A gentler Kirby adventure in partial 3D, but with an irresistible power-combining mechanic. Mixing fire and ice, stone and electricity opens up a well of joyful invention. The pastel art direction melts the heart, the challenge stays mild and the love for detail is plain to see.
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Category
Platformer1 player3+
Description
Kirby's platforming adventure in partial 3D, with the unique ability to absorb and combine the powers of two enemies simultaneously. Published by Nintendo, released in Japan in March 2000. Seven worlds, seventy-two levels, all-new power combinations, secrets to discover, and 4-player mini-game mode.
Hoshi no Kirby 64 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Inhaling enemies and combining their powers to create new ones: this clever idea renews the formula with every try and invites experimentation. The stroll stays gentle, welcoming and dotted with secrets to uncover. Colourful, tender and brimming with invention, the little pink ball's journey is savoured solo or in a duo.
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
First Japanese revision of Kirby 64, identifiable by a code state preceding the later fixes. For revision collectors, this Rev 1 represents the Japanese run closest to the original version sent to production in March 2000. Desirability rests on its lead position in an unusually long sequence of NTSC-J revisions, which makes this Kirby a case study prized by internal-variant enthusiasts.
Is Hoshi no Kirby 64 still worth playing in 2026?
Hoshi no Kirby 64, known in the West as Kirby 64 - The Crystal Shards, is a 2.5D platform adventure in which the pink ball absorbs and combines the powers of two enemies to create new abilities. The power-mixing system, ingenious and fun, renews the formula and invites experimentation. The colorful art direction and the gentleness of the gameplay still charm just as much. For fans of accessible platformers and the Kirby universe, it is a charming and inventive success, ideal at any age.
