User blog:BlurayOriginals/The Bluriginals Blogs Episode 17: What's Buggin' Blu: Kirby's Return to Dream Land's Multiplayer

Kirby's Return to Dream Land is often heralded as the finest game in the series and I definitely don't disagree. Not only is it better than Super Star in every conceivable way ever (instigating? I'm not doing that! What's that?!?!) but it's also a fun game packed with content & challenge. Thanks to Extra Mode, I've played through the game a good 4 times since its release on October 24th 2011 (a day after my birthday; not like that's relevant I just wanted to mention that :) ). Since I got a Wii U in 2013 I've patiently awaited the next main series console Kirby. Pictured: Me (i knew this picture would come in handy)

Of course, while that never happened, we still got Triple Deluxe and Planet Robobot, two phenomenal games. Well, TD is. I can't judge Planet Robobot since while I own it, I've yet to play it. I've been hearing great things though!. Of course, my itch for 4P main series Kirby still itches severely and no cream or lotion can help it.

The doctor's say it could be terminal.

Trying too hard to be funny aside, I've been replaying Return to Dream Land to prepare for Triple Deluxe to prepare for Planet Robobot, and upon the replay I've discovered Return to Dream Land's multiplayer isn't as well-designed as I thought. Let's elaborate.

So Kirby's Return to Dream Land is a four player game, or so it CLAIMS! I mean just think about the level design of Return to Dream Land.



Blocks only Kirby can get past with his Super Inhale.



Entire sections that render The Great King Dedede, Meta Knight, and Bandana Dee worthless.

And worst of all...



Player 1 being restricted to playing as Kirby ONLY.

RtDL's restrictions revolving around Kirby/P1 can really dampen the experience. Firstly, restrictions are trash period, screw them. The idea that one player is more important than the others is so extra,



And not in the good way.

and feels contradictory to the idea presidented in all the promotional art and cutscenes. The idea that Kirby AND his friends are on an adventure, not that Kirby is on an adventure and his lame-o friends are along for the ride. Even worse is that first-player priority rears its ugly mug in places it doesn't belong, such as The (True) Arena & when all four players pick Kirby. There, Grey Blocks and Super Abilities (I think don't quote me) aren't a factor to limiting progress, so the first player dying shouldn't matter for /shit/. The reward for beating The Arenas is....

(drum roll)

Letting P1 play as whoever they want. Seriously? See what I mean by saying RtDL feels like a single player game that had Kirby GCN's multiplayer aspect tacked onto it? That's not to say it isn't fun multiplayer, it's great fun, but it isn't as thought out as it could be. The worst part is they did this in Dream Land 3 too when Kirby and Gooey were LITERALLY interchangeable and did the exact same thing, and there were no things like Super Abilities to bog down the experience for other players. In Super Star, the mechanic of multiplayer was reserved to an easily interchangeable, insiginifcant partner and Kirby clearly WAS the main character which justified hurting both players for a P1 death. I'm just saying, player 1 priority where it makes sense please. Now that I'm thinking about it, player 1 priority could probably be put to good use in a Kirby spin-off where Kirby is some sort've vital component that needs to make it to the end of a level while The Great King Dedede, Meta Knight, and Bandana Dee play a heavy supporting role that enables Kirby to get from point a to point b. Back on track, Return to Dream Land is still a fun, excellent game and some of the finest the series has to offer. Just please, the next time a multiplayer game comes around with important characters don't do player priority. The console New Super Mario Bros. installments don't so I don't see why our favorite pink puffball can't...