Kirby and the Forgotten Land Developers Reveal 3D Combat Challenges

Kirby and the Forgotten Land offers a number of big changes from previous entries, most notably putting the character in 3D environments for the first time in a mainline game. Developer HAL Laboratory had some big concerns about the move, and the impact it would have on the game's difficulty level. In 2D games, it's easier to hit an opponent, because it's always in one set position. However, in 3D games, it's sometimes easy to narrowly miss an opponent, even if it looks like the hit should connect. In a developer Q&A, HAL Laboratory revealed that it adjusted the game's hit detection, so that attacks will always hit if it looks like they will.

"The game accounts for the player's perspective by tracking the positions of Kirby and the camera. It then maps out a range in which attacks may appear to land. If an attack is within that range, the attack will hit. By doing so, even people who are not so good at 3D action games can attack enemies without any stress," said director Tatsuya Kamiyama. An example can be found in the image below.

Nintendo's Kirby franchise has always appealed to a wide range of players, and it can be difficult to strike a strong balance that makes everyone happy. While these changes to hit detection might not be pleasing for those looking for a more difficult experience, the game's new Wild Mode should help in that regard. Players can easily shift between Wild Mode and Spring-Breeze Mode, adding a bit more challenge. In our review for the game, we found that it does make things a little more difficult than players would normally expect from a Kirby game, but it doesn't offer anything overly challenging.

Players can judge these changes for themselves very soon, as Kirby and the Forgotten Land will release on Nintendo Switch on March 25th. Until then, readers can check out all of our previous coverage of the game, including our review, right here.

What do you think of this decision by the game's developers? Are you looking forward to Kirby and the Forgotten Land? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!