Copyright by Nintendo and HAL Labratories
Kirby And The Forgotten Land
Developed by HAL Labratories
Published by Nintendo exclusively for the Nintendo Switch
Concept: It's Kirby's first ever 3D platformer!!!
Disclaimer: at this point, I haven't finished the whole story yet.
Execution
Here we go...
Presentation: It is Kirby. If you are here, you know Kirby. Little Pink Cream Puff that has an appetite for destruction. And... it is how you expect a Kirby game to look and sound like. Cutesy colors, updated classic music. Adorable particle visuals. It's a Kirby game. It is EXACTLY how you would expect a Kirby game to be. Score: 25/25
Gameplay: So, if you have been following the Kirby franchise, it has had some interesting games with weird mechanics. Epic Yarn, you were made of Yarn, with new transformations. Robobot has the robot concept, where the rideable bot had the Copy Ability powers. Star Allies had combinable powers and 3 NPC allies. This game... is a back to foundation game. Back to roots. While it is 3D, it feels like Adventure or Dreamland or Crystal Shards. With the new mechanic of upgradable Copy Abilities(like Toy Hammer which turns the Hammer rubber, or Time Crash which turns Crash into a multiblast, or like Chakram Cutter), it makes the classic stuff feel like new, and the new powers feel double fresh. But... CO-OP... I looked into the CO-OP... and Player 2 gets to play as a Waddle Dee with a Spear. No copy abilities. Just a Spear. And... you can't stray away... the camera fixes on Kirby. So... it isn't really CO-OP. It is more like Kirby with Servant. And I think it is a step back. I won't use CO-OP much, but I'm hoping the next time, they give real CO-OP. Score: 23/25
Chronicle: Every Kirby story is convoluted. It always has been. Part of his charm. Hell, he has even been the "villain" of the story a few times(even the NES Classic, Kirby's Adventure. Dedede broke the Star Rod... but after beating Dedede, he BEGS you not to put it in back in the fountain, and when Kirby does... the real evil is unleashed. One game, he was focused on a lost cake... destruction be damned). This one... is a Post Apocalyptic story. Kirby gets sucked into a different world that had been abandoned, complete with a derelict city world and a disfunctional theme park. At this point, I have NOT finished the story... but I'm gonna guess the new companion is the final boss. Just because it is Kirby. Slightly predictable. But is the nature of Kirby. Score: 17/20
Legacy: This game is what Super Mario 64 was for Mario. Getting the Pink Cream Puff in 3D. And... it works. Is it perfect? No. Is it genre changing? No. It is as deep at Mario 64 was? No. But... it is what a 3D Kirby should be. And I hope HAL Labratories keeps working on more 3D Kirby games. It isn't going to change 3D gaming, but I hope it impact's the Kirby Franchise for the better. Score: 19/20
Extra Oomph: Mouthful Mode. I mentioned the new mechanics of the upgradable Copy Abilities. But Mouthful Mode highlights the thought of "What If Kirby Can't Swallow Something?". So... he adapts. So far I've come across: Car Mouth(Kirby becomes a Car), Cone Mouth(giant traffic Cone), Dome Mouth(like the top of a grill), Stairs Mouth(giant pink sentient smashy stairs), Vending Machine Mouth(a walking vending machine that shoots cans of juice), Roller Coaster Mouth(sounds just like it is), Water Ballon Mouth(also sounds like it is), Arch Mouth(stretches Kirby into an Air glider type form), Light Bulb Mouth(again sounds like it is), and Ring Mouth(which turns Kirby into an Air Blaster and can propel boats). Another Oomph highlight is the difficulty level. So... last game was Star Allies, and I got 100% in a weekend. This one... was different. More difficult stages, some tough boss battles. Definitely would be fun for all ages... maybe beatable by all ages. But... mastered by more experienced gamers. Score: 10/10
Final Score: 94/100
Final Grade: A
Conclusion: It isn't going to blow anyone's mind, but for a Kirby loyalist, this is just the right mix of nostalgia and modernization to keep this franchise alive(and proof that Capcom should've been able to make a Full 3D Mega Man X game...). And I'm a Kirby loyalist... I'm a fan. And I love this game!
It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat* that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...
FINAL JUDGMENT: Hardcore gamers are going to find something to whine about due to cutesy colors and the adorable characters(and they have poor taste), but for the rest of you, if you own a Switch, this should be in your collection. It is the next Evolution for the Kirby franchise... kinna funny when you think about Kirby being a little pink ameoba.
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There it is, folks... Kirby And The Forgotten Land gets a 94!!!!!!!!
Yes... I've had some high gaming scores. But I've really liked the games I've been playing.
Love Kirby? Played the game yet? Comment below. Share this thing.
Suggest some games for me to try.
Until next time...
