Kirby's Return to Dream Land/Stage 1-4

Enter the last regular stage of Cookie Country and discover its secrets and new Super Ability.

Hazardous pillars beyond the hill
Immediately upon starting, you will find yourself on a thin platform. Beware of the Hot Head located below, as this troublemaker will fire projectiles at you. Inhale Hot Head to get the Copy Ability or descend more to inhale Sir Kibble for, then proceed. On your way, you will see several rock pillars. Some of them look more unstavle than others: these pillars are hazardous and will collapse when approached. To avoid getting hurt, you may wait them out at a close range, outrun them, or dash through them. However, avoid jumping around them since this will only bring you closer to their hitboxes. At the end of the first row of pillars, you may find a pineapple under a thin platforn to help recover any lost health. To the right, you will see a ladder that brings you to a more elevated section. Do not hurry up the ladder: instead, check the wall to the right. This is actually a small tunnel that leads to an Energy Sphere and some point stars. After you collect them, head up the aforementioned ladder and repeat the process of dodging pillars by running. At the start of the path, you have the option to inhale a Sparky for the ability, minding that none of Spark's moves will shield you from the pillars, but can prove useful against the Puppet Waddle Dee. Before you enter the door, reach the end of the room, touch the wall, and backtrack. You will find that the wooden platforms where the second row of pillars was is lower than usual, and there is a hidden doorway.

HAL Room
If you choose to backtrack and enter this doorway, you will be lead into a straight path full of pop flowers that will spring food up. After you jump over the bottomless pit, you will reach a very special area with the word "HAL" spelt out in star blocks, a Maxim Tomato, and several essences on the sides:, , , and , all of which appear quite prematurely. You can use the letters and a Broom Hatter to try out these abilities. When you're finished, head over to the door on the right.

Invincible Candy
Continue moving right, maneuvering between bottomless pits, Bowbies and Comos with your midair attacks. Hit the blue switch and wait for the Invincible Candy to drop down and share it with other characters if applicable. For as long as it lasts, you will be immune to all projectiles and enemy attacks, so plow through foes in your path while still minding the bottomless pits. While invincible, be sure to grab the heavily guarded Maxim Tomato. The effects of the Invincible Candy should last until the end of the room.

Watch out for stalactites
Jump up the steep stairways of the cave. Stalactites will regularly fall from the ceilings, so wait them out or dash through them. You will find a Blade Knight on your path which can grant the ability when inhaled. If you're using the Wing ability from the HAL Room, be careful around the stalactites, and only flap once they're full formed. If you still have Spark, you can safely ignore these hazards with a Spark Barrier. After you make a turn up and to the left, you will find a Prism Shield. This french horn-like object creates a rainbow shield over your head for a limited time, protecting you from more stalactites, Bowbies, Shotzos, and Leafan. Carry it over to a stash of sandwiches, then jump and reach the leftmost of the room. To avoid taking damage from the Waddle Dees, crouch for the Prism Shield to hit them or jump over them. Break the star blocks above by simply jumping towards them. Once you reach the next floor, break the star blocks protecting another Prism Shield. Throw yours away and grab the new Prism Shield, then carry it to the end of the room. Hit the blue switch and stand guard to destroy the Puplet Waddle Dees that drop in your direction. When the coast is clear, throw away the Prism Shield and grab the Energy Sphere under the thin platform. Jump or hover over to the ladder and head for the door.

Fiery deforestation
Break the star blocks to the left for a red point star and some food, then slide into or attack the bomb block to the right. A Super Hot Head will appear between two glowing stumps. Defeat or inhale it to get the  Super Ability. Steer its flames at the stumps and any foes in your path. Be patient if you wish to attack Bouncy Sis since using the attack repeatedly will only slow down the process. On your way, beware of bottomless pits and platforms moving vertically, and be sure to hover if you're in a pickle. Once you destroy the large tree surrounded by Comos, a dimensional rift will appear. This rift is once again optional. You may choose to take the low star block path to skip it, although walking directly under the rift is an option as well. Nearing the Goal Door, you can inhale a Leafan for the ability in anticipation of the the next stage.

Dimensional rift
Run to the right and jump over the bottomless pits. Although the path is full of Comos, you can simply jump over most of them when they move down. Super inhale heavy blocks to create powerful Star Bullets to clear your path. One such cluster will even reward you with a 1-Up. A few jumps later, you will reach the door. Now, you may have a snack to replenish your health, and select a Copy Ability from an essence: Leaf or Spark. Both can prove quite useful against the upcoming Sphere Doomer. Use the powerful Leaf Uppercut or charge up Spark Barrier and attack with Spark Wave, and use each ability's superior defensive mechanisms to your advantage. If you choose to fight the Sphere Doomer without an ability, simply inhale its projectiles and wait for an opening. Once defeated, the Sphere Doomer will leave behind two Energy Spheres. Collect them, grab the Maxim Tomato on your way out, and enter the rift back.