Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

 Nintendo 64
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22
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  1. Gaming Age
    91
    With fantastic level designs, great enemies and power-ups, as well as the addition of some fun and entertaining multiplayer modes, Kirby is a must have.
  2. Game Fan
    90
    A stunning example of unadulterated fun from yesteryear, tweaked only to take advantage of today's technology; the Nintendo 64 itself may age like vinegar, but the minds behind it continue to churn out fine wine.
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  3. GamePro
    90
    He may be a pink puffball, but he's also an enemy-eating, power-stealing, fire-breathing bad ass.
  5. Gaming Maxx
    87
    Although a few downsides, it is pretty much a good platformer that fans of classic games and Kirby games will defiantly need to pick up.
  6. TotalGames.net
    86
    Shouts of "Who’s that bloody pink blob that keeps nicking my fruit?" rang across the office long after we should’ve all been hard at work on other things and it’s safe to say that Kirby 64 is going to be a game that will get a lot of use in the coming months.
  7. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    83
    A short but sweet platformer that, unlike Kirby, definitely does not suck. [Jan 2004, p.189]
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  8. CheckOut
    80
    The only knock on the game is that it is not particularly lengthy when compared to a behemoth like "DK64."
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  9. Nintendorks
    80
    Whatever the reasons may be, just rent Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, ignore any qualms about difficulty or length and for the few days you have it proceed to bask in the glow of great fun emanating from your TV screen.
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  10. Antagonist -- Ant.com
    80
    Fans of the rotund wonder will be delighted, but newcomers to the Pink One may find the gameplay not challenging enough.
    All this publication's reviews
  11. Hot Games
    80
    Inoffensive, cute, and somewhat challenging, "Kirby 64" won't slay you with great graphics or spectacular gameplay, but it will keep younger gamers interested for quite a while.
  12. IGN
    79
    Make no mistake, "Kirby" is the amusement park prize goldfish of N64 games since most people will be through and done with this game, never to return, fairly quickly.
  13. Happy Puppy
    75
    As revoltingly adorable as he is, Kirby can be quite a badass, and--if you give it a chance--you'll see that his new N64 adventure is pretty hardcore as well.
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  14. Daily Radar
    75
    Any young gamer age five to 10 will be overjoyed by all that "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards" has to offer, while seasoned gamers will be left wanting more.
    All this publication's reviews
  15. Games Radar
    75
    It's about as difficult as fighting your way out of a ripped paper bag.

Awards & Rankings

15
#15 Best N64 Game of 2000
5
#5 Most Discussed N64 Game of 2000
9
#9 Most Shared N64 Game of 2000

User Reviews

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User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 130 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 97 out of 130
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 130
  3. Negative: 5 out of 130
  1. zeta204
    Aug 16, 2012
    10
    Haters aside, a side-scroller Kirby game is one of the best games available for the N64. As someone with limited experience with the KirbyHaters aside, a side-scroller Kirby game is one of the best games available for the N64. As someone with limited experience with the Kirby franchise, I was really surprised by this game. The power-up system is pretty awesome and the game has decent graphics for a game on this platform. Over, this is an experience worth having.… Full Review »
  2. DylanTJ2001
    Oct 4, 2022
    8
    Fun and vibrant, like every kirby game. Absorbing powers and even combining them is fun but also means that everyone can approach the gameFun and vibrant, like every kirby game. Absorbing powers and even combining them is fun but also means that everyone can approach the game differently.

    The game is easy, in a relaxing, fun way. However, the final boss is quite a bit more challenging than any other part of the game, which might stop people newer to the gaming world from completing what is otherwise a simple and fun game.    … Full Review »
  3. FreedomFighters
    Mar 4, 2018
    7
    "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards" is often seen as one of the greatest console "Kirby" games of all time. Being one of the few legitimate "Kirby""Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards" is often seen as one of the greatest console "Kirby" games of all time. Being one of the few legitimate "Kirby" platformer games on a home console, many look favorably at "Kirby 64" and have great memories with the game, loving its faithfulness to the series as well as the ability to copy two abilities at once, and they often consider it to be a great game. And, while I'm not crazy about the game, it was still good fun overall (remember, 7 out of 10 to me is "good," not "mixed).
    "Kirby 64" has a lot going for it: it's relatively fun overall, the visuals are still colorful and nice to look at, the music is amazing, and the controls are solid. There's quite a few things that work here, and the game as a whole is pretty well-crafted. To go along with that, there's even a decent bit of challenge here, making it feel pretty satisfying when you finally beat the game.
    Unfortunately, a few things work against the game: for starters, it's fairly short, and I can't imagine you'll really want to come back to play the game many times after your first play. On top of that, the game just starts to lose its luster after a while, and while you'll be loving it for the first few worlds, the game will get a bit boring after a while.
    All in all, though, "Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards" is a safe, good, fun little 2.5D platformer that's worth a good play through. Seeing that it's only $10 on the Wii U eShop, that's a great price for a nice, cute, relatively fun game.
    Final rating: 7 out of 10 "Good"    … Full Review »
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