Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Lore & Background

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the first platform game in the Kirby series with full 3D gameplay. The player controls Kirby through various stages to save Waddle Dees, using abilities such as jumping, sliding, inhaling enemies, and swallowing them to gain copy abilities. New to this game are the Drill and Ranger copy abilities, as well as the Mouthful Mode system, which allows Kirby to swallow and control larger objects like cars and vending machines. A second player can join as Bandana Waddle Dee, who uses a spear. Copy abilities can be upgraded at Waddle Dee's Weapons Shop in the hub area, Waddle Dee Town, using Rare Stones obtained from Treasure Road levels. The goal of each stage is to rescue Waddle Dees trapped in cages or by completing specific goals; rescued Waddle Dees expand the town and unlock minigames such as fishing, working at Waddle Dee Café, and a puzzle minigame. The game also supports Amiibo functionality.

Reader's Guide

Kirby and the Forgotten Land was well received by critics, who praised its graphics, level design, gameplay, soundtrack, and amount of content, with some calling it among the best games in the series. Minor criticism was directed towards the limited movement options and controls and repetitive mini-bosses. The game was a commercial success, selling over 7.52 million copies by March 2024, making it the best-selling game in the series and one of the best-selling games on the Switch. A Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Forgotten Land, an enhanced version featuring improved performance and a new story campaign, was released for the Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2025.

Did You Know?

• Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the first non-spinoff game in the Kirby series to feature full 3D gameplay.
• The game introduced two new copy abilities: Drill and Ranger.
• Mouthful Mode allows Kirby to swallow and control larger objects such as cars and vending machines.