Kirby and the Forgotten Land won’t be the only anniversary celebration, though. On the contrary, Nintendo has repeatedly promised multiple Kirby projects meant to ring in the franchise’s 30th birthday. Although it hasn’t shared any specifics on the contents of those projects or when they’ll release, it seems likely that Nintendo will discuss these projects alongside Kirby and the Forgotten Land in a March Nintendo Direct. Some of Nintendo’s recent major anniversaries have gotten themed directs of their own, so Nintendo’s collaborations with HAL for Kirby will probably get the same treatment.
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Cause for a Kirby Direct
Leakers have suggested that Nintendo will release a Direct sometime in February, and while Kirby and the Forgotten Land will probably be there, it also wouldn’t be surprising if a March Direct focuses more closely on Forgotten Land. While Nintendo has started sharing significant details, like some of Kirby’s new Copy Abilities, there’s still a lot to learn about Forgotten Land. A Kirby-themed March Direct could put a greater spotlight on Forgotten Land, taking an extended time to explain Waddle Tee Town, Elfilin’s role in the plot, more possible Copy Abilities, and so on.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land’s release also seems like the perfect time to reveal Kirby’s other anniversary content, since Forgotten Land will put eyes on the franchise in a major way. Nintendo says that it’s working together with Kirby developer HAL Laboratory to produce the anniversary celebration’s features, which could suggest that Nintendo and HAL are aiming for a large-scale celebration. Forgotten Land could only be the first Kirby game to release in 2022, followed by a Switch collection of retro Kirby titles or a complete remake of a major game like Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. Even if the anniversary doesn’t have extra games on the way, though, March would clearly be a great time to make some announcements.
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Another Anniversary Direct
A special Nintendo Direct themed after the Kirby anniversary seems particularly likely since Nintendo has done it many times before. In September 2020, Nintendo arranged a Super Mario themed Direct to celebrate the blockbuster platforming franchise’s 35th birthday. Pokemon got a similar Direct for its 20th birthday in 2016, and Nintendo arranged another Pokemon Direct for last year’s 25th birthday. With this pattern in mind, it follows that Kirby will get a similar treatment, especially since Nintendo has repeatedly expressed its enthusiasm for Kirby lately while assuring fans that it has big plans.
It’s great to hear that Nintendo has so much planned for Kirby in the coming months. Kirby may not be quite as big a franchise as Super Mario or The Legend of Zelda, but it’s still a delightful platformer franchise and a core part of Nintendo’s IP lineup. Kirby and the Forgotten Land seems particularly worth supporting with other projects, since its 3D design is such a significant step in a new direction for the franchise. Nintendo has put on some major anniversary celebrations lately, so it should be interesting to see what it decides to do to acknowledge how Kirby has grown in the last three decades.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land releases on March 25, 2022 for Nintendo Switch.
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