Nintendo announced the latest installment in the Kirby franchise, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, for the Nintendo Switch at their Nintendo Direct today. The new game, which was partially leaked a few hours prior to the Direct, is the first 3D Kirby game to appear on the Nintendo Switch. Kirby hasn’t received as much 3D love as other mainline Nintendo franchises like Zelda and Mario. The most well-known 3D Kirby game is Kirby: Air Ride for the Gamecube. However, as a racing spin-off to the Kirby franchise, it isn’t exactly what fans have wanted in a 3D Kirby game.
The Wait for a 3D Kirby is Over
The latest Nintendo Switch Kirby game, Kirby Star Allies, was a traditional 2D side-scrolling, platforming adventure in a similar vein to previous Kirby titles. Kirby and the Forgotten Land marks the first time the Kirby series has been transported into a 3D world, and the results are astounding. The new game, which was announced alongside a trailer, shows Kirby roaming a desolate 3D town reminiscent of Super Mario Odyssey and fighting a massive gorilla-type boss. The world, as the title suggests, looks abandoned and almost post-apocalyptic in design. We see Kirby waking up, washed up on a beach before heading into an abandoned town and fighting enemies across the unknown land.
There have been rumors of a 3D Kirby possibly coming to the Nintendo Switch since as early as 2020. Datamining of Kirby Fighters 2, which launched in September 2020, seemed to reveal code related to an upcoming 3D Kirby game. The test code called “Kirby3D” led to rumors and speculation that a 3D Kirby game was on the horizon. Now, almost exactly one year later, Kirby and the Forgotten Land has been announced.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land will release in Spring 2022. Check out the trailer for the exciting new game below.
