2024 Will Mark a Rare Hiccup for a Classic Nintendo Franchise

2024 Will Mark a Rare Hiccup for a Classic Nintendo Franchise

As a long-time Nintendo enthusiast who’s grown up with Kirby’s charming antics, I can’t help but feel a sense of anticipation for what 2025 holds for our pink, puffy friend. It’s been an unusual year without a new Kirby game, but history has shown us that Nintendo never disappoints when it comes to their exclusive franchises.


For more than three decades, Nintendo has consistently stood at the pinnacle or very close to it in the video game industry. This is due to several factors: their dedication to technological innovation, challenging the limits of what video games can achieve with both hardware and software. Additionally, they appeal to a broad range of gamers, from young to old, making Nintendo controllers accessible to almost anyone for an enjoyable gaming experience. However, what truly sets Nintendo apart is their extensive roster of exclusive franchises such as Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Kirby, which ensures that there’s always a familiar favorite around.

Among the franchises, it’s been particularly appealing to join the bandwagon for the more recent one, given that Kirby has been a reliable mainstay in Nintendo’s collection for nearly a decade now. This round, bubble-blowing character from Dream Land has been a fixture with Nintendo since his debut on Game Boy in 1992, and the franchise has been quite active on the Switch. However, it appears that production may have slowed down in 2024, as a new Kirby game hasn’t been released yet. This is only the third year without a Kirby title since 2010, which leaves us wondering what Nintendo might be planning for the pink ball of fluff.

Kirby Has Always Had Something For Everyone

When examining the continuous flow of Kirby games, it’s puzzling to some that so many titles could originate from a single franchise and still be enjoyable. However, one of the secrets behind Kirby’s endurance over the past fourteen years lies in its propensity to innovate. Unlike some of Nintendo’s other properties, such as Zelda and Donkey Kong Country, which seldom deviate from their fundamental gameplay mechanics, Kirby frequently serves as a nursery for fresh concepts.

Over the past five years, I’ve been hooked on the versatile world of Kirby! From zipping around in a racing game with ‘Kirby’s Dream Buffet’, to exploring new dimensions in ‘Kirby and the Forgotten Land’, and even battling it out in a platform fighter with ‘Kirby Fighters 2’, this franchise keeps me coming back for more. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of Kirby’s mainline adventures or spin-offs, there’s always something fresh to enjoy!

Does Nintendo Have Plans For Kirby In 2025?

Given that Nintendo hasn’t released a new Kirby game in 2024, it seems likely they have something major planned for the franchise. The recent release, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, marked a significant leap by introducing Kirby to a 3D world similar to Super Mario Odyssey.

In a sense, a follow-up game could expand upon the features presented in “Forgotten Land,” particularly the engaging Mouthful Mode. This would help solidify the primary series’ position within the realm of 3D platform gaming.

It’s also plausible that we might see a revamp or updated version of the classic game, Kirby. Fans who enjoyed the Kirby series on the Nintendo Wii got a taste of it last year with the remastered Kirby’s Return to Dream Land, but there are still many who are playing on older systems. Among the potential choices, a bold move by Nintendo could be to work on remastering Kirby Air Ride.

Frequently praised as one of the top original games for the Nintendo GameCube, a remastered version of Kirby Air Ride would delight numerous fans. Be it a minor facelift or a comprehensive redesign, it could serve as an enjoyable homage to the history of the beloved character, Kirby.

Based on its past performance, we shouldn’t worry about Kirby being unavailable for a long period. If Nintendo’s recent patterns are any clue, they have been reviving dormant franchises such as Metroid and F-Zero. With all the buzz surrounding Switch 2 in the last year, it might be that Nintendo is holding off on the bouncy pink character until their next hardware.

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2024-10-07 16:33