Rare News Articles
Saturday24th Feb 2024
Poll What Switch Online Rare Game Are You Playing This Weekend?
Five more titles have joined the service
Five more Rare games have this week joined Nintendo's Switch Online + Expansion Pack service. The first four titles are available in the base tier and the N64 release Blast Corps is available in the premium tier subscription. With these games now available on the service, it's got us wondering which one...
Thursday22nd Feb 2024
Random Some Rare Fans Are Upset About The Latest Switch Online Announcement
"Rare Replay should have been announced on Switch"
The latest Partner Showcase from Nintendo was packed with all sorts of surprises and another standout announcement was the news five more classic Rare games would be coming to the Switch Online service. These titles include games like Killer Instinct and Blast Corps, and while it's welcome news for...
Wednesday21st Feb 2024
News Five More Classic Rareware Games Come To Nintendo Switch Online Today
Blast (Corps) from the past!
As part of today's Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase, Nintendo has announced that five of the now-Microsoft-owned Rare's titles will be available today via Nintendo Switch Online. The games are: NES Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll RC PRO-AM Super Nintendo Battletoads in Battlemaniacs Killer Instinct Nintendo 64 (
Sunday4th Feb 2024
News Nintendo's Switch Online Service Spotlights Donkey Kong With New Hub
The DKC series celebrates 30 years in 2024
Nintendo seems to be slowly putting the spotlight back on Donkey Kong with a series of announcements in recent times. He will also star in the upcoming release Mario vs. Donkey Kong, due out on the Switch later this month. With this in mind, Nintendo has now launched a special section in the Switch Online...
Monday8th Jan 2024
Rumour Rare & Microsoft's Sea Of Thieves Could Be Sailing Onto Switch
Plundered
The Xbox and Microsoft rumours are flooding the news at the moment, aren't they? And there's another one sailing into view — Microsoft exclusive Sea of Thieves, developed by Rare, is reportedly being considered for Switch and PlayStation. Giant Bomb and Game Mess Mornings host Jeff Grubb claims that he's heard that "that was the one...
Sunday3rd Dec 2023
News Jet Force Gemini's Widescreen Mode Reportedly "Broken" On Switch
"Widescreen mode doesn't scale correctly"
Jet Force Gemini made its debut on the new Japanese Switch Online service 18+ app earlier this week, and the widescreen mode is reportedly "broken". Nintendo World Report explains how the original N64 release supported a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio,
Saturday2nd Dec 2023
News Xbox Acknowledges Fan Requests For New Banjo-Kazooie Game
Phil Spencer: "Banjo fans, I hear you"
Rare's famous bear and bird duo Banjo-Kazooie made a return via Nintendo's Switch Online service last year, and ever since then, fans have been calling for a proper comeback. There have even been some rumours doing the rounds about a possible revival, so what are the chances of something like this ever...
Friday1st Dec 2023
News Switch Online Expands The N64 Library With Another Game (Japan)
Rare's Jet Force Gemini is back
Nintendo has now added the N64 classic Jet Force Gemini to the Switch Online + Expansion Pack service. The catch is, it appears to only be available in Japan right now. If there's an update, we'll let you know, but right now it's locked in for a "December" release here in the west. Jet Force Gemini is a third-person...
Wednesday22nd Nov 2023
News Nintendo Is Launching An 18+ N64 Switch Online App In Japan
GoldenEye and Jet Force Gemini will debut on the new app
Earlier today, we learnt that Rare's Jet Force Gemini would be headed to the N64 Nintendo Switch Online service next month. While Western audiences will be able to play the game via the normal app, Nintendo has revealed that things will be slightly different in Japan, as the region will soon...
Tuesday7th Nov 2023
News Pre-Orders For A Stunning Banjo-Kazooie Statue Are Now Live
Another gem from First 4 Figures
Toy and model company First 4 Figures has launched pre-orders for a new product called 'Banjo-Kazooie Duet'. Based on the 1998 N64 classic Banjo-Kazooie from developer Rare, the statue comes in three flavours, each accompanied by a rather eye-watering price tag. The first is the standard model showcasing the two...
Friday6th Oct 2023
Random Star Fox Dev Thinks Star Fox Adventures "Was Too British"
"I think Star Fox is a very complex title"
The Star Fox series has been a bit of a mixed bag, hasn't it? There have been huge genre shifts, recreations, and attempts to capture that same magic that the SNES original — and the N64 sequel — captured. Now, in an interview with VGC, Dylan Cuthbert, a programmer on the original Star Fox and Star Fox...
Saturday12th Aug 2023
Video The N64 Kart Racer That Deserves To Be On Switch
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, eat your heart out
If you had a Nintendo 64 growing up, we bet you had Mario Kart 64. This was many people's first Mario Kart game, and the rest is history. Of course, you can play it on the Switch thanks to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Alongside Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart: Super Circuit (both on NSO too)...
Friday11th Aug 2023
Random Former Rare Dev Shares First-Ever Drawing Of Conker
No, he still doesn't have a neck
Former developer at Rare Chris Seavor has been sharing video game history on Twitter. And today's little tidbit is a pretty fun one — Seavor has found the first-ever drawing of Conker the Squirrel. Seavor teased his followers earlier today about "some 'curious' old scribbles" that he found, and as promised, he...
Sunday11th Jun 2023
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
Go bananas
Hello and welcome back to your weekly round of Box Art Brawl! Before we leave the courtroom behind and move on somewhere a bit warmer, let's take a look at last week's results. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, the original Ace Attorney game, stood in the BAB docks, but it was an easy win for North America, which took 53% of your votes...
Sunday23rd Apr 2023
News Former Rare Director Joel Hochberg Has Passed Away
"Joel changed the course of history"
We've got some sad news on the industry front - with a Miami Herald obituary confirming the former Rare director Joel Hochberg passed away earlier this week, aged 87. Joel lives on through his wife, children, grandchildren and extended family. As highlighted by GamesIndustry.biz, he signed on with the Ultimate...
Tuesday11th Apr 2023
Random Rare Co-Founder Tim Stamper Teases 'Dream 64' Development Cartridge
"Dream 64 does exist after all"
Update [Tue 11th Apr, 2023 00:05 BST]: Tim Stamper has now posted a follow-up tweet featuring video footage of Dream 64. In it, he notes how it was "probably" shown at Japan's Nintendo Shoshinkai show (Space World) in 1996. In the video, there's a pirate mentioning how "the Nintendo 64 treasure does exist after all"...
Friday7th Apr 2023
Random Donkey Kong Country Artist Reveals DK's Early Character Design Sketches
"He looks a lot more polished now"
The release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie has meant that Donkey Kong is somewhat the talk of the town at the moment. While Illumination's take on the character has managed to stick pretty close to the DK that we all know and love, a recent livestream from one of the original Donkey Kong Country artists, Kev...
Monday6th Feb 2023
Video Digital Foundry's Technical Analysis Of GoldenEye 007 On Switch
Shaken or stirred?
GoldenEye 007's release on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack (and Xbox) has stirred up a lot of talk among us video game enthusiasts, and naturally, Digital Foundry is weighing in on the situation. Dropping on the service just over a week ago, both the Xbox and NSO versions have come under a lot of flack for the controls,...
Monday30th Jan 2023
Random Unused Bond Face Textures Finally Erased From Switch Online's Goldeneye 007 Code
Please sir, can I have some Moore?
If you were around in the late 1990s and happily poured many hours into GoldenEye 007, then you have probably come across the 'Four Bonds' hoax. This was a theory which stated that it was possible to unlock the face textures for previous Bond actors Sean Connery, Roger Moore, and Timothy Dalton in the game's...
Sunday29th Jan 2023
Round Up Here's What Switch Online Players Think Of GoldenEye 007 So Far
A mixed reception
It's hard to believe, but Rare's legendary game GoldenEye 007 is finally back via the Nintendo Switch Online service. We have already shared our updated thoughts about the latest Nintendo version in a republished review, so now we've rounded up some of our community's thoughts as well as impressions from the wider gaming...
Saturday28th Jan 2023
Video GoldenEye 007 Side-By-Side Graphics Comparison (Switch & Xbox)
How does the Nintendo version hold up?
We've heard requests for a Switch and Xbox side-by-side comparison of GoldenEye 007, so here it is. It's all thanks to our sister site Pure Xbox, and the amazing efforts of video producer Craig Reid (along with a little help from our own video team). On paper, there are some differences between the two...
Friday27th Jan 2023
Random GoldenEye Control Troubles On Switch? This Simple Joy-Con Swap Trick Is The Answer
When left is right and right is left
GoldenEye is now available to play on Nintendo Switch. Ah, how long we've waited to type that sentence! After 25 years as an N64 exclusive, Rare's seminal first-person shooter has finally escaped from its 64-bit confines and is now playable via a Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscription, or on...
Video Learn About The Making Of GoldenEye 007 In This "Leaked" Rare Replay Documentary
Seen it already? Watch it again
The iconic first-person shooter GoldenEye 007 returns today after a 25 year wait. If you're not familiar with the game's history or are just curious to know more about this legendary N64 title, don't worry - Rare has got you covered. Back when it released its Rare Replay collection on the Xbox One in 2015, it...
Thursday26th Jan 2023
News Iconic GoldenEye "Gong" Sound Is Present And Correct In Switch Online Version
Update: Gong not gone
Update #2 [Fri 27th Jan, 2023 02:00 GMT]: GoldenEye 007 is now live on the Nintendo Switch Online service and it seems there's no need to worry. Sound the gong — everything sounds as it should! Update [Thu 26th Jan, 2023 21:05 GMT]: Digital Foundry’s John Linneman has stressed that while he "doesn't know" the exact...
Video GoldenEye 007 Side-By-Side Graphics Comparison (Switch & N64)
Spot the difference
GoldenEye 007 is arguably a timeless classic, but visually speaking it's looking a little dated. Fortunately, the re-release is getting a facelift. The new version for the Switch Online Expansion Pack service is certainly looking sharper and smoother, and to see just how much it's improved, the YouTube channel GameXplain has put...
News Xbox Acknowledges "The Journey" It's Been On To Revive GoldenEye 007
It's been a long one
No, you're not dreaming - Rare's legendary N64 shooter GoldenEye 007 is actually coming to the Nintendo Switch this week. After ongoing requests, it's finally making a comeback on the Switch Online Expansion Pack service this Friday. Although we'll never truly know just how difficult it has been to revive this classic...
Monday17th Oct 2022
News N64 Classic Perfect Dark Has Been Decompiled, Paving The Way For PC Ports
Following in Ocarina of Time's footsteps
Cited as one of the greatest video games of all time, Perfect Dark is unfortunately rather difficult to find these days. Unless you're lucky enough to own an N64 console and have a copy of the original game, or have access to the remastered port on Xbox Live Arcade, then chances are you might never have...
Sunday25th Sep 2022
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Star Fox Adventures
“Meanwhile, in a lost corner of the Lylat System...”
Hi everyone; welcome to another edition of 'Box Art Brawl'! We hope you've all had a fun and productive week since our last battle. Last time, we took a look at a GameCube classic with Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life to celebrate the recent announcement of its remake, Story of Seasons: A...
Saturday24th Sep 2022
News Rare On GoldenEye 007's Return: "We Just Kept Talking Until We Made It Happen"
"There were lots of conversations"
Planets aligned a few weeks ago - with Nintendo announcing the N64 classic GoldenEye 007 would be getting a re-release on modern platforms. It's kind of a miracle, considering how long the game has been stuck in licensing hell. Rare's boss Craig Duncan has now shed some light on the situation behind the scenes...
Friday23rd Sep 2022
News Takaya Imamura Celebrates Star Fox Adventures' 20th Anniversary
Update: Former Rare artist Wil Overton shares art too
Update: It's not just Star Fox's creator who's getting in on sharing art for the GameCube game's anniversary. Former Rare artist and magazine cover designer Wil Overton reveals that he managed to get the Star Fox crew — with Fox McCloud, Krystal, Peppy Hare, Slippy Toad, and General Pepper —...
