It was fairly predictable that Nintendo would close out their Nintendo Direct with a big announcement from one of their main franchises, but with a few series primed to make their return, it was hard to predict which we might see. As it turned out, everybody’s favorite pink ball, Kirby, got that honor, with a new title called Kirby and the World Beyond, which is set to release in Spring of 2027.
The game itself looks to be a direct follow-up to the previous title in the series, Kirby and the Forgotten City, continuing the series’ foray into 3D. The trailer showcases a big, beautiful valley that Kirby gets to wander around, complete with donut-shaped mountains, clear blue water all around, and plenty of puzzles to solve.
While the previous entry had some open environments, we can definitely see here that this has been taken much further, with the area that the trailer shows seeming vast by comparison. As Kirby wanders the stage, gobbling enemies for their powers, it appears that there are several distinct areas offering puzzles and collectables. At one point, Kirby uses a sword in one of his forms to climb a tree and collect a tablet-looking item, marking some new ways these abilities interact with the world. At another, the puffball floats through a waterfall using an umbrella, revealing a hidden area.
Later on, we see Kirby approach a stone, unlocking a sort of overdrive feature that buffs his abilities. In the trailer specifically, we see this happen to the character in their sword form, granting a powerful sword that can cut down full trees. There is a much more interesting narrative reveal after this point that the sword comes into play for, but I will leave that for you to discover on your own, but it should help explain the title.
Reminder: Kirby and the World Beyond is set to release in Spring 2027, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2. This will coincide with the 35th Anniversary of the franchise as a whole.
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