very stressful for me, especially trying to reach the target time which, mind you, doesn't even have a reason to be there; there's no extra award besides a few star coins and it's not like you're punished for not reaching it, it's just pointless trying to get under the time. Speaking of target times, I feel some of them just become unrealistic for the more difficult ones. For example, the presumably last Road of Redgar Forbidden Lands unlocks after you upgrade the hammer ability using the King Dedede Scroll. It's basically a mini-boss rush: you have to go through three rooms of at least 4-5 phases of enemies, with the last room being a whole mini-boss fight with bonkers. You have to do all of this in the target time of 1:40, that's it. This is only one example of a road that has a target time that seems almost impossible. I'm probably being hysterical, I know, but the Treasure Roads was the only part of the game I actually found myself getting frustrated at, so it was the worst part for me.

The story is classic Kirby stuff: He's just minding his own business, walking around/sitting/eating, maybe a butterfly will appear idk, and suddenly something extremely bad happens that'll send him on an adventure. Here, a vortex opens up while Kirby's taking a ride on his Warp Star and proceeds to suck everything into it, including the entire Waddle Dee population and Kirby himself. When he wakes up, he finds himself on a beach, and while traveling finds a huge, abandoned, post-apocalyptic city, where he meets Elfilin, a chinchilla-like creature that accompanies Kirby throughout the majority of his journey. As the duo progress through the post-apocalyptic world that is the Forgotten Land, they come into contact with a group called the 'Beast Pack,' which consists of all the new enemies introduced, including Gorimondo, Clawroline (furry bait), and Sillydillo. All of these guys are bosses (including a tropical Whispy Woods who also makes an appearance), and they're actually quite memorable probably because all have their own personalities that shine in their battles (example: Sillydillo being a hoarder is shown in his attacks). I really liked all these bosses, is what I'm trying to say.

As tradition with the majority of Kirby games, he's introduced to a new character that accompanies him across his journey, and here Elfilin is said character. I won't be spoiling anything about the ending, but I find Elfilin to be such an interesting character. There's much mystery surrounding him, even after the end of the main campaign (which, again, I won't be giving any details about). We eventually learn about most of his past, but what I find interesting, as I said, is the mystery surrounding him still and what part he plays in the lore of the franchise. There's post-game content that I haven't taken a look at yet, so I'll probably get some answers there, but I hope he returns in future games because I genuinely enjoyed having him around.

Final verdict: I entered this game with high expectations as the first mainline 3D title in Kirby's library, and I'm happy to report that it exceeded all the said-expectations I had for this game. While I'd rather not repeat myself because this review is already long enough, I will say that as much I loved this game I feel they played it a bit...safe, which examples being the linear level design, the co-op mode (I haven't used it so I'm probably not obligated to say this, but from what I've heard it was a bit of a let-down as Bandana Dee, the second player, could only use his spear and nothing else), and lack of copy abilities. While I don't think this hindered the experience at all, it's noticeable and I hope the next mainline title, whenever that releases, experiments even more. But like I said, this doesn't hinder the experience at all.

Kirby has always been a series of innovations with the use of new mechanics and characters in each mainline game, but it's also always been a series meant to be easy, just something you can turn your brain off to play. This game is a perfect mixture of that. Yes, it's easy, but that's to be expected for a game like this, and with the additions of the new town, captured Waddle Dees, alongside the great level design and peaceful, comforting atmosphere that radiates from this game, it's arguably one of the Kirby's best adventures. As I said, it's not too complicated, not too challenging, but something to turn your brain off and have fun. Personally, I'm looking forward to what this new 3D era of the series has in store for the future.

TL;DR: Coldstone Kirby ice cream is good go try it