“Kirby’s Return to Dream Land” is one of those rare games that can make you smile just by being on. Its sights and sounds warm your chest like a dram of Scotch on Christmas Eve, and if you make game purchases for your family, it deserves a spot under your tree the next morning. For newcomers of all ages, “Return” provides a darling introduction to one of the most enduring gimmicks in all of gaming. Kirby runs and jumps like other video game heroes, but what sets him apart is that he can inhale enemies and copy their abilities. Through this method, our puffy pink protagonist can become everything from a swordsman to a tiny tornado.
“Return” is classic Kirby — on paper, at least. The strange reality is that it often feels less like a Kirby game than a game from a completely different series: the multiplayer dream “New Super Mario Bros Wii.”
