Mixing and matching the seven abilities to find the 28 combinations is one of the more enjoyable parts of the game. I had a great time playing with Fireworks Kirby, Kirby filling the screen with colorful explosions then falling to the ground charred and smoking. Refrigerator Kirby uses snack food as projectiles, knocking out enemies, and can use the leftovers to heal himself. Like most Kirby games, there are some abilities that are useful or funny and there are some abilities that you want to get rid of as soon as you get them. Unfortunately, the large number of abilities available in Kirby 64 does little to hide that the abilities been dumbed-down considerably when compared to the best games of the series.
Few abilities require multiple button presses or a directional move before pressing a button.
If you acquire a special ability and use it twice, you've practically mastered it. This is a pale shadow of the control scheme in Kirby's Super Star , and to a lesser extent Kirby's Adventure , which treated the abilities more as roles that Kirby could play. The parasol in Kirby's Adventure is an excellent example of how an ability can affect the play style. When Kirby absorbs the parasol ability, he wanders around with an umbrella over his shoulder and throws it out to attack. When Kirby jumps, the parasol operates as a parachute to slow Kirby's fall.