Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a 3D action-adventure platformer developed by HAL Laboratory and released for the Nintendo Switch in 2022, with an enhanced Nintendo Switch 2 Edition featuring additional content arriving in 2025. Players guide Kirby through a ruined world filled with overgrown structures and abandoned technology, using his signature inhale to interact with enemies and objects while progressing through linear stages across multiple worlds.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on platforming, combat, and light puzzle-solving in fully three-dimensional stages. Kirby runs, jumps, floats, slides, and guards while inhaling smaller foes to spit them out or swallow them for Copy Abilities. New abilities introduced here include Drill for burrowing attacks and Ranger for aimed projectile shots, alongside returning options such as Sword, Fire, Ice, and Hammer. Each ability can be upgraded at a shop in the central hub using Rare Stones collected from special challenge levels called Treasure Road.
A standout mechanic is Mouthful Mode, where Kirby partially inhales larger environmental objects and wraps around them to gain temporary movement or attack options. Examples include driving a car to smash obstacles, operating a vending machine to launch projectiles, rolling inside a pipe, or using a traffic cone to slam downward. These transformations integrate directly into level design for traversal and combat variety. A second player can join locally as Bandana Waddle Dee, who attacks with a spear and assists during certain transformations. Two difficulty settings are available from the start: Spring-Breeze Mode offers more health and fewer enemies for a relaxed experience, while Wild Mode increases enemy density and reduces health but provides greater rewards in the form of Star Coins.
Game Modes
The main campaign consists of single-player stages grouped into worlds, each ending in a boss encounter that requires a minimum number of rescued Waddle Dees to access. Progress involves clearing platforming sections, defeating enemies, and locating hidden paths. Local co-op supports two players on the same system throughout the campaign and select side activities.
Additional modes expand replay value. The Colosseum hosts boss rush challenges and the Ultimate Cup, with an EX variant in the enhanced edition. Mini-games appear in the hub town, including fishing, customer service simulations, and motion-controlled Tilt-and-Roll Kirby. Post-game content includes Isolated Isles: Forgo Dreams, which remixes earlier worlds with tougher Phantom bosses and altered hazards. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition adds Star-Crossed World, introducing 12 new Starry Stages across the existing worlds along with three fresh Mouthful Modes: Spring for high bounces and slams, Gear for wall rolling, and Sign for sled-like downhill sections. These stages emphasize crystal-altered environments and new collectibles called Starries.
Exploration and Progression
Stages reward thorough searching with Star Coins, blueprints for ability upgrades, and Waddle Dees to rescue. Saving enough Waddle Dees populates Waddle Dee Town, unlocking new buildings and facilities such as a café for portable healing items and an expanded shop for ability enhancements. Rare Stones gathered from Treasure Road challenges further power up Copy Abilities with extra moves and increased damage. The structure encourages multiple playthroughs on different difficulties to maximize collectibles and rewards without altering the core stage layouts.
Is It Worth Playing?
Kirby and the Forgotten Land stands out for its inventive integration of Copy Abilities and Mouthful Mode into 3D platforming, creating stages that reward experimentation and exploration. The local co-op option makes it suitable for shared play, while the two difficulty modes accommodate different skill levels and preferences. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition improves performance with higher frame rates and resolution while adding meaningful extra stages and transformations. Reception has been generally favorable, with praise focused on level design, visual charm, and the satisfying progression of abilities. It suits players who enjoy accessible yet layered platformers with strong single-player focus and optional co-op, particularly those seeking a complete experience with post-game challenges rather than ongoing live-service elements.
