The Return of the N64: Super Smash Bros.

Welcome back for Day 3 of Return of the N64. With migraine interruptions I apologize but we are back in action and are ready to get this going. How about a crossover? How about multiple crossovers to the like comic books never dreamed of? Imagine characters from multiple dimensions in a battle royale to prove who is tougher, smarter or stronger? No, we are not talking about Marvel Vs Capcom. In 1999, a collection of traditional fighters must knock their opponents off a platform. This is Super Smash Bros.

TEST YOUR MIGHT!!!

Originally translated from Japanese Dairanto Sumasshu Burazazu (Great Melee Smash Brothers) our game features the most popular characters from the most popular titles in Nintendo. Super Smash Bros offered various games within the game. Mini-games like Break the Targets and Board the Platforms. With nine different stages like: Hyrule Castle, Sector Z and Princess Peach's Castle the objective of the game is for fighters to knock one another off the platform for a KO.

Unlike Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat or even Tekken there are not an exorbitant need for complex moves to learn but the button combinations are actually pretty simple to learn. Every character has the same button combo so it already gives you a bit of a breather. Each character has signature moves and unique power attacks based on the characters.

RUMBLE!!!

Our characters to choose from are the following: Captain Falcon of F-Zero, Donkey Kong of Donkey Kong, Fox McCloud of Star Fox, Kirby of Kirby, Link of Legend of Zelda, Mario, Luigi and Yoshi of Super Mario, Samus of Metroid , Ness of Earthbound and lastly Jigglypuff and Pikachu of Pokemon.

From Pikachu's lightning attacks to Mario's super spin leap the characters range from slow but power hitting to quick but light attacks, each hero brings something different to the table so picking your character can be a matter of which game they represent and how much you liked playing them prior. Maybe you really want to beat the living crap out of Jigglypuff, or maybe you want to see Link plummet 16 stories to his death. The options are there. Aside from their own attack sequences, Super Smash Bros also offer blocking and dodging options as well as grabbing your opponent and throwing them. Sporadically throughout the game, you have a series of weapons ranging from melee, blasters, Koopa shells both red and green and the hammer from the original Donkey Kong providing more entertainment and greater savage beatings. Beat him with sticks!!

With the single-player mode, the player 1 can do batter with a bunch of computer A.I. Opponents in order like a Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter to progress to the next level. Players 1 and 2 can choose to smack the crap out of each other on the various level or just put it on random to change things up.

With 4 players we have the 2 on 2 battles in team, 3 on 1 punching away or of course with the Free-For-All which is all out melee and fisticuffs. The manly art of pugilism!! By the way, really difficult to feel the masculinity in the fight when you are Kirby Vs Jigglypuff.

LUIGI SNAPA KICK!!!

The Return of the N64: Top Gear Overdrive

Howdy all and we are off to Day 2 of Return of the N64. Amazingly we are not reviewing an action adventures platform game. Instead, we check out a racing game that came out in 1998 by the now defunct Snowblind Studios creating a 1 to 4 player racing game divided by seasons.

This is Top Gear Overdrive.

DAMN ICE!!!!!

With 3 charges of nitrous oxide giving the car a boost should be used sparingly. Power ups are available in the form of cash and more nitrous oxide. While the cash is normally added along with the winnings at the end of the race can be used for upgrades on brakes, engines, and better acceleration. With 5 main tracks and a championship mode track called Space Truckin' every track has different conditions including: snowing, thunder and night time. With Championship and Versus mode the game can be done head-to-head, time trial based or just free-for-all.

The funniest thing is having secret cars through the seasons. The Weinermobile, Nintendo Power Car, The N-Logo, Taco, a cart with donkeys and what was just named Museum Artifact.

The Rumble Pak gets some love with this but again the cars are not named but with codes instead. The types look like a Jeep Wrangler, a Camaro, a Viper, a gigantic Hummer, a Ferrari and a McLaren F-1. The mapping mode is far and easy enough to follow through and the graphics are decent enough in spite of all the polygons. The camera will smack into the wall. The screen is letter-boxed for some reason in high def.

Love the Camaro myself!

The entire soundtrack is made up by some half-assed metal band called Grindstone. A lot of guitar and bass into it with a lot of guitar solos. Gives decent enough background noise and you can end up tuning it out if you are not paying attention to it. The engines have different sounds to them but not much variant overall.

All cars have their strengths and weaknesses to each track as well as the weather variables. Several of the cars' handling can be tricky and you will almost certainly hit the wall at 200 mph. A little trial and error maybe 5 to 10 minutes and you get the feel of the car. You really need to try out every car...well except the damn Weinermobile. That just looks goofy. I think my only complaint about this particular racing game was very similar with a lot of those games during that time would always make dead  or barren tracks with no people or creatures around.

With the equal to every racing game available for the Playstations, this game holds its own and if you enjoy the arcade racing style then I say pick it up before the copies are gone.

Invisible Chicken, let go of the steering wheel!!!

Return of the N64: Rainbow Six

Okay and welcome to Day 1 of The Return of the N64. I thought we should get some of the system's better known titles out there so we can do some serious nerding out. With the love of the films coming to life on the big screen, it was only natural that the tactical approach to his novels would make way for games. The late author Tom Clancy (The Hunt for Red October, Red Storm Rising, Patriot Games, Net Force, Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon) with more than 50 titles under his belt paved the wave for this tactical shooter. This is Rainbow Six.

Select your Mystery Date!

Tactical Shooter or Soldier Sim, is any game requiring caution, care cooperation, planning and execution striving for realistic approaches and scenarios. Now I know the sim hack and slashers have no idea of any of these terms given they are gutting werewolves on Bloodborne or battling the forces of darkness in Dark Souls and Dark Souls II but, some folks like to work together as a team and take out opponents as a unit.

Developed by Red Storm Entertainment(now Subsidiary of Ubisoft) for the PC in 1998, its original inception of the multi-national NATO covert special forces teams consisting of USA, UK, Spain, Canada, Italy, France, Germany and Israel. The concept was one director and one deputy director with missions planned and executed. Total black ops and off the books. The game takes off so well that an expansion is made and low and behold it is made for Mac, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Dreamcast and even Game Boy Color.

Camo again?  Come on, I want the Umbrella all-black outfit!

Using stealth and simple breaching tactics for walls, doors and windows rather than mowing down everything and anything in your path, sadly only a two player co-op but overall still as enjoyable as the PC.

The sound effects are completely believable, the weapons ratings are awesome and the graphics are a product of their time and frankly still hold up well enough. There is no magic re-save button, you lost a man in your group, that guy is dead. The N64 version controls are a bit more simplistic than I was used to doing the PC and sadly playing it on Playstation but that is okay. Cutting down on the complexity of controls means more focus on the game and levels.

Caution is key. That terrorist who just passed by you as you crouch in the darkness, maybe he has decent hearing. You don't know for certain. While games like GoldenEye allowed more head-on gunplay and healing, this game gives you a one shot one kill option. Take them out quietly and effectively. Flashbangs are your friend when you have to go hot and heavy (Man, that still sounds dirty) causing your enemies to be blind and deaf at the same time.

The downsides are the c-buttons are used to move. Analog stick used to aim so now you feel like you are in Turok but give it a few tries and you will be dead on. Almost that tank steering effect of Resident Evil but it can't be helped, only through trial and error will you perfect it. Loyal to the PC game and its source material I had a blast playing this considering I have downgrade or mod a version for the PC. 

And...blam!

The Return of the N64

Howdy folks. Sorry for the no show yesterday. Had a migraine and those are always fun. I am back on the ball and trying to get the blog to the love you have given back so this time around we are headed back to video games and my favorite console to dabble in. Yes, yes I know you are sick of the Nintendo 64 but may I remind you a just a few things. First of all, this is the game system that brought us the top-selling and most beloved games such as: Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, GoldenEye 007, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron and Donkey Kong 64.

hehe boobies.

With that in mind there of course are the more obscure and unusual titles that only made way to the N64 and never given another console again. Oh sure I can provide you with the most rare and valuable games still out and about but the titles that collected dust on shelves were also worthy of life. For example a second Castlevania title was released in 1999 as an intended prequel known as Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness. Set in 1844, this man-beast known as Cornell is searching for his sister Ada who has been chosen as a sacrifice to resurrect Dracula once more. This prequel offers a different story than the Belmont legacy of hunters and has a monster for the protagonist and more development and press release would have occurred but it was scratched before the game release. A finite number of copies are still out there you just have to look.

So while this week I will be focused on titles that you are already aware of and collectors have sought after, keep in mind there is always another week to tackle those obscure and forgotten titles.

So welcome to the Return of the N64!

Costume is really riding up in the crotch.

Ghosts of N64 Week: Nightmare Creatures

It was a dark and stormy night and…oh wait that’s not right at all.  Lemme start again.  In 1997, this game was produced by Activision for the PC, Playstation and the Nintendo 64 in 1998.   A tale of darkness and woe strewn across the history of London, from the shadows and catacombs under the great city.    A secret society known as the Brotherhood of Hecate wanted to create a race of superhuman beings to poise in dominating the planet and wreaking havoc and destruction for whoever dare interfere with their sinister plots.  The Brotherhood went about creating this new breed of man by stealing corpses, utilizing plagues, rabies and other components only to find out the viral agent did not make supermen but ravenous beasts.  Through the acts of one of the Brotherhood, Samuel Pepys set a fire to the warehouse that held the laboratory, the notes, the creatures and some of the Brotherhood that were mad with dreams of conquest went up in The Great Fire of 1666.  This is Nightmare Creatures.

Oh, take the girl. Her butt looks better in breeches than mine.

All knowledge of this unspeakable evil had been wiped out with the exception of Pepys’ meticulous diary.  170 years later a disrepute scientist finds said diary and proceeds to gather funding and powerful allies allowing him to re-create the Brotherhood’s abominations.  Only through the efforts of Father Ignatius Blackward and Nadia F, London and the world itself, stands a chance against the nightmarish creatures.
While this game was originally formatted for Windows 95, 7 handles it rather well.  Mind you I had to use a CD-RW to even install the antiquated game but hey at least I didn’t need a SCUMM drive.  After testing this older game out again I am certain to enjoy jumping back into this particular horror but with the lights on.  Yes I am a sissy and I live with it quite well.  But, today we are on the 64 version so I will give the highlights of creatures, offensive weapons, healing and general gameplay.

Monsters

COMIN' THROUGH!!!

Okay so this is a horror based action/adventure game.  Defeat the creatures and move on to the next level after trouncing the level boss right?  How bad could they be?  Well I am glad you asked.  Let’s get started shall we?

Zombies 

You have two types of zombies.  One is the standard slow shambling creature and the other moves faster and is stronger by far. A real Romeo or Synder package deal.  They usually travel in duo so stay alert.  Save the slow one for last kiddies. Did I mention they are just out and about for a quick meal of brains?  Hmm, must have skipped my mind.

Werewolves

 Lycanthrope.  Loup Garou.  Call it what you will but know this, they are mean, fast and damn impressive fighters.  Defending against your best strikes, they can also counter-strike back and bound after you rather well. A series of slight kicks and roundhouse sweeps about all that can take them down.

Demons

Yes winged, fire breathing creatures from Hell.  Swoop attacks from above and fire breath seems to be their cup of tea, assuming you have the nerve to serve them one.  Surprise, surprise they are resistant to fire attacks.

Pepys’ Monsters

No true definition of these behemoths other than they stand about nine feet tall, have three heads as well as 3 arms, equipped with razor sharp talons and have more teeth than the entire Osmond family.  By far, the ugliest creature you can encounter and one of the deadliest. Hope you have a freeze spell handy for this bugger.

Docker
Strong as an ox and as bright as one, this creature prefers to bash the victim severely with its massive fists or pound hands into the ground creating a miniature quake.  Not particularly fast so slash or strike as quickly as possible.

Insects

Bugs?   Who is worried about a bug?  Well mate this bug is armor plated, about 3 feet tall and lightning fast with its stinger.  Put your can of Raid and fly swatter down, grab a pistol or better still a good blade.

Thames’ Monsters

These foul octopi would put Jacques Cousteau off his lunch.  With a reach of almost 50 feet, razor sharp teeth and dwelling down by the docks.  Late night swim could be one’s last. Dynamite or a proximity mine are about the best course of action here.
Harpies

Fast flying winged wenches with a shrilling voice so loud it could rival Mariah Carey.  Using fly-by attacks or banshee like wail they are quite difficult to defeat. Aim carefully with a pistol.
Faceless Men

Shrouded in long coats and armed with knives, these men are whispered to being original members of the Brotherhood of Hecate mutated by the viral agent against their will.  Standard beat down with punches and kicks will do the trick

Spiders

Remember the bugs and do not judge it solely by its name.  Approximately 9 feet tall and barely in the rear as ugliest creature of this game, the six-legged monsters dwell in tunnels and passageways but look around town.  You will find more than one web or two. Fire is a pet peeve of theirs but use it sparingly.  The webs are quite flammable

Giant Rats

R.U.S.’s?   In London?   I don’t believe in their existence either.  Just to be on the safe side you will spot one of these brutes rather easily.  They are about the size of a mini-coop. Dislike fire a lot.
Gargoyles
 Composed of living stone, pretending to be statues these monstrosities wait for the right moment to catch their prey unaware and swoop down and back killing very effectively.  They are also pack hunters.  Repulsive smoke is a handy one so you can get your bearings and take a few pot shots at them.
Hellhounds

Not meek little puppies that just need a hug.  These fire-breathing demon dogs need a fire extinguisher and a serious neutering.  Of course good luck finding suppressant foam that puts out hellfire, let alone a vet willing to clip them.   Incredibly agile, vicious and just all around nasty, hellhounds are a force to be reckoned with.  By some miracle you do not get slagged from a column of flame, mauled by claws or fangs you clearly just annoyed a Rottweiler and will have to explain yourself to the owner.  Rumor has it, hell hounds are invulnerable to fire and ice.

I'm voguing!

Powerups

Hey, where are you running off to?  Oh relax, you didn’t think we were going to arm you with a rapier or a fighting staff and say, “have at it, kid.”  Did you?
This is a complete list of all the power-ups you can find throughout the game.
Proximity mines are dropped on the floor and will explode and do severe damage to anything that gets too close.
Repulsive smoke will keep monsters at bay.
Freeze spell will deep freeze all monsters in sight.
Dynamite will damage and create knock back to all monsters in sight.
Flash will confuse and blind monsters for about 10 seconds or so.
Firebombs will roast any nearby monsters
The Gun allows you to pick off a single target from long range
The Multi-gun can be used several times at several monsters
Berserker allows you hack your monsters into pieces
Healing gives back a bit of life to your character
Super-Healing restores all health lost
Chaos turns monsters against one another
Heart gives you an extra life

Now on to the downside.  Like Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire and Spider-Man 64, the 360 spin around and viewing of 3D environment can take a toll on your eyes and character as you cannot automatically spin and face danger.  The standard A B button combo does solve most of these issues but the Z button will spin you around faster and target the closest creature.  This can be a disadvantage if it is a shambling zombie versus the breakneck speed of the werewolves.  Cycling through additional weapons is D pad right and it can take a few but it will be quicker than the analog stick for similar games as the analog is completely for movement in this game.  I stressed this in my upcoming podcast that Nadia (accidentally calling her Sonja) is a faster weapon based attack with her rapier but less strength.  Ignatius' attacks are much stronger with his quarterstaff but significantly slower.  Too much upper body strength I guess.

Keep an extra pair of shorts to change in.... kidding.... or am I?

Ghosts of N64 Week: Castlevania 64

Welcome back lovers of byte and graphics to Day 3 of Ghosts of N64 Week.  Today we tackle a title franchise from Konami (Frogger, Contra, Gradius, Metal Gear, Silent Hill and Dance Dance Revolution)  and join in the quest to eliminate (yet again) the minions of evil and their master Dracula for the umpteenth billionth time but this time with the option of playing two different protagonists Carrie Fernadez a sorceress and Reinhardt Schneider, heir to the Belmont clan of the Castlevania legacy.  Bringing about the more realistic graphics of yesteryear in the N64 creation our heroes visit these horror stricken lands and must right these many wrongs.  This is Castlevania 64.

CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT, SHUT UP!!!

For nearly sixty years of isolation, chained in his coffin, Dracula reemerges to bring about his destructive wrath.  The year is 1852 and our two heroes sense his arrival and head to the Transylvanian lands of Wallachia to do battle.   Meeting with Charles Vincent an elder vampire hunter in his fifties (God only knows how he has lived this long in this profession), Rosa a freshly turned vampire that does not seek to be evil and Renon I think is supposed to be some demon salesman lead our heroes into this dilapidated villa and volunteer to show them a secret path through Dracula's estate garden maze to an underground path to the castle.

 Before they can make their way through, Dracula's lackeys Death and Actrise try to pit the heroes versus these new-found friends.  Carrie must dispatch her own family now turned vampires while Reinhardt destroys Rosa and then it is up level by level to the castle keep.    Will our heroes reach Dracula in his still weaken condition or will they succumb to the dark prince's powers?

AHHH!! I have 90's superhero shoulderpads!!!

And now just a few comments on the game and gameplay.   This follows the typical action adventure platform with decent enough controls but the camera angles giving the 3D experience is a little wonky so keeping track of enemies is all based on which target gets captured by the recital.  Cycling through additional weapons, acquiring treasures and secondary weapons are easy enough to understand, it is just remembering if you haven't played in a bit can be a hassle.  With the real feel of a story line opening up we get to learn more about the characters in this game than we have the entire franchise up to this point.   With the ability of alternative costumes improving your game either character is acceptable to play unlike that of Nightmare Creatures because the monk was slower than Congress on public opinion.

I like the introduction to a story rather than just slaying monsters because they are evil aspect.  We get a handle on both Carrie and Reinhardt and show they are not infallible and human to the core.  For Reinhardt, he is carrying on a legacy he is loosely attached too, while Carrie is avenging her family that was used as tools for her destruction and Dracula's amusement. This game also shows real time events based on the speed and alacrity that the player has, puzzle solving and even in-depth exploration providing hours of entertainment and frustration.

 I have also noticed a bit of confusion to this title mixing it up with another Castlevania title called Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness.  That particular game is more rare and harder to find and it may use the same graphic engine and levels of its predecessor it is a different game altogether with a different lead character and story arc not commonly stemmed away from the Belmont clan.

How are skeletons beating me up?? They have no muscle to back it up!

Ghosts of N64 Week: Mega Man 64

Welcome back followers of the almighty console to Day 2 of the Ghosts of N64 Week.   Today I touch base on a series as old as Nintendo's humble beginnings with one of its original but it is not the truest of the incarnation.  MegaMan is commonly an action/platform side scroller which was brought to market on December 17, 1987.  This time around our series is based on Microsoft Windows, PSP, PlayStation and Nintendo 64 bringing Mega Man Legends.  This is Mega Man 64.

The Claw is our master!

Hailing from the franchise of Capcom (Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Devil May Care, Bionic Commando, Ghost n' Goblins, Strider amd Darkstalkers) in 2000, our game is thousands of years in the after the ZX series (In nerd terminology, that means after Mega Man X series) our character is called Rock Volnutt, a treasure hunter and digger who prospects through the ruins around the world picking up refractor shards to mine and trade them as the coin of the realm.  Adopted by Professor  Barrell Caskett a well known digger and author of multiple books on the subject.  He found Rock on Nino Island and took him in as he did his granddaughter Roll after her parents seemed to have disappeared.   Data, their robot monkey holds all existing MegaMan memories and for some reason Rock does not recall his own life.

Living on the edge!!!

A gathering of pirates is constantly giving them a peck of trouble with mechasuits, servitor robots and a collection of Reaverbots, the world as we know it is in danger.  The battle for supremacy of machine and man has begun.

Just a few notes on the game itself.

Unlike the previous Mega Man incarnations this game is more of a action adventure RPG format and Japan dubbed this series Mega Man Legends.  The complaints I have is the camera system similar to Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire bounding 3D views and giving a 360 view which makes it difficult to travel with.   With that, the exploration and old school shooting technique gives the RPG feel a decent game.  Interaction with the NPCs coming with side quests and giving clues on where to go next is the standard role-playing game feel.

The static 3D animation follows Super Mario 64 and the two Zelda games which giving tumbling hills, flatten dirt roads, and bulbous trees.   With the blinding contrasts of the color combos that doesn't completely mesh well, jerky controls on the analog stick takes a bit of getting used to.  The only speed is running after your metamorphose, otherwise you need to tap the R button slightly.   The photo-phobic crowd may wish to stay away from it.  While the PlayStation version's graphics are a bit more fine tuned, the cartridge version loads faster and cleaner.

Well, at least I don't have to play an ocarina.

Ghost of N64 Week: Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker

Welcome N64 fans and all the others that were expecting an movie or TV review.  Today's topic is based on Warner Brothers futuristic Batman story arc.  25 years into the future, Bruce Wayne has become a senior citizen, crime still haunts the mega-city version of Gotham and a new breed of cyberpunks, meta-humans and oddballs still attack the people of Gotham, but along with the wave of criminals comes a new Batman ready to solve crimes, wail on the baddies and bring them to justice.  Based of the animated movie comes a game giving its all to homage the film.  This is Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker N64.

Captivating title screen!!!

Being a typical beat 'em up side-scroller, the play of course is the futuristic Batman who wanders through levels with a fair degree of the depth in background allowing for 3-D movement.  The game allows the player to select and switch out between four bat suits in-game.  Each suit has its own strengths and weaknesses.  Standard Suit is mostly offensive strength and shields allowing for weapons like the Dark Knight Discus (Because Shuriken would have been hard to spell), Magnetic Nunchuku (Yeah, kinda wish I made that one up) and the Dark Knight Staff.  Offensive Suit: Stronger attacks but is easily damaged making it the most fragile of the suits.  Defense Suit: Weaker attacks but does protect from damage greater than the suits in the game, plus allows more items. It also gives the player two defensive shields to deflect almost all enemy attack and lets you bash a head in with the Shield Punch.  Nimble Suit:  Gives the player the double-jump, gliding and jumping kicks.  Allows for some extra items but so far as I know the glide only seems to have that one function.

Also my Big Gulp spilled and may have fried the panels.

And now of course, a few complaints and compliments for the game.

With the cut scenes throughout this game, you get the feeling they were really trying to capture the essence of the movie but without any real attempt to get the voice acting, sound or screen capture it, it feels a bit on the level of 16 bit.  When I got this, I was hoping for a few digitized cut scenes from the actual flick interspersed with the game.  Instead, I get scroll text to read, a looped intro of the Batman Beyond theme music and a Final Fight, Double Dragon feel.  This is a typical and lazy formula not allowing for story to unfold, clues to be found and gives it a very stilted version of Batman we have seen before.

The Batlad is being taught how to fight,survive and be a detective and none of that is coming through the game.  Even fans of the cartoon this is based on could not stay interested in it.  Heck, my best friend's son was playing it for about 25 minutes and he got bored, turned the volume down so the music would stop annoying him and asked for a new game.  With a count of 16 levels I am guessing they mean for each screen to be a level because I thought it was only 4 but most games show or indicate when you defeat one level after another.  Action packed was the original box's claim.  Action packed must mean walk to series of bad guys, punch and kick them, rinse and repeat. No use of the voice work from the movie though.  I mean it was already in the can, so what was the problem there?

The controls are a bit off as R button can be tapped once to switch from swagger walk (because he looks like he is swaying his hips) and running and lastly, the fricking weapons.  No gas pellets, phosphorous flares or even batarangs.  So all the good toys of distraction and non-lethal ordinance we associate with Batman have been scrapped.  That being said, I'd give it to the neighborhood dog to chew on but I don't want the ASPCA at my door for animal cruelty.

WHEW!!!  Avoid that bathroom, people!

Ghosts of N64 Week

Good day my fine batch of readers and welcome the Ghosts of N64 Week.   After reviewing the last couple of weeks I could not help but notice the total lack of video game reviews and since I am something of a nostalgia fan I thought it proper to give more love to a classic game system as the Nintendo 64.   Bringing the last of the ROM cartridge systems before the switch over to mini-DVD such as the Game Cube and the Wii Optical Disc.  

HELP!! EPON HAS GOTTEN INTO THE ELDERBERRIES!!!

With its original launch games being of course Super Mario 64 and the more obscure and rare Pilotwings 64, this particular gaming system had to go head to head with consoles such as the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn.  Guess who came out on top?  With the introduction to the GameCube all N64 consoles and cartridges ceased production in Japan around 2002 and to this day still one of the most beloved of the consoles.  While it had a limited cache of dimensions and depth in color which and to be be stretch over large in-game surfaces such as land, sea and air, it lacked the ability to save multiple games without the use its Controller Pak which only held 256 Kb for game saves but its game loading time and ability to skip cut scenes were second to none.

Saturn and Playstation relying on a CD-ROM game to load and hopefully the disc is not scratched or it would skip, freeze or possibly not play at all.  The advantage to the cartridge game involved a cotton swab, hydrogen peroxide and allowing it to dry before trying the game again.  So let us dive into this classic console of 1997 and feel a bit old and young at the same time.

*Sniff*   Forever Player 2.

N64 Week: GoldenEye

Hello first person shooters and welcome to Day 5 of N64 Week.  I apologize for the delay but unforeseen weather dictated I did not have my computer on so we are playing catch up and hey isn’t that the same thing a double O deals with too?  With the clock ticking, trained soldiers or even organized crime a double O has to be ready to improvise, get the intel, confirm and execute.   So grab your tux or cocktail dress, prep your silencer for your Walther PP7 and get ready to do a myriad of things for Queen and country.   This is GoldenEye N64.

Self-explanatory..

Alec Trevelyan: Why can’t you be a good spoiler and die?

Based on the 1995 James Bond movie of same title; GoldenEye is a single-player game in with players assume the identity of 007 James Bond himself as he takes down a Russian crime syndicate before they can use a satellite weapon against London and time is running out fast.  With each passing moment, Bond is required to get through 20 levels of men attacking him, obstacles and main level bosses.

It is you who is outgunned!!

The game also has a 4 person multiplayer option with a split screen and radar allowing two, three or even four players to a few death match rounds or even a capture the flag game.  Personally I prefer the License to Kill option meaning your target is hit once he or she dies instantly.   Makes things more challenging. 

Among the collection of weapons to this game are assault rifles, submachine guns, pistols, shotguns, silenced weapons, sniper rifles, rocket launchers, grenades, grenade launchers and Moonraker laser pistols.    

I got a rocket for your sprocket..Hey hey...Ho ho.

Okay now that we got over the boring humdrum part, let’s get to a few tips and tricks.

Bank shot:  Okay you have followed your quarry and he or she is just around the corner but you know the moment you pop your head out you are taking more lead than a paint factory.  With the grenade launcher you can bounce a round off the wall in a diagonal shot the fire and blast can provide cover or even with the blast radius can take out your opponent.  Don’t get too cocky and get close to the blast or it will take you out just as easily.

Targeting crosshairs: Whether it is a pistol, SMG or rocket launcher the crosshairs provided by your R button is your friend.  Trying to hit a target from a distance can be tricky but this cuts your problem down by half.  Don’t wait too long to line up a shot because your friends can do the same just as well or even better.  Bottom line if you have a great hiding spot and vantage point this is ideal.  Off the cuff and running from a hail of bullets this will just get you killed quicker than stepping on a land mine.

Proximity mine placement: My two best friends are the ones to lay this ground work in my experience.  Don’t bother dropping a mine at the floor; chuck it at the ceiling, a narrow passageway or in a deep shadow.  The bomb is set and primed.  The downside to proximity mines this is a need to REMEMBER where you put them.  The other problem is if you die in one location there is a better than average chance you wind up in the area you just mined.

Hand grenades:  Pull the pin and toss?  Yeah that doesn’t always guarantee you a kill.  Cook off at least two seconds then chuck or lightly toss depending how close your enemies are.    An easy use of the grenade is dropping it from a height and running like your butt is on fire. 

Aha! Now to hide under the cover of...air.

While the graphics are not as stellar now this game sold more than 8 million units making it the third highest selling N64 game behind Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64 and has spawn a series of spin-off PC and well as other console successors giving it 1998 Console Game of the Year; fans of the Bond films and game franchise still hold it in high regards and in their hearts.  Truly the first FPS that got it right!

N64 Week: Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

Howdy gaming geeks and welcome back to Day 4 of N64 Week.   Given how many different first person shooter games have been established since the 1995 Castle Wolfenstein; I thought it best to focus on Lucasarts growing collection of third person shooter games.  Third person means you actually see your character interact around in his or her surroundings plus you also see the character his or herself. First person is just from the character’s POV.   At the time PC CD-Rom games were getting a wide variety in first and third person shooter but Lucasarts decided to expand its existing Star Wars franchise into new player heroes.  So strap on your blaster, keep your wits about you and brush up on your swoop bike skills.  This is Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire.

Trust me ladies!

Based on the novel written by Steve Perry (Shadow of the Empire: Evolution, MedStar I: Battle Surgeons, MedStar II: Jedi Healer and Death Star) this game like its same name titled book fell as a prequel between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.  

Our main protagonist Dash Rendar and his droid Leebo have arrived on Hoth prior to the battle and are dropping off supplies for a tidy sum.  After chatting up with Han Solo he convinces Solo to drop him in a Snowspeeder with Rogue Squadron to fight off the AT-ATs (All Terrain Armored Transport) and provide cover for the escaping ships.  

Ew, Wampa breeding pens.

As the rest of the ships are taking off the Snowstorm troopers have entered the base and have cut you off from your ship the Outrider.  You must get past a small army of storm troopers, a few Wampas and oh yes an AT-ST (All Terrain Scout Transport) armed with turbo lasers that could blast through several feet of ice and concrete.  No sweat, right?

The game is done in true Lucasarts standard.  Treating the game over a series of interaction from Empire Strikes Back, Dash throws in his lot with the Rebels and tries to assist them in 10 different levels ranging over a period of months and chapters. 

Stinking sewers...not getting paid enough for this.

Now I think it is time for some handy hints and tips on this particular game.  

Invincibility and Infinite Ammo:  You know you love it, you know you want it and here is how to get it.  On the Hard setting of the game you need to get all the challenge points before the code works.   Then you hold the crouch button for 15 seconds on the first person levels and boom instant invulnerability and unlimited ammo.   Mind you, if you fall off a cliff or scaffolding you are still gonna die.

 

Infrared Vison: Seeing in different spectrums of light comes in handy.  Press on Control buttons, the L, R and Z at the same time.  Then while those buttons are pressed gently move the Control stick around until the screen turns green.  Technically this is Night Vision and you will see yourself and all enemies easily.

Defeat Wampas Easy Peasy:  Okay so you lack the Force, a lightsaber and a crusty puppet to cheer you on to your fledgling abilities so I too would be scared of a Wampa.  Lucky for you there are at least 4 on most of the Hoth levels.  They however are in cages to be released.  Why the rebels needed Wampas on standby?  Oh who has time for these questions?  Release them both and run like a bat out of Hell to the main door.  These critters will start wailing on each other.  Then you can pick off the battered winner with your blaster.   Pretty Machiavellian, wouldn't you say?

The levels vary from third person shooter, to racing down a swarm of swoop bike scumbags trying to kill Skywalker to outer space battles.  Your only real pain is adapting to the graphics of this older series.  The music is full orchestral and none of that synthesized crap from Rogue Squadron as it is also the first 3D incorporated game.  So if you miss a jet pack of less than controllable capabilities, blasters with explosive shells and heat seekers and heck a jump that doesn’t go higher than 3 feet then brothers and sisters welcome back to Shadows of the Empire!

N64 Week: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Welcome geeks to Day 3 of N64 Week and I thought we would take a look at a classic theme of the NES alumni.  The fifth of its incarnation and the first to partake in 3D breathes life into the franchise.   So gather your Deku nuts for your slingshot, prep for fishing and hey take in a game of darts.  This is Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Faster Impa!! Past the title card!!

Navi: Hey! Hey! Listen!

This game operates as an action-adventure game with some role playing and puzzle aspects and tries its best to show real-time interaction as best as possible.   Link mostly relies on his sword and shield but he can also scroll through other weapons such as: arrows, slingshot, bombs and magic spells. 

The game opens up with Navi waking Link from a horrendous nightmare that Link witnesses a storm ridden night of a man in obsidian armor on a black horse chasing a girl on a white horse.  The village elder explains to Link the significance of the dream means he is destined to right the wrongs of this armored knight, speak to the princess of destiny and fight for Hyrule Castle.   I thought, “Thank God he didn’t have a dream he was surrounded by naked mimes armed with flamethrowers.”   Then he would have been stuck in a Resident Evil scenario.

Sure wish I was big.

As always with the Zelda games Hyrule is the kingdom with a huge topographical layout and a wide variety of races like: Hylians, Kokiri, Gorons, Zoras, Gerudos and Sheikah.

After making it to Princess Zelda she informs young Link that she has had dreams of the dreaded Ganondorf, The Gerudo King of Thieves seeks the highly coveted Tri-force (Power of the Gods), a sacred relic that depicts the past and future of Hyrule. Zelda tells Link he must obtain the three Spiritual Stones so he may enter the Sacred Realm and claim the Triforce before Ganondorf reaches it. 

I have just a few comments to be made about the game.  I was disturbed with the whole sending a 12 year old out on a dangerous quest seems a bit too child endangering.  At least Robin got back up from Batman.  Also as common with the original series Link mystically ages 7 years to tackle the more difficult of the tasks and bosses ahead. I guess that is also so we do not think his relationship with Zelda is a bit risqué. 

Shh, I think someone is watching us..

Link is stuck with a less than spectacular AI fairy.  She constantly loops her information about towns, potential traps and lands and quests you have already done.  That is quite annoying and in fact her only attribute for Link is her targeting ability for his weapons of choice.  

There are many distractions throughout the game.  Playing darts, fishing and town interaction can delay your quest quite a bit but no direct impact on time line.    So feel free to fiddly fart around the towns with no repercussions of villages getting ransacked or villagers being mutilated by the evil armies of Ganondorf.   Imagine being a farmer or blacksmith trying to take your goods from village to village when BOOM!  Raiding party or just random monsters attack.   Got to be made of sterner stuff to be living in Hyrule. 

N64 Week: Mario Kart N64

Hey there gamers and back to N64 Week and thought we would tackle another beloved multi-player game.  One that has been in almost every collection and I myself had to search for another copy for more than 2 years.  A head to head competition via race or and out and out combat for blood.  Rather balloons actually.    So grab your controller, squabble for first player and get ready for the match.  This is Mario Kart N64.

Yer goin down Mario!

Welcome to Mario Kart!!

Created in 1996 via Japan and it was released in North America and Europe in 1997 this go kart game boasts four different forms of game play: Grand Prix, Time Trial, Versus and Battle.  Grand Prix mode allows one or two people to compete against the computer players in a cup that takes place from four different courses with three laps each.  At the end of each race points are doled out after race is completed.  The difficulty level is measured by engine size 50, 100, or 150 cc (cubic centimenter).   Time Trial allows players to improve on their existing records per courses.  The players’ start their run with three mushrooms with give speed bursts to rip around the track. Lastly Versus mode gives two to four players to race around a single level with obstacles, hiding areas and weapons on standby.   This multi-player portion of the game is a last man standing.  Each player attacks the other with Koopa shells red, blue and green, bananas, upside down icons as traps and lastly a flower for temporary invincibility. 

Itsa me!

Every level or track is a variant of levels from all the Mario based games Nintendo and Super Nintendo and due to the breaking ground in 3D tracks got changes in elevation, bridges, walls and pits.  IGN and GamePro gave Mario Kart N64 at a solid 87% in Game Rankings.

Pfftt! Kong dust!

Mario Kart N64 has eight different characters for the players to use.  Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Yoshi, Bowser which appeared the first Super Mario Kart and lastly the two new to series Wario and Donkey Kong.   Characters are divided into three weight classes: Lightweights (karts with high acceleration and lower top speed), Heavyweights (top heavy, low acceleration but a high top speed) and Middleweights (a perfect balance of both acceleration and top speed) 

And now a few tips and hints for the game to assist your play a bit better.   For example: the Grand Prix and Time Trial can get a burst of acceleration prior the third light. Hold down the after just before the third light and you will fly past the competition.    To use either red or green shells use the Z button to save that shell at the ready and toggle the analog stick down and launch the it with Z to fire it behind you as a trip up. 

The popularity of this game gave kids lunchboxes, bed sheets, posters and even action figures.  

Toy Biz created a Series one including Mario, Bowser and Yoshi.  Series two offered Ghost Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong and Wario.    While many feel this game has aged poorly and admittedly the graphics are lesser by today’s standards I still hold a place in my heart for it and I know many of my friends would agree.