It especially starts to feel oddly spiteful when the crystal from Kirby 64 is a Road Trip character, and the music "Song of Supplication" associated with the Mage Sisters does appear.

Maybe they're replacing that eyeball clip they've been using in promotional material for something more classic.

Hoarding all the Forbidden Cats™️

Another thing to remember is that Rare back in the days had a general habit of changing projects mid-development when they felt the current direction wasn't working. So in reality the turbulent development of Dinosaur Planet was nothing new.

I personally disagree with the Bio Spark take. Ninja is inherently one of the most technical abilities in the Kirby franchise, and I do think Bio Spark can offer something unique to him.