Summary

  • The Nintendo 3DS title Kirby: Planet Robobot may be coming to the Switch.
  • The port may be announced during a Nintendo Direct in February.
  • Nintendo will reveal more about the Switch 2 during an April livestream.

The 2016 Nintendo 3DS title Kirby: Planet Robobot could be getting a console port on the Nintendo Switch, according to a new rumor. So far, the only Kirby games to be released exclusively for the Switch are 2018’s Kirby Star Allies and 2022’s Kirby and the Forgotten Land, though many of the beloved pink puffball’s previous outings are available to play on Nintendo Switch Online. In 2023, a remake of the 2011 Wii platformer Kirby's Return to Dream Land was also released on the Switch to a positive reception. Now, Kirby: Planet Robobot may be the next entry in the series to appear on the beloved console.

In late 2024, word started to spread that Kirby: Planet Robobot, the 2016 Nintendo 3DS spin-off that gave Kirby the ability to pilot a mechsuit to battle enemies and solve puzzles, would be getting a port on the Switch. The original release is considered by many to be one of the best Kirby games and a gem among HAL Laboratory’s illustrious portfolio. However, the closest thing Kirby: Planet Robobot has gotten to a Nintendo Switch release has been a pair of Nintendo eShop ports of Team Kirby Clash Deluxe and Kirby's Blowout Blast, both of which were based on minigames introduced in Planet Robobot.

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Gaming news leaker Nate the Hate, who shared the previous rumor of Kirby: Planet Robobot coming to the Nintendo Switch, reiterated his claim on Twitter in response to questions about a possible Nintendo Direct in February. While there is still no official confirmation about this port or any word on who would be in charge of developing it, Nate the Hate has made some correct predictions in the past, namely that the Nintendo Switch 2 would be revealed on January 16.

Kirby: Planet Robobot Could Be Coming to Switch

Speaking of the Switch 2, it is expected that Nintendo will shift its marketing focus toward its upcoming console after the confirmed Nintendo Direct April livestream, which will offer up more insight into the new hardware and its launch titles. That isn’t to say that the original Switch will vanish completely anytime soon, as past rumors have claimed that Nintendo is still planning at least one last surprise for the aging system in the form of a new entry in a “somewhat niche” first-party franchise.

A Switch port of Kirby: Planet Robobot might not fit that description, but it would still give fans who missed out on Kirby’s mechanical adventure on the 3DS another chance to check it out ahead of the Switch 2’s blockbuster launch later this year. It should be repeated that neither of Nate the Hate’s claims about this port have been verified as of this writing.

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Kirby: Planet Robobot Tag Page Cover Art
8 /10

Kirby: Planet Robobot
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Fighting
Platformer
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Systems
super greyscale 8-bit logo
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Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 86%
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Released
April 26, 2016
ESRB
m
Developer(s)
HAL Laboratory
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Engine
unreal engine
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WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL
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Planet Popstar is being invaded by the Haltmann Works Company and its robotic army, and only Kirby can put a stop to it in Kirby: Planet Robobot, only on Nintendo 3DS family systems. Take the fight to the evil corporation using Kirby's trademark Copy Abilities, including all-new abilities, and turn their own technology against them by taking control of the powerful Robobot Armour! For a breather from the main adventure, you can also get stuck into some fun minigames: partner with pals to take on bosses in Team Kirby Clash, or go for a high score in Kirby 3D Rumble!

In his latest platforming adventure, Kirby can explore Planet Popstar in brand new ways, using the Robobot Armour's handy Wrench to move scenery, access new areas and uncover secrets. That’s not all this super-strong armour can do either: by scanning enemies, it can transform and use more powerful versions of some of Kirby’s well-known Copy Abilities.

By analysing an enemy with the Jet Scan Spec, Kirby’s Robobot Armour will engage Jet Mode, letting it fly across the screen in shoot-‘em-up style, while the Wheel Scan Spec activates Wheel Mode, turning Kirby’s Robobot Armour into a speedy car that can race between the foreground and background! You can even customise the Robobot Armour using Stickers that are hidden in each stage, or received from other players via StreetPass.

Genre(s)
Fighting, Platformer
Platform(s)
Nintendo 3DS
How Long To Beat
7 hours