The adorable and ever-hungry pink puffball known asKirbyhas become a beloved staple of Nintendo’s gaming library, but over the years,Kirbygames have touched on a variety of strange and sometimes dark themes. In the past, Kirby has gone up against otherworldly monsters that could terrify H.P. Lovecraft, wandered through what looks suspiciously like a post-apocalyptic Earth, and devoured all sorts of other cute little creatures. The upcomingKirby and the Forgotten Landhas recently been rated by the ESRB, and it appears that this new game will be following in the footsteps of previous titles.
Early trailers forKirby and the Forgotten Landappear to place Kirby in a new environment that may be strange to him but could be eerily recognizable to many players. The game’s world is uncannily similar to Earth, complete with recognizable bridges, buildings, and even escalators, all of which seem to be frozen and overgrown. Some fans have even compared the plant-covered city shown off inKirby and the Forgotten Landto the post-apocalyptic masterpieceThe Last Of Us, which is rated M.
RELATED:Kirby and the Forgotten Land Announced With Gameplay Trailer
According to the ESRB website,Kirby and the Forgotten Landwill be rated E10+ for cartoon violence, making it suitable for players at or above the age of 10 years old. This isn’t the first time a seemingly post-apocalyptic game has gotten away with a low rating - for example, theSplatoongames are explicitly set on earthafter the end of human civilization. Even the earlierKirbygameKirby: Star Alliesgot away with an E10+ rating despite featuring some horrific imagery and a terrifying cult connected to the already nightmarish Dark Matter. If this track record is anything to go by, being rated E10+ may not stopKirby and the Forgotten Landfrom making the most of its post-apocalyptic premise.
While very little about the antagonists ofKirby and the Forgotten Landhas been shared so far, the focus on the titular forgotten land may imply that players will fight the remnants of a lost civilization. Current trailers mostly show Kirby facing off against stylized wildlife, but previousKirbygames suggest this won’t last. After all,Kirby Star Alliesended uppitting the tough pink puff against planet-destroying foes like Void Termina, a being whose design references the notoriously darkNeon Genesis Evangelion.
Reportedly, theKirbyfranchise is getting ready to enter the next stage. Although it’s unclear exactly what this means, one thing that is clear is that the current Kirby team has big plans. This may include raising the stakes for the villains Kirby will be facing off against, although since Void Termina was explicitly referred to as the Destroyer of Worlds, it’s hard to say where Kirby’s next fight will take him.
Kirby and the Forgotten Landreleases in spring 2022 for Nintendo Switch.
MORE:Kirby and the Forgotten Land Should Take Notes From Other Post-Apocalypse Games
