Fierce_LiNk Posted June 28, 2008 Posted June 28, 2008 That's right ladies and gentlemen. Yesterday was a success, and thank you for those of you who rocked out to Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, or other shooters on the Sixteh Four. Sunday, the genre we'll be focusing on is racing. So, this encompasses a great deal of different games on the system. I know for a fact that I will be playing Wace Race and Mario Kart 64, and maybe even a bit of V-Ralley... the question is, what will YOU be playing? So, tomorrow, get armed and get ready, because we'll be rocking it out to the Racers on the Nintendo 64.
tapedeck Posted June 28, 2008 Posted June 28, 2008 I may play Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer and Beetle Adventure Racing alongside Diddy Kong and Top Gear Rally. Think I'll avoid Cruisin' though! So. Much. Choice.
Fierce_LiNk Posted June 28, 2008 Author Posted June 28, 2008 I forgot about F zero X...so I'll be playing that. One of my favourite games on ANY console. *air guitars*
darksnowman Posted June 28, 2008 Posted June 28, 2008 Play Beetle! I definitely would if I had it. I played it extensively due to a pal of mine getting it... I didn't think it would be that good, but we got tons of fun out of it. I bought PodRacer a while ago in CeX but I'm yet to play it- I had it back in the day, so I know what its like, just haven't had the urge to play it since rebuying it. I'll be going for F-Zero X definitely. Both because the F-Zero franchise is one of my favourites, and because I heard the Devils Forest music yesterday in my mates Smash Bros. Brawl.
Cube Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 I loved Star Wars Pod Racer, Diddy Kong Racing and F-Zero X on the Virtual Console. Unfortunately I don't have any with me. I have 4 racing games - 3 I've hardly touched and MK64. I'll post impressions later.
mr_bogus Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 I may play Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer and Beetle Adventure Racing alongside Diddy Kong and Top Gear Rally. Think I'll avoid Cruisin' though! So. Much. Choice. I thought Cruisin' on the N64 was decent... it's the Wii version that seems 2 generations behind I'm off to play the first extreme-G
flameboy Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 Ok so missed the boat with FPS games yesterday but will defo wheel out F-Zero X, F1 World Grand Prix, Extreme G and Mickey's Speedway (god knows why my bro bought that)
mr_bogus Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 1 thing i remember being impressed with on Mickey's Speedway was how they got his ears right in 3D!
Fierce_LiNk Posted June 29, 2008 Author Posted June 29, 2008 I've been pratting about all morning, but I am finally ready to insert F zero x into my N64. Wow...this is just like King V's thread all over again, haha.
darksnowman Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 I did some Waverace 64 (I played Waverace on the VC, but you'll let me off, right?), F-Zero X and Ten Eighty so here comes the impressions. I'll maybe get some karting in later too but aside from maybe Mickey, there should be plenty of other people getting Mario Kart and Diddy Kong Racing on today. All these games are so good for quotes. What're you thinking?! I went straight for expert mode and selected Miles Jeter with my custom settings. My greatest fear in Waverace is Dave Mariner, the old nemesis. He always comes from nowhere to knock me off while I'm leading and I hate him. I got to Port Blue before he K.O'd me today, but I half did the job for him because I was dicing with destiny by going too close to the wooden crates, clipped one, lost speed... and big Dave did the rest. I still won it overall, but Mariner always has to wreck it somewhere and make sure I don't win every race. We all know what the music and graphics are like in Waverace, and there's very little any of us would change about the game. There is however one thing that it missed out on, just because it was a launch game- rumble support. You don't miss rumble in a game until you play one that doesn't have it. If only I could get force feedback from Dave Mariner's harassment. You got Boost Power! (88 miles per hour!) F-Zero X, what a game. I used to think the music in it a step down from the Snes original, but after GX's trance music it was good to make a return to X's rock. From the light and subtle rumbles of the first corner to the satisfaction of launching a spin attack through the chicane in Port Town, F-Zero X is a classic. At the time people moaned about the graphics, I genuinely never understood their problem- you are racing on tracks in the sky, so why would there be scenery? The game controls great. It only takes the subtlest of movements to steer and its pulled off without feeling twitchy at all, and it still feels perfect nowadays. Rob Haywood vs Rob Haywood I found Ten Eighty the hardest to get back into. I have no problems with the heavy controls because that's what the games all about. But couple those heavy mechanics with my old yellow controllers joystick and well, things can get problematic. I even had problems landing from jumps- I don't even have the excuse that I was pulling tricks, I just couldn't land with any regularity. Nostalgia took over so I still had fun playing it due to the memories of thrashing Ten Eighty with my friend back when it released, in time for the Halloween Holidays. The music and graphics are great- you get treated to some really nice backdrops (Crystal Lake, Mountain Village, etc), and I always enjoyed playing it on different difficulties in order to try out the different weather conditions for each stage. Then there's the weird bonus characters like the Panda and Mr. Gold, or whatever he was called. He was my boarder of choice for trick attack down, which we used to love doing down Mountain Village, but for racing I always went for Rob Haywood because Mr. Gold lacked in personality. _______________________ Just remembered about Pod Racer. At the very least I'll play it too and get some views up about my return to Beggar's Canyon.
Fierce_LiNk Posted June 29, 2008 Author Posted June 29, 2008 Good impressions, mate. I've just been playing some F Zero X and some Wave Race Wave Race Dear god, somebody had me a shotgun so I can shoot the announcer in the face. "That's a laaaaap record," "You ALMOST had it" and finally "You are the chaaaaampion." It's comedy value, but it doesn't half grate your cheese. Graphically, this game is a mixed bag. Whilst Drake Lake is still as beautiful as you remember it to be, with the colourful sky and lovely reflections in the water, Sunset Bay is the exact opposite - with your character racing around in what can only be described as an ocean-heinz tomato soup hybrid. Graphics and sound aside, this game is still challenging and jolly good fun to play. Leaning in and out of the buoys, it's very hard to put this game down once you've started. It's about 12 years old now, and it has lost some of its slickness, especially after playing it's older brother "Blue Storm" on the GameCube, but this is still a classic in its own right. I've set aside a couple of hours to play this, and I did find myself getting sucked right back into this game, despite it's aged look and presentation. But, the essence still remains, and it still finds a way to absorb you within in - in only the way that a Nintendo title can do so to a gamer. F Zero X Hello, old friend. To this day, I still find myself quoting the announcer in everyday life. Every once in a while, it's fun to just shout out "You've got boost power!" especially in crowded places. Some people just do no appreciate. But I do, this is one of my favourite racers of all time. The sense of speed in this game is incredible. To get a true understanding of what it's like, select "Silence" from the Jack Cup and enjoy. Hearing the music kick in at the start and throughout the levels just adds to the pacey feel and vibe that this masterpiece gives off. Everybody had their own favourites to choose from, in terms of tracks and racers, and Samurai Goroh on Silence or Fire Field would win hands down each time. That section where the tracks suddenly shootdowns down like a rollercoaster, and then back up again, where you shoot through the air like a speeding bullet and back onto the track...it's an amazing feat in terms of gameplay and track design. There's an awesome selection of levels and vehicles to choose from, as well as a 4 player mode, and the ultimate "Death Race", where you must compete against 30 other racers and eliminate them from the race. I remember the day I bought this, for a measly £8 second-hand, and I have not looked backed since. As a Nintendo fan, I can only salivate with anticipation for what the future of this series might hold - particularly on the Wii. Nintendo, listen up: We need another of these babies, and we need one now.
mr_bogus Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 extreme-G impessions - Jumped straight into my last savegame. - Surprised how instantly controllable it was after these years. Actually feels really good holding the Z trigger to accelerate! - 90's dance background music is pretty exciting. - Obvious catch-up on computer racers. Other racers seem genuinely aggressive - after 2 races i've been bashed off to the side when approaching a narrowing in the track, hit with well aimed weapons and they seem to know how to avoid my weapons too. - Framerate really suffers during explosions. XG2 was way choppier overall tho. - Would be great with Wii (tilt) controls. F-Zero X impressions Plays as well as ever. Can't say much more that hasn't been said already in this thread, this game's made of pure awesomage.
tapedeck Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 I'll be playing beetle adventure racing and some DKR later on... Great impressions though...putting them up in like 2mins!
Fierce_LiNk Posted June 29, 2008 Author Posted June 29, 2008 The impressions are up, ladies and gentlemen. http://www.n-europe.com/news.php?nid=11987 Comment in the news section about how you felt about today. Are there other games that deserve a mention? Don't worry if it looks bland at the moment, our graphics guys will be prettying things up...later.
darksnowman Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 You edited what I said about Waverace 64. Messing with the source material, you fiends. :p I had a bit of a whirl on Pod Racer and Mickey there. Too late to stick up how it was? (I don't think I can be as positive as I was earlier with the other games...)
Fierce_LiNk Posted June 29, 2008 Author Posted June 29, 2008 You edited what I said about Waverace 64. Messing with the source material, you fiends. :p I had a bit of a whirl on Pod Racer and Mickey there. Too late to stick up how it was? (I don't think I can be as positive as I was earlier with the other games...) Blame TeeDee, not meee! Where's the info? Post it in here and we'll get it on the site later.
darksnowman Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 It's working! It's working! I had a soft spot for the Pod Racer back in the day- I used to like doing the time trial around Tatooine with Anakin and his Pod pimped. I did that this afternoon and had some races around a few other levels too, but I just couldn't keep playing. Its hard to describe, but the graphics were just choppy. Control of Anakin was always smooth enough, as was the animation of the Pod, but the scenery wasn't smooth at all and it was hard to play. Plus the game had no music except for the last lap! All the options for upgrading your Pod is there, and will always add depth to Episode One: Pod Racer, but the game just hasn't aged well. Mickey's Speedway USA (can't think of a quote!) I had to stick Mickey on purely because I needed to hear some music after playing the Pod Racer. I searched through and found the cup that has my favourite level - the Everglades, and got racing. The graphics and scenery still look fairly decent but when turning... something wasn't right. It was somehow like Mode 7 and I don't mean that in a nostalgic good way. Just like Pod Racer, this hasn't aged well- and I thought it would have been fine, like the other timeless classics from Rare.
nekunando Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 I would like to post some views later tonight if it isn't too late? I think I could give views on a wide variety of the N64's great racers.. including 1080, Wave Race, F-Zero X, V-Rally 99 Edition, Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Top Gear Rally and the excellent Excitebike 64..
Fierce_LiNk Posted June 29, 2008 Author Posted June 29, 2008 Cheers LightShineyWoman I would like to post some views later tonight if it isn't too late? I think I could give views on a wide variety of the N64's great racers.. including 1080, Wave Race, F-Zero X, V-Rally 99 Edition, Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Top Gear Rally and the excellent Excitebike 64.. Yeees...do do dododo do do do eeet when you have time.
Eenuh Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 Would like to say I'm playing through the single player of Mario Kart 64 right now, and might play some Diddy Kong Racing later. Will post impressions too. =)
tapedeck Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 I'll get these up at about 11ish. Gotta take mates home from match... Beetle Adventure Racing Having bought this title when the ‘Cube had rolled into town, I’d never played through every nook and cranny. The title looks a little old today primarily due to the backgrounds which look as if they are stuck on. The cars look solid though and the framerate is (for the most part) bearable. The actual racing is still great fun though and it reminded me of SSX. The respawn button is a great function in the title as you can end up in all sorts of places! I really liked the way in which it starts off. It looks like a normal racer and the next thing you’re flying out of back alleys and over waterfalls. The game was great fun when I first played it and I enjoyed my fleeting play through today. I’d love to see a newer version as the madcap gameplay still brought a smile to my face today! Wave Race 64 I only played this for about five minutes. Just to make sure it was still one of my favourite titles ever. No disappointments here! Wave race still has more subtlety than most games ever made and the water still looks great today – albeit in a warped artistic sense. Diddy Kong Racing I forgot how colourful this game was! It’s also incredibly sharp for an N64 game. Rare still pioneer what the N64 could do 11 years on. Wonderful. The vehicles also handle very well and this only made me realise how the recent DS version was a poor imitation of the original. The music is still the stuff of legend and as soon as I heard Timber I knew I could fall in love with this gem all over again. Not only is DKR one of the most varied racers on the N64, it’s also one of the best looking titles too. Mario Kart 64 Having played DKR I was shocked by how poor the graphics were. The geometry is still great though and most of the courses are the stuff of legend. Shame I nodded off twice when playing Rainbow Road! The handling took awhile to get into as it seemed like all of the karts were racing on wheels made of ice. No doubt the tightening that took place in recent versions is a good thing. The courses and music were the real draws for me. I hated the AI the first time and time hasn’t made them nicer. Having extensively played the title today I don’t think it has aged well at all. Thank goodness that the multiplayer was still a riot!
darksnowman Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 Beetle is a surprisingly good game! I didn't have any expectations of it then my mate bought it and like you say Tapedeck, below that Beetle exterior is a crazy wee game. Lol, you nodded off in MK did you? Was that when you took the shortcut over the left hand rail and fell to the lower bit of track? Yeah, it can take a while to glide down there, can't it.
Eenuh Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 Mario Kart 64 I hadn't played this game in a long time, and was wondering how it would be playing this again now, on my own. As can be expected from a game that is 12 years old, the graphics aren't all that great to look at. But honestly, I didn't care. Sure everything is "blocky", but the bright colours and the awesome music made me all happy inside. Some of the music in this game is really great, and I was humming along quite often. I only got to play through the single player (GP at 150cc), but I was pretty much immediately drawn back to the days when I first got the game. It is a bit more difficult to handle than more recent MK games; the cart seems to bounce against walls so very easily. You get punished pretty bad for simply driving into an object (which will send you spinning). The AI also seems to cheat quite a bit; even when you drive at your very best and get multiple mushrooms, they still appear right behind you again and again. But then you hang a green shell behind your cart and let them drive right into it. Revenge! Some courses can be frustrating (for me), like Bowser's Castle. Those tight corners are really hard to get through without hitting any walls. Rainbow Road used to make me feel kind of dizzy and was difficult for me to finish in first place, but today I did it without a problem! I also love the small things in this game, like the "sound" effects you are visually shown on screen (CRASH when you get hit, POOMP when you make a jump and a little whistle when you drive over a banana but press your brakes, which prevents you from spinning). Nice little touches! =) Maybe the game hasn't aged well in certain aspects (mostly visuals) and is being bettered by the newer MK versions, this game is still pretty fun to play. And who doesn't get a smile on their face when they hear that awesome Mario voice say "You were pretty good!". =D
darksnowman Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 Lol, I'd forgotten about the "POOMP!" and the whistling as you break to avoid spinning out. I never really liked Bowser's Castle until MK Wii- in it I really like racing through with the wheel. ...but, erm, when does Mario say, "you were pretty good?"
Eenuh Posted June 29, 2008 Posted June 29, 2008 Lol, I'd forgotten about the "POOMP!" and the whistling as you break to avoid spinning out. I never really liked Bowser's Castle until MK Wii- in it I really like racing through with the wheel. ...but, erm, when does Mario say, "you were pretty good?" He said something along those lines after the credits were gone. Something like "You were pretty good! See you next time!". Plus gotta love how he says everything when you have to select something. "Select map", "Ok?". Just made me smile. =D Also, Moo Moo Farm deserves a mention, simply because of the annoying moles popping up! I never know whether to hate or love that map. X3
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