Gameplay is viewed from a 2.5D perspective and is similar to previous Kirby titles; the player traverses levels and obtains powers by eating enemies.

HAL initially planned to use the 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 fairy Ribbon flees with a sacred crystal, but Dark Matter shatters it into 100 shards and scatters them across the galaxy.

(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.

[6] At the end of each level, players play a bonus game to collect food, stars, or cards with information about enemies.

Here, up to four players can compete in three minigames: 100-Yard Hop, a race to the finish line; Bumper Crop Bump, a competition to collect food; and Checkerboard Chase, a last man standing game.

Players can adjust the difficulty level and control Kirby, King Dedede, Adeleine, or Waddle Dee.

[6] The development team had to be careful transitioning the series' art style to 3D as they did not want to disappoint Kirby devotees.

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.

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).

Series creator Masahiro Sakurai had little involvement with the project and avoided playing it during development, as he feared any comments he made would conflict with HAL's vision.

[5] The game's soundtrack was provided by Jun Ishikawa and Hirokazu Ando, both regular composers for the Kirby series.

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.

[1] Saito commented that he wanted to release the game earlier, but more development time meant more polish.

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.

"[26] Both magazines agreed that attempting to find all the shards added some challenge,[4][26] but GameSpot wrote that even this content could be completed within a three-day rental period.

[20][24][28] 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.

[4] Electronic Gaming Monthly called the colors "bright" and "clean",[26] and Hyper wrote that it looked like a picture book with its pastel-like shading.

[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.

[29] Eurogamer wrote that it "doesn't do as much with the N64 as it could have done, and remains a perennial second-stringer in the Nintendo pantheon for that very reason, but that's no excuse to dismiss something this engaging and polished.