Thirty years is something to celebrate. So this weekend, Kirby is back on our Nintendo Switch consoles in what may be his funniest adventure ever. It’s hard (read: impossible) not to smile when you take control of Kirby, Nintendo’s candy pink little hero. After all, he has accompanied us year after year for the past three decades with his always good mood. In short, we had a good time in his company. And that obviously won’t change.
This time our brave hero finds himself catapulted into a human-deserted world, now in ruins (remember the watered-down version of The Last of Us), from which he must save his friends Waddle Dees. Once again, he will achieve this with the help of his almost infinite skills, because, let’s remember for the novices, this little guy assimilate the skills of his enemies by swallowing them.
Nothing new under the sun, of course. But while Kirby and the Forgotten Land doesn’t reinvent the classic formula, it manages to polish and perfect it, bringing it to a climax.
Why even strive to revolutionize a mechanism that works perfectly? So we’d risk distorting our dear Kirby, the icon of an entire generation, the same way Mario and Luigi did.
Between tradition and modernity
But if it stays true to its essence, Kirby and the Forgotten Land does indeed bring its share of novelties. More greedy than ever, our hero is no longer content to devour his enemies. This time he devours various objects – some of impressive size – from the vending machine to the car, past the light bulb, the grandstand or the locker block.
Some of them grant him significant abilities in battle. On the other hand, others allow him to reveal secret passages, spin at high speeds, or even reach new heights. These are fun additions that stimulate the experience and add to the pleasure, which is already very important.
Another novelty? The integration of 3D that brings a touch of modernity, an aspect that has often been missing in previous Kirby adventures. However, we would have liked a more cooperative and less rigid camera.
Still, the conclusion is obvious. Our beloved Kirby hasn’t aged a bit. We are therefore delighted to follow him once again into his colourful, immensely creative and deliciously inviting universe.
- Kirby and the forgotten land ★★★★☆
Available for Nintendo Switch