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Cube

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Everything posted by Cube

  1. After doing a few franchise playthroughs (Sonic, Star Trek and James Bond), I decided to pick something that would be a bit more varied by focusing on a console. I picked the N64 as I remember loving it, and I read about so many games in N64 Magazine that I never got to play. The number of games (419, including some prototypes) also makes it a reasonable endevour. For playing the games, I'll be using different ways to play. I'll mainly be emulating (using different emulators, as some work better in particular ones), plus using some ports/remasters. The ports/remasters are on a case-by-case basis and the game as a whole needs to have the same vibes as the N64 version, as sometimes the N64 versions had different level designs (and features) to other versions that remasters are based on. That said, some of those do kindly include the N64 mode as well. Some ports will be fan made and I will be allowing some graphical and QoL enhancements (mainly widescreen, textures that keep the right vibe and camera control). There was one game where I felt I went a bit too far on the graphical department, but a bit too late for that (it wasn't a big N64-specific one anyway). In the case of sports games, I'll be mainly getting a feel for them by playing a few matches rather than going insane while playing an entire season of each one. I also won't be shy in using cheats, mainly extra lives (they were pointless in most games of this era and losing them just wasted time as you walk back to where you were) and for games of genres I completely suck at - such as 1-on-1 fighters (I had no idea the N64 had so many). Some games only came out in Japan. I don't read or speak Japanese and I'm dreadful at understanding Japanese. For some games, there are fan-made translations that I will be using, for others, I'm relying on Google Lens (which, while some results are a big mangles, has been fairly successful and I get the gist of what things mean) . My reasoning for all of this is that this is for fun, not a serious challenge. For ordering the games, I've gone by the first release in any region, it seemed like the most logical way to do things. I've also inserted a few prototypes of games into the mix for checking out unfinished (or in a few cases, completely finished but unreleased) games. I'm already a fair amount of time into playing the games, up to number 150 on my list (an obscure game called Ocarina of Time). Out of the three Japanese launch titles, It would be rude to not start with: Super Mario 64 JP release: 23rd June 1996 NA release: 29th September 1996 PAL release: 1st March 1997 Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo N64 Magazine Score: 96% Starting off with a bang, one of the Nintendo 64’s launch titles just happens to be a revolutionary game that’s one of the best games on the system. It didn’t just show the world how platform games could work in 3D, but it set the standard for movement in 3D as well. Despite its legendary status, Nintendo have never given us the port that this game deserves. Super Mario 64 doesn’t need a full remake, just a little bit of sprucing, widescreen and an updated camera. Luckily, fans of the game have done this themselves by fully recreating the game’s engine on PC, with lots of options to set it up the way you want. There are some much more graphically impressive options than what I chose, but I wanted it to look similar to the original game, with just crisper textures and some of the 2D objects replaced with 3D ones. The movement of Mario still feels amazing all these years later. His move set is brilliant with all of his moves (minus the special hats) available from the get-go, it’s just a case of learning it and figuring out the best way to move. Most people will start off doing taller jumps by doing the backflip, but then transition to the quick turn jump to get up to the tall platforms. Even now, it’s an absolute joy to control. The camera from the original game is the main part of the game that now feels clunky. It was pretty amazing when the game came out, but it’s one aspect of games that has improved over time. Luckily, the version I played lets you turn on a more modern analogue camera, which (along with widescreen) is really all Super Mario 64 needs to feel modern. The levels are small, but it’s a style that really suits the game. They’re packed full of secrets, with six stars to find in each one (plus an extra star for collecting 100 coins). Once you collect a star, you’re thrown out of the level, which does mean you have to re-do parts of levels multiple times, but there are sometimes changes to the level depending on which star you collect. There is a mod that lets you remain in levels, but I feel like this alters the game too much, and is itself fiddly as you need to work out when you need to manually leave the level. Each level has a very distinct feel to it and I enjoyed every level in the game, except for two of the water levels. While some have generic themes (lava, water and ice), the levels are still built in unique ways, and even matching themes (like the two snow levels) don’t feel like a reuse due to the level design. Other than a couple of stars that include the wing, metal and invisible caps, you can also complete levels before moving on, or just do a couple of stars and try somewhere else. You only need 70 out of 120 stars to complete the game (far fewer if you choose to do glitches), but it’s enjoyable collecting them all. To unlock different sections of the castle (and access more levels), you need to complete Bowser’s levels. There are three in total (the last one being to save Peach) and these are much more linear platform challenges, which creates a nice change of pace. At the end of these you have to face off against Bowser, grabbing his tail and spinning him to throw him into bombs, and I’m still absolutely dreadful at aiming my throws. The final section of the game has some outstanding levels. Wet-Dry World is the third water level of the game, but this one stands out much more due to the mechanic of raising and lowering the water levels. There are different ways to move upwards depending on the water level, and you’ll need to make use of these to collect all the stars. Tiny-Huge Island has you using pipes to swap between a giant Mario and a mini Mario. You get to see cute tiny goombas or have to fight ones that are much larger than Mario. It’s not Mario’s size that actually changes, but the level itself. It’s an absolutely adorable level full of joy. Tick Tock Clock is actually a lot smaller than I remember, but is focused on well timed jumps. The unique aspect of this level is that the level entrance is itself a clockface, and where the minute hand points alters the speed of the objects in the level, or even stops them completely. I have quite strong memories of trying to figure out what was happening when this happened as a kid. The final main level, Rainbow Ride, is more linear than most levels, with different segments connected via magic carpets. You’ll need to jump off the carpets to avoid obstacles, but if you take too long, the carpets will vanish. This level requires you to have learnt how to master Mario’s moveset. Super Mario 64 is still an absolute joy to play, especially so with an updated camera. I think a full remake would alter the game too much, as the level design and movement is integral to its identity. It just needs a bit of sprucing up, and I really hope we get an official version that does this at some point. This was an amazing start for the Nintendo 64. Not only was this game integral to the development of 3D games as a whole, but the gameplay and levels still hold up today. Games keep trying to be bigger and better, but smaller and varies levels are also a great approach. Remake or Remaster? As the fan-made PC version shows, Super Mario 64 still holds up really well and just needs some basic improvements. A remastered Super Mario 64 would be perfect. Official Ways to get the game There is no way to buy a new copy of Super Mario 64, the only official way to play is to rent it via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pak. Re-releases 1997: Super Mario 64 Rumple Pak Version (Japan Only) 2003: iQue (China Only) 2006: Wii Virtual Console 2015: Wii U Virtual Console 2020: Super Mario 3D All Stars (Switch, temporary release) 2021: Nintendo Switch Online (subscription only) Other versions 2004: Super Mario 64 DS. This version featured altered levels, more stars and extra playable characters. The extra content was well received, but forcing previous stars to certain characters was frustrating. The controls also don’t work very well on the DS. The touch screen minigames were a brand-new addition and were well liked.
  2. Air Boarder 64 JP release: 27th March 1998 PAL release: November 1998 NA release: N/A Developer: Human Entertainment Publisher: Human (JP), Gaga (PAL) N64 Magazine Score: 62% Air Boarder 64 is a trick-based skateboarding-style games, but on hoverboards. The fascinating thing about Air Border is that this came out before Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. The unfortunate thing is that the developers of Air Border never seemed to figure out what the player is supposed to do in a game like this, instead opting for a bunch of random modes. You have a trick mode (spoiled somewhat because you have to hit gates in a certain time), a time trial, coin collection and free play. It all feels like the developers were testing different things, but none of them really feel like a completed feature, seeming a bit disjointed. The five levels also feel like they’re each from a completely different game, with zero cohesion in theme or level design. You have the starting skate park, a forest level, a bit of a city during winter, a few islands connected by a massive bridge and one where you’re tiny in a house. Like the modes, these also feel like they were testing random ideas and couldn’t work out a direction for the game. None of them take advantage of the fact that you can fly up walls, either. Even though it feels more like a lost prototype than a final game, I can’t help but find this game fascinating, and the core movement and tricks are enjoyable. It’s not a good game but, even with its complete lack of direction, it’s not terrible, either. Remake or Remaster? It would be interesting too see this tried again, using what the Tony Hawk series did with the genre. Official Ways to get the game There’s no official way to play Air Boarder 64
  3. https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2022/01/18/welcoming-activision-blizzard-to-microsoft-gaming/ For $70 billion. Still needs to be finalised, but they're sure enough to officially announce it. The industry becomes more and more monopolised. That said, Microsoft can probably massively improve working conditions for the staff.
  4. @Dcubed Madden 64 and Quaterback Club 64 came out in October 1997, so just over a year after the US launch Battle Puzzle Balls: Fighting Spirit! JP release: 26th March 1998 PAL release: 1st September 1998 NA release: 29th September 1998 Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami N64 Magazine Score: 47% Original Name: Susume! Taisen Puzzle Dama: Tōkon! Marutama Chō Battle Puzzle Balls is a collection of three games, two puzzlers and then a bonus minigame. It features a cast of random characters including a “magical girl” that might be a vampire, a mad scientist, a rockstar, a baby and an axolotl. The first game is a variation on Puyo Puyo. In this version, a group of three will make them disappear (instead of four) and the “bad blocks” sent from your opponent can be turned into regular balls. Unfortunately, there are no colour options and I couldn’t tell apart the green and yellow – these also lack the slight shape variation from Puyo Puyo. The second game has the same linking and chain rules as the previous, but instead of balls coming from the top of the screen, you have a pair of wings that can pick up one of the balls, swapping it with another. The green is a darker colour in this game so I could tell the difference, so I was able to do fairly well at it. The final mode is a very basic bowling game. A cursor swings up and down the screen and you press A at the right time to bowl. It’s like a rather naff java version of bowling. This is mainly just a less fun version of Puyo Puyo. Remake or Remaster? Other puzzle games need more attention. Official Ways to get the game There’s no official way to play Battle Puzzle Balls: Fighting Spirit!
  5. Power Pros Baseball 5 JP release: 26th March 1998 PAL release: N/A NA release: N/A Developer: Diamond Hear Publisher: Konami N64 Magazine Score: 78% One simple change makes this a huge improvement over Power Pros 4: when the ball is pitched, a target appears on screen for you to aim at. It still needs incredibly quick reflexes, but you now have a chance of hitting the ball. The computer is still completely perfect, though, catching pretty much everything you hit while they always hit a large gap between your players. Another new feature is the scenario mode, which gives you a bunch of in-progress games and you need to try and win from that position. It’s very similar to the scenario mode from International Superstar Soccer. The RPG mode also returns, but there’s just an immense amount of text involved in it, so it’s difficult to keep track of what is going on. Interestingly, there’s still no N64 baseball game that has released in the USA. Remake or Remaster? I would like to see an English version of one of the RPGs in these games. Official Ways to get the game There’s no official way to play Power Pros Baseball 5
  6. https://www.wired.com/story/lucasfilm-games-star-wars-ubisoft-indiana-jones-bethesda/ Working with Ubisoft and Massive Games (The Division). No other details so far, they're still recruiting for it so it's going to be a few years away.
  7. G.A.S.P!! Fighters’ NEXTream JP release: 26th March 1998 PAL release: 1st September 1998 NA release: 29th September 1998 Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami N64 Magazine Score: 47% What does Generation of Arts, Speed and Power mean? It means someone really wanted the game’s initials to spell out “GASP”. As for “Fighters’ NEXTreme”? I have absolutely no idea – probably why this was renamed to the extremely generic “Deadly Arts” in America. This is another fighting game on the N64, one that has one interesting feature, but is unfortunately not that fun to play. GASP is all about combos, but the input window makes it difficult to pull any off, so I found a couple of simple moves and spammed then. The default timer is very short, so KOs are unlikely and if time runs out, you get judged on multiple categories, so the person with less health may win. The characters are all completely uninteresting and just look like prototype versions from other fighting games. The one interesting thing is “create-a-fighter”, although options are extremely limited. You then train by fighting others and, if you win, you get to learn one of their moves, although with how much of a faff they are to perform, it doesn’t mean much. This joins the rather large list of bland fighters on the N64. Remake or Remaster? The create-a-fighter could be done in newer games, but needs to be better than this. Official Ways to get the game There’s no official way to play G.A.S.P!! Fighters’ NEXTream
  8. Quake NA release: 24th March 1998 PAL release: 24th May 1998 JP release: N/A Developer: iD, Midway Publisher: Midway (NA), GT (Pal) N64 Magazine Score: 79% Like with Duke Nukem, Hexen and DOOM, this is another port of a FPS that released on PC a few years prior. The N64 version of Quake (which I’m calling Quake 64 to make things easier) was mostly the same, but had altered (and missing) maps, making it a slight variation of the original – luckily the 2021 remaster of Quake includes the N64 maps as an additional option (just make sure to turn off the horrible CRT filter). Quake is like DOOM but with a bit more 3D, featuring platforming. It follows the structure of having to hunt down keys to progress levels white are a bit maze like and are often disorientating due to everywhere looking the game. It was no doubt impressive back in the day, but the genre evolved a lot between when this originally came out on PC and when it came out on N64. Apart from slight level changes, the other big difference with Quake 64 is the music. The original had a wonderful soundtrack from Nine Inch Nails (which is a genuine game soundtrack, not just some music they had already made) while this has its own soundtrack which sounds a bit like DOOM 64, being mostly background creepy ambient noise. Quake is a fine game by itself, but there’s not really any reason to play it over the original. Remake or Remaster? The remaster of Quake included an additional download for the N64 version – although if you’re not on PC, you’re stuck with a horrible filter, as it requires a console command to disable. Official Ways to get the game You can get Quake for Gog and Steam.
  9. 1080° Snowboarding JP release: 28th February 1998 NA release: 1st April 1998 PAL release: 9th October 1998 Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo N64 Magazine Score: 89% 1080° Snowboarding has a bit of a mixed reception amongst Nintendo fans, with some loving it and others not really getting into it. Unfortunately, I’m in the latter camp but I can see why people do love it. I think a lot of it is to do with expectations: you expect something more whimsical and a bit over-the-top from Nintendo, but 1080 is surprisingly grounded. 1080 is a snowboard racing game with a lot of tricks, with the tutorial being geared towards performing tricks. I think this was the main error of the game, as it sets tricks as something integral to the game, creating the impression that they’ll be important to all modes. After this, people will usually pick the race mode and almost certainly lose. As Nintendo have gone for a more serious game, tricks won’t help you out here, they’ll just slow you down, any kind of jumping usually will. You need to crouch down and perfect the course to win, even on the easiest difficulties. The tricks come into play in specific trick modes, and the system is quite robust and it takes a lot of skill to master landing. I just wish that the two modes were integrated a bit more and that tricks were part of races, creating boost – but that would change the nature of the game and isn’t what Nintendo is going for. 1080° Snowboarding is a very solid game, it just isn’t for me. Remake or Remaster? It definitely deserves an updated release, perhaps adding a more arcade mode as well. Official Ways to get the game There is no way to buy a new copy of 1080° Snowboarding, the only official way to play is to rent it via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pak. Re-releases 2008: Wii Virtual Console 2015: Wii U Virtual Console 2024: Nintendo Switch Online (subscription only)
  10. Incineroar could work great as a standalone Pokémon, like Tony the Tiger merged with a wrestler and climbed out of hell. The problem with Incineroar it follows two Pokémon that are quite similar, and goes in a completely different direction. Litten and Torracat are simple cat Pokémon, but that's what I liked. A much cooler cat Pokémon as the third evolution would be much better than a savage demon. Out of the others, Owliver was also a great design. Moon was my only main Pokémon game after Yellow.
  11. NHL Breakaway 98 NA release: 25th February 1998 PAL release: 25th February 1998 JP release: N/A Developer: Iguana Publisher: Acclaim N64 Magazine Score: 62% Graphically, NHL Breakaway looks much more “real” compared too Wayne Gretzky, with human-shaped proportions and an ice rink that has reflections (although not of players). It also seems to be more in-tune with a proper Ice Hockey viewing experience (I presume) with organ music playing American sports tunes. Unfortunately, that’s where the good points for Breakaway end, as it’s nowhere near as fluid or fun to play as Wayne Gretzky. It’s all stiff, with some unresponsive controls and bad camera angles – I couldn’t find a single one I liked. Similar to Igunana’s American Football game, NHL Breakaway also ahs some cheats, although none are as amusing as their previous one and they don’t really make the game any more fun. This is just a bland sports game. Remake or Remaster? Sports games constantly get refreshed. Official Ways to get the game There’s no official way to play NHL Breakaway 98
  12. Jeopardy! NA release: 25th February 1998 PAL release: N/A JP release: N/A Developer: GameTek Publisher: Take Two N64 Magazine Score: 9% Similar to Wheel of Fortune, this got a scathing review from N64 Magazine and, once again, this is just fine. There’s not much too it, but it gets the job done. That said, it does have a few problems not present in Wheel of Fortune. One odd thing I noticed (which isn’t really a problem) is that the menu music is a remix of “I’m a little teapot”, which is a bit random. Jeopardy is a trivia game where everything is worded awkwardly so that the answers start with “what is” and the questions don’t have question marks. It doesn’t change the nature of the questions in any way, it’s just a pointless novelty to make them seem more interesting than they are. You pick from a list of categories and difficulties – if you don’t know much about one of the chosen categories, tough. Typing out on the N64 is particularly awkward. It helps you by filling in the “what is/are” part so you just put in the answer (making it more obvious that it’s just a regular quiz show). You can set it to accept incorrect spellings or to show you potential answers. On the flip side, computer players type so fast you can’t see what they’re doing. It’s a basic trivia game – but that’s all it’s trying to be. Remake or Remaster? Like Wheel of Fortune, classic games should be in a Jackbox-style collection. Official Ways to get the game There’s no official way to play Jeopardy on N64, but there are various versions of the game on other platforms.
  13. Olympic Hockey ’98 NA release: 23rd February 1998 PAL release: April 1998 JP release: July 1998 Developer: Software Creations Publisher: Midway (NA), GT (PAL), Konami (JP) N64 Magazine Score: 60% In December 1997, Wayne Gretzky’s 3D Hockey ’98, offering no notable improvement over the first (pretty solid) game. Two months later, Olympic Hockey ’98 is just another version of Wayne Gretzky’s 3D Hockey, just with the American teams replaced with those from the Olympics (although most of the players are generic and not based on real ones). IGN had a particularly scathing review, giving it a 0/10 and saying “We’ll post a new review when Midway releases a new game.” (that’s not a quote, that’s the entire review). The biggest difference between Olympic Hockey and Wayne Gretzky are the default settings, with Olympic Hockey having everything set to simulation and strict. I realised I hated strict hockey, especially the ball going behind the goal resulting in a penalty, but change some settings and you can have fun again. This isn’t a terrible game, it’s just a cheap cash-in. Remake or Remaster? This game is pointless. Official Ways to get the game There’s no official way to play Olympic Hockey 98
  14. Your 2024 Gaming Diary

    If you ignore minigames, Sonic Shuffle trounces every Mario Party (well, apart from the cheating AI).
  15. Fighters Destiny NA release: 31st January 1998 PAL release: 1st March 1998 JP release: 11th Decemver 1998 Developer: Opus, Ancho, Genki Publisher: Ocean (NA), Infogrames (PAL), Imagineer (JP) N64 Magazine Score: 86% Even though I’m not a fan of fighting games, I can tell that this one is something special, at least compared to all the tedious ones released before this on the N64. This has some interesting ideas and feels like it was designed for a console due to the modes it included. The key part of Fighters Destiny is the point system. You have to be the first to seven points and different methods of defeating your opponent gets you different points: pushing them off the giant block you fight on top of nets you 1 point, a throwdown move gets you 2 points while preforming a special mode (via a ridiculous combination) get you 4. This means people are trying different tactics rather than just whittling down health. There are also a bunch of different modes to keep people interested. There’s a rodeo where you have to keep in the fight (against a cow) for as long as possible, a survival challenge and a timed mode. There’s also Masters Challenge, where you can earn more moves for each character (on top of the already immense amount they have) and can move these via controller pak to a friend’s house. It isn’t for me, but Fighters Destiny stands out above the other fighting games on N64. Remake or remaster? A collection of both games would be nice. Official ways to get the game. There is no official way to get Fighters Destiny
  16. @Dcubed a fresh team worked for GoldenEye, but I imagine Konami's method was just randomly assigning a new project when a team has finished a previous one. @Jonnas thanks for the info! SimCity 2000 JP release: 30th January 1998 NA release: N/A PAL release: N/A Developer: Maxis, Genki Publisher: Imagineer N64 Magazine Score: 83% I didn’t touch this one that much. For the most part, it’s a straight port of SimCity 2000 on PC, but completely in Japanese (even with Google Lens, it’s a nightmare to play). On top of that, the joystick moves a cursor and is really not suitable for this kind of game. I did try to get somewhere with it, but I couldn’t even attract a single person to my city. This version of SimCity 2000 does have some additional features I never got to, mainly in the form of minigames. You can bet on horse races, breed monsters (to defend your city from other monsters), defend your city in a Sci-fi shooter and take part in a dating sim. I am curious to see what they’re like, but the barrier is just too high – I’ll save my SimCity effort for the N64’s other, more custom, SimCity game. (Note: There was never a UK release of SimCity 2000) Remake or remaster? It would be curious to see the minigames in another version. Official ways to get the game. There is no official way to get the N64 version of SimCity 2000. The PC version can be bought from EA.
  17. Splatoon 2

    @Hero of Time are you going to play the Octo Expansion? The DLC is much, much better than the standard campaign.
  18. NBA In The Zone ’98 JP release: 29th January 1998 NA release: 16th February 1998 PAL release: April 1998 Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami N64 Magazine Score: 71% With ISS64, Konami gave the N64 a solid start with Football games on the N64. Their take on Basketball is the first serious take on the sport on the N64, so you would hope for similar results. Unfortunately, NBA In the Zone 98 (or NBA Pro 98 in Europe) bounces off the basket rim and just misses the mark. Everything in NBA In The Zone feels slow and clunky, even swapping players seems unreliable. Helpful AI-controlled teammates are also an important part in sports games, and for a game like baseball it seems vital, but anyone you don’t control may as well not be there. From what little I know about Basketball, getting your players in a defensive position is a necessary part of the game, especially as you can’t tackle directly, but defending may as well not exist in this game. After FIFA 98, the players also seem extremely outdated, with stick arms and legs, looking more like abstract monstrosities than human. The courts and crowds also look rather flat, resulting in a game that’s just janky and ugly. Remake or remaster? Sports games have evolved over time. Official ways to get the game. There is no official way to get NBA In The Zone 97
  19. Robotron 64 NA release: 5th January 1998 PAL release: June 1998 JP release: N/A Developer: Player 1 Publisher: Crave (NA) GT (PAL) N64 Magazine Score: 75% With the advent of digital downloads, games like this have a great place now. But back in the N64 days, arcade-style games were sold on a cartridge the same price as much meatier games, making them difficult purchases. Robotron is an update to the original Robotron 2048, but the arcade mode of going though the 200 waves (or taking turns with another person) is really all there is. Robotron 64 is a really good update of the original arcade, now in a new perspective with a camera that mostly does a great job at showing the action. You can either use the analogue stick to move and c-buttons to shoot, or use two controllers to use two analogue sticks. The gameplay is solid and a lot of fun. Although with the camera moving and all the flashing effects, it can sometimes be difficult to see what is happening, with the projectiles of the brain enemies being particularly difficult to see, resulting in some unfair deaths. Robotron 64 is a lot of fun, but it really could have done with more modes and features. Remake or remaster? I’m quite surprised that there has been no XBLA style update for Robotron. It’s still a well respected name and an update could be great, potentially having new styles plus including options for the previous three: 2048, X and 64. Official ways to get the game. There is no official way to get Robotron 64
  20. New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon Road: Brave Spirits JP release: 4th January 1998 NA release: N/A PAL release: N/A Developer: Yuke’s Publisher: Hudson N64 Magazine Score: 49% Another Japanese Wrestling game, Toukon Road: Brave Spirits doesn’t focus on real-life wrestlers, but instead creates its own brand new cast of wrestlers. Unfortunately, they haven’t really gone all out with creative or memorable designs, but rather tried to come up with “realistic” wrestlers. One thing that did impress me with Toukon Road was the animation, in particular how the ring bounces when wrestlers hit the floor along with the visible breathing. The gameplay itself isn’t bad and there are plenty of moves, but it also isn’t very gripping, either. Toukon Road is made to be fun in multiplayer and there are a fun options, but it doesn’t really do anything particularly unique in terms of how it plays. Remake or remaster? This game doesn’t need any special treatment. Official ways to get the game. There is no official way to get New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon Road: Brave Spirits
  21. Out of all of these, the only one I'm familiar with is Greninja. Partly due to being included in Smash Bros Wii U/3DS and partly because Ash-Greninja my main damage dealing pokémon for however far I got though Pokémon Moon - even with it disobeying orders due to being a high level (you got him at the start if you played the demo or something like that), it still performed amazingly well (really, it was kind of cheating). In Sun/Moon, the Greninja you get in this way is supposed to be the actual Greninja that Ash has in the anime. The final evolution doesn't even look that bad. Braixen and Delphox both look like evolutions more so than any of the other two sets of starters. That said, both designs do seem like they're from a cartoon with anthropomorphic animals than Pokémon - I could easily see Braixen chatting to Fox McCloud, while Delphox looks more like a wise, motherly character. Also, you haven't even gotten to what is by far the worst case of a middle evolution to final evolution of a starter Pokémon. I used an Everstone for that one to make sure it never reached its final evolution.
  22. Augusta Masters ’98 JP release: 26th December 1997 NA release: N/A PAL release: N/A Developer: T&E Soft Publisher: T&E Soft N64 Magazine Score: 40% The second golf game on N64, and again it’s exclusive to Japan. This is a significant improvement over The Glory of St Andrews, but is still far from being a good golf game. Like St Andrews, this one also covers only one specific course. Augusta Masters doesn’t try anything new in terms of video game mechanics for golf, using the tried and tested bar system from Golf on the NES. There’s nothing wrong with it as it’s a good system, but the big flaw with Augusta is that it’s very, very difficult to correlate power to distance – it just never seems right. This is especially evident during putting, anything above 50% power is far too hard, and really anything over four tiny bars will cause the ball to spiral out of control. The balance for getting it right requires perfection, but you never know what level is needed. If you don’t land on the green very close to the hole, you’ll be adding 5 to your score. So with difficult gameplay, graphics that are detailed yet also extremely ugly and only one course, there isn’t much to this game. Remake or remaster? This game doesn’t need any special treatment. Official ways to get the game. There is no official way to get Augusta Masters '98
  23. Yoshi’s Story JP release: 21st December 1997 NA release: 10th March 1998 PAL release: 10th May 1998 Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo N64 Magazine Score: 86% Yoshi’s Story is an incredibly cute game that just oozes charm. On a quest to save their magical fruit tree from Baby Bowser, the Yoshi’s journey across a book across six worlds, eating a lot of fruit along the way. In each level, your goal isn’t to make it to the end, it’s to eat 30 fruit. Fruit is also health – apart from chillies, which the Yoshis hate (shame, they’re delicious). Getting the 30th one ends the level no matter where you are, so if you’re after finding the super hearts or just more points, you’ll want to hold off. The platforming is great (other than some blind jumps) and there are lots of little secrets to discover. The biggest issue with Yoshi’s Story is the game’s structure. In a similar style to Star Fox 64, you only play a portion of the levels – one from each of the six worlds. So reaching the Baby Bowser (who is ridiculously easy to defeat) does not take long at all if you’re munching up fruit whenever you see it. I feel like it does Yoshi’s Story a massive disservice, and many people will miss a lot of the game due to this. In order to unlock more levels, you need to search the levels for giant hearts – needing to find three each time if you want the fourth stage in each world. There’s also an additional challenge of only eating melons – there are exactly 30 in each level. This all adds to the replayability, but as much as I love the game, I just really hate its structure. Remake or remaster? A remake would be amazing. The different graphical styles (craft, wool, inflatables) would pop even more with added detail and they could provide different ways to play to change the structure of the game. Official ways to get the game. There is no way to buy a new copy of Yoshi’s Story, the only official way to play is to rent it via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pak. Re-releases 2007: Wii Virtual Console 2016: Wii U Virtual Console 2021: Nintendo Switch Online (Subscription Only)
  24. FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 PAL release: 20th December 1997 NA release: 22nd December 1997 JP release: 12th April 1998 Developer: EA Canada Publisher: EA Sports (PAL/NA), EA Victor (JP) N64 Magazine Score: 83% This game brings back a lot of memories from my childhood. I had this game on PC and played it a lot – even doing some 90 minute matches. I was into football at the time (I stopped caring not long after). After seeing how dreadful FIFA 64 was, I was worried that this was going to tarnish my memories. Luckily, it seems that this time, the N64 got a solid port. Every single thing has been improved upon from the previous year. The players actually look human now (in N64 style, anyway), the gameplay is fast and fluid and there is actually team management and a HUD that lets you know player names and a massive amount of both international and league teams. The N64 version does have some setbacks – Song 2 by Blur is cut back, and the commentary is heavily reduced, but the core gameplay is spot on, and it’s just a ton of fun. This version of FIFA also included a 5-a-side indoor pitch, for an even more frantic and fast-paced game and a lot fewer interruptions due to the ball bouncing off the wall. This mode solidifies the core feature of this particular FIFA: fun. The gameplay is relatively simple, but it’s just enjoyable. This extends into some of the “unrealistic” things you can do in the game. One of the tackle buttons is just an outright foul that you’ll never get away with, and you can even use it on the goalkeeper for an instant red card – however, you can set the referee strictness to zero. You can also pass back to the keeper and run as much as you like. Even though I’m not a fan of football now, I still had a ton of fun playing this. It may not be as technical as ISS, but it’s just enjoyable. Remake or remaster? While the genre has evolved a lot – I think a “throwback” game based on this one would be interesting to see, focusing on the same simple gameplay and sense of fun. Official ways to get the game. There is no official way to get FIFA Road to World Cup 98
  25. Virtual Pro Wrestling 64 JP release: 19th December 1997 NA release: N/A PAL release: N/A Developer: Asmik Ace / AKI Publisher: Asmik Ace N64 Magazine Score: N/A This is mainly a Japanese version of WCW vs. nWo: World Tour. However, despite releasing in the same month as the original version, this has a lot more stuff in it. Most notably, it contains a lot more wrestlers, with 5 additional wrestling leagues included. The game itself plays the same, though. Another significant feature of this version is the wrestler edit. The features are quite basic – you can’t change anything about the wrestlers physical features, but there are 126 different costumes to choose from, each with two or three colours that you can change. These don’t make the game significantly better, but there are some interesting changes that differentiate it from the original version of the game. Remake or remaster? The genre itself has evolved. Official ways to get the game. There is no official way to get Virtual Pro Wrestling 64
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