As a Nintendo franchise that has been around for 30 years, it's surprising that Kirby is just now making the jump to 3D platforming with Kirby and the Forgotten Land. The Nintendo Switch exclusive releases March 25, and if the game's first world is any indication, longtime Kirby fans have much to look forward to. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is essentially the Puffball's spin on Super Mario 3D World/Land. And thanks to humorous new Mouthful abilities, Forgotten Land is shaping up to be one of the most varied platformers in series history.
Gameplay footage released thus far doesn't make it entirely clear, but Kirby and the Forgotten Land follows the traditional level-based structure. Stages are mostly linear with little exploration off the beaten path besides to solve puzzles here and there. Even the automatic camera angles nudge you in the right direction, and while you can turn the camera slightly, you don't have free control. If you miss something and need to backtrack, you'll see Kirby run toward the camera--it doesn't turn with you. This setup does make Forgotten Land feel like a side-scroller on a 3D plane at times, but the extra freedom of movement here still enhances Kirby's unique set of abilities.
Like the title suggests, Kirby's not in Dream Land anymore. On a quest to save the Waddle Dees from a mysterious entity called the Beast Pack, Kirby joins up with a cute little chinchilla with elephant ears who can fly though not much else is known about this dude. This Beast Pack uses adorable fox-like creatures as its minions, which is just rude if you ask me. The story thus far feels like standard good versus evil fare we've seen in past Kirby games, but that's not a bad thing considering Kirby has always focused on its action-platforming loop.
Forgotten Land dropped me right into the action in an intro stage called "Point of Arrival." Serving as a quick tutorial, Point of Arrival reintroduces players to Kirby's copy abilities and lets you take Mouthful Mode for a spin, literally. Watching Kirby inhale a car, covering the entire vehicle with his stretchy skin, is about as funny as it sounds, especially since his eyes basically serve as blinking headlights. Zipping around the opening level and running over bad guys was quite fun, and I could almost see the car gameplay being turned into a full racing game at some point.
Mouthful Mode is more than just a silly new way to smash baddies, though. Throughout the five levels in World 1, I employed numerous Mouthful abilities to solve puzzles, save hidden Waddle Dees, and complete optional challenges in each of the big levels. Cone Mouth--in which Kirby inhales an orange traffic cone--lets you destroy weak points in the ground. I even used it to break up a water pipe to create a geyser to reach an otherwise inaccessible spot. Vending Machine Mouth is my favorite so far, since it turns Kirby into a gun that can rapidly shoot cans of soda. All Mouthful Mode objects shimmer, but not all of them are used as dynamically as others. For example, Storage and Dome Mouths simply revealed hidden objects or clues for puzzles in World 1.
Sometimes you have to utilize both a copy ability and Mouthful Mode to solve a puzzle. In one instance, I had to become Stair Mouth--a set of giant stairs--to create an avenue for reaching a ledge. Then I lit a rope by spewing fire and hurriedly hopped up the stairs and into the cannon before the fuse activated. You retain your copy ability after spitting out Mouthful objects, but to be clear, you can't be a giant staircase who happens to breathe fire as well, even though that would be cool.
So far, developer HAL Laboratory has done a stellar job balancing the new Mouthful mechanic with the tried and true copy abilities. While Mouthful Mode is the new thing, copy abilities are still vitally important to both puzzles and combat, including World 1's giant gorilla boss who tries to flatten Kirby with his humongous frame. And for the first time, copy abilities can be upgraded. Upgrades are purchased in the Weapons Shop in Waddle Dee Town, a hub that gradually grows throughout your adventure. These evolutions turn abilities such as Cutter, Sword and Fire into more powerful attacks. Using the upgraded Cutter appeared to create a wider projectile that took down enemies quicker.
While I didn't see any opportunities in World 1, my hope is that evolved copy abilities will be used for more than just making even quicker work of enemies big and small. If you were hoping for a Kirby game with more of a challenge, World 1 doesn't suggest that Forgotten Land will be different from its predecessors in this regard. Kirby has long been Nintendo's most approachable platformer, and you have two difficulty options to choose from: Wild or Spring-Breeze. Wild is decidedly not wild so far, with common enemies posing little to no threat and the boss of World 1 going down in less than 30 seconds. I tried Spring-Breeze mode as well, and it reminded me of Yoshi's Crafted World's Mellow difficulty, which was a lovely feature for my daughter who was just getting into games at the time.
In addition to the main stages, you unlock Treasure Road levels as you rescue Waddle Dees in each world. Treasure Road stages are time trials that are designed around a specific copy ability. In one of the stages, I used the Cutter to scoop up gems while avoiding enemies. In another, I rolled bombs down hills like bowling balls. Though you get more than enough time to complete these trials, each one has an optional objective for beating the level really fast, and a few of them required some repetition to nab the record. Treasure Road funnels into the copy ability upgrade system, as the stones you earn are required to purchase evolved abilities.
Forgotten Land's world is already shaping up to be one of the most interesting locales in series history. Natural Plains mostly has the grassy look we've come to expect from the first set of stages in each Kirby (and Mario) game, but it overlays this onto an abandoned city. World 1 is home to a level that takes place in an old shopping mall, complete with escalators, stores in the background, and yes, Vending Machine Mouth. This standout stage included puzzles that required me to observe my surroundings to find the right path to collectibles and trapped Waddle Dees. Overall, it felt like one of the most inventive and imaginative Kirby stages in series history.
I spent around two hours in World 1, completing all five main levels, seven Treasure Road trials, and checking off every optional objective. I also played through a few levels in co-op mode with my daughter. One player has to play as Bandana Waddle Dee, so they are missing out on the copy abilities and Mouthful Mode. Nevertheless, Kirby and the Forgotten Land's opening levels are delightfully charming whether you're going at it solo or with a partner. But yes, please relinquish Kirby to your kid, because Kirby is much cooler.
