Kirby and the Forgotten Land
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Kirby and the Forgotten Land is an upcoming main-series Kirby game for the Nintendo Switch, set to be released on March 25th, 2022. It is the first main-series title to take place in a 3D environment rather than a linear side-scrolling 2D space. The game was announced in the Nintendo Direct on September 23rd, 2021.[2]
Story
Kirby and the Forgotten Land takes place on a mysterious world different from Popstar. While flying through the skies of Dream Land on a Warp Star, Kirby is sucked into a star-shaped rift (similar to those from Another Dimension) and washes up on the shores of an abandoned land, filled with decaying structures from an ancient civilization. The world, described as a "mix of civilization and nature",[3] is populated with many creatures both familiar and new. Kirby befriends a sprite-like creature named Elfilin, who accompanies him on his journey though the new world. While he explores the area, Kirby finds and frees Waddle Dees, who have been trapped in cages by the Beast Pack.[1][4] The main objective of the game is to save kidnapped creatures from evil forces,[5] although it is currently unclear if only Waddle Dees were kidnapped. As Kirby frees them, they appear to populate an area in the town that serves as a rest stop for Kirby and his friends.
Gameplay
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the first mainline Kirby game to take place in a 3D setting, albeit with Kirby having much of the same moveset as in the 2D games. He can walk, dash, and jump to move around each level. He can hover as always, but it appears to have a limited height in this game, unlike the unlimited height seen in 2D titles. Kirby can also guard against incoming attacks and dodge out of harm's way. Lastly, he keeps his trademark ability to inhale objects, including larger ones, and spit them out as projectiles. It seems that Star Bullets do not appear in this game, and Kirby instead spits out objects as-is, much like in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. The familiar Copy Abilities also return, now with expanded attacks that take advantage of the third dimension. Some allow Kirby to use targeting for ranged firing.[5] A second player can join the game and play as Bandana Waddle Dee, who utilizes his spear as his main form of attack.
The game does not appear to be an open-world game, as it is said in official sources that Kirby runs through stages as he looks for goals.[6][7][8] However, details about how the game is exactly structured are currently unknown. Screenshots from the level hub show that there is a counter representing the total number of Waddle Dees that Kirby has saved. Collectibles along the way include food and capsule toys, as well as new objects of unknown purpose, such as coins with a design similar to Score Coins (that can be found out in the open, by defeating enemies, and by solving puzzles) and green diamonds. Stages are much more open-ended than in previous installments, and doors appear to be fewer in number. A golden cage serves as the goal for each stage, while additional cages can be found by exploring further.
Hub areas
In-between playing through stages, Kirby has a hub area to return to called Waddle Dee Town. Here, he can get tips from the Wise Waddle Dee, play Sub-Games with the other Waddle Dee inhabitants, and collect capsule figurines from a dispenser. The town grows and gains more features as more Waddle Dees are rescued. Stages themselves are visited via a level hub where Kirby flies to each area on a Warp Star, similar to the level hubs for World of Miracles - Planet Popstar and Far-Flung Starlight Heroes in Kirby Star Allies. Unlike those previous examples, the level hub in Kirby and the Forgotten Land appears to be more expansive and continuous.
Copy Abilities
The following Copy Abilities have been revealed:[2][1]
New abilities
Returning abilities
Characters
The following characters have been revealed:[2][9]
- Kirby
- Bandana Waddle Dee
- Meta Knight
- Waddle Dees
- Wise Waddle Dee (a Waddle Dee with glasses and a scholar's cap)
- Elfilin
Enemies
The following enemies have been revealed:[2]
New enemies
- A large buffalo-like creature (named バッファルホーン, Baffaruhōn in Japanese)[10]
- A large crocodile-like creature
- A blue fox-like creature who walks upright
- A blue rabbit-like creature with ears stemming from its nose
- A red fox-like creature on all fours (named ガルルフィ, Garurufi in Japanese)[10]
- A large seal-like creature that balances a ball on its nose
- A large snake-like creature
- A long, bar-shaped Gordo
- A mole-like creature who provides the Drill ability (named ディグー, Digū in Japanese)[10]
- A sheepdog-like creature, wearing a mining helmet, who provides the Ranger ability (named バーナード, Bānādo in Japanese)[10]
- A small red gorilla-like creature, similar to Oohroo, who wields a hammer
- Small black crow-like creatures that carry the Waddle Dee cages
- A large turtle[5]
Returning enemies
Bosses
The following Bosses have been revealed:[11]
Trivia
- The existence of the game was accidentally leaked on a schedule for the Nintendo Direct of September 23rd, 2021, only a few hours prior to being broadcasted.[12] A similar circumstance previously happened with Kirby Fighters 2, nearly on the same date a year earlier.
- The internal files for Kirby Fighters 2 contain partially complete code for "Kirby3d", which may be related to this game.[13]
- The Latin script logo for this game features a new version of the main Kirby series title font. This is the first time any main-series title has adjusted said font since Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land's release in 2002.
Gallery
- Main article: Kirby and the Forgotten Land/gallery
Names in other languages
Language | Name | Meaning |
---|---|---|
Japanese | 星のカービィ ディスカバリー Hoshi no Kābyi Disukabarī |
Kirby of the Stars: Discovery |
Traditional Chinese | 星之卡比 探索發現 Xīng Zhī Kǎbǐ Tànsuǒ Fāxiàn |
Kirby of the Stars: Discovery |
Simplified Chinese | 星之卡比 探索发现 Xīng Zhī Kǎbǐ Tànsuǒ Fāxiàn | |
Dutch | Kirby en de Vergeten Wereld | Kirby and the Forgotten World |
Canadian French | Kirby and the Forgotten Land | - |
European French | Kirby et le monde oublié | Kirby and the forgotten world |
German | Kirby und das vergessene Land | Kirby and the forgotten Land |
Italian | Kirby e la terra perduta | Kirby and the lost land |
Korean | 별의 커비 디스커버리 Byeorui keobi diseukeobeori |
Kirby of the Stars: Discovery |
Latin American Spanish | Kirby and the Forgotten Land | - |
European Spanish | Kirby y la tierra olvidada | Kirby and the forgotten land |
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Copy Abilities and Co-op - Nintendo Switch
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch
- ↑ "『星のカービィ ディスカバリー』の舞台は、文明と自然がまざり合う、未知なる世界のようです!
ポップスターとは違う、なんだか不思議な雰囲気が漂っています…!
カービィさーんっ!いったいどちらに行ってしまったんですかーっ!?
#星のカービィディスカバリー" –Kirby JP Twitter (Twitter) - ↑ "『星のカービィ ディスカバリー』では、謎の「ビースト軍団」が登場!カービィさんの前に、強敵として立ちはだかりますっ!
ポップスターでは見たことがない方々ばかりで、とっても手強そうです…。
カービィさん、ファイトーーっ!!
#星のカービィディスカバリー" –Kirby JP Twitter (Twitter) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Kirby and the Forgotten Land ESRB rating
- ↑ "『星のカービィ ディスカバリー』はなんと!本編シリーズ初の3Dアクションゲーム!
カービィさんが奥行きのあるステージを駆け巡り、ゴールを目指します!
おなじみコピー能力も3Dならではのアクションに…!?要チェック!
#星のカービィディスカバリー" –Kirby JP Twitter (Twitter) - ↑ Nintendo's Japanese article about the game
- ↑ Japanese website for Kirby and the Forgotten Land
- ↑ Kirby's official site
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Kirby and the Forgotten Land article on 4Gamer
- ↑ Nintendo of Europe Twitter
- ↑ Nintendo’s Japanese release schedule lists Kirby: Discovery for Switch, Bayonetta 3 for release in 2022 - Gematsu
- ↑ firubiii on Twitter