The Ultimate N64 Countdown 20 - 16 by Alex

20.   Donkey Kong 64

        Developer/Publisher:         Rare/Nintendo

           PAL Release:                       6/12/99

Donkey Kong in full 3D for the first time was aiming to take the series to the same new heights that Mario had reached a few years earlier. Luckily for Kong fans, series developers Rare had already had the perfect practise in making the fantastic Banjo-Kazooie. Whereas some elements felt slightly similar to Banjo, DK64 freshened up the formula in ways that Banjo’s own sequel seemingly failed to. There were jetpacks and weapons and a cast of characters that each brought different ways to play and unlocked different and exclusive areas. At the time the game looked utterly incredible thanks to the invention of the N64’s expansion pack. DK64 also holds the nefarious distinction of having the one of gaming’s most unfair final acts, where players are forced to complete, TWICE, one of the most punishingly hard arcade games ever in the original Donkey Kong before they can meet the final boss.

Best moment: DK64 has so many collectibles that 100% completion must be a very satisfying feeling. If anyone knows what that feels like then please email me!

Playability today (out of 5):  4

19.   Mario Tennis

        Developer/Publisher:         Camelot/Nintendo

           PAL Release:                       3/11/00

Mario Tennis is one of those classic examples of how Nintendo can somehow stick Mario into a different and new environment and still produce a game of arguably greater quality than the genre stalwarts. With simple and incredibly solid controls and the usual bright colours and cast of differently abled, yet universally strong, characters, Mario Tennis was an absolute riot and provided a truly great multiplayer experience. The game also included various bonus modes that kept things fresh and interesting for single players. The game is a prime example of how Nintendo can take on a new game genre, usually sports, and still create a decidedly ‘Nintendo’ experience thanks to their unrelenting focus on making games fun. Developer Camelot had obviously been schooled in the Nintendo ways as this game still provides a really fun, fast paced multiplayer experience today.

Best moment: In conjunction with the worst element of the game, there really is no better feeling than smashing a volley into the face of the ludicrously lazily named Waluigi - Wario’s, apparently long lost, brother. Beating him in a match is a victory against barrel-scraping unoriginality the world over.

Playability today (out of 5):  4

18.   Star Wars: Rogue Squadron

           Developer/Publisher:         Factor 5/LucasArts

           PAL Release:                       10/1/99

There were a number of great ‘Wars titles on the N64, Episode 1 racer was another really enjoyable title, but Rogue Squadron was so perfect for what it aimed to create that it spawned several excellent sequels in the subsequent console generation. Whilst obviously not the complete Star Wars experience, Rogue Squadron did a fantastic job of putting the player in the cockpit of Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing in the midst of the high-octane space battles that are a staple of the classic movies. Thanks, once again, to the expansion pack the game was a tremendous technical achievement in 1999 and the crisp graphics combined excellently with the brilliantly tight and realistic-feeling controls to produce one of the best Star Wars experiences of the time. Nowadays the fogging really becomes apparent and the lack of multiplayer mean that perhaps the Gamecube versions are the way to go if you want to experience this type of ‘Wars gameplay at its peak, but Rogue Squadron nevertheless provided a brilliant experience at the time and a superb catalyst for a terrific Star Wars games series.

Best moment: The game’s attempts at fan-service did not go amiss, with brilliant attention to detail. The Tatooine level alone features the Sarlacc pit, Jabba’s Palace and even the droids’ escape pod from A New Hope.  

Playability today (out of 5):  3

17.   Shadow Man

        Developer/Publisher:         Acclaim/Acclaim

           PAL Release:                       31/7/99

The first of only a few non-exclusive N64 title in this list (however it did appear on the console months before the Playstation and Dreamcast versions were released), Shadow Man is an example of one of those instances where Nintendo apparently has to prove that it’s consoles are more than Mario and Zelda and that they aren’t afraid to house more mature titles on their system. A game based loosely on a comic book, Shadow Man had a brilliant plot with gangs, famous serial killers, voodoo magic, disgusting enemies, creepy younger brothers, teddy bears and drunken Irish snake skeletons. The game was utterly terrifying and wholly twisted with a great combat system that allowed players to assign a different combo of weapons to the left and right hands, combining bullets with fire or magic at will, all the while travelling between the living world as Mike LeRoi and the hellish ‘Deadside’ as the all-powerful Shadow Man. In it’s time, the game was on top of it’s genre and 3rd person action shooters have obviously since been improved upon more successfully than, say, 3D platformers but Shadow Man remains a compelling and brilliantly written horror masterpiece to this day.

Best moment: Shadow Man is full of entertaining and horrifying moments, but the serial killer battles are just fantastic. The dialogue between these psychos and the no-BS Shadow Man is riotously entertaining and this is no more evident than in a showdown in the London sewers with Jack the Ripper.

Playability today (out of 5):  4

16.   Wave Race 64

        Developer/Publisher:         Nintendo/Nintendo

           PAL Release:                       17/8/97

For a title released so very early in the N64’s life cycle, and nearly 14 years ago, it’s a real credit to Nintendo that the game’s water effects still look rather pretty. The game is one of those titles that seemingly everyone who owned an N64 had played and, despite being a rather shallow (no pun intended) overall experience, was a title that nobody could say no to. As a pick up and play multiplayer experience, Wave Race was unrivalled early in the N64’s life. The unique arcade racing action of bobbing up and down on the gorgeous looking waves and zig-zagging between the buoys whilst avoiding obstacles and braving the differing weather conditions was an absolute blast and one that never got old and was always worthy of one more multiplayer match. Seeing as the game was an early release for the N64 it perfectly serves the purpose of nostalgia; that ‘good old days’ feeling that encapsulates the excitement that most gamers had for the potential of this new machine at the time of it’s release. It’s one of those titles synonymous with the start of that wonderful generation of video games where so much changed and so much set the bar for today’s landscape. The Gamecube title is obviously the better version, but the memories of the impact this game had will live on much longer.

Best moment: Arguably the best moment of Wave Race happens when you’ve not even started playing the game properly. It occurs when you’ve spent far too much time trying to do that barrel roll over that jump in free mode and you finally pull it off, only to realise that you’ll never be able to do it in the middle of a race. Still…a freakin’ barrel roll!

Playability today (out of 5):  3

The Ultimate N64 Countdown 25 - 21 by Alex

There’s been somewhat of a drought in quality games recently so to make things all happy and glorious again, we must take a trip back to the late 90s (although there have been some quality games released since then!) and the heyday of the greatest console ever created – the Nintendo 64. That’s right folks, it’s your classic countdown chart!

It was a great, although relatively expensive, time to be a gamer and it’s where yours truly really started to become possessed by our pastime of choice. It all started with a free N64 promo VHS on the front of a Gamesmaster magazine that was watched over and over until it could be watched no more and evolved into hundreds of great game memories.

Split screen multiplayer at its finest (with no multi taps!); the birth of analogue sticks and rumble packs; cardboard boxes and chunky plastic cartridges; trying to doodle that impossibly hard to draw logo on school books; and saving up pocket money for 3 months just to buy the newest £50 release are all part of a huge list of things that ruled about the time before expensive DLC, online passes and the morons of the online gaming world. 

This was a time when console exclusivity mattered. You’ll notice that almost ALL of the games in this list were only available on the N64. Games have been selected based partly on a dabble of nostalgia mixed with how well they still shape up today. But mainly because they’re great. Enoy!

25.   Pilotwings 64

        Developer/Publisher:         Nintendo/Nintendo

           PAL Release:                       1/3/97

A launch game for the platform that really showed off the graphical power the N64 could produce. A relaxing and enjoyable title that provided the same kind of challenge that the previous SNES title had, this time letting gamers fly about and fully explore the 3D environments. Various test of aviation had to be completed to finish the game including using jet packs and being shot out of a cannon. Despite being mainly used as a pretty tech demo for the capabilities of the console the game still holds up pretty well today because of its unique and charming take on flight sims.

Best moment: Shooting yourself out of a cannon and flying face first into the giant Mario head carved into the mock ‘Mount Rushmore’.

Playability today (out of 5):  3
 

24.   Paper Mario

        Developer/Publisher:         Intelligent Systems/Nintendo

           PAL Release:                       5/10/01

           

Taking the successful turn-based battle system seen in Super Mario RPG and making it…thinner, Paper Mario succeeded because, despite changing the perfect formula usually associated with Nintendo’s main mascot, the game still oozed that typical ‘Nintendo magic’. Bright, colourful sprites and dashes of wicked self-referential humour made up a truly unique Mario adventure. The N64 days really showed the quality that can be achieved when Mario leaves his comfort zone and is handled by 3^rd party developers. A shame the big N has kept this level of quality up in recent years.

Best moment: The game is full of sly in-jokes, which are at their best when poking fun of gaming’s perennial bridesmaid Luigi.

Playability today (out of 5):  4

23.   Banjo-Tooie

        Developer/Publisher:         Rare/Nintendo

           PAL Release:                       12/4/01

Banjo-Tooie is the second title in this list that showed up near the very end of the N64’s life cycle and, as such, never really saw as much commercial success as it probably warranted. It did also suffer from being not quite as magical as it’s amazing predecessor. The music’s not as catchy, the world’s not as vibrant (although less generic) and some additional features (like the FPS and Mumbo bits) didn’t necessarily add to the game as much as they should. The game does, however, follow much of the same magnificent formula of the incredible original and still provides some of the best 3D platforming on the system…if not ever.

Best moment: Running around in recently deceased Bottles’ house and the awkward conversations where our duo tiptoes around the fact that Bottles is dead. In response to Bottles’ son explaining how he and his dad are soon to play in a kickball tournament, Kazooie replies with “I don’t suppose you have any substitutes?” Nice.

Playability today (out of 5):  4

22.   Pokèmon Snap

        Developer/Publisher:         HAL Laboratory/Nintendo

           PAL Release:                       15/9/99

           

Pokèmon snap is a game that really shouldn’t have worked. Instead of walking around vast areas capturing, training and battling those pocket monsters, you get driven round on rails and take photos of them. Yeah, that’s it. Truly a game that should not be judged on a rather strange poke-voyeuristic premise, Pokèmon Snap is thoroughly engaging and totally addictive. Let’s not misconstrue this message – you will feel utterly ridiculous throwing apples at the ground to lure out a Dugtrio so you can snap a photo of it as a Pidgey flies past, but Pokèmon Snap really is a game for high score whores the world over. It has a cutesy childish mask but, make no mistake, this is Time Crisis for the Pokè generation…with brains. And Pikachus.

Best moment: Love him or hate him, the second that yellow, electric mouse sticks his head out ready for his portrait your hands will tense up as you desperately stab at the photo button, all in an attempt to satisfy a crusty old man in a laboratory.

Playability today (out of 5):  4
 

21.   The New Tetris

        Developer/Publisher:         H2O Entertainment/Nintendo

           PAL Release:                       15/10/99

Home console versions of Tetris have somehow never managed to hit the high mark that handheld versions have previously set. New elements that were squeezed in never seemed to improve upon original Tetris. People don’t like change. The N64 had several different updated Tetris titles; among them were Tetrisphere and, arguably better, The New Tetris, both of which added new elements to Tetris that fans didn’t actually hate. The New Tetris stuck more rigidly towards the original format than Tetrisphere but included a new strategic risk vs. reward block-building element that, when combined with 4 player multiplayer, provided great entertainment and block-falling chaos. Hundreds of versions of the series nobody can hate have appeared on consoles since, but none have fused the genius of the original with new and fresh ideas with as much success as this.

Best moment: The first time you build yourself a huge golden block and finish it off, sending the Tetris equivalent of acid rain over to your opponent’s screen takes the satisfaction of performing a ‘tetris’ to whole new levels. This took longer to build up to, is harder to complete and feels damn good.

Playability today (out of 5):  5 

HOMEFRONT REVIEW - By Alex

Whereas Bulletstorm felt like a breath of fresh air, Homefront is in serious need of some tic-tacs. It comes with a fresh idea, no doubt, but it’s the implementation of this that is way past its sell by date.

The concept behind Homefront is undoubtedly the games strong point. You play a resistance soldier fighting the war on the front line of Korea-invaded America. It’s a great concept harrowingly realised through a brutal opening act where a bus ride through Montrose, Colorado passes by citizens being beaten, parents being shot in front of their screaming children and piles of dead bodies strewn across the previously peaceful streets.

The concept gives a great sense of purpose to the warfare and it definitely feels very cool to take down evil commie bastards in the middle of suburban America, with action spilling into supermarkets, baseball stadiums and even theatres. Unfortunately the game spoils this in a number of ways.

Firstly, whilst having a good concept, the game’s story is actually pretty shallow. Despite being penned by John Milius, acclaimed writer of Apocalypse Now and Red Dawn, there’s surprisingly little meat on the concept’s bones. The dialogue is your usual modern soldier ‘oorah’ affair, with most conversations revolving around ‘go there and shoot that’ orders.

The supporting characters are incredibly clichéd and one-dimensional and there’s just no character development on offer. There are no specific marked targets; no evil commanding officers or officials that needed to be taken out. It’s just one grunt after another. Even the sense of humanity seems to be lost as the supporting cast lament the death of a single comrade, conveniently forgetting the immense loss of life on both sides of the fight (a lot of which they are responsible for).

The poor development of the core concept could be more forgivable if the gameplay stood up, but it simply doesn’t. Activision must be fed up of all this CoD flattery, especially as Homefront uses exactly the same control system. Sure, the action takes place in some interesting environments, but poor enemy AI means the game very seldom feels like much more than a shooting gallery. Get cover, pop out, shoot and repeat.

Naturally with poor enemy AI comes poor NPC AI as well. The game tries its best to hold your hand but most players will feel it should be the other way round. You’re always tasked with following your commander, but almost all the time you’ll race off and be waiting for him to catch up. This is annoying enough, but when your own squad constantly gets in your way and blocks you off from cover in the middle of a fire fight you’ll quickly start to think you’d be better off on your own. 

The various, though somewhat limited, objective types give the impression that the game mixes up the gameplay but in reality they are little more than lite versions of set-pieces we’ve seen countless times before. On the ‘been there done that’ list you may tick off a sniping mission; a battle on a major US bridge; a helicopter escort mission; firing heavy artillery on targets; on rails mini-gun sections. Your t-shirt is on the way.

Graphically the locations look pretty good, but the character models are distinctly lacking that current-gen shine. It’s a real shame as Homefront is obviously a game that could have been fantastic, but it seems that developer inexperience in the FPS genre has let it down.

A lot of gamers out there will be magnetically drawn to most FPS titles that come along and in that case, Homefront will definitely serve as a quick excursion away from CoD. The game suffers from poor AI, a lack of fresh gameplay ideas and sub standard graphics, but has a good enough concept and multiplayer to be worth a brief, if slightly unfulfilling, look.

3 GOOD POINTS

+          Interesting and harrowingly brutal concept.

+          The different settings such as supermarkets and sport stadia are 

            well realised.

+          Multiplayer is well presented and proving popular.

3 BAD POINTS

-           Character models are not of current gen quality.

-           Poor AI across the board.

-           Very much a poor man’s alternative to Call of Duty.

GRAPHICS Locations look OK, but nothing spectacular (some are very brown) and character models are pretty poor.	7/10
GAMEPLAY Works well enough, but is incredibly well worn, generic and offers nothing new or exciting to the FPS genre.	6/10
STORY The concept is fascinating and gives real purpose to the game, but there is no character development and the dialogue is also pretty unimaginative.	7/10
REPLAYABILITY Single player has little to no replayability, but the multiplayer is well implemented and offers enough difference to both CoD and Battlefield.	6/10
VALUE FOR MONEY AT The multiplayer is pretty good, but the overall package doesn’t feel fresh enough to pay full price for. Worth a look after a price drop or if you simply can’t get enough FPS action.	£20
OVERALL A game with a good idea that falls flat when you actually come to play it. Overall, Homefront is pretty standard fare and belies a genre growing fat with an oversaturation of generic titles such as this.	7/10

Brink Review - By David

Publisher - Bethesda

Developer - Splash Damage

This is a frustrating game. Not because it’s hard or because it’s confusing, but because it game can be genuinely fun one minute, then so glitchy it’s unplayable the next.

The story in Brink is in general both unimportant, and uninteresting. It is set on an ideological island, that surprise surprise, doesn't turn out to be as perfect as planned. The players can take the role of both Rebels (Offense), and Law Enforcement (defense), then battle their way through objective filled arenas to either reach an end goal, or prevent the opposition from reaching theirs.

What’s interesting about this Brink is the class system. Each objective in the arenas require a different class to complete it. This adds a twist to the game that it really benefits from. The classes available to the player are fairly generic (Soldier, Medic, Operative, Engineer), but this only means that the player will understand their role, merely from reading the name. 

As the player progresses, they earn xp, which can be put towards unlocking items for the player. The sheer number of unlockables available, accompanied by a level cap, incentivises players to specialise in a particular class, adding an extra dynamic to the game for those playing with friends. This along with the fact that each level can be played in solo, coop, and versus modes means that players who embrace the game with friends will probably have a lot of fun.

It is however, disappointing, that the online function to the game is as much its biggest selling point, as it is a flaw. Splash Damage and Bethesda have pushed this title, explaining that the single player game integrates seamlessly with its online components. This is true in the way that each mission can be played in any mode, however, it is far from seamless, and usually disjointed. 

Brink, is only a competent shooter, with little to offer when playing solo. What really brings it to life is the online play. Completing the missions with friends, and facing off against other players instead of bots is brilliant... When it works. 

Coop mode works more often than not, but to be booted from a game becasue of connection problems is not unusual. Versus on the other hand, barely works. Managing to get into a lag free game is a rarity, and when the games major feature doesn't work, it puts a huge dent into the overall experience, leaving a bad taste in the players mouth. Anyone that is interested in this game for its versus matches will be disappointed.

This game is by no means bad, there is certainly a lot of enjoyment to be had. However online integration is buggy, and lag filled to the point that it is very often unplayable. Yet again, the consumer is being asked to buy a game that is not yet ready for store shelves, and that is a shame. 

Brink could have carved itself a niche in the marketplace, with its fresh art direction, and gameplay that sets the game apart from its competitors, instead, it will probably dwindle away into obscurity.

3 Good Points

• Class system is fun

• Nice visuals, that don't deteriorate when online

• Not much like it on the market just now.

3 Bad Points

• Too much lag in games

• Becomes repetitive

• Versus mode often unplayable.

Breakdown	Score
Graphics Cut scenes beautiful, in game still good, but has occasional popping issues.	8/10
Gameplay When it works solid, but eventually repetetive.	7/10
Story Standard utopian disaster plot. Competent.	5/10
Replayability At time of release, because of lag issues, players won’t keep playing this online.	6/10
Value For Money At When it works it’s fun. If you have no interest in the versus mode, have friends with the game and like shooters, youll enjoy this game.	£25.00
Overall A solid game that is wasted with issues that should have been ironed out long before release.	6/10

Brink 1st Impressions - By David

Developer - Splash Damage


Publisher - Bethesda

Bearing in mind that this is merely a first impression of Brink, it appears that the fun to be had, and the problems to be felt are flying out in equal measures.

Lets start with what were all wondering, this game is good... Ok quite good.

Think unreal tournament 3, with amazing visuals, and you won’t be far off.

Theres plenty to like about this game, the objectives are fun, and a class system that means only certain members of the team can complete objectives is a clever way to force people into working together.

The game is also set up in a way that means that the integration between online and offline play is seamless, making it possible to do the exact same missions whether your playing online or offline.

Sadly though, this game is far from perfect. Many experiences of online play are riddled with frustration and lag. 

The developers have clearly put a lot of thought into trying to make people work together, but sadly this doesn't always work, leaving the people trying to complete the objectives running back and forward trying to change classes, getting killed over and over.

Obviously there will be a full review on a winner is you over the coming days, but bare in mind that there is fun to be had with this game, but chances are there will be an equal amount of frustration too.