In March 2022,Kirby and the Forgotten Landwill mark the beginning of a new age for one of Nintendo’s oldest franchises. Well before the new game was revealed,Kirbydeveloper HAL Laboratory said that the next game in the franchise would be a step in a new direction, and so far HAL is delivering on that promise.Kirby and the Forgotten Land’s 3D platforming and potential city building mechanics make it aKirbygame to reckon with and a potential star of the Nintendo Switch this year. Considering the fact that 2022 marksKirby’s 30th anniversary, the innovational game couldn’t be more timely.
Now seems like a great time to look back on the franchise’s history as well, though. Nintendo has been encouraging fan nostalgia lately with the introduction of a Nintendo Switch Online expansion pack that adds N64 titles to the service’s game library, and little by little, new games are joining the N64 roster. This March would be a great time to put an N64Kirbygame on Nintendo Switch Online — namely,Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards.Out of all the franchise entries,Kirby 64has stood the test of time as one of the most iconic, and since 2022 could be a year built around the celebration ofKirby,Nintendo has plenty of reasons to revisit this classic.
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A Good Occasion for Kirby 64
Kirby and the Forgotten Landcreates a perfect occasion forKirby 64’s return because the two games seem to be cousins in a couple ways. For one thing,Kirby 64famously introduced 3D graphics to the platformer franchise, setting a new standard forthe look ofKirbygames.Kirby and the Forgotten Landtakes the next big step by making the whole franchise three-dimensional, rather than sticking to its sidescroller roots.
They also share some notes of post-apocalyptic themes, betweenKirby 64’s Shiver Star and the abandoned urban landscape that makes up much ofKirby and the Forgotten Land.ReleasingKirby 64on NSO would let newerKirbyfans take a glimpse at a predecessor with similar principles at its core.
Of course, releasingKirby 64on NSO would be appropriate for the broader occasion of theKirbyanniversary too. NSO already features a few well-lovedKirbytitles inits NES and SNES libraries, includingKirby’s Dream Land 3andKirby Super Star,but withoutKirby 64as a part of the service, the franchise lacks any representation in NSO’s N64 expansion. Nintendo hasn’t committed to any specific way of celebratingKirby’s 30th birthday, but it said it has multiple activities planned, one of which could beKirby 64joining the ranks of NSO. It’d certainly be a good way to generate someKirbynostalgia.
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Exploring Kirby History
Considering the last few years of major Nintendo anniversaries, it seems pretty likely thatKirby 64or one of its other influential peers will become available again, whether it’s through NSO or a complete remaster.Super Mario’s 35th anniversary famously centered onSuper Mario 3D All-Stars,a compilation of Mario’s greatest 3D platforming adventures from three different consoles, whileThe Legend of Zelda’s anniversary featureda Switch version ofSkyward Sword.Anniversaries are inherently nostalgic events, and Nintendo loves to trade in nostalgia, so it only seems natural thatKirby’s anniversary will involve the return of a classic game.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shardsseems like a prime candidate to fill that role due to the recent addition of N64 games to NSO, as well as its inherent similarities toKirby and the Forgotten Land.These influential and slightly spookyKirbygames are a natural pair, andKirby 64’s role in the franchise’s growth make it more than worthy of the spotlight in 2022. Since the N64 expansion is still slowlyadding games likeBanjo-Kazooie,there’s plenty of time forKirby 64to return, especially if it coincides withForgotten Land.
Kirby and the Forgotten Landreleases on July 31, 2025 for Nintendo Switch.
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