Nintendo has a reputation of taking some creative risks with its biggest first-party franchises. Whether it’s the F.L.U.D.D. mechanic inSuper Mario Sunshineor the introduction of Wolf Link inThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Nintendo has proved time and time again that it isn’t afraid to go in bold new directions with some of its most sacred names. One such name that has consistently gotten in on Nintendo’s experimentation is theKirbyfranchise, and there are few games that have been more unique for the pink puffball thanKirby’s Epic Yarnon the Nintendo Wii.
Kirby’s Epic Yarncombined a cutesy art style with innovative new gameplay mechanics to make one of the most inspired titles in the character’s long history. It’s a shame, then, that the only way to go back to this revival for theKirbyfranchise is if gamers held on to theirWii, or own a New Nintendo 3DS and grabbedKirby’s Extra Epic Yarnat the end of the console’s lifecycle. For a game that has been so influential to theKirbyfranchise and Nintendo’s recent craft-related titles, a greater remaster seems to be in order, and the Switch has consistently proven to be an excellent place to revisit some of Nintendo’s biggest titles from years past.
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Giving Kirby The Wii Remaster Treatment On Switch
The past couple of years have seen Nintendo finally dive into remastering some of its biggest titles on the Nintendo Wii.Super Mario GalaxyinSuper Mario 3D All-Starsproved to be a rather clean remaster of the landmark Wii title, and this year’sThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HDreleased to mostly positive reviews from critics and fans alike. GivingKirby’s Epic Yarna full remaster on the Switch would continue this tradition of celebrating one of Nintendo’s most unique consoles, while ensuring thatKirbygets equal representation among Nintendo’s other heavy hitters.
Supporting Kirby’s Future
TheKirbyfranchise has always been a bit of an odd one compared to some of Nintendo’s other first party offerings. While it’s never been as dormant asStar FoxorF-Zero, it also hasn’t gotten the same support asSuper MarioorThe Legend of Zelda.Kirby’s Epic Yarnactually serves as a great example of this, as it was the franchise’s first major home console release in almost ten years when it made its debut. The franchise did get some more games on the Wii U, andKirby Star Allieshas been the tentpole release on the Switch so far, but there’s been an overall lack of ambition until very recently.
The announcement ofKirby and the Forgotten Landwas a big surprise for fans of the hero of Dream Land, and early footage from the game looks promising. The 3D gameplay and colorful style of the game brings to mind the creativity ofEpic Yarn, and onceForgotten Landreleases, remasteringEpic Yarncould be a great way of keepingKirbyat the forefront of Nintendo’s properties. WhileMarioandZeldamay be the big money makers, fans have proven before that many of them will support a franchise resurgence if Nintendo is willing to do the same.
There are no known plans to bringKirby’s Epic Yarnback in any capacity any time soon, but it’s hard to doubt just how good of an opportunity it could be. The game was a landmark title for both the Wii andtheKirbyfranchise, and representing that legacy on the Switch could please a lot of fans. Hopefully, ifKirby and the Forgotten Landlives up to expectations, fans could revisit the past adventures of Nintendo’s most adorable mascot sometime in the future.
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