Everyone’s favorite adorable pink puffball returns in an all-new 3D adventure! Gracing the 3D realm officially for the first time, Kirby embarks on a quest through a mysterious and unknown land chock full of enemies, surprises, and a boatload of things to do. As a kickoff to Kirby’s 30th anniversary, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is shaping up to be an unforgettable adventure. Here’s why you should be excited about Kirby’s upcoming game!
This time around, Kirby finds himself in the eponymous forgotten land. It’s a realm unlike anything else Kirby has ever seen, which is quite the statement given the pedigree and number of adventures he has under his belt (this probably being due to the cancellation of previous 3D Kirby games).
Kirby and the Forgotten Land takes players to a world where civilization has been left behind and overtaken by nature. From metropolitan cityscapes, desert wastelands, tropical resorts, and even a fully functioning amusement park, Kirby’s adventure will take him through a myriad of varied and diverse locales, each with its own unique set of enemies (old and new), themes, puzzles, and environmental storytelling (more on that later).
Each of the main regions has its own set of sub-level zones, requiring the player to clear through them sequentially before facing off against a boss (or bosses) to mark the end of each region. The player accesses whichever area they want to visit via Kirby’s trademark warp star, letting players replay any level and area they’ve completed so far. Very standard Kirby fare in a world quite unlike anything we’ve seen before. Every area also has collectibles that contribute to the…
It’s not a Kirby game without his trademark copy ability. Kirby and the Forgotten Land brings back classic copy abilities like Cutter, Hammer, Sword, and more, while also introducing new ones to the table, like Drill and Ranger. No two abilities showcased so far share the same niche, warranting use and experimentation for the sheer amount of mayhem players can cause when unleashing their power. All the main copy abilities can be further upgraded at the shop in Waddle Dee Town to further amplify Kirby’s power.On top of standard copying, Kirby’s inhale now affects objects found in the world, like cars and vending machines, with mouthful mode. Similar to how in Mario Odyssey, Mario could use Cappy to take control of various objects in the overworld, Kirby can do the same to great effect. As a car, he can traverse the world at great speed and as a vending machine he can spout out snacks as attacks against enemies. He has a variety of these Mouthful abilities that will aid players depending on the circumstance in a mouthful of creative ways.What sets this game’s abilities apart from previous titles is the fact that Kirby can use his powers in a 3D space, not limited to his usual 2D platforming confines. This liberating degree of movement diversifies how each ability can be used in this newfound space, best illustrated by the new drill ability. Kirby can burrow underground and tunnel his way around to find hidden items and even lay a special attack on an enemy should he drill a circle around an unsuspecting foe. This type of move/attack and interaction would not be possible was this game stuck to its usual 2D roots, and we can’t wait to see how many new things we can do, not just with the abilities, but also with the space we use them in.
Upon seeing all the trailers released so far, many are left with more questions than answers about Kirby and the Forgotten Land’s story. Currently, it appears that the Forgotten Land is a place outside of Dream Land or even Planet Pop Star, given that Kirby is drawn into it by a mysterious glowing wormhole at the start of the game. Over the overworld map, these portal-like rifts can also be found scattered throughout many landmarks. The reason for these rifts is not clear, but it wouldn’t be unusual for a Kirby game to have some sort of eldritch, otherworldly being who is behind all these strange happenings.Then, there’s the Beast Pack, the main antagonists Kirby will be pitted against in Forgotten Land and Elfilin, Kirby’s guide and partner. Why is the Beast Pack out to get Kirby? Why are they capturing Waddle Dees? Is Elfilin someone Kirby can trust? It wouldn’t be the first time something so cute and innocent would serve as the ultimate and horrific big bad at the end of the game. On top of it all, however, is the world itself. Just what is this place Kirby and the players find themselves in? Why does it stand in such stark contrast to all other worlds Kirby has visited previously? Did the rifts take Kirby to a world resembling ours or did they transport Kirby somewhere further (or potentially behind) in time? The weird radio signal noises in the trailer as well as the rocket ship motifs in the amusement park have us wondering about this. What makes us further this line of questioning is how differently titled this game is in other regions. Named “Kirby of the Stars: Discovery,” as opposed to the Forgotten Land, it has us further questioning what bearing this “discovery” aspect will have on the story and the Forgotten Land at large.Our burgeoning questions will be answered in due time when Kirby and the Forgotten Land releases on March 25, 2022, for the Nintendo Switch.
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