If we omit the opus Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards which is a bit special, Kirby and the Forgotten World is the first game of the license in total 3D. Ambitious and innovative, the latest game from HAL Laboratory has probably not had the expected or even deserved success: despite its fluid gameplay and its catchy, the game didn’t really get a turbo start. Is this the reason which pushes the studio to communicate on the probable absence of 3D in future sequels?
Why not continue 3D?
Kirby has been, since its inception, a pure 2D platform game as Mario has been for a very long time. Even if it gradually took shape to evolve in scenery including reliefs and depths, the gameplay did indeed consist of purely horizontal movement from left to right. However, the developers of the latest game felt likego further and try something new : since it is the volume that characterizes Kirby (in essence, it is a ball), why not bring it into the third dimension?
Thus was born “Kirby and the Forgotten World”, it is in fact a response to the challenge of Nintendo and HAL to upgrade an old license, just like “Mario Odyssey” was able to evolve the classic gameplay of our little plumber. So what, the result is not up to expectations? In fact if, and even completely: on the developer and publisher side, it’s a successful challenge. This is precisely why the next games will not be not necessarily in 3D : we must now find new ideas always more innovative so that the license moves forward and does not stand still. 3D was a step, an attempt, but the sequel has not yet been drawn and will perhaps do without volume if better proposals allow evolve Kirby games.
What can we expect next?
“We hope to go beyond what is currently imaginable and strive to create new innovative Kirby games.“, said Shinya KumazakiCEO of HAL Laboratory in an interview with the Washington Post (source). So we don’t yet know which direction the license will take since listening to it, this direction doesn’t even exist yet.
Mario games have greatly diversified over time, just look at the future football game Mario Strikers which already seems to be essential, we can therefore hope that Kirby benefits from the same evolutions and especially that developers will know how to meet their own challenge to reinvent the gameplay of the license.
The question we are now asking: when will there be a Kirby in VR?
Here is a walkthrough video of the boss fight against Tatoufou on Kirby and the Forgotten World. You will understand its patterns and how to complete secret missions like the one asking to destroy DIY Kirbys.