Fans Think Kirby Game Is Set In The Last Of Us Universe

What do a pink marshmallow of air and a mould-ravaged human race have in common? Up until a week ago, we'd have said nothing. However, after Nintendo delivered the surprise announcement of Kirby and the Forgotten Land, tinfoil theorists think it's set in the same world as The Last of Us. 

Since 1992, Kirby has been a staple of Nintendo's first-party games. The gulping gasbag has gone on to appear in over 20 games, and even become a bit part of the Smash Bros. series. Now though, he's possibly found a whole new crossover to explore - swapping inhaling treats to inhaling Cordyceps spores.

Is Kirby and the Forgotten Land set in the same world as The Last of Us?

In a typically out-there Kirby adventure, Forgotten Land finds Kirby washed up on a beach and exploring a "past civilisation". With abandoned shopping malls and barely any signs of life, it's not hard to be reminded of Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic horror. Looking a little closer, several fans picked up on a moment in the Kirby trailer that seems to mirror The Last of Us. 

Responding to the wild theory, one fan wrote, "I sh*t you not, when they were showing the environments at the beginning my thought was 'could they have done a f*****g TLOU 2 Pocket Edition, like in FFXV?' It was just so similar".

Someone else said, "Kirby could have just inhaled the Cordyceps infection and cured mankind, but he didn’t because he’s a big fat Jigglypuff", as a third joked, "Kirby gets killed by King Dedede about thirty minutes in and the rest of the game is about dedede's love triangle from a couple years ago."

Critics weren't as convinced. A naysayer said, "It's almost as if Malls have a very similar look..." and another concluded, "Straw grasping". It's a bit of fun - or is it?

Could Kirby be a Last of Us sequel?

Picture the scene where the world has long since evolved beyond the human race. The Cordyceps plague has taken over and society has crumbled. Evolution has left Mother Earth abandoned by everything apart from these strange creatures, while Kirby comes to save the day from Dream Land.

Of course, it's all nonsense. Still, it's a great idea to imagine and one that's sure to fill Creepypasta boards. It's unclear whether Kirby and the Forgotten Land was influenced by The Last of Us, but given the success of Naughty Dog's two games, we wouldn't be surprised.

If Forgotten Land is a hit, can we expect a sequel where Kirby is bludgeoned to death in Whispy Woods and Meta Knight takes over to speak revenge? This stuff practically writes itself. In the meantime, The Last of Us Part 3 apparently has a story but is far from getting the green light at Naughty Dog.

Seeing all this hype for a Kirby and The Last of Us crossover, it's a shame both sides didn't cash in on this for the recent "The Last of Us Day".

Check out our The Last of Us guides here:

The Last of Us 3 release date | The Last of US TV release date