Note: The article is currently a work in progress.

About

Kirby and the World Beyond is an upcoming game developed by HAL Laboratory and will be published by Nintendo. It is the latest game in the long-running Kirby franchise, and the first game in the mainline series to be released on the Nintendo Switch 2 (not counting Kirby Air Riders). Since its reveal on the September 2026 Nintendo Direct, it spawned multiple internet memes and reactions, mostly about the premise being similar to the movie, The Truman Show, as well as the currently unnamed new ally. It is scheduled to be released in 2027.

History

Kirby and the World Beyond was first revealed on a Nintendo Direct in September 9th of 2026. The trailer shows its open-world gameplay with traditional elements from the series before transitioning into a cutscene, which shows a massive hole in the sky destroyed by a defeated King Dedede before Kirby gets introduced by a brand new character (who is currently unnamed). After this, it then shows a brand new gamepay mechanic and its ability to destroy numerous large objects and the massive hole, revealing a world beyond Kirby's residence.

The YouTube upload of the trailer currently sits at 3,1 million views with 70k likes.

Online Reactions

Comparisons to The Truman Show

Many have compared Kirby and the World Beyond to the 1998 film The Truman Show, as both have the protagonist discover they are in artificial world and ultimately escape from it. These comparisons have spawned many pieces of fanart depicting Kirby in front of a doorway at the top of a staircase, parodying The Truman Show's iconic final scene.

The Mysterious Girl / Jane World Beyond

The trailer shows Kirby rescuing a new mage-like character that appears to be Kirby's companion for this game. She has been nicknamed "Jane World Beyond" by some fans, as her real name has not yet been revealed and she is only referred to as a "mysterious girl" by official sources. Much like Kirby's previous companion, Elfilin from Kirby and the Forgotten Land, many fans immediately began to question if this new character was truly Kirby's ally or secretly evil.

Super Smash Bros.

When the game was first shown at the end of the Nintendo Direct, some watchers initially believed the trailer to be for a new Super Smash Bros. game., likely in-part due to Kirby's association with Super Smash Bros. and it's creator, Masahiro Sakurai.