Longtime players of the Kirby series may probably realise that some changes have been made to the overworld map in Kirby Star Allies, especially when compared to the previous titles. The rail-like system has given way to a free-roaming system, where you can freely move across the map. The world map also scales up as you progress instead of moving on to the next world map.

Kirby Star Allies’ sequence director Tatsuya Kamiyama attributed the change to the Switch’s increase visual fidelity, explaining that it was the Switch’s higher resolution that allowed them to broaden the scope of the map and allow for free movement.

A major factor in this decision was the higher resolution on Nintendo Switch, which gave us a wider range of expression and made it easier to show more of the surroundings. Higher resolution meant we could display Kirby better at smaller sizes, so we had lots of space to broaden the scope of the map. WIth a wider scope, you can see more locations on the screen, meaning that the player won’t get lost, even given free movement.

New technology brings about new ways to experience a traditional franchise. It’ll be hard to think how Kirby of the future will play out with all the new technologies.