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Kirby and the Forgotten Land are full of charm

Kirby and the Forgotten Land are full of charm

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As a Nintendo franchise that’s been around for 30 years, it’s surprising that Kirby is now making the leap to 3D platforming alongside Kirby and the Forgotten Land. A Nintendo Switch exclusive on March 25, if the game’s first world is any indication, longtime Kirby fans have a lot to look forward to. Kirby and the Forgotten Lands are essentially Puffball’s spin on Super Mario 3D World/Land. And thanks to the humorous new Mouthful ability, Forgotten Land is becoming one of the most diverse platformers in franchise history.

The gameplay footage released so far isn’t entirely clear, but Kirby and the Forgotten Land follow a traditional level-based structure. The stages are mostly linear, with little off-the-beaten-path exploration other than solving puzzles here and there. Even the automatic camera angle will push you in the right direction, and while you can turn the camera a little, you don’t have free control. If you miss something and need to backtrack, you’ll see Kirby running to the camera – it won’t follow 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 abilities.

As the title suggests, Kirby is no longer in a dream. In a mission to save Waddle Dees from a mysterious entity called the Beast Pack, Kirby joins in a cute little chinchilla with elephant ears that can fly, although little else is known about the guy. This Beast Pack uses cute fox-like creatures as its minions, which is just rude if you ask me. So far, the story feels like the standard good-evil we’ve seen in past Kirby games, but that’s not a bad thing considering Kirby has been focusing on its action-platforming loop.

Forgotten Land got me right into the action during an introductory phase called “Point of Arrival.” As a quick tutorial, Point of Arrival reintroduces Kirby’s copying abilities to players and lets you spin in Mouthful Mode, literally. Watching Kirby inhale a car and cover the entire vehicle with his bouncy skin sounds funny, especially since his eyes can basically be used as flashing headlights. It’s a lot of fun to zip through and run over bad guys in the opening levels, and I can almost see a car game turning into a full-blown racing game at some point.

Mouth full mode isn’t just a silly new way to crush bad guys, though. Throughout World 1’s five levels, I used a number of Mouthful abilities to solve puzzles, rescue the hidden Waddle Dees, and complete optional challenges in each major level. The Cone – where Kirby inhales the orange traffic cone – allows you to destroy weak links on the ground. I’ve even used it to break water pipes to create a geyser to a place that would otherwise be inaccessible. The vending machine mouth is by far my favorite because it turns Kirby into a gun that shoots soda cans quickly. All Mouthful Mode objects flicker, but not all are used dynamically like other objects. For example, Storage and Dome Mouths simply reveal hidden objects or puzzle clues in World 1.

Sometimes you have to use both the copy ability and mouthful mode to solve puzzles. At one point, I had to become a stairwell—a set of giant stairs—to create a pathway to a ledge. I then ignited a rope with a spitfire and hurriedly jumped up the stairs to get into the cannon before the fuze was activated. After spitting out a mouthful of objects, you retain the ability to replicate, but to be clear, you can’t be a giant staircase that also breathes fire, even if that would be cool.

So far, developer HAL Labs has done an excellent job of balancing the new Mouthful mechanics with proven true replication capabilities. While mouth full mode is new, the ability to replicate is still vital to puzzles and combat, including World 1’s giant gorilla boss, who tries to crush Kirby with his massive body. And for the first time, the replication capability can be upgraded. Upgrades can be purchased at the Weapons Store in Waddle Dee Town, a hub that grows over your adventures. These evolutions transformed abilities like slash, sword, and fire into more powerful attacks. Using the upgraded cutter appears to create wider projectiles that take down enemies faster.

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While I don’t see any opportunity in World 1, I’m hoping that the evolved copy ability isn’t just for quicker use against enemies big and small. If you’re looking for a more challenging Kirby game, World 1 doesn’t mean Forgotten Land will be any different from its predecessors in this regard. Kirby has always been Nintendo’s most approachable platformer, and you have two difficulty levels to choose from: Wild or Spring Breeze. Wild is definitely not wild so far, common enemies are almost non-threatening, and World 1 bosses go down in less than 30 seconds. I also tried the Spring Breeze mode and it reminded me of the mellow difficulty of Yoshi’s crafting world, which was a lovely feature for my daughter who was just getting into the game at the time.

In addition to the main stages, you can unlock Treasure Path levels each time you rescue Waddle Dees in each world. Treasure Route Phases are time trials designed around specific replication abilities. In one of the stages, I use the cutter to scoop out gems while avoiding enemies. In another, I rolled the bomb down the hill like a bowling ball. Although you have plenty of time to complete these trials, each trial has an optional goal of passing the level quickly, some of which require repetition to earn a record. “Treasure Road” introduced a copy ability upgrade system, because the gems you get need to buy the evolution ability.

The world of Forgotten Land has become one of the most interesting in the series’ history. Natural Plains mostly has the grassy look we’ve come to expect from every Kirby (and Mario) game’s first set of stages, but it overlays it on an abandoned city. World 1 is home to a level that takes place in an old mall, complete with escalators, shops in the background, and yes, vending machine mouths. This excellent stage includes puzzles that require me to observe my surroundings to find the right path to the collectible and the trapped Waddle Dees. Overall, it feels like one of the most creative and imaginative Kirby stages in the series’ history.

I spent about two hours in World 1, completing all five main levels, seven Treasure Road trials, and checking out each optional objective. I also played a few levels in co-op with my daughter. One player has to play as Bandana Waddle Dee, so they miss out on the copy ability and mouthful mode. Still, Kirby and the Forgotten’s opening level is enjoyable whether you’re playing alone or with a buddy. But yes, please give Kirby to your kids because Kirby is cooler.

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Wilbert Wood
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