Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

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Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Single-player, multiplayer

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

minigames
.

Development began in September 1997. The game was intended for the N64's

N64 controller's analog stick for Kirby 64, but switched to the D-pad
about a year before release.

The game received mainly positive reviews, with praise directed at its colorful visuals and classic style of gameplay, but criticism towards its underwhelming low difficulty and short length. The game was rereleased for the

home consoles until Kirby's Return to Dream Land
(2011).

Gameplay

HUD
.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is a

Waddle Dee, after each of them stumble upon a crystal shard and end up being possessed by Dark Matter, forcing Kirby to battle each of them in order to free them from the Dark Matter's influence.[3]

Similar to contemporary platformers such as Pandemonium! (1996) and Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (1997),[1] Kirby 64 is a 2.5D platformer;[4] although environments and characters are rendered in 3D computer graphics, gameplay is restricted to a 2D plane.[1][5] Players control Kirby using the Nintendo 64 controller's D-pad.[2][3] Like earlier Kirby games, Kirby can walk or run, crouch, jump, and inhale enemies or objects to spit them out as bullets.[1][2][3] He can fly for a limited time by inflating himself; while flying, Kirby cannot attack or use his other abilities, though he can release a weak puff of air.[3] By eating certain enemies, Kirby can gain one of seven copy abilities, power-ups allowing him to take on the properties the enemy possessed. In certain levels, Kirby will ride on King Dedede's back, allowing him to clear certain obstacles with Dedede's hammer; in other levels, Kirby rides a minecart or log flume piloted by Waddle Dee.[5]

Kirby 64 introduces Power Combos,[3] the option to combine Kirby's copy abilities.[1][2] 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 latter two methods create a colored star that can be collected to obtain the Power Combo.[3] There are 28 possible combinations, which are stronger than normal copy abilities or have added effects. For instance, by combining the "Burn" and "Needle" abilities, Kirby can shoot fire arrows.[6] Players can also mix two of the same abilities, which will increase their power.[7]

The game takes place across six worlds, which are split into several

bosses that the player must defeat to proceed.[1] Players must collect all of the crystal shards to reach the game's final boss and true ending.[2]

Outside the

difficulty level and control Kirby, King Dedede, Adeleine, or Waddle Dee.[2][3]

Development

N64 controller's analog stick as pictured, but this was changed to the D-pad
during development.

Kirby 64 was developed by

failed commercially.[10]

By October 1997, HAL had created a prototype to experiment with Kirby in 3D.[6] The studio worked this prototype, which used the N64 controller's analog stick to control Kirby,[6][11] until about a year before release.[6] Saito said the prototype was nearly finished and "was pretty good," but the team felt they could do better. HAL changed the control configuration from the analog stick to the D-pad because the game was played on a 2.5D plane rather than a 3D one. At Space World in 1999, the developers observed children play with the original setup. They noticed the children would leave the N64 controller on the promotional stand when using the analog stick, and had trouble using the Z shoulder button that was essential in the configuration. Coming up with a new control scheme led to debate since HAL used the Z button prominently in Super Smash Bros. (1999). The team settled on the D-pad configuration after a successful test with elementary school students.[6]

Kirby 64 was directed by Shinichi Shimomura, who had previously directed

Waddle Dee, whose gameplay focused on picking up objects[5]), but only Kirby and King Dedede remained playable in the final game.[5] Ribbon the fairy was conceived as a means to switch the player's character.[11] The N64's technology also made four-player minigames possible.[5]

The game's soundtrack was provided by Jun Ishikawa and Hirokazu Ando, both regular composers for the Kirby series. Its stylistic influences include synth-pop and techno. Ishikawa spent about a year creating most of the game's music and sound effects, and believed that composing the music for the final areas as jazz music would surprise players used to the series' typical electronic influences. Late into development, Ishikawa was informed of a boss that he was not aware of, which required him to quickly compose a track by reusing samples from songs he had already finished. The result, a minimalist drum and bass song with no melody, pleased the designers of the boss.[12]

Publisher

Return to Dream Land (2011).[16]

Nintendo re-released Kirby 64 for the Virtual Console on the Wii and Wii U in 2008 and 2015, respectively.[17] The game was also included in Kirby's Dream Collection (2012), a 20th anniversary compilation of Kirby titles for the Wii.[18] Kirby 64 was re-released on May 20, 2022, on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Service.

Reception

Kirby 64 received "generally favorable reviews", according to the review aggregator Metacritic.[19] Critics likened it to other 2.5D platformers on the N64 including Goemon's Great Adventure (1998) and Yoshi's Story (1997),[22][23][4] Some felt its gameplay and visuals were reminiscent of older platform games for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super NES.[2][4][24] Edge viewed this as a detriment, writing that the game suffered from a lack of innovation in the midst of other Nintendo franchises establishing themselves within the growing 3D game market. They explained, writing: "There is simply not enough originality or longevity on offer for Kirby 64 to stand out among the wealth of inventive platformers already on the N64."[20] GameFan wrote that while it was a nice break from 3D games, Kirby 64's graphics resembled Super NES games and it would soon appear antiquated.[22]

Critics believed Kirby 64 lacked in longevity and difficulty.

N64 Magazine felt the early levels were enjoyable but that later stages became stale, and opined that the game would have benefited from more complex level design.[4] They believed Kirby 64 had wasted potential and described it as "short-lived and repetitive."[4] Electronic Gaming Monthly wrote that "the game's slower pace and low difficulty made it hard to stay interested after a while."[25] Both magazines agreed that attempting to find all the shards added some challenge,[4][25] but GameSpot wrote that even this content could be completed within a three-day rental period.[7] IGN and Hyper also recommended the game as a rental to older gamers, and only as a purchase for children.[2][24] The game's "cute" graphics and story elements also influenced critics to recommend the game for children.[20][24][26] The minigames were also criticized for adding little to the game's longevity,[4][24] though they did draw some positive comparisons to Mario Party.[25][23]

Although the graphics were criticized for their simplicity and cuteness, they also received significant praise. N64 Magazine called the graphics the best aspect of the game and praised the scenery and environments.[4] Electronic Gaming Monthly called the colors "bright" and "clean",[25] and Hyper wrote that it looked like a picture book with its pastel-like shading.[24] Nintendo Power compared the game's cute and colorful look to Yoshi's Story.[23] IGN wrote that Kirby 64 was "Simple. Cartoony. Colorful. [...] It's a Kirby game, and it looks exactly as you'd expect it would."[2] Several critics commended the character animations.[4][2][26] GameSpot wrote that the characters were lifelike,[7] and Hyper felt there was personality in all the characters and enemies.[24]

Among retrospective reviews, Nintendo Life commented that the game's visuals held up because of their stylized shading and colors, and felt the environments gave a sense of grandeur that other Kirby titles rarely capture.

GamesRadar listed Kirby 64 as the sixth best Kirby game (in 2012) and the 23rd best N64 game.[29][30] USgamer ranked it as the 13th best traditional Kirby game out of 16 in 2017, calling it "uninspired."[31]

Notes

  1. ^ Known in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby 64 (Japanese: 星のカービィ64, Hepburn: Hoshi no Kābī Rokujūyon, lit. "Kirby of the Stars 64").
  2. ^ Score based on 22 reviews.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i GameSpot staff (February 1, 2012). "Kirby's Dreamland 64 Preview". GameSpot. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Boulding, Aaron (June 23, 2000). "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards". IGN. Archived from the original on February 22, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j HAL Laboratory (2000). Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (manual) (PDF). Nintendo. pp. 1–25. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  4. ^
    N64 Magazine
    . No. 42. pp. 58–71.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kirby's 20th Anniversary Celebration Book. Nintendo. July 19, 2012. pp. 22, 26–27.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Developer Information - Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - Games". Nintendo. Archived from the original on June 10, 2003. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d Gerstmann, Jeff (June 28, 2000). "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on January 10, 2016. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  8. ^ HAL Laboratory (March 24, 2000). Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. Nintendo. Level/area: Stage selection screen.
  9. ^ a b Ike Sato, Yukiyoshi (April 27, 2000). "N64 DD Titles Become Cartridges". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 3, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  10. ^ a b Schneider, Peer (February 9, 2001). "Everything About the 64DD". IGN. Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  11. ^
    ISBN 978-4091065117
    .
  12. ^ "Keyboard Magazine 2017 SUMMER". Ritto Music. 2017. pp. 55, 56, 59.
  13. ^ IGN staff (May 12, 1999). "Kirby's Surprise N64 Appearance". IGN. Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  14. ^ I. G. N. Staff (June 15, 2000). "Kirby Online". IGN. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  15. ^ "Updated US N64 Release Schedule". GameSpot. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  16. ^ Goldfarb, Andrew (October 26, 2011). "Nintendo Reveals Three Abandoned Kirby Games - IGN". IGN. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  17. Nintendo Life. Archived
    from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  18. Nintendo Life. Archived
    from the original on July 17, 2018.
  19. ^ a b c "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards for Nintendo 64 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on June 8, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  20. ^ a b c "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards". Edge. No. 85. June 2000. p. 84.
  21. ^ "ニンテンドウ64 – 星のカービィ64". Famitsu. No. 915. June 30, 2006. p. 29.
  22. ^ a b c "Kirby 64: Crystal Shards". GameFan. No. 83. July 2000. pp. 52–53.
  23. ^ a b c d "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards". Nintendo Power. No. 134. July 2000. p. 116.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h O'Shea, Nick (November 2000). "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards". Hyper. No. 84. pp. 66–67.
  25. ^ a b c d e "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 134. September 2000. p. 158.
  26. ^ a b "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards". GamePro. No. 142. July 2000. p. 84. Archived from the original on August 8, 2019.
  27. Nintendo Life. Archived
    from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  28. ^ Whitehead, Dan (March 7, 2008). "Virtual Console Roundup". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on August 16, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  29. ^ "Best Kirby games". GamesRadar. September 18, 2012. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  30. ^ "The best N64 games of all time". GamesRadar. August 3, 2016. Archived from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  31. ^ "All of the Kirby Games, Ranked From Worst to Best". USgamer. April 29, 2017. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.

External links

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