Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Box art forKirby 64: The Crystal Shards in various regions. Details Developer(s) HAL Laboratory Publisher(s) Nintendo Designer(s) Shinichi Shimomura Release date(s) Nintendo 64 March 24, 2000 June 26, 2000 June 22, 2001 June 22, 2001 Virtual Console (Wii) February 25, 2008 March 7, 2008 March 7, 2008 April 15, 2008 September 16, 2008[1] Virtual Console (Wii U) June 25, 2015 June 26, 2015 July 30, 2015 August 19, 2015 Nintendo 64: Nintendo Switch Online May 20, 2022 May 20, 2022 May 20, 2022 May 20, 2022 Platform(s) Nintendo 64 Wii(Virtual Console,Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition) Wii U(Virtual Console) Nintendo Switch(Nintendo 64: Nintendo Switch Online) Supported languages Japanese, American English Rating(s) ESRB: PEGI: CERO:

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Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is a side-scrolling platformer in the mainKirby series featuringKirby and some of his friends, produced byHAL Laboratory and initially released in 2000 and 2001 for theNintendo 64. It is notable for being the first installment in the series to depict Kirby and his surroundings in full 3D, although only for visual effects. LikeKirby's Dream Land 2 andKirby's Dream Land 3 before it,Kirby 64 was not directed byMasahiro Sakurai, but instead byShinichi Shimomura. Unlike those titles, however,Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards does not featureAnimal Friends with which to combine and alter Kirby'sCopy Abilities. Instead, Kirby does this himself by combining abilities together intoPower Combos. This results in 36 total unique abilities that Kirby can use in the game.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards departs from earlier games in the series in other ways as well. In addition to being the first game in the series to use 3D graphics, it also is the first game to give Kirby an upper limit to how high he canhover, the first game to allow him toinhale underwater, the first game to let him hold enemies and objects over his head or toss them, and the first game in the series to give hima voice courtesy ofMakiko Ohmoto.Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards also features threeSub-Games which can be played with up to four players, completely separate from the main game.

Story[edit]

The story ofKirby 64: The Crystal Shards begins on a far-off planet calledRipple Star, which is inhabited byfairies who guard a powerful crystal. Shortly before the game begins, an ill-willed cloud of darkness calledDark Matter attacks Ripple Star. Concerned with the crystal's safety, theQueen instructsRibbon, a young fairy, to take the crystal and escape to a safe place with it. Ribbon obeys her ruler, but as she flies off into deep space, she is pursued by fragments of Dark Matter. Eventually, they catch up to her and shatter her crystal, splitting it into severalCrystal Shards and causing Ribbon to plummet towards Kirby's home planet ofPop Star.

It is not long before Ribbon meets Kirby, as she unintentionally uses him to break her fall. After both of them find and merge two of the scattered Crystal Shards, Ribbon explains her predicament to Kirby, who instantly agrees to help out. While they search for the missing shards on Pop Star, they come across aWaddle Dee, an artist girl calledAdeleine, and even Kirby's rivalKing Dedede. Each of them find a Crystal Shard, and subsequently get possessed by the fragments of Dark Matter that followed Ribbon; one by one, Kirby purges them of the evil substance and convinces them to join his cause. The group then travels to several planets to look for shards, using the crystal's ability to open portals to new worlds.

After traveling through several regions on numerous planets, the group finally gets the chance to travel to Ripple Star, only to see the planet in a sorry state, covered by thick clouds of Dark Matter. Ribbon is visibly shocked to see her home planet in such a condition, but the rest of the group quickly reassures her. They then journey to Ripple Star together, where they battle their way into the palace and confrontMiracle Matter, the apparent master of the Dark Matter. Kirby manages to defeat the foe and restore peace to the fairy planet, but if any Crystal Shards remain uncollected, the storyends on a sour note. After Kirby and his friends leave the planet to return home in a spaceship, the Queen can be seen turning to the camera with a malicious glare, suggesting that she is not quite herself.

The ending changes if Kirby and his friends manage to collect all of the Crystal Shards. In this case, the restored crystal reveals the Queen to have been possessed and expels the Dark Matter from her body. This remaining Dark Matter then flies off into space, where it forms a new level calledDark Star. Intending to destroy this threat once and for all, Kirby calls hisWarp Star and the group use it to fly into this new eerie world. Once inside, Kirby and Ribbon gain a boost from their friends in order to combat0² – the true master of the Dark Matter, who bears a striking resemblance to Kirby's old enemyZero – in a fierce battle. The two of them manage to defeat the creature with the help of the Crystal Shards, and the Dark Matter is eliminated for good. To thank the heroes for their efforts, the Queen of Ripple Star awards each of Kirby's team with a medal in the form of the crystal. In the end, Kirby also receives a kiss from Ribbon.

Gameplay[edit]

Despite the fact thatKirby 64: The Crystal Shards features full 3D graphics for the first time, the game itself still plays like a 2D sidescroller. The game makes another distinction from its predecessors, giving Kirby only seven different abilities to copy, as opposed to the vast ability pool of other games. The base abilities areBurn,Stone,Ice,Needle,Bomb,Spark, andCutter. However, by inhaling enemies, Kirby can create ability stars, which he can spit at other enemies. If an ability star connects to another enemy with an ability, the two abilities will merge and form aPower Combo. By combining abilities, Kirby can master 28 different abilities, plus the seven base abilities, making a total of 35 abilities. While ability combinations exist and have existed to a degree in several other titles,Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is the first and so far only game in the series where every copy ability can be mixed with every other ability (excludingRibbon's Crystal).

The game features six levels, or planets, each with three or four stages and one boss fight. From the beginning, only the first stage of Pop Star is available. In every stage, there are three Crystal Shards to be found. The Crystal Shards are often hidden in remote places or behind obstacles that can be destroyed only by a certain ability (usually indicated by the obstacle's color). Finding all the Crystal Shards is not necessary to complete the game, but it is essential to 100% complete the game, as finding all 74 Crystal Shards (66 from every stage, six from every boss, and two during the intro) unlocks the true ending of the game.

Characters[edit]

Image	Character	Description	Manual bio
	Kirby	Kirby returns as the main playable character and protagonist of this game. AfterRibbon crashes into him in the opening scene, Kirby agrees to help her recover the lostCrystal Shards which have scattered across the galaxy. Instead of relying on hisAnimal Friends to help him, Kirby now boasts the ability to combine his ownCopy Ability powers to createPower Combos. Every ability Kirby gains can be combined with another or with itself to create surprising methods of defeating enemies. Despite this, he still will not be heading out alone, as he will bring a cadre of friends to help rid the afflicted Stars of Dark Matter's presence.	"Kirby, naturally, is the hero of this tale. Kind and jolly by nature, he turns tough-guy to lend his storied talents to the imperiled fairies of the Ripple Star planet. Surely he'll be able to recover the Crystal Shards." (page 22)
	Ribbon	Newly introduced in this game, Ribbon is a young fairy girl fromRipple Star. Unfortunate circumstances led her to attempt to flee her homeworld with a massive crystal, but the invading Dark Matter pursues her through outer space and manages to knock her away, shattering the crystal in the process. She crash-lands onPop Star with only a single shard of the crystal left in her grasp, but manages to land right on top of Kirby's head, who agrees to help her find the missing pieces. Their journey takes the two across several levels until they return to Ripple Star to deal with the invading Dark Matter. Ribbon does not appear to be a fighter and tends to keep behind Kirby for most of the journey, but she may be able tolend her power when the need arises.	"A fairy from Ripple Star, Ribbon escapes the planet with the fairies' Crystal, only to fall victim to a Dark Matter ambush. When she loses control of the Crystal, she turns to Kirby for help." (page 22)
	King Dedede	This gluttonous bird-man styles himself as a king, and has been Kirby's arch-rival for a long time. When he finds one of the scattered Crystal Shards, he seeks to keep it for himself, and will not let Kirby have it. Before long, however, Dark Matter appears and possesses the king to get at his shard, and Kirby must fight Dedede to get rid of the dark presence. Once the invading creature is driven off, King Dedede comes to his senses and, reluctantly, agrees to join Kirby's team to save the galaxy. At several points during their adventure, King Dedede appears to clear away obstructions using his massive hammer.	"Long-time rival King Dedede finds one of the missing Crystal Shards on his castle grounds. Whatever will he do with it?" (page 22)
	Waddle Dee	An unassuming resident ofPop Star, Waddle Dee becomes a stalwart member of Kirby's team when the pink puffball saves him from possession by Dark Matter, who had turned him momentarily into aWaddle Doo-like form. Waddle Dee may not look like much, but he has many tricks and gadgets which can help Kirby get through various obstacles in the levels they travel through. This is the first main-seriesKirby game that does not featureWaddle Dees as standard enemies. The second would not be untilKirby and the Forgotten Land, 22 years later.	"Kirby cohort Waddle Dee gets himself in gobs of trouble when he happens upon another of the powerful Shards." (page 22)
	Adeleine	A humanoid girl who visited Pop Star to practice painting. She is possessed by Dark Matter, but even though her artwork literally leaps off the page, she is not much of a fighter. After Kirby rescues her, she proves to be a reliable ally as she conjures up useful items for Kirby's journey. Adeleine will also attempt to look ahead for clues to find hidden Crystal Shards, and convey what she finds to Kirby via her illustrations.	"Adeleine, an aspiring young artist, comes to Pop Star to study art but finds herself in the middle of a Dark Matter mess." (page 22)
	Queen	The sovereign ruler of Ripple Star sends Ribbon off with the crystal in order to prevent Dark Matter from getting a hold of it. When Kirby and Ribbon return to Ripple Star to save her, she seems relieved, but she is revealed to have been possessed by0². Once 0² is defeated, she thanks Kirby and his friends, and gives them medals of honor.	N/A
	Dark Matter	Dark Matter is the principal villain of the game. It primarily takes the form of an amorphous black mass capable of engulfing entire planets. It can also split off pieces of itself as needed to possess hapless denizens of otherwise peaceful Stars. Its main aim is to capture the Crystal, but for what purpose is uncertain.	"The cloud, a sinister force known as Dark Matter, had come in search of the fairies' secret treasure--their shining Crystal." (page 4)

Levels[edit]

There are a total of seven levels. Most levels have five stages, the last of which is a boss battle. Every level's name consists of a single word, followed by "Star". Both the first and the sixth level have only four stages each, and the last one consists solely of the final boss battle.

Level	Appearance	Stages	Boss	Mid-Bosses	Description
Pop Star		4	Whispy Woods	BigN-Z,Waddle Dee,Big Bouncy,Adeleine,King Dedede	Pop Star is a verdant world with wide-open grasslands, deep forests, and ancient castles. TheCrystal Shards here are relatively easy to find, and a mid-boss awaits Kirby at the end of each regular stage.
Rock Star		5	Pix	BigKacti, BigFishbone, BigSpark-i	Rock Star features extensive desert zones, along with massive caverns, ancient ruins, and a futuristic pyramid. Shards can be tricky to find, and lots of enemies are invulnerable hazards. The interior of the black pyramid can be tricky to navigate.
Aqua Star		5	Acro	BigTick, BigKany, BigKapar, BigBlowfish	Aqua Star is a very wet world, featuring tropical shorelines, river rapids, and deep ocean zones. Some shards are hidden away, while others require good timing to obtain. Kirby will have to fight against deep-sea currents in later stages.
Neo Star		5	Magman	BigGalbo	Neo Star is a wild world featuring deep jungles, high craggy cliffs, massive caverns, and active volcanoes. Kirby must mind the terrain much more so than the enemies as he traverses this level. Shards are often hidden in hard-to-reach spots.
Shiver Star		5	HR-H/HR-E	BigChilly, BigMopoo, BigPupa, BigBurnis	Shiver Star is a very cold world with snowy drifts, solid cloudscapes, a massive shopping complex, and a deep underground factory. Shards are relatively out in the open but are guarded by a multitude of varied enemies. Shiver Star bears an uncanny resemblance to the real-world planetEarth, albeit frozen over.
Ripple Star		4	Miracle Matter	BigSawyer	Ripple Star is a heart-shaped analogue to Pop Star, though much more heavily developed in terms of architecture. Crystal Shards are relatively easy to obtain here, but enemies amass in great numbers, particularly in the palace. If Kirby did not collect every shard prior to defeating the boss of this realm, this will be the last world he visits.
Dark Star		1	0²		Dark Star is a level made from the coalesced Dark Matter that was expelled from thequeen by the reassembled Crystal. It is the only planet without a stage select screen, since only one stage is played. There is very little terrain to traverse here, and few enemies to fight before the showdown against the final boss.

Copy Abilities[edit]

Regular Powers[edit]

Name	Appearance	Icon	Function
Burn			Kirby flies forward a short distance as an invulnerable fireball.
Stone			Kirby gains a hide of stone which lets him walk through enemies unharmed.
Ice			Kirby breathes a cone of frost which can freeze enemies into kickable ice blocks.
Needle			Kirby grows long spikes that pierce enemies.
Bomb			Kirby drops (or if the B Button is held, throws) a bomb.
Spark			Kirby generates a small field of electricity around him. He can walk while the ability is active.
Cutter			Kirby flings part of his body as a boomerang. Only one can be thrown at a time.

Power Combos[edit]

Name	Appearance	Icon	Function
Burn-Burn			Transforms Kirby into a large fireball and lets him fly over a long distance.
Burn-Stone			Lets Kirby shoot burning rocks at enemies like a volcano. The direction can be altered with the Directional Pad.
Burn-Ice			Changes Kirby into a burning ice cube that instantly melts.
Burn-Needle			Transforms Kirby into a bow that shoots flaming arrows at enemies. The angle can be altered by holding down the B Button.
Burn-Bomb			Kirby summons three firework explosions with good range.
Burn-Spark			Kirby rubs his head with a tinder sheet and lights it on fire, running about and damaging any enemies he makes contact with.
Burn-Cutter			Gives Kirby a flaming sword to swing at enemies. When held over his head by pressing up, it can be thrown at enemies.
Stone-Stone			Transforms Kirby into a giant version of himself, made of rocks. Can pass most enemies unharmed. This may have been an inspiration for theMetal ability in later games.
Stone-Ice			Transforms Kirby into a curling stone that slides through enemies.
Stone-Needle			Gives Kirby a giant drill that can be used against enemies. The drill head can also be launched forward.
Stone-Bomb			Lets Kirby use dynamite that harms all enemies on screen. Kirby must be ducking when the dynamite explodes or he gets hurt as well.
Stone-Spark			Lets Kirby summon a giant rock which he controls with a leash of electricity. The rock soars through the air and bounces off of walls and floors.
Stone-Cutter			Transforms Kirby into stone figurines of his friends fromKirby's Dream Land 3. The various animals possess different abilities.
Ice-Ice			Transforms Kirby into a rolling snowball that grows in size and runs over any enemy on its way. The direction cannot be changed.
Ice-Needle			Lets Kirby hide inside a giant snowflake made of ice. Possesses great range, but is slow and makes Kirby unable to move.
Ice-Bomb			Transforms Kirby into a walking snowman. The snowman eventually explodes, taking out enemies nearby.
Ice-Spark			Turns Kirby into a refrigerator that generates healing food. The thrown food can also damage enemies.
Ice-Cutter			Gives Kirby a pair of skates and lets him ice-skate through stages. He can also twist jump when the A Button is pressed.
Needle-Needle			Gives Kirby the ability to use various pointy objects against enemies.
Needle-Bomb			Transforms Kirby into a Gordo that can float through the air. After a short time the Gordo will explode and launch its spikes across the screen.
Needle-Spark			Lets Kirby change into a lightning conductor and summon a bolt that fries enemies.
Needle-Cutter			Transforms Kirby into a giant bear trap with two big spiky arms. The arms snap together once the B Button is released.
Bomb-Bomb			Changes Kirby into a rocket launcher that shoots three missiles. The missiles home in on enemies.
Bomb-Spark			Lets Kirby transform into a light bulb. The bulb can attack enemies, as well as lighten up dark rooms.
Bomb-Cutter			Gives Kirby an arsenal of shuriken that can be thrown at enemies. The projectiles explode when they make contact with something.
Spark-Spark			Lets Kirby generate a giant electrical force field around himself that calls lightning down upon enemies. The force field shrinks if Kirby moves around while using it.
Spark-Cutter			Gives Kirby a double-bladed lightsaber which he can wield against enemies. Crouching will discard the lightsaber.
Cutter-Cutter			Gives Kirby a greater boomerang to throw at his enemies. Only one boomerang can be thrown at a time.
Ribbon's Crystal			An ability that is usable only during the final battle against0². It lets Kirby and Ribbon fly around while shooting crystal projectiles at the enemy.

Kanji display[edit]

In the Japanese version, a selectable design for theheads-up display useskanji instead of symbols.

Enemies[edit]

Neutral enemies[edit]

These enemies do not provide any abilities when swallowed, but may have some secondary function if held above Kirby's head, if they can be inhaled at all.

Name	Appearance	Description
Bivolt		This electric-spark foe moves up and down poles and will harm Kirby on collision. It cannot be attacked in any way.
Bo		A black ball of fluff that can move slowly or fall and harm Kirby by collision.
Bonehead		A skull with wings that will flutter about when Kirby gets near and may attempt to collide with him.
Bouncy		A spring-bound bow-wearing pink creature that bounces up and down repeatedly and does not actively try to hit Kirby.
Bronto Burt		A brash pink flyer who may attempt to charge at Kirby from the background.
Bumber		A small orange creature who glides gently down through the air using its striped hat.
Chacha		A grass skirt-wearing creature that attacks by flailing its maracas at Kirby.
Drop		An amoeba-like creature made of water that hangs from ceilings and will try to drop on Kirby.
Flopper		A red fish that can sometimes be seen flopping around on land.
Flora		A conical flower-like enemy that glides gently through the air.
Flutter		A harmless butterfly that Kirby cannot attack.
Gabon		A skull-wearing creature that throws bones at Kirby.
Glom		A large frog who hides in a hole and will try to eat Kirby when he gets near. Cannot be attacked.
Glunk		A sea anemone with eyes that sticks to surfaces and fires projectiles out of its head.
Gobblin		A cactus with an alligator's mouth that tries to chomp at Kirby when he gets close. Cannot be attacked.
Gordo		A hovering spiky orb that may move back and forth. Cannot be attacked.
I³		A large cycloptic blocky foe who will attempt to crush Kirby with its girth by falling on him. Cannot be attacked.
Ignus		An igneous rock that falls from the sky. Comes in various sizes, with the larger ones splitting into smaller ones on impact.
Kany		A bright red crab-like enemy that moves back and forth and will try to snip at Kirby.
Keke		A small white-haired cat girl who rides a broomstick. She only appears in the background and cannot be interacted with.
Mahall		A mole-like creature who appears from underneath a circular floor panel and shoots bubbles at Kirby.
Mariel		A black spider-like creature with a circular body. Kirby will take damage if he inhales it.
Maw		A teardrop-shaped cycloptic enemy that will try to eat Kirby with its huge maw when he approaches. Cannot be inhaled.
Mite		A small orange creature that tunnels out of the ground and pursues Kirby.
Mopoo		A white puffball enemy that jumps out of fissures in clouds and snowbanks.
Mumbies		A floating ball enemy wrapped in bandages that will pursue Kirby slowly if he is not looking at it. Cannot be inhaled.
N-Z		A dark-gray circular creature similar in size to Kirby, with pointy ears. It holds still or runs back and forth.
Noo		A ghostly creature that tosses embers at Kirby. Cannot be attacked.
Nruff		A woolly boar-like creature that will charge and leap toward Kirby.
Pteran		A flying purple Pterodactyl-like enemy who slowly drops altitude as it glides.
Pupa		A limbless bug who drops down from the ceiling on a string, and will explode upon contact. Its string can be cut, but it cannot be inhaled.
Putt		A small worm-like creature that sits next to a large polygonal boulder. When Kirby approaches, it knocks the boulder toward him. The boulder cannot be attacked.
Sandman		A dimple-shaped sand creature that rises out of the ground to get in Kirby's way. It cannot move from its position.
Scarfy		A hovering creature with a deceptively cute face. If Kirby tries to inhale it, it will instead change to a demon and chase him.
Shotzo		A stationary cannon foe who aims at and shoots toward Kirby with slow-moving cannonballs. Cannot be attacked.
Slushy		A pale jellyfish-like enemy that drifts slowly in pools of water.
Snipper		A small orange bug with massive jaws that jumps out of sandpits and tries to snip at Kirby. Cannot be attacked.
Splinter		A spiky log that rolls toward Kirby. Cannot be attacked.
Squibby		An oddly-shaped translucent sea creature that shoots tendrils out from the top of its head.
Wall Shotzo		A Shotzo situated in the wall. It attempts to aim toward Kirby's last position before firing. Cannot be attacked.
Whispy Woods Jr.		One ofWhispy Woods' children, this sapling jumps around on a circular path, and must be defeated before Whispy himself can be fought.
Yariko		A jungle child who jumps and throws a spear at an angle toward Kirby.
Zebon		A hovering green circular blob which acts as aCannon when Kirby enters it. It cannot harm Kirby, nor can Kirby harm it.

Ability-yielding enemies[edit]

These enemies will provide a copy ability if swallowed, and can combine withAbility Stars thrown at them to make Power Combos.

Name	Appearance	Ability	Description
Blowfish		Bomb	An aquatic enemy who swims slowly or holds a position. If Kirby gets too close, it will puff up and explode in his face.
Bobo		Burn	A continuously-burning ember with eyes and feet that runs back and forth.
Burnis		Burn	A small burning bird that flies in a straight line and "drops" burning embers on Kirby.
Cairn		Stone	A living pile of rocks who hops in place.
Chilly		Ice	An anthropomorphized snowman who attacks by conjuring a freezing aura around itself.
Emp		Ice	A small black penguin who will attempt to slide away from Kirby when he approaches.
Fishbone		Cutter	A triangular fish skeleton that can throw its head as a projectile.
Frigis		Ice	A small freezing bird that flies in a straight line and "drops" icy pellets on Kirby.
Galbo		Burn	A red limbless dragon that breathes fire at Kirby.
Ghost Knight		Needle	A spectral lancer who can block attacks with its shield.
Hack		Stone	A hatchet with feet that tries to run after Kirby and crash into him.
Kacti		Needle	A small diamond-shaped cactus creature that bounces in place.
Kapar		Cutter	A green monster that throws spiky rings at Kirby. It can be found on land or in water.
Magoo		Burn	A burning black circular creature that can be found hopping out of magma pools.
Pedo		Bomb	A torpedo with eyes that will attempt to seek Kirby in underwater areas and explode on him.
Plugg		Spark	An enemy shaped like an electrical plug that jumps head-first into the floor to shoot out sparks.
Pompey		Stone	A rocky clam-shaped enemy that erupts hot stones from the top of its head.
Poppy Bros. Jr.		Bomb	A trickster dressed in blue who throws bombs at Kirby.
Propeller		Ice	A blue blob-like foe with a propeller on its head which will try to fly toward Kirby and collide with him.
Punc		Needle	A roly-poly foe covered in spikes who can retract into a ball.
Rockn		Bomb	A missile foe who flies in a straight line and will explode on impact with Kirby.
Rocky		Stone	A heavy stone enemy with eyes and feet which will try to fall on Kirby from a high place.
Sawyer		Cutter	A metal sawblade with an eye inset in the middle. It grinds along the ground and will try to run into Kirby.
Sir Kibble		Cutter	A yellow suit of armor who throws blade boomerangs at Kirby. Known in-game as "Sirkibble".
Skud		Bomb	A rocket-shaped enemy who launches itself upward and then flies back down in a haphazard trajectory.
Spark-i		Spark	A floating cycloptic orb situated within a diamond shell. It opens its shell to fire electric bolts at Kirby.
Sparky		Spark	A green teardrop-shaped blob that generates an electric field around itself in defense.
Tick		Needle	A white teardrop-shaped blob with a face that becomes decidedly less cute when it thrusts the spike atop its head.
Turbite		Spark	A hovering metal creature that spins with an electric surge toward Kirby on approach. It can also operate underwater.
Zoos		Spark	A yellow sprite who rides a thundercloud and tries to zap Kirby with lightning.

Mid-Bosses[edit]

These enemies are found in specific locations and have higher HP than normal enemies, but are not as powerful as bosses. They cannot be inhaled. The following table lists them in the order they are encountered in-game:

Name	Appearance	Location	Description
BigN-Z		Pop Star - Stage 1	A big version of N-Z who just stands in place.
Waddle Dee		Pop Star - Stage 1	Waddle Dee takes on this single-eyed appearance when possessed by Dark Matter. Unlike real Waddle Doos, he only attacks with charges and body slams. After defeating him, he cannot be fought again without starting a new file.
Big Bouncy		Pop Star - Stage 2	A big version of Bouncy who just bounces in place.
Adeleine		Pop Star - Stage 2	Adeleine turns hostile when possessed by Dark Matter. She attacks by painting monsters for Kirby to fight, then rushes after Kirby with her paintbrush when she runs out of paint. After defeating her, she cannot be fought again without starting a new file.
King Dedede		Pop Star - Stage 3	King Dedede turns hostile when possessed by Dark Matter. He is fought in two phases; once on the ground, and again in the air. After defeating him, he cannot be fought again without starting a new file.
BigKacti		Rock Star - Stage 1	A big version of Kacti who just bounces in place.
BigFishbone		Rock Star - Stage 3	A big version of Fishbone who just hovers in place.
BigSpark-i		Rock Star - Stage 4	A big version of Spark-i who stays still and occasionally fires energy projectiles at Kirby.
BigTick		Aqua Star - Stage 1	A big version of Tick who just sits in place.
BigKany		Aqua Star - Stage 2	A big version of Kany who moves back and forth.
BigKapar		Aqua Star - Stage 3	A big version of Kapar who occasionally throws projectiles.
BigBlowfish		Aqua Star - Stage 4	A big version of Blowfish which moves in a big circle around its arena.
BigGalbo		Neo Star - Stage 1	A big version of Galbo which occasionally breathes fire.
BigChilly		Shiver Star - Stage 1	A big version of Chilly who regularly conjures his freezing aura.
BigMopoo		Shiver Star - Stage 2	A big version of Mopoo which dives through the walls of the arena.
BigPupa		Shiver Star - Stage 3	A big version of Pupa which drops and rises in three different locations.
BigBurnis		Factory Tour	A big version of Burnis which flies back and forth across the arena, dropping flaming projectiles.
BigSawyer		Ripple Star - Stage 1	A big version of Sawyer which pops out of the floor in two different locations.

Bosses[edit]

Just as there are seven levels (planets), the game has seven bosses, one for each planet.

Name	Appearance	Level	Copy Abilities	Description
Whispy Woods		Pop Star	None.	This fight with Whispy takes place on a looping circular stage, with the old tree occupying the middle. Kirby must first defeat his three children, calledWhispy Woods Jr., by using the parent tree'sapples to hit them with. Once all three are gone, Whispy becomes furious, and attacks Kirby by shooting out his roots, and tossing out a lot of apples. Kirby must hit the roots to defeat the tree.
Pix		Rock Star	None.	Pix is a combative trio of octahedrons. The first phase of this fight has Kirby dodging the attacks of each Pix crystal as the platform rises into the sky. At the top, Kirby can attack Pix by spitting out constructs of similar color at the crystals to destroy them.
Acro		Aqua Star	Cutter (Fishbone),Bomb (Torpedoes)	This fight takes place entirely underwater, as Kirby has to inhale and return objects that Acro spits at him while avoiding the killer whale's acrobatics. The fight takes place in two separate phases, with a separatehealth bar for each one.
Magman		Neo Star	Burning (Magoo, Burnis)	Magman is a giant fiery-glob resembling aSandman. It fights in two phases, first with extending tendrils, then with its full body. It can cause tremors, breathe fire, and spit out smaller foes for Kirby to contend with.
HR-H and HR-E		Shiver Star	Bomb (missiles)	A giant robot that can shift form between a humanoid and a lobster shape. It attacks by shooting missiles and attacking with its arms.
Miracle Matter		Ripple Star	All base abilities	A polygonal foe with eyes on all 20 of its facets. It continually shifts forms, based on each of the baseCopy Abilities that Kirby can use in the game. To defeat it, Kirby has to attack it with the matching ability or spit out an element that appears during the attack to disable that form. Unless all theCrystal Shards were collected, this is the final boss.
0²		Dark Star	Ribbon's Crystal	The true final boss of the game that Kirby andRibbon must team up to defeat. They have to continually shoot crystals into its eye to stun it, then hit the halo to flip it and attack the green underside to defeat it. Defeating this boss completes the game.

Mini-Games[edit]

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards has threeMini-Games that can be played outside the main adventure. Every Sub-Game has a single-player mode and a multiplayer mode involving 2-4 players. The Sub-Games have four difficulty levels, each unlocked by defeating the CPU in the previous difficulty level (meaning at most 3 human players can unlock difficulty levels together): Easy, Medium, Hard, and Intense. There are four playable characters: Kirby, Waddle Dee, Adeleine, and King Dedede, who do not differ in gameplay.

• 100-Yard Hop: A game where players hop over obstacles in a race to the finish.
• Bumper Crop Bump: A game where players shove each-other to catch falling fruit.
• Checkerboard Chase: A game where players try to make the stage crumble under their opponents' feet.

Staff[edit]

The following is a list of staff who have worked onKirby 64: The Crystal Shards:

Nintendo eShop description[edit]

Kirby™ stars in his first 3D adventure, which is also his Nintendo 64™ debut.

This game finds the always-versatile hero battling a new enemy called Dark Matter. Dark Matter is after a distant land's powerful crystal, but a young fairy named Ribbon attempts to save it by escaping with the gem to Dream Land. Now the crystal has been broken, and it's scattered around the world.

Take control of Kirby, and help him journey across six worlds, battling a wide variety of enemies and challenging bosses, as he tries to collect all 100 pieces of the shattered crystal. Along the way, you'll use Kirby's trademark Copy Ability to use enemies' strengths against them. Not only that, but try combining any two abilities to create a brand-new one that is usually stronger than the original.

Throw in three exciting multiplayer minigames, and you've got a package of which even King Dedede would be proud. Fans of Kirby and action games with bright, colorful graphics should vacuum this one up.

Nintendo 64: Nintendo Switch Online description[edit]

Venture beyond Dream Land. Stop the hungering Dark Matter.

Kirby stars in his first 3D adventure, which is also his debut on the Nintendo 64™ console. This game finds the always versatile-hero battling an enemy called Dark Matter. Dark Matter is after the distant Ripple Star's powerful crystal, and a young fairy named Ribbon attempted to save it by escaping with the gem. As she fled, though, the crystal was broken and its pieces scattered. Take control of Kirby, and help him journey across six worlds, battling a wide variety of enemies and challenging bosses as he tries to collect all the pieces of the shattered crystal. Along the way, you'll use Kirby's trademark Copy Ability to use enemies' strengths against them. Not only that, but you can also combine any two abilities to create a brand-new one, which is usually stronger than the original! Throw in three exciting multiplayer minigames, and you've got a package of which even King Dedede would be proud. Fans of Kirby and action games with bright, colorful graphics should vacuum this one up.

Trivia[edit]

• Although this was the firstKirby game with 3D graphics, Kirby's actual first 3D appearance was inSuper Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64. His appearance in that game served as direct inspiration for the way he looked and sounded in this game.
  • Despite this, even earlier 3D models of Kirby have been depicted and showcased, such as Kirby's appearance in theunreleased Nintendo 64 build ofKirby Air Ride.
• The Wii Virtual Console description on Nintendo of America's website, the Wii U eShop description, and the Prima Games strategy guide incorrectly say there are 100 crystal shards to collect.^[2] There are actually only 72 shards throughout the stages, in addition to the two shards collected by Kirby and Ribbon in the "Kirby's Quest" cutscene.
• The Wii Virtual Console and Wii U eShop descriptions incorrectly suggest that this game is the first to feature Dark Matter. In actuality, that distinction varies:Kirby's Dream Land 2 introducedthe singular character, while thegreater species would first appear inKirby's Dream Land 3.
• There is a secret button code that can be used to instantly generate a100% completed save file. First, File 2 must be blank, while File 3 must be created with no progress. Then, while the HAL Laboratory logo is displayed during the game startup sequence, the player should insert the P2 controller, hold L, and press the buttons C-up, C-up, R, C-right, C-left, and Start in that order. If performed correctly, the 1-UP jingle will play to indicate that the code was input correctly, and File 3 will be replaced with a 100% completed save file, with allEnemy Info Cards collected. This code is not available on the Wii Virtual Console orKirby's Dream Collection Special Edition versions of the game, as the C button inputs are not mapped anywhere.
• All individual North American releases of the game have been rated E by the ESRB. However,Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition was rated E10+ (a rating that did not exist at the time of this game's release, having been introduced in 2005), possibly in part because of the blood from both the0² battle in this game and theZero battle inKirby's Dream Land 3, as the description of the game says that "One boss character (a giant eyeball) fires red droplets at Kirby; additional red-damage effects appear as its health decreases."^[3] Despite this, the game kept its original E rating for the later Wii U Virtual Console version of the game.
  • A commonmisconception is that the Nintendo Classics release ofKirby 64: The Crystal Shards as part ofNintendo Switch Online is rated T for Teen for "blood and violence" by the ESRB. This is because, when the game's launch trailer was initially posted, it prominently featured this ESRB rating without any context. However, each Nintendo Classics app uses a "blanket" age rating that matches the game with the highest rating on the app; the Nintendo 64 version was already rated T at launch because it featured the T-rated gamesSin and Punishment andWinBack. As such,Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards specifically is not rated T. Later North American Nintendo Classics launch trailers starting withMario Party andMario Party 2 would make a point to distinguish the blanket rating for the Nintendo Classics apps from the individual ratings for their games.

Gallery[edit]

Main article:Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards/gallery

• 
  Title screen
• 
  Group artwork
• 
  Wallpaper
• 
  Wallpaper
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  Wallpaper
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  Artwork of King Dedede & Kirby
• 
  The screen shown after beating Boss Battles mode without taking any damage

Videos[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official website (Wayback Machine)
• Official Japanese website
• Official Nintendo website (Wayback Machine)
• Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards on Kirby Informer
• English manual (European print) (North American print)

References

• Featured pages
• Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
• Main series games
• Games on Nintendo 64

• Pages using Tabber parser tag
• Articles which list Japanese names
• Articles which list Chinese names
• Articles which list Dutch names
• Articles which list French names
• Articles which list German names
• Articles which list Italian names
• Articles which list Korean names
• Articles which list Portuguese names
• Articles which list Russian names
• Articles which list Spanish names