Is Kirby and the Forgotten Land Worth it?

With flagship Nintendo Switch game releases, there’s always a lot of hype. But is the hype warranted, or does it just come from the big name? A big release coming up is Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Many reviewers received early copies, but a vast majority of the population has yet to access the game, excluding through the short demo. But is Kirby and the Forgotten Land worth it? To help players before purchasing, here are factors to consider for whether or not Kirby and the Forgotten Land is catered towards the reader.

[Related: Kirby and the Forgotten Land Multiplayer]

Analysis

Aesthetically speaking, the game is very impressive. The vibrant colors, the soundtrack, the different Kirby forms, the Kirby Franchise has never looked better. Celebrating the thirty years of Kirby, The Forgotten Lands seamlessly moved the game from a 2D platform to a 3D platform. And with the transition, Kirby and The Forgotten Land successfully integrated core Kirby mechanics without forgoing the base play mechanics.

Therefore, for players looking specifically to play more Kirby, The Forgotten Land won’t disappoint. The soundtrack slaps, the form customizations provide plenty of fun, and the gameplay loop creates a memorable adventure that promotes exploration within the limited map. Keep in mind, this game isn’t open world.

So for those looking for an open world experience, steer away. When comparing the game to another platformer, it’s far more like Super Mario 3D World. The developers created maps that are limited in structure, but hidden with secrets and treasures throughout. If getting lost is an issue, Kirby and the Forgotten Land definitely shouldn’t steer players away.

. Considering this is Kirby’s first debut in the 3d gaming realm, Nintendo did a fantastic job of creating the game’s environments. And even though it was just a demo, the short trial allowed players to witness the variety that the game has to offer.

For players looking for a charming, casual adventure, Kirby and the Forgotten Land will likely be their kind of game. 

Gameplay

As previously mentioned, Kirby and the Forgotten Land prioritizes exploration and adventure. More than combat, the game centers around finding the secrets of each level. And honestly, that should come as no surprise for those who have played previous Kirby games. Kirby is, first and foremost, a platformer that prioritizes individual level completion.

The base story takes less than ten hours to complete, thereby making it a bit short. Hidden stages and unlockable treasure can be found throughout the game. Therefore, there’s plenty of reason to keep playing. The hub world also has many mini games, the arena can be hours of fun, and creating and testing new transformations soaks up even more time. But it’s definitely on the shorter end of the spectrum of hours that players can put into a game.

Games like Elden Ring, Monster Hunter Rise, Zelda Breath of the Wild, and Mario Odyssey have more time consuming activities. Of course, these are drastically different styles of games. But if amount of hours that the reader can get out of a game for a $60 price mark is really important, hopefully this provides some insight.

Players looking for a combat intense experience, one that tests their mettle and game mechanics, Kirby and the Forgotten Land will likely not satisfy the crave. That’s not necessarily a negative, but more so a fact of the matter for the Kirby franchise. The game is made to be children friendly, which means there’s a big emphasis on simplicity over difficulty.

Target Audience

In light of that, when considering purchasing Kirby and the Forgotten Land, players need to consider what exactly they’re looking for in a video game. Kirby games used to provide more of a challenge. But as the games continued releasing, it seems their target audience falls into more of a casual, easy thrill. I

Kirby and the Forgotten Land focuses primarily around creating creative game mechanics and puzzles. It also attempts to provide the player the feeling of incredible power through flashy transformations. This rings especially true with the inclusion of the enhanced powerups, making the player absolutely overpowered.

Hopefully the full game gives enough of a challenge to push the limits of these new powerups. But following the recent trend in Kirby games, it’s a rather unlikely. But that isn’t to say that the game won’t be any fun. For committed Kirby fans looking to see the newest power up variations and upgrades, trying new power ups out and experimenting with different combinations will undoubtedly provide a lot of fun.

In Conclusion

Kirby and the Forgotten Land definitely impresses with its gameplay loop. The transition to 3D occurred quite successfully, with creative and fun level design to accompany. Its visuals look fantastic, with very well done animations on expressions and rather consistent art direction. For Kirby fans who have played the previous entries, Kirby and the Forgotten Land will definitely stand as one of the greats.

But whether or not it’ll be worth the entire $60 price tag is up to the individual player. The game isn’t very long, especially when comparing to other big franchise games. For those looking to challenge themselves, hoping to push the limits of the new enhanced transformations, Kirby and The Forgotten Land will likely not deliver. On the other hand, for those who want a casual adventure with very fun visuals, mechanics, and creative gimmicks, Kirby and the Forgotten Land will impress.

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