Kirby 64: The Crystal Shares is the latest Nintendo 64 game set to join Switch Online’s Expansion Pack line-up, Nintendo has confirmed.
Kirby 64 marked Kirby’s first polygonal game, at least in a starring role (he had already appeared in Super Smash Bros. a year earlier).
Despite its 3D appearance, the game is very much a side-scrolling platformer in the style of the previous Kirby adventures on the Game Boy, NES and SNES.
While it makes use of Kirby’s trademark Copy Ability technique, it works differently. There are only seven abilities to inhale, but Kirby can store two in his stomach at once and combine them to create up to 35 different abilities.
Kirby 64 will be the 15thNintendo 64game available on Switch Online in the west, following on from the addition of Mario Golf in April, F-Zero X in March andThe Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mark in February.
Once Kirby 64 is added, the full list of Nintendo 64 titles on Switch Online will be as follows:
Inhale enemies and combine their abilities in#Kirby’s adventure beyond Dream Land! ⭐Dozens of puffed-up special powers await you in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, floating onto#NintendoSwitchfor#NintendoSwitchOnline+ Expansion Pack members on 5/20!#Nintendo64pic.twitter.com/4YtfIZ2Cnl
Switch Online’s Expansion Pack tier launched in October 2021 alongside a library of Nintendo 64 games. This was met with frustration from some players, due toemulation issuesand a lack of features including button mapping.
However, anupdate to the servicein January provided evidence that the company was slowly improving its much-criticised N64 emulation, withfurther improvementsadded in February.
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Nintendo 64 andSegaMega Drive / Genesis games can only be played if Switch Online members upgrade to the optionalExpansion Pack.
Nintendo will continue to expand and create new content for Switch Online “throughout” 2022,the company’s president said this week.
