Nintendo has taken their dear old time bringing Kirby to the 3DS. Seeing as how the little pink fellow had four outings on the DS, it’s hard to believe it took so long for Nintendo to bring the franchise onto their current handheld. Well the wait will soon be over, and I’m excited. Before I start making preparations to pitch a tent for the midnight release, I’ll give you insight on why this is particularly awesome.

Believe it or not, the new Kirby 3DS game is really something to get excited about. Think about it, after The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds what else do we have releasing on the 3DS? More Mario? Considering we have already gotten 14 (by my count) other Mario titles within the past year, I think we can all agree, it’s Kirby’s time to shine.

While visually it looks a lot like Return to Dreamland, the teaser trailer showed off some interesting additions to the series. Similar to Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and Mutant Mudds, jumping between layers is a new game mechanic that will hopefully optimize the title’s 3D effect. If the two Kirby StreetPass puzzles are any indication, Kirby rendered in stereoscopic 3D will look quite lovely. The trailer also shows off Kirby being squished against the screen which was both humorous and sad for me to watch.

To be honest, Kirby on the 3DS is only whetting my appetite. The first questions I will ask after getting the new 3DS Kirby game is when does the next one come out, and will it be on the Wii U? While it may seem rather corny to get excited about HD, considering competitors have had it since the last generation of consoles, Kirby’s art style looks to lend well to a high-resolution screen. Colors will pop and Kirby will shine. Seeing him rendered in the Smash Bros. trailer was riveting, but it can only get better from there.

If a new Kirby title on the Wii U is coming, then I have a couple of predictions:

A Full-Fledged 3D Platformer - Since ye olden days of the N64, I have wondered why Kirby has yet to receive a 3D platformer.  At one point Return to Dreamland was being made as one, but sadly that didn't happen.No time is better then the present to make a 3D Kirby platformer.

Kirby Air Ride 2 - Plain and simple, a sequel to the GameCube’s only Kirby game. Recently Nintendo found much success with a sequel to another GameCube Classic with Luigi’s Mansion 2, so why stop there? With online multiplayer and HD visuals Nintendo could have a surprise hit with this one.

Crazy Weird Game Utilizing the GamePad, Wii Remotes, and Balance Board- Nintendo is good at doing new things, and they like doing weird things like making you stand up or move, or show any sign of being alive while playing. Maybe we could get that Kirby Disco Skiing game we all want, right?

Whatever Nintendo decides Kirby will do for his next starring role, if they can offer a chance to use new ideas like they have before, Wii U is the platform to do it on. For now though, Kirby’s 3DS escapade is gearing up to be my most anticipated title next year.