Kirby 64 was the first Kirby game I ever owned and still remains one of my favorites. So there might be a bit of nostalgia bias here, but in my opinion, it still very much holds up today as one of the best games of the series. And yet, I find it frequently overlooked in favor of Adventure or Superstar or even Return to Dreamland, which I personally find a great, but much less fulfilling 3D adventure.
This seems to be a result of its core mechanics, which are certainly unique from other games in the series. First off, there's its side-scrolling 3D environments, which remains the single best use of "2.5D" I have ever seen. In addition, each and every level is a unique environment, which makes the worlds you explore much more varied and memorable than other Kirby games.
Next, is the powers. Unlike other games, you only have a small amount of core powers, but can combine them together into numerous other ones. These vary greatly in usefulness, but most of the fun comes from simply experimenting and seeing what pops out. Over the years, there have been many unique mechanics added to Kirby games, but I have yet to see any that comes close to being as fun or interesting as the combo powers. I can only hope they will one day be brought back, especially with the much greater variety of powers in the modern era. Just think of the possibilities!
Lastly, the crystal shards themselves. Like other games, these are the main collectible required to unlock the true ending. For the most part, collecting them isn't much of a challenge. Many shards are just slightly out of the way or hidden behind color-coded barriers that blatantly tell you what power or combo power is needed to break it. A select few of them however, can be very tricky. One in particular pretty much requires you to be familiar with Kirby's Dreamland 3 and its animal buddies in order to get. Thankfully, once you've collected a shard, you can exit the level and keep it with no hassle.
I've been waiting a long time for this classic to get an HD remake, but in the meantime, you can now play it as part of the Kirby's Dream Collection. And you should, as it's one of the most enjoyable Kirby experiences out there.
The Underrated Gem of Kirby
Or should I say crystal?
Kirby 64 was the first Kirby game I ever owned and still remains one of my favorites. So there might be a bit of nostalgia bias here, but in my opinion, it still very much holds up today as one of the best games of the series. And yet, I find it frequently overlooked in favor of Adventure or Superstar or even Return to Dreamland, which I personally find a great, but much less fulfilling 3D adventure.
This seems to be a result of its core mechanics, which are certainly unique from other games in the series. First off, there's its side-scrolling 3D environments, which remains the single best use of "2.5D" I have ever seen. In addition, each and every level is a unique environment, which makes the worlds you explore much more varied and memorable than other Kirby games.
Next, is the powers. Unlike other games, you only have a small amount of core powers, but can combine them together into numerous other ones. These vary greatly in usefulness, but most of the fun comes from simply experimenting and seeing what pops out. Over the years, there have been many unique mechanics added to Kirby games, but I have yet to see any that comes close to being as fun or interesting as the combo powers. I can only hope they will one day be brought back, especially with the much greater variety of powers in the modern era. Just think of the possibilities!
Lastly, the crystal shards themselves. Like other games, these are the main collectible required to unlock the true ending. For the most part, collecting them isn't much of a challenge. Many shards are just slightly out of the way or hidden behind color-coded barriers that blatantly tell you what power or combo power is needed to break it. A select few of them however, can be very tricky. One in particular pretty much requires you to be familiar with Kirby's Dreamland 3 and its animal buddies in order to get. Thankfully, once you've collected a shard, you can exit the level and keep it with no hassle.
I've been waiting a long time for this classic to get an HD remake, but in the meantime, you can now play it as part of the Kirby's Dream Collection. And you should, as it's one of the most enjoyable Kirby experiences out there.