Dimensional rift

A dimensional rift is a location in the Kirby series, debuting in Kirby's Return to Dream Land.

General Information
A dimensional rift is a tear in the fabric of space that leads from Planet Popstar or Halcandra into Another Dimension (or vice-versa). These rifts generally take the shape of a star. The Lor Starcutter and some of its parts are largely responsible for their creation, though other extremely powerful forces have demonstrated the ability to cause them as well.

Story
At the beginning of the game, the Lor Starcutter opens a rift in the skies of Dream Land and crashes onto Planet Popstar, scattering five of its main parts and Energy Spheres. The Energy Spheres distort space, creating rifts into Another Dimension. After recovering the five main parts and repairing the Lor Starcutter, the galleon creates a rift and travels through it to reach Halcandra.

After Kirby defeats Landia in Dangerous Dinner, Magolor takes the Master Crown and reveals his true colors. He opens a rift directly to Planet Popstar and rushes through it, intent on conquering Planet Popstar and the universe with his unlimited power. Landia teams up with Kirby, Meta Knight, King Dedede, and Bandana Waddle Dee, and they give chase. After defeating the Magolor (and Magolor Soul in Extra Mode), Another Dimension begins crumbling, with the rift to Popstar shrinking. In the nick of time, the Lor opens the rift briefly, allowing itself and the group to escape through it.

After ensuring that Kirby and the rest of the group are safe, the Lor and Landia return to Halcandra through another rift.

Main Mode
On Kirby's adventure to recover these parts, the hero can use Super Abilities to uncover hidden rifts. Entering one strips Kirby of his Copy Ability and thrusts him into a grayscale pocket of Another Dimension, which is based on the stage the rift is a part of. The dimension begins collapsing immediately, with a purple layer steadily moving to absorb everything. This pushes Kirby forward if it catches up to him and can crush him if another wall comes up in front of him. As such, Kirby must flee through the area. Star Spitting at the layer pushes it back slightly, buying Kirby a few seconds. Enemies and items from Dream Land and Halcandra appear in here, presumably pulled into the rift previously. If Kirby is KO'd in Another Dimension, he is ejected back out the entrance and can choose to reenter.

After escaping the layer, Kirby is given a choice of two Copy Essences before fighting one or more Sphere Doomers, inhabitants of Another Dimension. When defeated, they drop two Energy Spheres. When Kirby collects them, the rest of the area regains its color. The hero can then consume a Maxim Tomato and exit Another Dimension through the entrance. The rift closes after Kirby exits.

Extra Mode
Dimensional rifts appear in the same locations as in Main Mode and are nearly identical in design. There are minor changes, however. The rift entrances appear purple instead of blue. The layers are a reddish color and move faster than in Main Mode. Additionally, some enemies inside the rifts are scaled up or down in size. Sphere Doomers, now Sphere Doomer EXs, look and attack differently.

Purple rift entrances also appear to transport Kirby to the last five rounds of bosses in The True Arena.

Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition
In the New Challenge Stages mode, Kirby races Magolor in a few locations on Planet Popstar. Two of these races, Magolor Race 3 and Magolor Race EX, presumably take place inside pockets of Another Dimension, as the backgrounds of the racing locations are identical.

Kirby: Planet Robobot
At the end of the Meta Knightmare Returns sub-game, the Mother Computer Star Dream activates the previously prohibited Time-Space Transport program to summon a powerful warrior as a final challenge for Meta Knight. It opens a dimensional rift that Galacta Knight descends from. During the fight, the warrior can cut the fabric of space, creating a seam that expels energy from Another Dimension. When the battle is over, Galacta Knight, encased in a crystal, exits through another rift.

Trivia

 * The music that plays when Kirby battles a Sphere Doomer is a heavily remixed version of Meta Knight's battle theme from Kirby Super Star and its remake.
 * Very rarely, the Lor Starcutter can be seen passing through Another Dimension when Galacta Knight cuts open a rift in Kirby: Planet Robobot.
 * Galacta Knight slashes Star Dream immediately after he escapes the rift, causing Star Dream to collapse. How the second rift is generated to take Galacta Knight away is unexplained.