Nintendo finally announced the first fully 3DKirbygame during today’s Nintendo Direct, much to the excitement of many longtime fans.Rumors about a newKirbygamein the making have been circulating for a while, and this turned out to be true withKirby and the Forgotten Land. The game looks great in 3D for the Switch’s graphical standards based on its reveal trailer, which bodes well for the future of the series and other Nintendo games to come.
Many familiar mechanics from pastKirbygames will remain relevant inKirby and the Forgotten Land, with one of the most prominent being the character’s ability to absorb his enemies' powers. The premise ofKirby and the Forgotten Landis still unclear, but it seems like the puffball fans have come to love will be able to explore abandoned, overgrown buildings and towns in an open-world fashion. As such, with a seemingly post-apocalyptic setting,Kirby and the Forgotten Landhas a plethora of other games to take inspiration from.
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Drawing a Comparison Between Biomutant and Kirby and the Forgotten Land
There have been several outstanding post-apocalyptic games over the years, and some have a few specific flaws. Such is the case forBiomutant, which seemingly shares a similar setting withKirby and the Forgotten Landjudging from what was shown in the reveal trailer.Biomutanthas lush places where nature has grown rampant and slowly took over whatever remained of the previous civilization, and one of the elements that conveys as much is dialogue referring to daily life items with different names - showing the passing of time and cultures changing.
Another common trait between these games seems to be huge animal species, likely evolved from those found in real life that have to adapt to their changing environments. However,Biomutantalso suffered from a limited variety when it came to enemies in the game, unique bosses aside. If the setting is going to be a key part ofKirby and the Forgotten Land’s story, it should avoid issues that make it dull or repetitive.
What Kirby and the Forgotten Land can Take From The Last of Us and Breath of the Wild
Another series with a striking setting isThe Last of Us, where players can delve into post-apocalyptic scenery and cities as people survive both the Infected and dangerous individuals who live in the game’s world. WhileThe Last of Usis very different in tone and scope fromKirbygames, it can be used as a valid comparison for how it manages to make gameplay atmospheric.Kirby and the Forgotten Landis not necessarily going to bet so heavily on its setting, yet it should be relevant in terms of gameplay too, with innovations such as jumping puzzles using old-world technology.
BecauseKirbygames have the tendency of featuring a world in need of saving from dark or evil forces,Kirby and the Forgotten Landcould also draw inspiration from another of Nintendo’s creations:The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This is one of the most acclaimed open-world games that feature a post-apocalyptic setting with some platforming puzzles, which are also a staple inKirbygames. As such, ifKirby and the Forgotten Landhas a small percentage ofBreath of the Wild’s variety and replayability, it could very well become a genre-defining game of its own.
Kirby and the Forgotten Landis in development for Nintendo Switch.
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