I am a musician because of this game.
Apparently a bit of a divisive Kirby game? My introduction to the series, the combination powers are incredibly cool, even if there are like 2-3 that are objectively better than the rest. Generally a pretty easy game, except for one or two parts, including one boss, but 100% the game is a nice challenge.
Kirby 64 brought Kirby to the realm of 2.5D platforming. It has a bright and visually appealing aesthetic with a great soundtrack.
I’m sure a standard play, where you run through each level and do the bare minimum is a brisk and enjoyable. Playing with the different power combinations are fun and the levels themselves are varied visually where the gameplay may be lacking - a lot of it are basic left to right which is probably suited to the audience.
The true ending is frustrating, you need not just the specific power, but a combination of powers to collect every single crystal. At the very least you don’t need to finish the level for the crystal to be collected. I used a guide to cheese this, because it is really unreasonable and a waste of time and erroring which power up can destroy a block three quarters into a stage.
People say Kirby 64 is the downslope, but I sorta consider Kirby’s Dreamland 3 to be in the same general ballpark. Both are visually impressive games that don’t innovate on the 2D plat-former. Can be beaten quickly if you avoid all side content, but the moment you shift gears it’s difficult and unrewarding pulls from some crazy overarching plot.
I’m sure a standard play, where you run through each level and do the bare minimum is a brisk and enjoyable. Playing with the different power combinations are fun and the levels themselves are varied visually where the gameplay may be lacking - a lot of it are basic left to right which is probably suited to the audience.
The true ending is frustrating, you need not just the specific power, but a combination of powers to collect every single crystal. At the very least you don’t need to finish the level for the crystal to be collected. I used a guide to cheese this, because it is really unreasonable and a waste of time and erroring which power up can destroy a block three quarters into a stage.
People say Kirby 64 is the downslope, but I sorta consider Kirby’s Dreamland 3 to be in the same general ballpark. Both are visually impressive games that don’t innovate on the 2D plat-former. Can be beaten quickly if you avoid all side content, but the moment you shift gears it’s difficult and unrewarding pulls from some crazy overarching plot.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is a delightful trip down memory lane for fans of the pink puffball, and a great introduction for newcomers. With its charming 2.5D visuals, surprisingly catchy soundtrack, and the innovative ability to combine powers, Kirby retains his classic platforming fun while adding welcome new mechanics. The game's length may be on the shorter side, but the varied worlds and simple yet addictive gameplay give it a high replayability factor. I'd definitely recommend this one to any Nintendo fans!
If you think of a game that completely streams infinite charm, Kirby 64 should be one of the first names that will come to mind.
This title is absolutely adorable, featuring some of the most expressive world and characters of its time, and an adventure that doesn't just screams personality in its writing, cutscenes, memorable characters and really enjoyable multiplayer modes, but also in its gameplay.
The main mechanic of this title, unique even compared to the rest of the srries, is the ability to combine abilities together to create a surprisingly amount of different trasformations, each of them with their own gimmick. Some of them are sick and really effective, while others are useless or straight up a joke.... but that is the charm of discovering and using them.
You feel like living a goofy Hanna-Barbera skit for the amount of funny absurdity and cute moments you will witness, while having fun with the always solid Kirby formula.
Personally I feel compared to other games from the series, it has some flaws: it can feel to slow for most of the runtime, the requirements to achieve the "True Ending" (WHICH YOU SHOULD TRY TO GET) can be tedious and lead to replay levels over and over again, and the lack of a higher difficulty can turn it into a less enjoyable titles, especially compared to the difficulty options of later Kirby titles.
But aside from these flaws, Kirby 64 is an absolute charm! A must-have for the time, and a title able to stand out even today!
This title is absolutely adorable, featuring some of the most expressive world and characters of its time, and an adventure that doesn't just screams personality in its writing, cutscenes, memorable characters and really enjoyable multiplayer modes, but also in its gameplay.
The main mechanic of this title, unique even compared to the rest of the srries, is the ability to combine abilities together to create a surprisingly amount of different trasformations, each of them with their own gimmick. Some of them are sick and really effective, while others are useless or straight up a joke.... but that is the charm of discovering and using them.
You feel like living a goofy Hanna-Barbera skit for the amount of funny absurdity and cute moments you will witness, while having fun with the always solid Kirby formula.
Personally I feel compared to other games from the series, it has some flaws: it can feel to slow for most of the runtime, the requirements to achieve the "True Ending" (WHICH YOU SHOULD TRY TO GET) can be tedious and lead to replay levels over and over again, and the lack of a higher difficulty can turn it into a less enjoyable titles, especially compared to the difficulty options of later Kirby titles.
But aside from these flaws, Kirby 64 is an absolute charm! A must-have for the time, and a title able to stand out even today!