GoldenEye 007
Image: Nintendo

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 community. So here's what players are saying so far. First up, some of the more glowing impressions:

Rooty - "Just downloaded it and had a crack. Must be fifteen years or so since I last played and it absolutely holds up. New players will probably struggle with the obtuse mission requirements more than the controls, but anyone worried this isn't the Goldeneye they remember should find themselves pleasantly surprised. Great addition to the N64 back catalogue."

sc100 - "Still seems as fun as it was 25 years ago. The sharper visuals definitely help. Now I'm just hoping we keep getting more Rare games."

MattyBH85 - "Wow, really does bring back all the memories. Completed the first three missions on Agent, and going to tackle the rest once my N64 controller is charged. Still an amazing game, but you can see how advanced controls for FPS games have come since 1997. Nevertheless, so much fun to be had still!"

Another big talking point is focused on the controls in the Switch Online version - some have adapted to the setup while others are rolling with the N64 pad:

Trikeboy - "It was hard when I first started playing but after a couple of hours I was playing just fine. The only real issue is the aiming controls due to the difference in how the control sticks work."

OFFICIALMichi - "The n64 controller is great but it’s still hard to remember how to play with one stick! I wish they would put the controllers in retail bundled with a code for NSO expansion."

Over on the Nintendo Switch subreddit there was also some conversation about the control setup, but others are just happy to see the return of the iconic shooter:

BBQQA - "I am still floored by this happening. For YEARS me and my buddies would complain that we'd never see this with a modern release, that it'd be stuck in IP Rights hell. But somehow this happened. I don't think the younger generation truly understands the impact this game had, or how improbable this being on the Switch and Xbox are. It's insane."

Odie_Odie - "I still play Goldeneye on my N64 about annually, play it for a few hours over the weekend before storing my system away again and I gotta say, The controls aren't that bad. It's very similar to the original. I think a lot of people are realizing they just don't like Goldeneye because of the controls. They've always been there, lol."

MillwrightWF - "...Just a disclaimer older millennial here so 007 was a huge part of growing up. First of all I let my Fortnite obsessed son play and after him absolutely destroying me in Fortnite this was more my style. He does the building and stuff so that is where he gets me. Haha no building in this game son and I took him out several times. But once he got the controls down he wanted to keep playing! It looks pretty good. Not the jumbled mess I was expecting. No slowdown from the original. Looking forward to getting some more time in tomorrow."

And here's what the community on our sister website Pure Xbox has been saying about the Xbox version of the game:

Gamecuber - "as a veteran of the original game from back in the day this version plays better than ever. The modern control scheme on the Xbox drags it kicking and screaming into the present. I’ve briefly tried the Switch version with the original control layout and it would clearly benefit from an actual N64 controller. The Xbox version played brilliantly with twin thumb sticks."

Bucky - "Played through the campaign on Agent difficulty on the Switch last night and this morning. Just tried a few levels on Xbox and thought it felt better on Switch, although it did require a little button remapping"

SugarSkullM - "I’m loving this but can’t deny the nostalgia factor (and the force) is strong with this one. Still fun after all these years."

Techno92LFC - "There’s no doubt I along with other people would have loved to seen the Xbox Live Arcade version so don’t understand why we don’t have that one, Perhaps somebody here knows? However, It’s amazing to see this on an Xbox console and with updated controls."

You can also check out the Pure Xbox team's impressions if you're curious to know more about the Xbox version, and once again be sure to take a look at our updated Nintendo Life review for the Switch version:

How have you been finding GoldenEye 007 on the Switch Online service so far? Vote in our poll and leave a comment below.

How are you finding GoldenEye 007 on Nintendo Switch so far?