Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, known as Hoshi no Kirby 64 (星のカービィ64 Hoshi no Kābī Rokuyon, lit. "Kirby of the Stars 64") in Japan, is a platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64, a sequel to Kirby's Dream Land 3, and one of few Kirby titles not directed by Masahiro Sakurai, though he voiced King Dedede in the game.
Unlike past Kirby Games, Kirby 64 is a 2.5D platform game, with gameplay similar to earlier Kirby titles, where the titular character Kirby has the ability to inhale enemies and objects and extract their abilities. Kirby is required to travel across six different planets, which consist of separate levels, and collect the scattered pieces of a Crystal, which is used to defeat the game's main villain, Dark Matter.