Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is a 2000 platform game created by HAL Laboratory and released by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 (N64). It is the first Kirby game to use 3D computer graphics. The story follows Kirby as he tries to fix a sacred crystal broken by Dark Matter. Players view the game from a 2.5D angle, similar to earlier Kirby games. The player moves through levels and gains abilities by eating enemies. Kirby 64 introduces Power Combos, which let players mix abilities to make stronger ones. In a multiplayer mode, up to four players can play three mini-games together.
Development started in September 1997. The game was originally planned for the N64's 64DD add-on, but became a regular N64 game after the add-on did not work. HAL first wanted to use the N64 controller's analog stick for Kirby 64 but changed to the D-pad about a year before the game was released.
The game received mostly positive reviews. People praised its bright visuals and familiar gameplay style, but some critics said the game was too easy and too short. The game was later released again on the Virtual Console for the Wii in 2008, the Wii U in 2015, and the Nintendo Classics service in 2022. It was also included in the Wii collection Kirby's Dream Collection in 2012. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards was the last traditional Kirby game for home consoles until Kirby's Return to Dream Land in 2011.
Gameplay
Kirby 64 is a side-scrolling platformer game similar to other games in the Kirby series. The story begins when Dark Matter invades Ripple Star, a planet where fairies live. A fairy named Ribbon runs away with a sacred crystal, but Dark Matter breaks it into 100 pieces and spreads them across the galaxy. Ribbon, holding one piece, falls to Pop Star and meets Kirby, the main character. Kirby agrees to help find the remaining 98 pieces across six planets and defeat Dark Matter. Along the journey, Kirby helps Ribbon by rescuing others who have been taken over by Dark Matter, including artist Adeleine, King Dedede, and Dedede’s helper, Waddle Dee. Each of them finds a crystal piece and is possessed by Dark Matter, forcing Kirby to fight them to free them.
Like other games from the same time, such as Pandemonium! (1996) and Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (1997), Kirby 64 is a 2.5D platformer. While the game uses 3D computer graphics for environments and characters, the gameplay is limited to a 2D plane. Players control Kirby using the D-pad on the Nintendo 64 controller. Kirby can walk, run, crouch, jump, and inhale enemies or objects to spit them out as bullets. He can also inflate himself to fly for a short time, but while flying, he cannot attack or use other abilities, though he can release a weak puff of air. By eating certain enemies, Kirby gains one of seven copy abilities, which let him use the powers of the enemies he eats. In some levels, Kirby rides on King Dedede’s back to clear obstacles with Dedede’s hammer. In other levels, Kirby rides a minecart or log flume controlled by Waddle Dee.
Kirby 64 introduces Power Combos, which allow Kirby to combine his copy abilities. Power Combos can be created by inhaling two enemies at once, by throwing one ability at another, or by spitting an enemy at another. The last two methods create a colored star that can be collected to get a Power Combo. There are 28 possible combinations, which are stronger than normal copy abilities or have special effects. For example, combining the "Burn" and "Needle" abilities lets Kirby shoot fire arrows. Players can also mix two of the same abilities to increase their power.
The game takes place across six worlds, each divided into several levels. After choosing a level, players must navigate it while avoiding enemies and obstacles. If Kirby or King Dedede touches an enemy or hazard, they lose health. Health can be restored by eating food found in levels. If a character loses all their health, falls off the bottom of the screen, or gets crushed, the player loses a life. Losing all lives ends the game. Players can earn extra lives by collecting stars or 1-ups. Crystal shards are scattered throughout levels, and while Power Combos are optional, they are needed to collect some shards. At the end of each level, players complete a bonus game to collect food, stars, or cards with information about enemies. Some levels feature bosses that must be defeated to progress. Players must collect all crystal shards to reach the final boss and unlock the true ending.
In addition to the single-player game, a multiplayer mode is available from the main menu. Up to four players can compete in three mini-games: 100-Yard Hop, a race to the finish line; Bumper Crop Bump, a game to collect food; and Checkerboard Chase, a last-man-standing game. Players can adjust the difficulty and choose to control Kirby, King Dedede, Adeleine, or Waddle Dee.
Development
Kirby 64 was created by HAL Laboratory as the first game in the Kirby series to use 3D graphics. Development started in September 1997, just before Kirby's Dream Land 3 was released. At that time, 3D graphics were becoming popular, so HAL wanted to make a 3D Kirby game. Project manager Takashi Saito said keeping the project on time was difficult because HAL focused on details. He had to balance making a high-quality game with meeting deadlines. The team had to be careful when changing the series' art style to 3D to avoid disappointing fans. The game was first made for the 64DD, a disk-drive add-on for the Nintendo 64 (N64), but became a standard N64 Game Pak after the add-on failed commercially.
By October 1997, HAL made a prototype to test Kirby in 3D. The prototype used the N64 controller's analog stick to control Kirby and was worked on until about a year before the game's release. Saito said the prototype was nearly finished and "was pretty good," but the team wanted to improve it. HAL changed the control setup from the analog stick to the D-pad because the game was played on a 2.5D plane, not fully 3D. At Space World in 1999, developers saw children using the original setup and noticed they left the N64 controller on the stand when using the analog stick. They also had trouble using the Z shoulder button, which was important in the setup. Changing the controls caused debate because HAL used the Z button in Super Smash Bros. (1999). The team chose the D-pad after testing it with elementary school students.
Kirby 64 was directed by Shinichi Shimomura, who also directed Kirby's Dream Land 2 and Kirby's Dream Land 3. It shares themes with those games; Adeleine, a character, and 0, the final boss, are based on characters from Kirby's Dream Land 3. Series creator Masahiro Sakurai had little involvement and avoided playing the game during development, fearing his comments might conflict with HAL's vision. The Power Combo mechanic was added to improve Kirby's abilities and test what happens when copy abilities are combined. Saito said the game is designed for all ages and can be easy or hard depending on how players use Power Combos. If players rely too much on Power Combos, the game becomes harder, but it is easier if they do not. Originally, there were plans for several playable characters, including Waddle Dee, but only Kirby and King Dedede were playable in the final game. Ribbon the fairy was added to let players switch characters. The N64's technology allowed four-player minigames.
The game's music was made by Jun Ishikawa and Hirokazu Ando, both regular composers for the Kirby series. The music was influenced by synth-pop and techno styles. Ishikawa spent about a year creating most of the music and sound effects. He thought making the final areas' music sound like jazz would surprise players used to the series' usual electronic style. Later in development, Ishikawa learned about a boss he did not know and had to quickly make a track by reusing samples from songs he had already finished. The result was a simple drum and bass song with no melody, which the boss's designers liked.
Nintendo announced the game at E3 1999. According to IGN, Kirby's presence on the N64 was "long-awaited" because an earlier Kirby game for the system, Kirby's Air Ride, was canceled. Kirby 64 was released in Japan on March 24, 2000, in North America on June 26, 2000, and in Europe on June 22, 2001. GameSpot noted that unlike other Kirby games, Kirby 64 was released before support for its system ended. Saito said he wanted to release the game earlier, but more development time allowed for better polish. It was the last traditional Kirby home console game until Return to Dream Land (2011).
Nintendo re-released Kirby 64 on the Virtual Console for the Wii and Wii U in 2008 and 2015, respectively. The game was also included in Kirby's Dream Collection (2012), a 20th-anniversary compilation for the Wii. Kirby 64 was re-released on May 20, 2022, on the Nintendo Classics service.
Reception
Kirby 64 received mostly positive reviews, according to Metacritic, a website that collects game reviews. Critics compared it to other 2.5D platform games on the Nintendo 64, such as Goemon's Great Adventure (1998) and Yoshi's Story (1997). Some reviewers noted that the gameplay and visuals reminded them of older platform games from the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super NES. Edge magazine said this was a weakness, explaining that Kirby 64 lacked new ideas when other Nintendo games were introducing more advanced 3D features. They wrote, "The game does not offer enough original ideas or lasting appeal to stand out among other creative platformers on the N64." GameFan mentioned that while Kirby 64 was a welcome change from 3D games, its graphics looked similar to Super NES games and would quickly seem outdated.
Critics said Kirby 64 had problems with how long it lasted and how challenging it was. N64 Magazine said the early levels were fun but later parts became boring, and they believed the game would have been better with more complex level design. They called it "short and repetitive." Nintendo Life said the game suffered from being too short. Electronic Gaming Monthly wrote that the game's slow pace and low difficulty made it hard to stay interested for long. Both magazines agreed that collecting all the game's shards added some challenge, but GameSpot said this could be completed in three days. IGN and Hyper recommended the game as a rental for older players and only as a purchase for children. The game's "cute" graphics and story also led critics to suggest it was better for children. Minigames were criticized for not adding much to the game's lasting appeal, though some compared them positively to Mario Party.
Although some critics criticized the graphics for being simple and cartoonish, others praised them. N64 Magazine called the visuals the best part of the game, highlighting the scenery and environments. Electronic Gaming Monthly said the colors were "bright" and "clean," and Hyper described the look as resembling a picture book with soft, pastel-like shading. Nintendo Power compared the game's style to Yoshi's Story. IGN wrote that Kirby 64 looked "Simple. Cartoony. Colorful. […] It's a Kirby game, and it looks exactly as you'd expect it would." Several critics praised the character animations. GameSpot said the characters looked realistic, and Hyper noted that the characters and enemies had personality.
In later reviews, Nintendo Life said the game's visuals remained appealing because of its stylized colors and shading, and they felt the environments gave a sense of grandeur that other Kirby games rarely achieved. Eurogamer wrote that the game did not fully use the N64's capabilities and was not one of Nintendo's top titles, but it still called it "engaging and polished." GamesRadar listed Kirby 64 as the sixth best Kirby game (in 2012) and the 23rd best N64 game. USgamer ranked it as the 13th best traditional Kirby game out of 16 in 2017, calling it "uninspired."