Following the launch ofKirby’s Dream Buffet, 2022 is shaping up to be a good year forKirbyfans as the series sees two new releases. But whileKirby and the Forgotten Landis presented as a traditional single-player experience with optional co-op, new spin-offKirby’s Dream Buffettakes a bite into the modern battle royale scene blended with the party game format. Between its adorable confectionery influences and simple premise,Kirby’snew game has a very broad appeal and could easily join the ranks of other successful spin-off party games like the latestMario Party Superstars.
However,Kirby’s Dream Buffetalso seems to take after other battle royales such asFall Guys: Ultimate Knockout,giving Nintendo an opportunity to experiment and push its post-launch content strategies in new ways. While it has been producing expansion passes and likeMario Kart 8 Deluxe’s Booster Course Pass, Nintendo has remained limited to the traditional DLC format and released only one or two DLC options for its various games. Provided HAL Laboratory is on board, Nintendo could finally break this tradition and test out ideas seen in other battle royales with seasonal content delivered year-round.
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Kirby’s Dream Buffet: Party Game To Battle Royale
Though it’s notKirby’sfirst venture into multiplayer games and nor is it Nintendo’s,Kirby’s Dream Buffetdoes appear to be a game that leans more towards battle royale than just a generic party game. Nintendo has gradually been moving even further into the multiplayer scene with prominent examples includingSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateadding eight-player availability and the ongoingSplatoonseries, but it has also dabbled in the battle royale genre with the short-livedNES-inspiredSuper Mario Bros. 35. However,Kirbyhas always had a decent stake in co-op and multiplayer with titles likeKirby’s Epic Yarn,Kirby Star Allies, andKirby’s Return to Dream Land.
In short, if there was a series Nintendo could decently test the battle royale waters with, it would beKirby. But unlike other popular battle royales such asFortniteorApex Legends,Kirbyisn’t positioned as a realistic combative game. This could be whyKirby’s Dream Buffetis compared toFall Guysinstead, as they both share a cutesy aesthetic that utilizes more family-friendly competition in the form of races and mini-games. But whileKirby’s Dream Buffethas the same potential asFall Guys,it seems it may be limited by the lingering influences of the party game genre.
Leaning More Towards Kirby’s Battle Royale
Between the blurred lines ofKirby’s Dream Buffetbeing both a party game and battle royale lies Nintendo’s opportunity to reimagine its post-launch content strategies. Ordinarily, Nintendo would release only a handful of expansions as purchasable DLC, for example just as it did with franchises likeSuper Smash Bros.andThe Legend of Zelda.But battle royales have shifted away from this format, instead moving tothe free-to-play model likeFall Guyswith in-game currencies and cosmetic items. This allows these games to constantly update their content for free and maintain interest in the game years after their initial release.
With its potential to be a leading battle royale for Nintendo on the Switch,Kirby’s Dream Buffetwould only need some minor changes to align fully with the battle royale genre. Since it’s already a digital-only game, the biggest and most difficult change would be to make the game free. While this might upset players who’ve already bought copies, it could followRocket Leaguewhen it went free-to-playand compensate original players with free bonus content. Beyond this, other changesKirby’s Dream Buffetmight need would be to rework elements such as increasing the number of players from four or improving its cosmetic rewards.
From here though,Kirby’s Dream Buffetcan then lean more into its battle royale roots and provide Nintendo the chance to trial a more sustained, ever-evolving post-content strategy. Akin to the variousseasons and chapters of games likeFortniteorFall Guys,Kirby’s Dream Buffetcould develop its own seasons to be released throughout the following years, bringing with it new themed levels, power-ups, playable characters, and more. This could help Nintendo test whether it could move away from traditional DLC formats and deliver a gaming experience that continues long after a game’s launch.
Kirby’s Dream Buffetis available now on Switch.
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