I’ve been on a real retro games kick lately, which has been somewhat spurred on by a feeling of disillusionment with a lot of modern gaming practices (including even Nintendo), but that’s a whole other topic that I don’t need to get into.
Until recently, the Nintendo 64 has always been in my mind as a bit of a “lesser” console to me, with games that have aged somewhat poorly due to their low frame rate and low polygon count. But for whatever reason, I’ve been playing a lot of N64 over the past few weeks, and I’ve come to realize that I’ve been underrating this console. It didn’t have a TON of games, but I tend to own around 30-40 games per system, and the N64 easily has that many quality titles if you know where to look.
I picked up a number of games from collectors and flea markets lately for decent prices. Here’s what I’ve been enjoying:
MARIO GOLF
"They should call it Wario Golf. You gonna love it!"The original MG is impressive with how much it gets everything correct from the get-go, with lovely visuals and sound, excellent mechanics and physics, and plenty of modes to enjoy.
Now, you’d think owning Toadstool Tour would completely invalidate this one but…not really! One rather quirky thing that Camelot did with these early Mario sports games is make Mario himself this sort of legendary figure. As such, he’s got quite a good drive and he’s the sixth character you unlock. Strangely enough, many people will play Mario Golf without ever actually seeing Mario in-game. But I kinda like how he’s sort of locked away; it makes me want to actually play as him!
When it comes to unlocking characters like Mario, the game is seriously challenging (only occasionally to its detriment). There seems to be more randomness in determining where the ball lands, and even unlocking a few of the earlier characters (like Wario, who frequently gets Birdies and Eagles) can prove to be quite tough. I like that the paltry (and strange) selection of golfers gives you something to work towards. I find the challenge to be frustrating at points but it keeps me coming back.
BLAST CORPS
"Time to get movin'!"This early N64 title from the formidable devs at Rare feels almost like an indie game. It’s very quirky and somewhat barebones, but also has a lot of heart behind it and a truly original demolition-focused premise. I quite like it and will continue to make progress in it; the controls feel pretty tight although a few of the vehicles admittedly take some getting used to.
The only real issue with Blast Corps (outside of it lacking an extra mode or two) is that it’s easy to get stuck in a particularly tricky challenge. Early on, the dump truck level was kicking my butt, and I’m currently having a devil of a time passing this TNT-pushing stage which can be a little finicky. It’d be nice to be able to bypass a level or two with some sort of star/point progression system or something, but it’s a minor complaint. N64 fans looking for something quirky and immediately gratifying should check out this semi-obscure gem.
WAVE RACE 64
"Follow that dolphin!"I only rented this once back in the day, but this N64 launch racer is just plain cool. It’s got a sun-drenched vibe and some rather original ideas that set it apart from the plethora of other strong racers on the system. For starters, the waves themselves really are the star of the show, making each lap in the stages a bit different and giving your craft just a hint of unwieldiness that really sells the jetski illusion.
But the buoy system—which initially feels a tad restrictive—is also clever. You can miss up to four buoys in a race without having to retire, so it becomes a game of where you can afford to take shortcuts and where you should stick to the route. It’s ultimately a pretty clever spin on an old concept, and the little tricks and stuff you can do add to the appeal. The only real downside is that there are a real dearth of tracks, but seeing as how you can find this for $15 or so these days, I don’t think the lack of content is really an issue.
JET FORCE GEMINI
*chitter* *B-B-BOOM* *splat splat splat splat splat splat*I played through this decades ago on my brother’s copy, and I’m finally giving it another go. Despite taking a bit to get acclimated to the controls, I’m really into this game once again. It’s certainly got its flaws, with a constantly rough framerate, a collection system that demotivates you from shooting wildly, and a janky aiming cursor that never seems to cooperate.
But just like Blast Corps above, JFG feels like it was made with a lot of heart and it’s got tons of quirky appeal. There’s a good sense of progression as you bulk up with weapons and health upgrades, the environments are varied and memorable, the whole thing has a sense of humor about itself, and there’s a surprisingly good co-op drop in/out mode. It's the kind of game where the opening hour or so can feel pretty uninviting, but it really grows on you and starts to get addictive once you get a grasp on how everything works.
And also, it’s soundtrack is
amazing.
That sentence was a standalone paragraph because I want to emphasize it. JFG’s soundtrack is absolutely outstanding, channeling the grandiose sounds of a John Williams score, featuring tons of memorable and highly complex melodies that can feel militaristic, emotional, or just plain rousing. The bottom line is that it’s atmospheric as heck and greatly contributes to everything in the game. This is a top 10 OST for me. It’s basically a follow-up to the original Star Fox’s soundtrack in scope, feel, and quality (which is saying a lot, and I feel every SF OST afterward was a pale imitation in comparison).
Anyway, it’s a good if flawed game bolstered hugely by its tunes.
Altogether, I’m having a great time revisiting these games, and might possibly play some other Rare games again in the near future. I’m only 3 away from having the entire Rare N64 collection, after all!
In general, the N64 is easy to collect for right now because most of its games are pretty affordable and I feel many are still very playable. So what are some N64 games you’ve enjoyed that you feel don’t get much mention?
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