Many new, exciting mechanics await Kirby on his adventure. Kirby and the Forgotten Land introduces mouthful mode, which allows Kirby to suck up and take control over real-world objects, like cars and traffic cones. Iconic copy abilities can be upgraded to new, more powerful forms, and the game even has difficulty options. One last change is that certain enemies have received redesigns to fit the game’s theme. Despite seeming minor, this change solidly differentiates this game’s world from the rest of the series.
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Kirby’s Adventure Out of Dreamland
The first cutscene in Kirby and the Forgotten Land’s demo reveals that the game does not take place in Dreamland. Kirby is taking a nice, relaxing stroll when he is suddenly sucked up into a dimensional wormhole. On the other side is a completely abandoned land, which is overrun by the Beast Pack, the game’s new band of villains. Little is known of the Beast Pack other than the fact that they are terrorizing a village of Waddle Dees, and that every member is based on a real animal. Two members are revealed in the demo— Gorimondo the gorilla, and an unnamed leopard that Kirby is shown to fight in the demo’s trailer. These enemies are new, but Forgotten Land’s beastly theme extends to series regulars as well.
The first redesigned enemy Kirby encounters is Wild Edge, a beastly take on the usual mini-boss Gigant Edge. Wild Edge now sports a barbaric appearance, complete with a fur collar, spiked helmet, and tribal face paint. Mini-bosses aside, it is clear that Kirby and the Forgotten Land is not afraid to change some of the franchise’s most iconic characters to fit the theme. A trailer plays after completing the demo which shows a new form of the series’ iconic first boss, Wispy Woods—it now looks more like a menacing palm tree than the usual gentle oak. Most notably, the trailer also shows a redesigned King Dedede, who now sports a leopard print robe, a feathered collar, and red face paint.
The Significance of Forgotten Land’s Beasts
Kirby and the Forgotten Land’s new beastly redesigns are more important than just a visual change. This change is similar to how Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury makes every enemy and object cat-themed. Changes to iconic characters are the quickest way for a developer to tell the player that the game is not within the world that they are used to—Dreamland does not contain animals based on reality, just as the Mushroom Kingdom does not contain an obscene amount of cats.
The game’s demo does a good job setting expectations for the new beast redesigns by revealing the few that it did. Since the game is currently not available, players can only wonder what other members of the cast will receive the same treatment. Forgotten Land is giving bosses a lot of attention, so other series staples, like Kracko, may come sporting a new look. Meta Knight is shown for a moment in the trailer, though his beast redesign may be hiding within the game as well.
The new Beast Pack enemy designs are just one thing players can look forward to in Kirby and the Forgotten Land. If the demo is anything to go off of, Kirby’s first foray into 3D is sure to be a ton of fun.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is releasing on March 25, 2022 for Nintendo Switch.
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