Kirby and the Forgotten Landwon the 2022 Game Award for Best Family game, beating outLego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Nintendo Switch Sports, andSplatoon 3. This award comes after the critical and commercial success of Kirby’s latest outing, but more importantly, it was the series' first foray into the 3D space. As one of Nintendo’s most beloved series, it’s no surprise to see the success ofKirby and the Forgotten Land, which could mark a change in the franchise formula moving forward.
With its roots as a 2D platformer, seeingKirbybreak from the norm and embrace the third dimension was a breath of fresh air for many fans of the series. It’s clear this transition was the right choice for the series, as Kirby’s win at the Game Awards demonstrates that innovation pays off. The stage has been set for an even larger sequel in the future that needs to iterate uponthe successes ofKirby and the Forgotten Landif it wants to live up to the high bar that’s already been set.
RELATED:The Game Awards 2022: Predicting the Best Family Game Winner [UPDATE]
The Kirby Series Desperately Needed a Refresh to its Formula
Prior to the release ofKirby and the Forgotten Land,the Kirby serieshad been beginning to stagnate and fans were taking notice. Mainline Kirby games had been receiving mediocre reviews for a while, and its spin-off games weren’t fairing much better. The most well-receivedKirbygame of the past 10 years—not includingKirby and the Forgotten Land—wasKirby: Planet Roboboton the 3DS. While this was a great entry in the series, the main addition it brought to theKirbyformula was the ability to pilot a mech suit, which was a cool feature, but nothing with series-changing implications.
Kirbyreceived a handful of spin-off multiplayer games following the release ofKirby: Planet Robobot. These all received mediocre scores and left little impact for fans of the series leading many to hope the next mainline would be the spark the franchise needed to put Kirby back in the spotlight.Kirby Star Allieswas not the game to do this, as it fell back on tired mechanics from past games without doing too much to stand out. It would not be untilthe announcement ofKirby and the Forgotten Landand its use of 3D movement that fans' hopes would be renewed that the pink puffball would finally have the chance to shine once again.
The Transition to 3D Movement Opens Kirby Series Up to Even More Possibilities
WithKirby and the Forgotten Landtaking a lot of inspiration fromSuper Mario 3D Worldwith its approach to level design and movement, many are speculating as to how futureKirbygames could draw from otherMariotitles.An obvious comparison isSuper Mario Odysseyand translatingKirbyinto a fully-open 3D world would be the dream for many fans. The excellent level design ofSuper Mario Odysseycould inspire a unique, charming world worth exploring using Kirby’s various copy abilities.
AnotherMariotitle worth looking towards for inspiration could beSuper Mario Galaxy; its challenging levels and interesting gravity mechanics have the potential to translate into a uniqueKirbyexperience.Kirbygames often have cosmos-shattering storylines, so putting him in a gravity-defying adventure based on that ofSuper Mario Galaxywould be a natural progression for the series. The wide variety of options provided by 3D movement creates many avenues for theKirbyseries to go down with future titles. With how successfulKirby and the Forgotten Landhas been, including its Game Awards win, HAL’s possible future plans should get fans very excited about his next adventure.
Kirby and the Forgotten Landis available now for Nintendo Switch.
