I'm not quite done with this game - want to do as much side content as possible - but close enough to where I think I can review it.
The original Return to Dream Land was the first Kirby game I really liked and was already a 4/5 for me, so a remake with a more personally appealing artstyle and side content is great. And yeah, it delivers. Magolor Epilogue is probably the best side mode in the series as of now, clear effort went into making it a reason to play this version; not that it isn't rather short still, but longer than its contemporaries, and much more original than them. Merry Magoland is such a great treat. I veered straight towards it as soon as I could, wanting to get as many of the masks as possible before moving onto the story, and I'm glad I did. The returning subgames are mostly improved and are genuinely good challenges when going for all missions, and the new ones... well, the library one is good - reminds me of a fleshed-out Astro-Logical from Mario Party 6. Yes, I realize how specific of a comparison that is.
Really, my biggest problems with this game come from what problems were already there. I think the level design of this game and general feel aren't as up to snuff as I'd like, and makes levels feel like a slog sometimes. I'm usually able to look past this since the copy abilities began reaching their apex in this game (helping with that is Mecha, added in Deluxe, being perhaps my new favorite ability), but it's definitely an issue I have. The other is more of a nitpick, but I really hate Extra Mode is a requirement for 100% - getting all the gears in it, too, no less. It's very exhausting going through the game a second time, and the hard mode isn't different enough to warrant it.
Anyway, I love and treasure the masks for Dark Nebula, Awoofy, and Clawroline.
The original Return to Dream Land was the first Kirby game I really liked and was already a 4/5 for me, so a remake with a more personally appealing artstyle and side content is great. And yeah, it delivers. Magolor Epilogue is probably the best side mode in the series as of now, clear effort went into making it a reason to play this version; not that it isn't rather short still, but longer than its contemporaries, and much more original than them. Merry Magoland is such a great treat. I veered straight towards it as soon as I could, wanting to get as many of the masks as possible before moving onto the story, and I'm glad I did. The returning subgames are mostly improved and are genuinely good challenges when going for all missions, and the new ones... well, the library one is good - reminds me of a fleshed-out Astro-Logical from Mario Party 6. Yes, I realize how specific of a comparison that is.
Really, my biggest problems with this game come from what problems were already there. I think the level design of this game and general feel aren't as up to snuff as I'd like, and makes levels feel like a slog sometimes. I'm usually able to look past this since the copy abilities began reaching their apex in this game (helping with that is Mecha, added in Deluxe, being perhaps my new favorite ability), but it's definitely an issue I have. The other is more of a nitpick, but I really hate Extra Mode is a requirement for 100% - getting all the gears in it, too, no less. It's very exhausting going through the game a second time, and the hard mode isn't different enough to warrant it.
Anyway, I love and treasure the masks for Dark Nebula, Awoofy, and Clawroline.