It’s a common practice these days for video game companies to release a game and continuously support it with updates. Whether this means consistent, seasonal updates of new content or one last hurrah in the form of DLC depends on the game, butNintendo in particular seems to adore the conceptof keeping its games alive with free updates and expansion packs. This is why many fans thoughtKirby and the Forgotten Landwould get the same treatment, but now it looks like that won’t be the case.
The lastKirbygame,Kirby Star Allies, had frequent updates that added Dream Friends and new features regularly throughout 2018. With this in mind, it’s not completely off the table thatKirby and the Forgotten Landwould have followed the same update scheme in some way, but HAL Laboratory’s recent actions have all but confirmed outright that it’s leavingForgotten Landwhere it is.
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Kirby’s Dream Buffet
Kirby’s Dream Buffetreleased on August 17, roughly five months afterKirby and the Forgotten Landreleased onto the Switch. The scope ofDream Buffetis nowhere near as large asForgotten Land, and instead, it uses its small scope to it’s advantage to be a short party game. This is by no means a bad thing, as the gameplay remains true toKirbywhile also being chaotic asMario Party. The game has gone over well with plenty of fans following its launch, even though some didn’t know how to feel about its price tag at first.
While the reveal forKirby’s Dream Buffetmay have blindsided fans, sinceForgotten Landhad just come out a few months prior, it isn’t too surprising.Dream Buffetwas most likely a project on the side that HAL Laboratory worked onwhileForgotten Landwas in development. This could have meant thatDream Buffetwas meant to hold people off until potential DLC forForgotten Landwas finished, and that’s what many fans thought it was until the September Nintendo Direct.
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Those who were hoping for DLC forKirby’sfirst fully 3D adventure most likely had their expectations shattered when thelast Nintendo Direct revealedthat yet anotherKirbygame is coming out: a remaster forKirby’s Return to Dream Land; a Wii title released in 2011. While it may seem likeReturn to Dream Land Deluxewouldn’t require enough resources to write off the potential of DLC forForgotten Land, more is going into this rerelease than it seems.
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxeadds new lighting and shading techniques to the new game, which is easy to spot. However, if fans look closely, they’ll see that not only have characters like King Dedede been given entirely new models, but some environments have been entirely redone for the Switch release. There’s also the newMecha Copy Ability, minigame, and most likely other new quality of life features that fans won’t notice until the game has arrived next year. Even ifDream Land Deluxecould arguably require less resources than a full new game, it at least takes enough resources to say that this project wouldn’t be happening if HAL didn’t move on fromForgotten Land.
This is most likely because HAL Laboratory consideredKirby and the Forgotten Landa completed experience by itself. It’s understandable why, as the game features tons of content with creative and challenging levels.Forgotten Landtakes roughly 8-10 hours to beat, yet rewards players for reaching 100% completion if they manage to collect everything. With how it not only has a true ending and a challenging post-game to get it, some players may be satisfied with the game as it is. However, everythingForgotten Landoffers may have some fans wishing for more afterwards soKirby and Elfilin’s adventureswouldn’t end. In that regard, having new Kirby projects come so soon may be a bit sad to see.
Nintendo has received criticism lately for someSwitch titles not being “finished” on release. In this regard, that makes the situation with HAL Laboratory andKirby and the Forgotten Landa refreshing change of pace.There’s also an argument to be made that DLC forForgotten Landcould potentially mess with the game’s 100% completion requirements, which may upset players as a result. In many ways, it seems like players may have to wait a bit longer for more 3DKirby.
Kirby and the Forgotten Landis available now for the Nintendo Switch.
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