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Cube

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Posts posted by Cube


  1. @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!

    puzzleballs-box-l.jpg

    • 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

    puzzleballs-010.jpg

    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.

    puzzleballs-005.jpg

    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.

    puzzleballs-007.jpg

    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.

    puzzleballs-013.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    One criticism of this version is its apparent ability to cheat. Achieve a thunderous rection and your opponent seems to suffer very little. Indeed, after scoring a ten-hit chain (that’s TEN-hit), our opponent had three lines of glass blobs added to his side, which he promptly got rid of and, seconds later, dumped – with five over lines – on our side.

    - Tim Weaver, N64 Magazine #15

    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!

     

    • Thanks 1

  2. Power Pros Baseball 5


    powerpros5-box-l.jpg

    • JP release: 26th March 1998
    • PAL release: N/A
    • NA release: N/A
    • Developer: Diamond Hear
    • Publisher: Konami
    • N64 Magazine Score: 78%

    powerpros5-007-750x583.jpg

    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.

    powerpros5-010-750x583.jpg

    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.

    powerpros5-018-750x583.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    Although the text remained a mystery, we soon formed a bond with our adopted baseball kids. When the one who wears too much mascara and the twins with the inflatable heads were missing, presumed electrocuted, it felt like a beloved Tamagotchi had expired on us.

    - Martin Kitts, N64 Magazine #17

    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

    • Thanks 1

  3. G.A.S.P!! Fighters’ NEXTream

    gasp-box-l.jpg

    • JP release: 26th March 1998
    • PAL release: 1st September 1998
    • NA release: 29th September 1998
    • Developer: Konami
    • Publisher: Konami
    • N64 Magazine Score: 47%

    gasp-016.jpg

    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-010.jpg

    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.

    gasp-005.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    Combos are so hard to pull off that even attempting them is too much of an effort, while characters have all the appeal of Anne Robinson.

    - Tim Weaver, N64 Magazine #22

    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

    • Like 1

  4. Quake
     

    quake-box-l.jpg

    • 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%

    quake-015-1024x576.jpg

    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-009-1024x576.jpg

    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.

    quake-012-1024x576.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    If Midway hadn’t delayed Quake in order to add a two-player mode (which should have been a four-player mode, of course), we’d have struggled to recommend Quake 64. It’s a basic port, little more. It no way improves upon the original which, two years from its first release, is a bit of a joke.

    - James Price, N64 Magazine #15

    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.

    • Thanks 1

  5. 1080° Snowboarding
     

    1080-box-l.jpg

    • JP release: 28th February 1998
    • NA release: 1st April 1998
    • PAL release: 9th October 1998
    • Developer: Nintendo
    • Publisher: Nintendo
    • N64 Magazine Score: 89%

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    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.

    1080-009-1024x582.jpg

    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.

    1080-015-1024x582.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    The first time you complete a course without crashing once, you’ll forgive the game for all the times it made you want to throw your N64 out of the window, because 1080° is a very rewarding game.

    - Martin Kitts, N64 Magazine #21

    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)

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1

  6. 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.


  7. NHL Breakaway 98
     

    nhlbreak-box-l.jpg

    • NA release: 25th February 1998
    • PAL release: 25th February 1998
    • JP release: N/A
    • Developer: Iguana
    • Publisher: Acclaim
    • N64 Magazine Score: 62%

    nhlbreak-006-1024x648.jpg

    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.

    nhlbreak-009-1024x648.jpg

    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.

    nhlbreak-012-1024x648.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    Everything’s neatly in place and functioning in its proper manner, but there’s no excitement, no originality. Basically, there’s nothing to make you want to rush out and buy the game.

    - Dean Mortlock, N64 Magazine #14

    Remake or Remaster?

    Sports games constantly get refreshed.

    Official Ways to get the game

    There’s no official way to play NHL Breakaway 98

    • Thanks 2

  8. Jeopardy!

    jeopardy-box-l.jpg

    • NA release: 25th February 1998
    • PAL release: N/A
    • JP release: N/A
    • Developer: GameTek
    • Publisher: Take Two
    • N64 Magazine Score: 9%

    jeopardy-004.jpg

    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-006.jpg

    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.

    jeopardy-010.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    To be able to answer Jeopardy’s questions you need to have enough sense to not spend pounds on a glorified quiz book.

    - Paul O’Donovan, N64 Magazine #16

    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.

    • Thanks 3

  9. Olympic Hockey ’98

    olymhock-box-l.jpg

    • 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%

    olymhock-005.jpg

    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).

    olymhock-004.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    So you get a couple of minor changes to the commentary, Nagano logos around the rink and under the ice, and the teams of the Olympic tournament. All 14 of them. Everything else is identical to the original.

    - Martin Kitts, N64 Magazine #15

    Remake or Remaster?

    This game is pointless.

    Official Ways to get the game

    There’s no official way to play Olympic Hockey 98

    • Haha 1

  10. Fighters Destiny

    fightersdestiny-box-l.jpg

    • 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%

    fightersdestiny-003-750x583.jpg

    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.

    fightersdestiny-006-750x583.jpg

    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.

    fightersdestiny-009-750x583.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    In many ways, this IS our Tekken. The smooth and lovely graphics, the sheer number of moves, and the flexibility of the combat system as a whole affirm this.

    - Jes Bickham, N64 Magazine #13

    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

    • Thanks 1

  11. @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

    simcity2000-box-l.jpg

    • JP release: 30th January 1998
    • NA release: N/A
    • PAL release: N/A
    • Developer: Maxis, Genki
    • Publisher: Imagineer
    • N64 Magazine Score: 83%

    simcity2000-001.jpg

    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.

    simcity2000-005.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    If this review has whet your appetite for an N64-based city management role, you’d do well to consider the following: Sim City 2000 is due for UK release in a few month’s time, and the Japanese version is near incomprehensible unless you’ve played the game on another format. There’s also the problem that moans and requests from citizens are so easy to ignore when they’re in another language – another curious way in which Sim City 2000 mirrors real life…

    - James Price, N64 Magazine #13

    (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.

    • Thanks 1

  12. NBA In The Zone ’98
     

    nbaone-box-l.jpg

    • JP release: 29th January 1998
    • NA release: 16th February 1998
    • PAL release: April 1998
    • Developer: Konami
    • Publisher: Konami
    • N64 Magazine Score: 71%

    nbaone-004.jpg

    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.

    nbaone-005.jpg

    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.

    nbaone-009.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    The speed of NBA Pro’s players is measured in digital terms, not analogue – there are sperate run buttons. You may as well be using a D-pad. Tsk.

    - James Price, N64 Magazine #14

    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

    • Thanks 1

  13. Robotron 64
     

    robotron-box-l.jpg

    • 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%

    robotron-011-750x562.jpg

    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-003-750x562.jpg

    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.

    robotron-013-750x562.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    I recommend Robotron 64 as an ace blast game, but you must understand something. It’s endlessly, enviably playable and even manages a few surprises but it’s not “there.” Its potential is unrealised.

    - Jonathan Nash, N64 Magazine #12

    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

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1

  14. New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon Road: Brave Spirits
     

    toukan-box-l.jpg

    • JP release: 4th January 1998
    • NA release: N/A
    • PAL release: N/A
    • Developer: Yuke’s
    • Publisher: Hudson
    • N64 Magazine Score: 49%

    toukan-004-1024x582.jpg

    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.

    toukan-010-1024x582.jpg

    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.

    Quote

    Most of the options in Tokon Road seem to be neatly catered for, up to four players being able to grunt and moan their way through a respectable array of options. In one-player mode, though, there’s just a one-on-one or tag team game available.

    - Dean Mortlock, N64 Magazine #12

    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

    • Thanks 2

  15. 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.

     

    5 hours ago, Glen-i said:

    So... Braixen... This middle evolution is strange. It's the third, and last, middle evolution that is more popular then the final evolution. But unlike Ivysaur and Grovyle, Braixen isn't popular because of a game outside of the mainline series, Braixen is popular because it's evolution is definitively unpopular!

    It's so unpopular that when Pokkén was released for WiiU, Braixen was a playable character in that instead of that final evolution.

    I have never seen the general reception of a starter Pokémon turn sour as much as when Braixen evolves into Delphox. Which is strange, because this one finally breaks the pattern of Fire Starters by being Fire/Psychic this time. I'm not even sure why it's so universally derived, it seems fine to me as a concept.
    That concept is mage, by the way. In case it wasn't obvious from the artwork.

    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.


  16. Augusta Masters ’98
     

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    • 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%

    masters98-013.jpg

    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.

    masters98-016.jpg

    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.

    masters98-007.jpg

    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.

    masters98-015.jpg

    So with difficult gameplay, graphics that are detailed yet also extremely ugly and only one course, there isn’t much to this game.

    Quote

    For starters, it used digitised players. Like ‘blue screen’ special effects in old movies, this looks woefully dated, with golfers appearing divorced from the backgrounds they’re placed upon.

    - James Price, N64 Magazine #14

    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

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1

  17. Yoshi’s Story

    yoshis-box-l.jpg

    • JP release: 21st December 1997
    • NA release: 10th March 1998
    • PAL release: 10th May 1998
    • Developer: Nintendo
    • Publisher: Nintendo
    • N64 Magazine Score: 86%

    yoshis-003.jpg

    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.

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    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.

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    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.

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    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.

    Quote

    But those appreciative of the art that is game development will rightly sit back, look at Yoshi’s Story and admit that it’s incredibly good fun. And that, at the end of the day, is what it’s all about.

    - Tim Weaver, N64 Magazine #15

    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)

    • Like 4
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  18. FIFA: Road to World Cup 98

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    • 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%

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    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.

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    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.

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    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.

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    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.

    Quote

    But the overall improvement in FIFA is astounding. In fact, such a leap would have been unimaginable almost a year ago when we were plodding through the sewage-like mess that was FIFA 64.

    - Tim Weaver, N64 Magazine #10

    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

    • Like 1
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  19. Virtual Pro Wrestling 64

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    • 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

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    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.

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    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

    • Thanks 1

  20. Irritating Eclectic Stick

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    • JP release: 19th December 1997
    • NA release: N/A
    • PAL release: N/A
    • Developer: Yuke’s
    • Publisher: Hudson
    • N64 Magazine Score: 65%
    • Original name: Ucchan Nanchan no Hono no Challenge: Denryu Ira Ira Bo

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    Do you know that kids toy where you move a stick around a metal wire and if you make contact with it it makes a buzzing sound? In Japan, they turned that into a game show, and that game show got multiple video games. Only one of them got a release outside of Japan, which is Irritating Stick on the PS1. The N64 game Ucchannanchan’s Flaming Challenger: Irritating Electric Stick (for the full translated name), however, remained in Japan.

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    The game is incredibly simple: move a stick through a maze. There are some tight corners and moving obstacles, and you view the stick from the side so it’s just a dot (you can turn on an option to display the full stick as you tilt, but it gets in the way). The only control is moving the analogue stick.

    While it’s very simple, the game does what it sets out to do perfectly. The controls are 100% reliable, with the stick stopping the moment you let go of the stick, so there’s no delay or deceleration to worry about, it’s entirely down to your skill. So while the game is frustratingly difficult – the frustration is aimed at yourself, as it’s your skill causing you to fail.

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    And I lack the skill to complete the game. Even if you removed the time limit, my precision is not good enough for this game. That’s not a fault with the game, though, just with me.

    Irritating Electric Stick doesn’t do much – and there are only six courses (they will take a very long time to master, though) – but it does what it advertises so well that it’s a surprisingly decent game.

    Quote

    A ludicrous, insulting, expensive novelty, then, but one I like a lot.

    - Jonathan Nash, N64 Magazine #12

    Remake or Remaster?

    A collection of Irritating Electric Stick on N64, Irritating Stick on PS1 and The Irritating Maze on Neo Geo, perhaps? They could even throw in some clips of the actual show.

    Official Ways to get the game

    There’s no official way to play Irritating Electric Stick

    • Thanks 2
    • Weird 1

  21. AeroGauge
     

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    • JP release: 19th December 1997
    • NA release: 30th April 1998
    • PAL release: 1st May 1998
    • Developer: Locomotive Corporation
    • Publisher: ASCII
    • N64 Magazine Score: 10%

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    A futuristic racing game, on the same lines of Wipeout, F-Zero and Extreme-G. N64 gave AeroGauge an abysmal score of 10% so I was expecting something especially dreadful from it, but I kind of enjoy it. There are some ways where it’s near enough broken and, like many N64 racers, is light on content, but this is close to being a good game.

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    AeroGauge does have some extreme problems. The AI players are the biggest one due to how they’re essentially “perfect”, from all of them pulling off the boost start to just all doing the perfect route throughout the level. One slight mistake and you’ll spend the whole race in last place.

    The boost start itself is needlessly complicated (hold A+B before the race starts, let go of B when “go” is said) as well as the in-race boosts (hold Z+A, drift turn, then let go of Z+A and press A), both feeling like cheat codes more than part of the game. These issues fundamentally break playing against the computer.

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    However, the racing itself is just a lot of fun. You don’t drive or hover, you fly through the levels. This separates it from the other sci-fi racing games, and the game managed to be quite exhilarating, even in the fairly pointless time trial qualifying rounds before each race.

    Oh, and one of the unlockable vehicles is a Nintendo 64 controller, which is a really neat touch – especially as the analogue stick moves as you tilt it.

    AeroGauge definitely has major issues, but there are some neat ideas here and it really needed a bit more development time.

    Quote

    oul graphics; cheating computer opponents that zoom away right from the word ‘go’; a tedious race structure, requiring you to pre-qualify for a pointless grid position; four of the most banal, confusing and badly designed tracks we have ever seen… We could go on. Aero Gauge is truly a game beyond redemption.

    - Martin Kitts, N64 Magazine #17

    Remake or Remaster?

    I would like to see another attempt at this. Fix the AI issues to make them more like real people, sort out the various boosts and some more tracks.

    Official Ways to get the game

    There’s no official way to play AeroGauge

    • Thanks 4

  22. Tamagotchi World
     

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    • JP release: 19th December 1997
    • NA release: N/A
    • PAL release: N/A
    • Developer: Hudson
    • Publisher: Bandai
    • Original Name: 64 de Hakken!! Tamagotchi: Minna de Tamagotchi World
    • N64 Magazine Score: 79%

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    Tamagotchi World (or Discovered at 64! Tamagotchi Everyone at Tamagotchi World for the full translation of the name) is a board game-based video game. Players take turns rolling dice, land on spaces which help or hinder progression and every now and then take part in solo or 4 player minigames. It sounds a lot like Mario Party, but before Mario Party – it’s even made by Hudson Soft.

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    This isn’t just about moving around the board, you have to raise your Tamagotchi as well. After your move, you can input options based on the classic devices such as feed, play, heal and clean poop. You need to maintain your Tamagotchi’s status bars as well as gain points to level up – reaching the max wins you the game.

    Sometimes your Tamagotchi will refuse what to do, so you’ll need to discipline them. You also have limited credits, which are refilled once you get back to the starting point. It’s an interesting mechanic that gives you a lot more to think about other than rolling and moving.

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    When players land on certain spots, a minigame will be triggered. There are only 10 minigames, but they wouldn’t feel out of place in Mario Party (one even has you spinning the analogue stick as fast as you can).

    This is an interesting precursor to Mario Party, and the Tamagotchi elements, while still entirely luck based, make it more than just a roll and move game.

    Quote

    The signature part of the game is that your blobs are vital to success, but a but independent. Innocently they spread distress, dozing all the way through your turn, pouncing on each other’s food, falling violently ill at precisely the wrong moment and generally demanding attention unreasonably.

    - Jonathan Nash, N64 Magazine #12

    Remake or Remaster?

    I feel like this is an interesting little bit of video game history and should be preserved – a Tamagotchi game collection, perhaps?

    Official Ways to get the game

    There’s no official way to play Tamagotchi World

    • Thanks 2
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