 |
| Journey to a new world. |
As an avid fan of the Kirby series, I wasn't all that impressed with Kirby's first outing on the Nintendo Switch with Kirby: Star Allies. It was a safe and boring game (though fun with friends) and when compared to other Switch titles like Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it definitely felt generic. That's why I was excited when Kirby and the Forgotten Land looked like it was going to give the series a needed step-up. Promising new gameplay additions, more expansive levels, and a whole new world to explore, does the game manages to deliver on its hype?
The story begins quickly when a large vortex sucks Kirby into a new world that's filled with abandoned and once inhabited urban landscapes. Upon seeing that planet Popstar's Waddle Dees are being kidnapped for an unknown reason, Kirby rushes out to save them while figuring out the mystery behind the new world. Joining him are Elfilin, a mouse-like blue companion, and Bandana Waddle Dee, whom acts as a second player in co-op mode. Since it's a Kirby game, don't expect any depth from the story, but having said that, it managed to be an entertaining one for players of all ages.
 |
| Explore a brand new world with new friends. |
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a platformer where you control Kirby as he explores levels, sucking in enemies and copying their abilities while also searching for hidden treasures and secrets. The core gameplay remains mostly unchanged as Kirby has the standard power-ups like Sword, Gun, Bomb, Ice and many others that have unique attacks and you solving some light puzzles. Forgotten Land's new addition is the "Mouthful" mechanic that lets Kirby suck up various large objects like cars, vending machines, stairs, and lockers to create new paths in levels and beat enemies. Initially they might look gimmicky, but I really enjoyed the mechanic as seeing Kirby inhaling new, more unusual objects was amusing and made the gameplay feel fresh in a way.
 |
| The core gameplay remains familiar, but gets some new changes. |
This time around, levels receive a complete overhaul as they're entirely in 3D, as opposed to prior games' 2D. From the opening moments, they feel much more expansive, inviting you to explore every nook and cranny. Each level tasks you with finding hidden waddle dees by exploring said level and completing objectives like beating a boss fight under a time limit or unlocking a new secret path, so you'll be occasionally searching high and low for secrets. When you've collected enough waddle dees, you'll unlock the boss stage as well as new mini-games to play back in Waddle Dee Town. Some levels even hide blueprints that can be used to level up Kirby's abilities, increasing their attack power and range-- so they're generally worth looking for.
 |
| The levels were fun to explore and varied. |
Levels were adequately paced and the hidden waddle dees will have you replay levels again given how some of them are really well hidden. My favorite levels were "Wondaria Remains" where you to explore a carnival and get to transform into a roller-coaster and enjoy a fun ride, "Circuit Speedway" where you transform into a race car and aim for the best time while running over everything in your way. "Desert Oasis" and "Alivel Mall" were also fun levels to play with great scenery and platforming. Simply put, the variety in each world will rarely make you feel bored.
The boss fights start easy but gradually get more tricky with some patterns to memorize. It's an easy affair overall-- even in the supposedly hard "Mild" mode-- yet the final boss surprisingly offered a decent challenge. My only gripe is that certain bosses were reused often and got repetitive. The game took over 10 hours to beat, with me getting most waddle dees, replaying levels for secrets, and dabbling in the challenge levels in the overworld. There's a post-game world after clearing the story, which is a remix of past levels with an added challenge and fun final boss fight, so the game's good on content.
 |
| The boss fights were great but can get repetitive. |
Forgotten Land looks great, no surprise given its simple but colorful art-style. The character and background designs all pop and give the game a unique charm. I've played in both docked and handheld modes and there was little-to-no instances of performances issues (aside from very few frame-rate dips). The soundtrack packs the familiar upbeat and cheery tunes we've come to expect from the series while featuring new catchy ones like the opening theme "Welcome to the New World!", "Alivel Mall", "Circuit Speedway", and "Waddle Dee Town".
 |
| Forgotten Land is one of most polished games on the Switch. |
Kirby and the Forgotten Land was a fun experience that manages to be the next step forward that the series needed. I enjoyed the colorful and diverse stage design, added depth to the abilities, and challenging post-game, and it's easily one of my top three games in the Kirby series next to Return to Dream Land and Super Star. It's easily a must-play for fans of the adorable pink hero and newcomers with its lenient difficulty. I can't wait to see what direction will Hal Labratory and Nintendo take next with Kirby.
Comments
Post a Comment