Kirby's Dream Land 2, like the previous Kirby titles, is a platforming video game. Kirby is able to walk, swim, and fly throughout a variety of levels, using several allies and enemy powers in order to reach the goal at the end of each level. However, a variety of obstacles lie in his path. These obstacles range from pits to enemies. If Kirby touches an enemy, touches a dangerous obstacle, or is hit by an enemy's attack, Kirby will lose one bar of health (out of six total health points). Kirby can recover lost health by eating food. If all of his health is lost, or he falls off the bottom of the screen, the player loses a life. Losing all lives gives the player a game over.
Kirby's basic abilities include running, jumping, flight, swimming, and inhaling. Flight involves inhaling air (Up button), followed with the press of the jump button which will make Kirby fly. By continuously pushing the jump button, Kirby can reach any height (unless something prevents him from reaching that height). At any time when Kirby has inhaled air, he can exhale by either landing on the ground or you can also release it yourself. When the air is released, Kirby will exhale a puff of air, which can be used to damage enemies or destroy blocks.
Inhaling objects, enemies, and food is the trademark ability of Kirby's. To inhale anything, the player must hold down the B button. Kirby can then indefinitely inhale, and if an enemy, object, or food is in range, Kirby will eat it. When food is inhaled, it is automatically swallowed and will heal Kirby if he has any damage. When Kirby inhales an enemy or object, it remains in his mouth. At this point, Kirby can shoot them out as a star (causing damage to anything in its path), or simply swallow them. When certain enemies are swallowed, Kirby will gain their ability, such as ice breath or the ability to turn into stone.
Kirby's Dream Land 2 introduces the animal friends, three new allies that Kirby can ride to aide him in his adventure: Rick the hamster, who runs faster, and doesn't slip on ice; Coo the owl, who can fly quickly even through harsh winds, and allows Kirby to inhale while flying; and Kine the ocean sunfish, who can swim through waters with ease even against currents (although he performs poorly on land), and with whom Kirby can inhale underwater. Whenever Kirby is aided by an animal friend, his current power is altered. For example, if Kirby has the Spark ability, riding on Rick will change it to the Beam attack from Kirby's Adventure while Coo will allow Kirby to shoot down a lightning bolt from the sky and Kine lets Kirby shoot light bulbs at his enemies.