I haven't played this game yet but will soon, I only played the demo. However, the title I mentioned vs this one are very similar in the world exploration experience, albeit it will be different because of the new game mechanics and potential interactions with characters. I tend to love all kirby games in general though as a kirby fan, so it's up for debate for anyone else but I like it so far.
My almost 6 year old has been playing this game non stop since we received it. The gameplay is engaging and the colors and sounds are beautiful. There are some parts that have been challenging for him but once he gets the idea it’s back to being fun again. Definitely will get our money’s worth of gameplay out of this one!