What a treasure
Few N64 games manage to come close to delivering the sheer amount of chaotic action that Bakuretsu Muteki Bangaioh delivers in droves. A Japanese exclusive, this 2D shoot em up majestically -- and intentionally -- puts both the player and the console through their paces; the hundreds of projectiles and enemies on screen at any one...
Say Cheese
Off-beat and remarkably novel, its surprising just how well Pokémon Snap works as a concept. In this snap em up, you trade in your Pokéballs for a trusty camera, with which you have to take the best Pokémon portraits possible. Sporting delightful environments and plenty of secrets to keep you coming back, its still one of the...
Mario Kart on snow
Racdym's cute and vibrant snowboarding-themed racing game is one that's unfairly drowned out by the perpetual, yet understandable noise that surrounds its more popular counterparts, Mario Kart 64 and Diddy Kong Racing. Incorporating a remarkably balanced offensive / defensive power-up system and a nifty stunt system that feeds...
Nintendo 64x64 Pok?mon Stadium
THE PRE-BATTLE HAS BEGUN!
Transferring data between games is a common feature nowadays, but in 1999 it was a huge deal for Pokémon fans who could finally see their favourite creatures battle it out in 3D. The pure focus on battling -- with various rule sets to choose from -- makes for a change of pace from the Game Boy original. The mini-games,...
Operation Alien Overlord
A valiant console port of a PC classic, Quake II on the N64 comes with an original campaign and four-player multiplayer. The latter is where the game truly shines, providing a quicker and much deadlier arena shooter experience than competing titles on the system. It excels in terms of technical performance -- notably the...
Hey, Mario! We got a letter from Princess Peach!
It may possess a paper-thin aesthetic, but Paper Mario's biggest success is that it adds considerable depth to what is historically a story-weak franchise. The puzzles may be a little on the simple side, but otherwise this is a rich and fulfilling RPG experience -- something which is quite hard to...
Nintendo 64x64 Conker's Bad Fur Day
One mean %&*@% Squirrel…
Only Rare could have taken the cutesy adventure platformer genre and so masterfully warped it into such an hilariously offensive and beautifully vulgar gameplay experience. Enter Conker, a binge-drinking squirrel, whose walk home from the pub quickly turns into an adventure of inappropriate and scatological proportions...
Par 4
One of Mario Golfs biggest successes is its intuitive and simple interface; its easy for anyone to play, making it a title that appeals even to those who dont show any enthusiasm for the real-life sport. Featuring a good number of playable characters; varied and challenging courses; and connectivity with the Game Boy Color version,...
Review Mon Premier Karaoké (Wii U eShop)
Should you take a chanson this?
Rarely is it possible to describe a game in a single word, yet after mere minutes of playing Mon Premier Karaoké you can aptly sum it up as “niche”. After all, this is a game that’s aimed squarely at young, French-speaking children, and so to be able to use a word of French origin to describe it is...
Nintendo 64x64 Mystical Ninja 2 Starring Goemon
Goemon returns!
The follow-up to Goemon's first 3D outing trades the free-roaming environments of its predecessor for a tighter and far more challenging 2.5 experience. The game comes with a two-player cooperative mode, which also extends to the series' renowned giant robot battles. Of particular note is the fantastic music, which merges traditional...
Acclaim Entertainment took the successes and failures of its original first-person shooter for N64 and used them to influence the creation of a sequel that was superior in virtually every single way. The campaign mode is much more tightly designed, although getting lost is still quite easy at times. When played using an Expansion Pak, the game...
Nintendo 64x64 Sin & Punishment
A real gem from the legendary shmup factory that is Treasure, Sin & Punishment delivers a consistently action-packed experience from start to finish. A Japanese exclusive that finally saw an international release through the Wii Virtual Console in 2007, the combination of ranged and melee combat results in a varied gameplay experience. The story is...
Nintendo 64x64 Space Station Silicon Valley
Its hard to believe that SSSV was created by the team that would go on to develop Grand Theft Auto III; quirky, playful and downright bizarre in tone, yet remarkably fun as a result. Playing as a crawling microchip, you must commandeer various robotic animals to defeat enemies and solve exceptionally creative puzzles in a futuristic amusement...
Nintendo 64x64 Mickey Speedway USA
Rare's spiritual follow-up to Diddy Kong Racing didn't contain quite the same level of magic and charm -- surprising given its Disney setting. Nevertheless, Mickey's Speedway USA achieves on a technical level, sporting a mostly consistent frame rate and tight track design to boot. The multiplayer mode is a worthwhile alternative to more popular...
Imagine the fast-paced gameplay of Quake, throw in some futuristic hover vehicles and you've pretty much got Forsaken. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this game is the incredible sense of speed you move at, although this quickly disappears with three other players also firing off various high-tech weapons. The campaign doesn't provide quite...
Nintendo 64x64 Gauntlet Legends
While a multiplatform release, the N64 version of Gauntlet Legends benefited greatly from the system's four built-in controller ports. Ported over from the arcade, Gauntlet Legends' simplistic hack n' slash gameplay makes it accessible to players of all skill levels. It's a solid, button-bashing adventure which is best enjoyed with three friends...
Review Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (3DS)
The smash-hit 3DS owners have been waiting for?
Ever since being announced alongside its Wii U counterpart, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS has been scrutinised by fans around the world to an almost excessive degree. Being the first game in the popular crossover fighting series to be released on a handheld system, there were understandably some...
Excitebike 64 serves as yet another prime example of Nintendo's sheer mastery when it comes to developing technical racing games. A fully 3D sequel to the NES classic, this title requires players to pay particular attention to the topography of tracks. Features some of the best quality visuals and audio on the N64, although Hi-Res mode comes at the...
Guide How To Beat Everyone At Super Smash Bros. For Nintendo 3DS
Going to EGX? Check out these top tips to ensure you have a smashing time
There's less than a week to go before the UK's biggest and best gaming expo, EGX London, kicks off, offering consumers the opportunity to go hands-on with a wide selection of upcoming games due out this holiday season or at some point next year. As you may already know,...
Nintendo 64x64 Beetle Adventure Racing
Arcade-style racing from the creative minds behind N64 launch title, Pilotwings 64. What makes Beetle Adventure Racing so enjoyable is that it feels fast and doesnt punish you too much when you make mistakes. It looks pretty good too, with its decent lighting effects and accurate VW Beetle models. The multiplayer battle mode makes for a nice...
Nintendo 64x64 Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
Your friendly neighbourhood ninja
A platforming adventure that takes place across Feudal Japan, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon focuses on a kiseru-wielding hero and his friends trying to prevent the country from being turned into a westernised fine arts theatre. Rich in Japanese folklore, yet stuffed with anachronisms such as giant robots, the...
Developer Profile Masahiro Sakurai
About the man behind two of Nintendo’s most significant franchises
"I decide what goes in the game; nobody else." These were the words of Masahiro Sakurai during a 2008 interview with Official Nintendo Magazine about Super Smash. Bros. Brawl. It's a quote that stands out because it contrasts quite starkly with the modest way in which the man...
On target
Released alongside the N64, Pilotwings 64 delivered a sense of scale and open-world exploration that easily rivalled that of Super Mario 64. While it may not have been as revolutionary, it arguably did a better job of showcasing one of the N64's major unique selling points: the analog joystick, which provides a level of precision that...
Nintendo 64x64 Chameleon Twist
Chameleon Twist is the game that Yoshi's Story should have been. Playing as an anthropomorphised chameleon, you're tasked with traversing a range of 3D environments, using your character's remarkably long tongue to reach otherwise inaccessible places and defeat enemies. An innovative idea that uses the control stick to its strengths, and one which...
