Kirby Turns 35 in 2027 - and He's Bringing an Open World With Him

My nephew's first ever "boss fight" was against King Dedede. He was five, he held the controller upside down for half of it, and he still insists he won all on his own. So when this week's Nintendo Direct saved Kirby for the very last slot, I'll admit I made a noise my neighbours probably heard.

Here's the news. Kirby's 35th anniversary celebrations kick off in 2027, and Nintendo has already shown an official logo to mark the occasion. Beyond that, the message for now is simply "more information coming in the future", so don't expect a full calendar of events just yet. What we do know is who's leading the party: Kirby and the World Beyond, a brand-new 3D adventure coming exclusively to Switch 2 in spring 2027.

And honestly, this one got me. The trailer starts Kirby off in a walled-in valley and then opens up into a much bigger world beyond it, which is exactly what the title promises. Nintendo describes it as a 3D adventure where you explore freely while using Kirby's copy abilities, and the footage showed a sword and a cap among the powers. It really does look like it's Kirby's turn for the open-world treatment - the same kind of leap Mario and Link have taken before him.

If you played Kirby and the Forgotten Land on the original Switch, you'll remember how well that game walked the line between charming and surprisingly clever. It was one of the easiest 3D games I've ever handed to someone who "doesn't really play games", and also one I happily 100%'d myself. Stretching that formula into a freer, larger world is a lovely idea, as long as it keeps what makes Kirby Kirby: a game nobody bounces off.

That's my one gentle worry, really. Open worlds can get overwhelming fast - giant maps, icons everywhere, a to-do list that feels like homework. Kirby has always been the series you can hand to a nervous first-timer or a seven-year-old and trust they'll have a good time. I'd love to see World Beyond keep that door wide open, whether through a gentle difficulty curve or some kind of couch co-op so a parent and kid can puff around together. Nintendo hasn't said anything about co-op, price or an exact date yet, so for now that's just me hoping out loud.

Still, 35 years. A little pink puff who started out on a green-tinted Game Boy screen is getting a whole world to wander and a birthday party that's only just beginning. I'm already clearing space on the couch for spring.

Image: PAL and Nintendo / Public domain, source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kirby_blue_and_yellow_logo.png