Nintendo has revealed Kirby and the World Beyond, a new 3D adventure for Nintendo Switch 2 launching in spring 2027, with expanded Copy Abilities that can be used to explore and traverse its world as well as tackle enemies.
Announced during the Nintendo Direct on 9 September 2026, Kirby and the World Beyond is the latest full 3D outing for Nintendo and HAL Laboratory’s pink hero. Nintendo says players will be able to freely explore the World Beyond using Copy Abilities, suggesting traversal will play a much bigger role in how those powers are used.
Kirby returns in a new 3D adventure
Nintendo’s official UK listing describes Kirby and the World Beyond as the latest 3D Kirby adventure and confirms it is being developed for Nintendo Switch 2, with a release window of spring 2027.
The reveal makes it another major first-party title in Nintendo’s growing 2027 Switch 2 line-up. It follows a busy Direct that also brought the announcement of Metroid Ravenous, a new 2D Metroid adventure launching in January, while Nintendo also confirmed a November release for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Switch 2.
Copy Abilities are becoming traversal tools
The biggest change highlighted so far is the way Kirby’s familiar Copy Abilities appear to feed directly into exploration. Nintendo says powers copied from enemies can now be used in multiple ways as Kirby pushes further into the World Beyond.
Examples confirmed by Nintendo’s official game listing include using Bomb to launch Kirby into the air, planting Sword into trees to climb and moving at high speed across open fields. That points towards a broader set of environmental interactions than simply using abilities in combat.
It is an interesting evolution for the series. Kirby’s Copy Abilities have always been central to combat and puzzle-solving, but tying them more directly to movement could give the new game a stronger sense of discovery across its larger 3D spaces.
A mysterious girl, King Dedede and a huge wall
Nintendo has also begun teasing the story. Kirby will encounter a mysterious girl with unusual powers, while King Dedede is once again involved. The company’s official material also repeatedly points to a huge wall blocking Kirby’s path, raising questions about what lies beyond it and how it connects to the strange power Kirby has gained.
For now, Nintendo is deliberately keeping those answers back. The reveal focuses more on the sense of exploration and the new uses for Copy Abilities than on a detailed story breakdown.
Watch the reveal
Nintendo showed Kirby and the World Beyond during its 9 September 2026 Nintendo Direct. You can watch the official presentation on Nintendo UK, where the full broadcast is embedded from Nintendo’s official YouTube channel.
Another important Switch 2 release for 2027
Kirby and the World Beyond will arrive during the Kirby series’ 35th anniversary year, giving Nintendo another recognisable first-party release for Switch 2 in 2027.
No exact release date has been announced beyond the spring 2027 window, and Nintendo has not yet confirmed final pricing. The UK game page currently lists a provisional PEGI 7 age rating.
Tech Torque Verdict
Kirby and the World Beyond looks like a sensible next step for Nintendo’s 3D Kirby formula. The most encouraging part of the reveal is not simply that the environments appear larger, but that Kirby’s abilities are being integrated into movement and exploration in more meaningful ways.
If Nintendo can make those powers feel genuinely useful outside combat, the World Beyond could offer a more flexible and exploratory style of Kirby adventure while still keeping the accessibility and character the series is known for.
Kirby and the World Beyond launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 in spring 2027.
