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Here a question.
How long do people think the N64 has left to live?
With games like Perfect Dark, Zelda: The Continuing Sage, Turok 3, A Resident Evil game, Top Gear Rally 2, and a bunch of other wicked games this year. How long will the N64 live for? Specially with the PS2 and Dolphin on the horizon how much longer can the N64 last?
Cooky
How long do people think the N64 has left to live?
With games like Perfect Dark, Zelda: The Continuing Sage, Turok 3, A Resident Evil game, Top Gear Rally 2, and a bunch of other wicked games this year. How long will the N64 live for? Specially with the PS2 and Dolphin on the horizon how much longer can the N64 last?
Cooky
Page:
Tony hawk skating for the N64
This game has amazing gameplay this game also has fantastic sound effects it makes you feel like your in the game .in this game there is something called carrier mode in this you collect tapes to revel an marvelous
Player called officer Dick he has some mad tricks I would give this game 9/10 because although it’s a wicked game it’s very hard to get the tape’s this game is only for 2 players unfortunately.
For the following cheats press start and hold L and then enter the cheats.
Characters These tricks go the pause screen. Hold down the L button and then hit the following buttons:
Perfect Balance - C-up, C-right, Left, C-right, Right, Up, Down.
Random Starting Locations - C-Left, C-Right, C-Down, Up, Down.
10X Trick Points - Down, Right, Up, Right, Up, Left, C-Left.
Fast Motion - Right, Up, Down, Down, Up, Down.
Slow Motion - Down, Down, C-Up, C-Right, Left.
Fast Tricks - C-Up, Left, C-Down, C-Down, Up, Down, Right.
Get All Tapes - C-Right, Left, Up, C-Up, C-Up, Right, Down, Up.
Stats at 10 - C-Up, C-Left, Left, Up, C-Down.
Stats at 13 - C-Up, C-Left, Left, Up, Down.
High Speed - C-Up, Left, C-Down, C-Down, Up, Down, Right.
Girl Picture - Down, Left C, Up C. (a picture of a girl will appear in the corner and not go away until you quit).
If the cheats work the screen will shake.
In this game you will to be able to be some of the finest skater’s such as:
Tony hawk
Bob Burnquist
Geoff Rowley
Bucky Lasek
Elissa Steamer
Chad Muska
Kareem Campbell
Andy Reynolds
Rune Glifberg
Jamie Thomas
After collecting all the tapes and winning all compositions with one of these characters you can play as officer dick who is the second best character behind Private Carrier who is a cheat and you activate her by: -
Play as Private Carrier - When playing the game with Officer Dick, go to the pause screen. Then hold L1 and press C-Left, C-Down, C-Right, C-Down, Up, Right, Left. Unlike the other cheats, the screen will not shake when you enter the code. When you exit and go to select your character again, Private Carrier will appear in place of Officer Dick.
On this amazing game you travel though the extremely hard compositions well the first one is quite easy but when you encounter the 2ond and 3rd it gets extremely difficult after you’ve finished one of the competitions you get judged out of 10 very good players.
By luke Hall aged 10
This game has amazing gameplay this game also has fantastic sound effects it makes you feel like your in the game .in this game there is something called carrier mode in this you collect tapes to revel an marvelous
Player called officer Dick he has some mad tricks I would give this game 9/10 because although it’s a wicked game it’s very hard to get the tape’s this game is only for 2 players unfortunately.
For the following cheats press start and hold L and then enter the cheats.
Characters These tricks go the pause screen. Hold down the L button and then hit the following buttons:
Perfect Balance - C-up, C-right, Left, C-right, Right, Up, Down.
Random Starting Locations - C-Left, C-Right, C-Down, Up, Down.
10X Trick Points - Down, Right, Up, Right, Up, Left, C-Left.
Fast Motion - Right, Up, Down, Down, Up, Down.
Slow Motion - Down, Down, C-Up, C-Right, Left.
Fast Tricks - C-Up, Left, C-Down, C-Down, Up, Down, Right.
Get All Tapes - C-Right, Left, Up, C-Up, C-Up, Right, Down, Up.
Stats at 10 - C-Up, C-Left, Left, Up, C-Down.
Stats at 13 - C-Up, C-Left, Left, Up, Down.
High Speed - C-Up, Left, C-Down, C-Down, Up, Down, Right.
Girl Picture - Down, Left C, Up C. (a picture of a girl will appear in the corner and not go away until you quit).
If the cheats work the screen will shake.
In this game you will to be able to be some of the finest skater’s such as:
Tony hawk
Bob Burnquist
Geoff Rowley
Bucky Lasek
Elissa Steamer
Chad Muska
Kareem Campbell
Andy Reynolds
Rune Glifberg
Jamie Thomas
After collecting all the tapes and winning all compositions with one of these characters you can play as officer dick who is the second best character behind Private Carrier who is a cheat and you activate her by: -
Play as Private Carrier - When playing the game with Officer Dick, go to the pause screen. Then hold L1 and press C-Left, C-Down, C-Right, C-Down, Up, Right, Left. Unlike the other cheats, the screen will not shake when you enter the code. When you exit and go to select your character again, Private Carrier will appear in place of Officer Dick.
On this amazing game you travel though the extremely hard compositions well the first one is quite easy but when you encounter the 2ond and 3rd it gets extremely difficult after you’ve finished one of the competitions you get judged out of 10 very good players.
By luke Hall aged 10
If you remember the scene in Star Wars when the wookie and the droid were playing space-chess with little 3D critters, then you remember how cool it was to see pawns actually battle and defeat each other after a move was made. Worms isn't quite that cool, but it does capture the excitement of actually watching pieces destroy each other in a very traditional game of strategy.
In a nutshell, you have a limited time to move one of your handful of slimy worm soldiers --complete with its own accent and vocabulary-- attack and enemy and then move away. It's all done in a straight-up 2D world where everything that isn't in the background, where you can see wind blowing, is solid and an obstacle to deal with. Your worms are mobile but can only inch as far as their little half inch bodies can will allow them too. When you get one member of your four man army starting off in a little cubby hole, or on a little island by himself or balanced on top of a paintbrush you start to understand that this game is much tougher than its cute appearance suggests.
That variety of attacks are classic. Since worms aren't the most ferocious creatures, the variety of weapons available are wide and varied. You get conventional pistols, rifles, bazookas and grenades like any good violent game requires. But what about a skunk attack or the Holy Grenade? These are the attacks that will bring the most enjoyment to both the aggressor and the victim because it's just so cool to watch. We've already done a feature on weapons in Worms Armageddon so please feel free to check it out.
It's not enough that there's a way to attack worms with an exploding old lady, it's that all of the weapons require some practice and a little nerve to use effectively. When you attack with the skunk, which makes worms sick and forces them to literally cough up five points of health every few seconds, you have to make sure it won't come back to bite you in the end. Even when you see someone attacking one of your worms, as you sit anxiously awaiting for your turn, there's a chance that someone's grand plan of attack, say a devastating frag grenade, there's always a chance that it will backfire and you're guy will be okay.
The solo game, including the training missions are plenty of fun and challenging to be sure, but playing Worms with buddies makes for one heck of a party game that rivals even Mario Party itself. It starts with the customization. You can make a team that can be saved to the cart and use it any time after that. You can set your team's language, accent, special weapon, tombstone and identifying flag.
The accents are of particular interest here considering Worms Armageddon's European heritage (the PC games were done by Team 17) it has an interesting take on American and British dialects.
All of the customization available in Worms means that you can really set up a different experience every single time you play the game. You can determine whether or not worms will take damage when they fall, how long they have to run after dropping off explosives and all kinds of other minute little details.
Because it's a turn-based strategy game, players will spend a lot of time simply watching Worms Armageddon do stuff rather than actually controlling the action. While a game that you spend more time watching than actually playing (Final Fantasy anyone?) could be a problem, you'll be so interested in what's happening during somebody else's turn because you never know what you'll see. Somebody may have a great bazooka attack that takes advantage of the wind and curls up and over an outcropping. A poor sap may drown half of his team --the water at the bottom of the screen is deadly in WA-- when the recoil from his shotgun pushes him and a nearby worm over the edge of a cliff.
The biggest difference between the single and multiple player games is that most human players won't play as efficiently as the always cheating computer. Other than this, they present nearly identical turn-based strategy experiences.
Sound
Worms Armageddon gets its personality from the audio elements. Hearing the little pink guys threaten and interact with each other as you go through the game is definitely something that would be missed if it wasn't done well. The N64 version of the game has a surprising amount of sampling and dialogue although still nowhere near what you'll get from the PC or Dreamcast version.
The background music is a lot groovier than you'd expect from this type of game. But like the voice samples that go with it, the music is random and just out there enough to make you realize that weirdness is what it's all about.
You can play the game itself in German, French, English and Spanish where the text will change accordingly but you can have your little troopers actually speak German, French, Japanese and a few others as well. A few dialects like Soul Man and Sergent are really out there and will be an acquired taste if you're not offended immediately.
Graphics
It's a simple 2D world, but somehow that's enough even in this age of 3D magic. Only having to worry about how far left or right and up or down that grenade or worm is positioned is probably a blessing because a 3D game like this could get awfully complicated very quickly.
There's not much animation to worry about beyond worms inching, leaves blowing and rockets, bombs and sheep launching so it all works well. Nothing ever moves that fast, even when you've ordered the overrated airstrike attack. One of the benefits of 2D is not having to worry about slowdown. Or maybe the fact that it's a turn-based strategy is what keeps everything nice and steady and crisp.
There's just something disheartening about a 2D game on a 3D machine like the N64. The Worms franchise just doesn't require any rounded features anywhere in the game. If that's the case, then we don't see any reason why the N64 version looks so much worse than Dreamcast or PC versions of Worms Armageddon.
In a nutshell, you have a limited time to move one of your handful of slimy worm soldiers --complete with its own accent and vocabulary-- attack and enemy and then move away. It's all done in a straight-up 2D world where everything that isn't in the background, where you can see wind blowing, is solid and an obstacle to deal with. Your worms are mobile but can only inch as far as their little half inch bodies can will allow them too. When you get one member of your four man army starting off in a little cubby hole, or on a little island by himself or balanced on top of a paintbrush you start to understand that this game is much tougher than its cute appearance suggests.
That variety of attacks are classic. Since worms aren't the most ferocious creatures, the variety of weapons available are wide and varied. You get conventional pistols, rifles, bazookas and grenades like any good violent game requires. But what about a skunk attack or the Holy Grenade? These are the attacks that will bring the most enjoyment to both the aggressor and the victim because it's just so cool to watch. We've already done a feature on weapons in Worms Armageddon so please feel free to check it out.
It's not enough that there's a way to attack worms with an exploding old lady, it's that all of the weapons require some practice and a little nerve to use effectively. When you attack with the skunk, which makes worms sick and forces them to literally cough up five points of health every few seconds, you have to make sure it won't come back to bite you in the end. Even when you see someone attacking one of your worms, as you sit anxiously awaiting for your turn, there's a chance that someone's grand plan of attack, say a devastating frag grenade, there's always a chance that it will backfire and you're guy will be okay.
The solo game, including the training missions are plenty of fun and challenging to be sure, but playing Worms with buddies makes for one heck of a party game that rivals even Mario Party itself. It starts with the customization. You can make a team that can be saved to the cart and use it any time after that. You can set your team's language, accent, special weapon, tombstone and identifying flag.
The accents are of particular interest here considering Worms Armageddon's European heritage (the PC games were done by Team 17) it has an interesting take on American and British dialects.
All of the customization available in Worms means that you can really set up a different experience every single time you play the game. You can determine whether or not worms will take damage when they fall, how long they have to run after dropping off explosives and all kinds of other minute little details.
Because it's a turn-based strategy game, players will spend a lot of time simply watching Worms Armageddon do stuff rather than actually controlling the action. While a game that you spend more time watching than actually playing (Final Fantasy anyone?) could be a problem, you'll be so interested in what's happening during somebody else's turn because you never know what you'll see. Somebody may have a great bazooka attack that takes advantage of the wind and curls up and over an outcropping. A poor sap may drown half of his team --the water at the bottom of the screen is deadly in WA-- when the recoil from his shotgun pushes him and a nearby worm over the edge of a cliff.
The biggest difference between the single and multiple player games is that most human players won't play as efficiently as the always cheating computer. Other than this, they present nearly identical turn-based strategy experiences.
Sound
Worms Armageddon gets its personality from the audio elements. Hearing the little pink guys threaten and interact with each other as you go through the game is definitely something that would be missed if it wasn't done well. The N64 version of the game has a surprising amount of sampling and dialogue although still nowhere near what you'll get from the PC or Dreamcast version.
The background music is a lot groovier than you'd expect from this type of game. But like the voice samples that go with it, the music is random and just out there enough to make you realize that weirdness is what it's all about.
You can play the game itself in German, French, English and Spanish where the text will change accordingly but you can have your little troopers actually speak German, French, Japanese and a few others as well. A few dialects like Soul Man and Sergent are really out there and will be an acquired taste if you're not offended immediately.
Graphics
It's a simple 2D world, but somehow that's enough even in this age of 3D magic. Only having to worry about how far left or right and up or down that grenade or worm is positioned is probably a blessing because a 3D game like this could get awfully complicated very quickly.
There's not much animation to worry about beyond worms inching, leaves blowing and rockets, bombs and sheep launching so it all works well. Nothing ever moves that fast, even when you've ordered the overrated airstrike attack. One of the benefits of 2D is not having to worry about slowdown. Or maybe the fact that it's a turn-based strategy is what keeps everything nice and steady and crisp.
There's just something disheartening about a 2D game on a 3D machine like the N64. The Worms franchise just doesn't require any rounded features anywhere in the game. If that's the case, then we don't see any reason why the N64 version looks so much worse than Dreamcast or PC versions of Worms Armageddon.
"In the red corner. . .hailing from a little town in Sicily. . .
weighing in at a robust 275 pounds. . .the Prince of Pasta. . .
the King of Cannolies. . the real Italian Stallion. . .
Maaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrriiiiiiooooooo!!!!!!
And in the blue corner. . .hailing from a GameBoy near you. . .
weighing in at a svelte 12 pounds. . .the Pokemon of Pain. . .
the Beast of Burden. . .the Whole Kitten Kaboodle. . .
Piiiiiiikkkkkaaaaaaaccchhhhhuuuuuuuuuu!!!!
That's right, fight fans. It's what you've been waiting for. It's the Great Battle of the Video Game Mascots.
Just when you thought the design masters at Nintendo couldn't possibly squeeze yet another game out of their tired bag of lovable little characters, along comes Super Smash Brothers. But unlike other recent mascot games (like Mario Party, ugh), this one takes its cute, cuddly critters and throws 'em into a ring to battle it out. Finally - a chance to kick Kirby's fluffy, gumball butt.
I really wish there was some bizarre plot to make fun of, but sadly, there is not. Inexplicably, the Nintendo mascot gang is just crazy on beating each other up. Perhaps there was some jealousy over which one is the cutest, or maybe mob kingpin Mario is recruiting new hired goons to help him take over the city. Who knows?
The cast is pretty complete: Donkey Kong, Mario, Pikachu, Kirby, Link, Fox, and Yoshi are here, as well as the often overlooked Samus (star of the Metroid games). There are also a few extra characters for those of you willing to go the distance.
Smash Brothers is essentially a fighting game. You choose a character and duke it out, the winner being the last one standing. However, Nintendo rarely follows the mold.
For starters, you don't actually 'kill' your opponents. The goal is to knock enemies off the stage. Each time you hit an opponent it increases their Damage Meter. The Meter number goes up as the character takes damage, and the higher the meter, the easier it is to smack 'em off the level. There's no blood or fatalities. What did you expect?
Unlike most newer fighting games, Smash Brothers isn't in 3D. The action is strictly up/down/left/right, which suits the gameplay rather nicely. Trying to knock your opponent off the screen while trying to keep yourself from getting knocked off results in some very engaging, back and forth battles.
To aid you in your quest to be le grande fromage, Nintendo has included a bevy of pain inducing items. During a match, items will appear at random and can be used by any player. These include ray guns, swords, bombs, fire flowers (remember the first Super Mario Bros.?), and the ever trusty baseball bat. Send Jigglypuff flying over the right field fence. Batter up!
There are a few ways to play. There's a boring 1 player mode, where you battle your way up to three different bosses. You can also hone your skills in Training mode, or practice the 'Bonus' levels you encounter in between matches. These include jumping on moving platforms and smashing a set number of targets.
No Nintendo game is complete without a multi-player option, and it is here where Smash Brothers racks up some points. You can fight up to four other characters at once, which makes for a hectic Battle Royale. Like most fighting games, this one is just a natural for multi-player and works very well.
Graphically, Smash Brothers is par for the course. The action is smooth with a good framerate, and the characters and levels look decent. There's nothing flashy - no super cool textures or fancy lighting effects - but that's not what you're looking for.
The sound actually made me smile. Nintendo flexes it's nostalgia muscles by including authentic sounding retro theme songs for each stage. You'll hear the original Legend of Zelda tune when fighting on the Hyrule Castle stage. You'll hear the Super Mario Bros. Theme song when fighting at their locale. It's a gas.
I think the best thing about Smash Brothers is the subject matter. Whacking Yoshi over the head with a baseball bat is incredibly satisfying. Chucking Pikachu over your shoulder and onto a bomb is intrinsically pleasing. I'm sick to death of cute, furry mascots, and it's very rewarding to finally be beating them up. It's nice to see Nintendo be so 'tongue-in-cheek.'
But everything isn't peachy keen in the land of Mascot Rasslin'. There are a few problems certainly worth mentioning.
The most glaring issue is the simplicity. There are only a handful of moves for each character, all of which use the same button/direction combinations. This leads to a lack of depth, which in turn leads to eventual boredom. I really wish they would have included some more character-specific moves. It would have upped the complexity tenfold and added some serious gameplay.
I also have a problem with the camera. The camera will attempt to keep all fighters on the screen at all times. But when there are more than two guys fighting, this gets annoying. One fighter will get knocked out into the heavens and the camera will pull WAAAAY back to accommodate. Suddenly, the other fighters are little specks, barely distinguishable from one another. Things only go back to normal when the characters are in close proximity to each other again. Irritating indeed.
Considering the state of fighting games for the N64, Super Smash Brothers is actually high in its class. While the single player mode gets tiresome, it's a fun multi-player game and is worth a look. Besides - who can resist the urge to wipe that smug grin off Kirby's fat face. . . you lookin' at me, puffball?
weighing in at a robust 275 pounds. . .the Prince of Pasta. . .
the King of Cannolies. . the real Italian Stallion. . .
Maaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrriiiiiiooooooo!!!!!!
And in the blue corner. . .hailing from a GameBoy near you. . .
weighing in at a svelte 12 pounds. . .the Pokemon of Pain. . .
the Beast of Burden. . .the Whole Kitten Kaboodle. . .
Piiiiiiikkkkkaaaaaaaccchhhhhuuuuuuuuuu!!!!
That's right, fight fans. It's what you've been waiting for. It's the Great Battle of the Video Game Mascots.
Just when you thought the design masters at Nintendo couldn't possibly squeeze yet another game out of their tired bag of lovable little characters, along comes Super Smash Brothers. But unlike other recent mascot games (like Mario Party, ugh), this one takes its cute, cuddly critters and throws 'em into a ring to battle it out. Finally - a chance to kick Kirby's fluffy, gumball butt.
I really wish there was some bizarre plot to make fun of, but sadly, there is not. Inexplicably, the Nintendo mascot gang is just crazy on beating each other up. Perhaps there was some jealousy over which one is the cutest, or maybe mob kingpin Mario is recruiting new hired goons to help him take over the city. Who knows?
The cast is pretty complete: Donkey Kong, Mario, Pikachu, Kirby, Link, Fox, and Yoshi are here, as well as the often overlooked Samus (star of the Metroid games). There are also a few extra characters for those of you willing to go the distance.
Smash Brothers is essentially a fighting game. You choose a character and duke it out, the winner being the last one standing. However, Nintendo rarely follows the mold.
For starters, you don't actually 'kill' your opponents. The goal is to knock enemies off the stage. Each time you hit an opponent it increases their Damage Meter. The Meter number goes up as the character takes damage, and the higher the meter, the easier it is to smack 'em off the level. There's no blood or fatalities. What did you expect?
Unlike most newer fighting games, Smash Brothers isn't in 3D. The action is strictly up/down/left/right, which suits the gameplay rather nicely. Trying to knock your opponent off the screen while trying to keep yourself from getting knocked off results in some very engaging, back and forth battles.
To aid you in your quest to be le grande fromage, Nintendo has included a bevy of pain inducing items. During a match, items will appear at random and can be used by any player. These include ray guns, swords, bombs, fire flowers (remember the first Super Mario Bros.?), and the ever trusty baseball bat. Send Jigglypuff flying over the right field fence. Batter up!
There are a few ways to play. There's a boring 1 player mode, where you battle your way up to three different bosses. You can also hone your skills in Training mode, or practice the 'Bonus' levels you encounter in between matches. These include jumping on moving platforms and smashing a set number of targets.
No Nintendo game is complete without a multi-player option, and it is here where Smash Brothers racks up some points. You can fight up to four other characters at once, which makes for a hectic Battle Royale. Like most fighting games, this one is just a natural for multi-player and works very well.
Graphically, Smash Brothers is par for the course. The action is smooth with a good framerate, and the characters and levels look decent. There's nothing flashy - no super cool textures or fancy lighting effects - but that's not what you're looking for.
The sound actually made me smile. Nintendo flexes it's nostalgia muscles by including authentic sounding retro theme songs for each stage. You'll hear the original Legend of Zelda tune when fighting on the Hyrule Castle stage. You'll hear the Super Mario Bros. Theme song when fighting at their locale. It's a gas.
I think the best thing about Smash Brothers is the subject matter. Whacking Yoshi over the head with a baseball bat is incredibly satisfying. Chucking Pikachu over your shoulder and onto a bomb is intrinsically pleasing. I'm sick to death of cute, furry mascots, and it's very rewarding to finally be beating them up. It's nice to see Nintendo be so 'tongue-in-cheek.'
But everything isn't peachy keen in the land of Mascot Rasslin'. There are a few problems certainly worth mentioning.
The most glaring issue is the simplicity. There are only a handful of moves for each character, all of which use the same button/direction combinations. This leads to a lack of depth, which in turn leads to eventual boredom. I really wish they would have included some more character-specific moves. It would have upped the complexity tenfold and added some serious gameplay.
I also have a problem with the camera. The camera will attempt to keep all fighters on the screen at all times. But when there are more than two guys fighting, this gets annoying. One fighter will get knocked out into the heavens and the camera will pull WAAAAY back to accommodate. Suddenly, the other fighters are little specks, barely distinguishable from one another. Things only go back to normal when the characters are in close proximity to each other again. Irritating indeed.
Considering the state of fighting games for the N64, Super Smash Brothers is actually high in its class. While the single player mode gets tiresome, it's a fun multi-player game and is worth a look. Besides - who can resist the urge to wipe that smug grin off Kirby's fat face. . . you lookin' at me, puffball?
This game is only £10 up my local special reserve, and its a pretty good buy if you ask me, here is my review, I play a lot of games. I play sports games, platform games, adventure games, puzzle games, shooting games, action games, and every other kind of game. I'm a veritable bastion of gaming madness. Show me a game and I'll show you a game I've played.
And in playing so many games, I occasionally get bored. How many times can you save the Earth from alien scum? How many touchdowns can you possibly score? How many laps can you race, how many princesses can you save, hell - how many games can you dominate before you begin to wonder if this monstrous waste of time is really worth it after all?
With these grim thoughts racing through my head, I ripped apart the packaging of yet another N64 game, with nary the raise of an eyebrow. I popped in the game, assumed the position, and prepared myself for another leap into the pool of mundane gaming that so often pervades my life as a reviewer.
Then I watched the intro. After a few seconds, I uttered the words that every reviewer on the planet lives to utter....
"What the hell is this?"
Welcome to Space Station Silicon Valley, the downright weirdest game you'll see for the N64, not to mention just about any other gaming platform. Equal parts action, platform, and puzzler, this baby breaks through the mire and shows what some truly original game design (and a lot of heavy drug use) can amount to.
It's my job to attempt to describe this game, a task that frightens even a veteran goober like myself. So keep in mind, dear reader, that what I describe may or may not paint a clear picture of this puppy.
It seems that Space Station Silicon Valley, an experimental eco-system supporting artificial life launched into orbit in the year 2001, has disappeared. After 1000 years, it reappears, but every group of brave adventurers sent to investigate the station vanishes. So in an effort to cut down on all of this vanishing, the Earth sends in the dependable (and expendable) Dan Danger and his trusty sidekick Evo the self-evolving robot to find out what really happened. Unfortunately, an asteroid interrupts our heroes' attempt to land on SSSV safely, and the duo crashes. Thankfully, no one dies, though Evo falls apart a bit. You take over as Evo's brain, an electronic chip.
I can hear you collectively screaming, "Huh?" Don't worry - it gets better.
To survive as an electronic chip brain, you have to find organisms to act as hosts. Luckily, SSSV is filled to the brim with all sorts of robotic life forms - remember, this is a full eco-system. So you hop into one of the robot animals, assume its powers, and attempt to discover just what in the hell is going on.
The gameplay is a wicked mix of action, puzzle, and platform based adventure. Dan (your boss) is stuck in your downed spacecraft, and proceeds to issue missions (zones) for you to carry out. These cover a range of objectives, and each mission's individual objectives must be met in order to complete the zone.
The Station is broken up into four regional environments - Euro Eden, Arctic Kingdom, Jungle Safari, and the Desert Adventure. As you complete zones in one area, other zones open up in other regions. While the game is pretty linear, you usually have a choice of which zones to attempt.
Most of the time, you start a level as an animal from the previous level. To switch to a different one, you have to 'disable' it. Each animal has different abilities, and it's up to you to figure out which one is best suited for which tasks. You might need to use a penguin to disable a husky, then use the husky to leap over a gap to turn on a machine, then use the husky to disable a polar bear and use the bear to bust open a block of ice to reach an item. Whew.
There is a distinct interplay between the animals on the station. If you're a sheep, you'll find that other sheep leave you alone but dogs will chase you. If you're a ram, other sheep will follow you around. The number of different robotic animals is tremendous; at least one new animal per level, and there are at least 30 levels.
This game is unlike anything I've ever seen. On one level, you play as a dog and have to round up a flock of sheep, then find a wind-up mouse and leap to the teleporter to end the level. On another, you have to use a "heli-bunny" to find a bunch of severed heads. Whoever thought up this game was surely smokin' some wacky tobaccy...
The graphics are great. Smooth textures, a wide color palette, vibrant explosions, nifty water effects and a steady frame rate deliver some nice eye candy. You won't find many polygonal errors. They also thought of the little things, like animals blinking, breathing, and leaving footprints.
And the sound...hehehe. This is some of the best sound yet on the N64. The music tracks differ for each level, and they're all cute little MIDI tunes that actually work. Animal noises sound good, from the 'baaa' of the sheep to the 'contagious laughter' of the hyena.
Perhaps the most surprising thing (and that's saying A LOT) is the attention to detail. Most 'weird' games that defy description fail because the artistic vision precedes the gameplay (a perfect example - Tail of the Sun). Thankfully, SSSV keeps the emphasis on gameplay, even in the midst of such a freaky idea. The physics modeling is very good; gliding on snow, flying in the air, climbing hills - it all feels pretty accurate.
But with all this innovation comes a few downers. For one, the camera isn't very smart. You'll often find yourself pounding on the 'switch camera angle' buttons to get the view you want. Getting trapped behind a tree is commonplace. The camera issues lead to occasional control problems as well.
Another irritating feature is that you can't save your game in the middle of a level. While you have an infinite number of lives, it gets annoying almost meeting your objectives, only to die and have to do it all over again.
But these gripes aren't enough to warrant a bad grade. Frankly, many of you won't know what to make of Space Station Silicon Valley. It's truly bizarre, and for most of you I'd recommend renting it first. But for me, innovation is never a bad thing, particularly when it's done well. In an industry overflowing with companies trying to cash in on the recent gaming boom by releasing copycat games, Space Station Silicon Valley is a breath of incredibly fresh air.
Hats off to Take 2 and developer DMA for taking a risk - we need to see more games like this, though there will never be another quite like it.
And in playing so many games, I occasionally get bored. How many times can you save the Earth from alien scum? How many touchdowns can you possibly score? How many laps can you race, how many princesses can you save, hell - how many games can you dominate before you begin to wonder if this monstrous waste of time is really worth it after all?
With these grim thoughts racing through my head, I ripped apart the packaging of yet another N64 game, with nary the raise of an eyebrow. I popped in the game, assumed the position, and prepared myself for another leap into the pool of mundane gaming that so often pervades my life as a reviewer.
Then I watched the intro. After a few seconds, I uttered the words that every reviewer on the planet lives to utter....
"What the hell is this?"
Welcome to Space Station Silicon Valley, the downright weirdest game you'll see for the N64, not to mention just about any other gaming platform. Equal parts action, platform, and puzzler, this baby breaks through the mire and shows what some truly original game design (and a lot of heavy drug use) can amount to.
It's my job to attempt to describe this game, a task that frightens even a veteran goober like myself. So keep in mind, dear reader, that what I describe may or may not paint a clear picture of this puppy.
It seems that Space Station Silicon Valley, an experimental eco-system supporting artificial life launched into orbit in the year 2001, has disappeared. After 1000 years, it reappears, but every group of brave adventurers sent to investigate the station vanishes. So in an effort to cut down on all of this vanishing, the Earth sends in the dependable (and expendable) Dan Danger and his trusty sidekick Evo the self-evolving robot to find out what really happened. Unfortunately, an asteroid interrupts our heroes' attempt to land on SSSV safely, and the duo crashes. Thankfully, no one dies, though Evo falls apart a bit. You take over as Evo's brain, an electronic chip.
I can hear you collectively screaming, "Huh?" Don't worry - it gets better.
To survive as an electronic chip brain, you have to find organisms to act as hosts. Luckily, SSSV is filled to the brim with all sorts of robotic life forms - remember, this is a full eco-system. So you hop into one of the robot animals, assume its powers, and attempt to discover just what in the hell is going on.
The gameplay is a wicked mix of action, puzzle, and platform based adventure. Dan (your boss) is stuck in your downed spacecraft, and proceeds to issue missions (zones) for you to carry out. These cover a range of objectives, and each mission's individual objectives must be met in order to complete the zone.
The Station is broken up into four regional environments - Euro Eden, Arctic Kingdom, Jungle Safari, and the Desert Adventure. As you complete zones in one area, other zones open up in other regions. While the game is pretty linear, you usually have a choice of which zones to attempt.
Most of the time, you start a level as an animal from the previous level. To switch to a different one, you have to 'disable' it. Each animal has different abilities, and it's up to you to figure out which one is best suited for which tasks. You might need to use a penguin to disable a husky, then use the husky to leap over a gap to turn on a machine, then use the husky to disable a polar bear and use the bear to bust open a block of ice to reach an item. Whew.
There is a distinct interplay between the animals on the station. If you're a sheep, you'll find that other sheep leave you alone but dogs will chase you. If you're a ram, other sheep will follow you around. The number of different robotic animals is tremendous; at least one new animal per level, and there are at least 30 levels.
This game is unlike anything I've ever seen. On one level, you play as a dog and have to round up a flock of sheep, then find a wind-up mouse and leap to the teleporter to end the level. On another, you have to use a "heli-bunny" to find a bunch of severed heads. Whoever thought up this game was surely smokin' some wacky tobaccy...
The graphics are great. Smooth textures, a wide color palette, vibrant explosions, nifty water effects and a steady frame rate deliver some nice eye candy. You won't find many polygonal errors. They also thought of the little things, like animals blinking, breathing, and leaving footprints.
And the sound...hehehe. This is some of the best sound yet on the N64. The music tracks differ for each level, and they're all cute little MIDI tunes that actually work. Animal noises sound good, from the 'baaa' of the sheep to the 'contagious laughter' of the hyena.
Perhaps the most surprising thing (and that's saying A LOT) is the attention to detail. Most 'weird' games that defy description fail because the artistic vision precedes the gameplay (a perfect example - Tail of the Sun). Thankfully, SSSV keeps the emphasis on gameplay, even in the midst of such a freaky idea. The physics modeling is very good; gliding on snow, flying in the air, climbing hills - it all feels pretty accurate.
But with all this innovation comes a few downers. For one, the camera isn't very smart. You'll often find yourself pounding on the 'switch camera angle' buttons to get the view you want. Getting trapped behind a tree is commonplace. The camera issues lead to occasional control problems as well.
Another irritating feature is that you can't save your game in the middle of a level. While you have an infinite number of lives, it gets annoying almost meeting your objectives, only to die and have to do it all over again.
But these gripes aren't enough to warrant a bad grade. Frankly, many of you won't know what to make of Space Station Silicon Valley. It's truly bizarre, and for most of you I'd recommend renting it first. But for me, innovation is never a bad thing, particularly when it's done well. In an industry overflowing with companies trying to cash in on the recent gaming boom by releasing copycat games, Space Station Silicon Valley is a breath of incredibly fresh air.
Hats off to Take 2 and developer DMA for taking a risk - we need to see more games like this, though there will never be another quite like it.
This is one of the best games o the N64, with great graphics, gameplay and sound fx this has a potential to be a best seller, well it would have if they hadn’t taken it off the market.This features real life boards and skaters, this is one of those games that when you start you can not stop.With great multiplayer modes and options you will not be able to stop.
Each skater has 3 unique special tricks. These tricks are called Signature Moves, and can only be performed when you've done a certain amount of tricks without falling. Doing so will gradually fill a "Special" meter that is located in the upper left corner of the screen. Once full, the skater is able to pull as many of their signature moves as they can before the meter dwindles back down and must be refilled. This meter will instantly empty when you bail/fall.
[fuzzy pic, I know]
You'll notice that the bar under the point totals is yellow. This means that you have a full special meter and therefore you can perform Signature Moves. Doing moves frequently will keep your bar filled. Geoff Rowley is doing a Darkslide, one of his signature moves. You'll notice that this move is written in yellow, while normal moves are in white.
Switch Stance
Switch stance is done when a skater skates "backwards" or opposite their normal stance. Doing moves while in switch stance will not give you any more points.
The Transfer
The final version of the game will award you if you do a transfer. Transfers are written in Blue on screen. For a more about these, check out the Transfer Listing.
Move Commands:
[Text Version Here]
The C-Down button is the main button in the game. You will pretty much want to hold this down at all times, releasing it to ollie and do any other trick. Holding up while releasing (or pressing) C-Down will help you jump out of the pool or half pipe. The best way to get a feel for this is to try it yourself!
The following is fairly self explanatory. CU is C-Up, CL is C-Left, etc. When a plus [+] is listed, press both at the same time (R + CL means press Right on the D pad and C-Left simultaneously) a comma [,] means there's a delay in between the button presses. (U, L, CD means press Up, then press Left, and then press C-Down. At no time should both be pressed at the same time)
Some of the moves listed below are linked to images of that move in action. All images are from Videogames.com, Neversoft.com and Activision.com. Thanks!
C-Right Commands
Command Move Name Points Notes
U + CR Japan Air 367
D + CR Tail Grab 315 .
L + CR Method 315
R + CR Indy Nosebone 315 image 2
UL + CR Madonna 525 image 2
UR + CR Rocket Air 367 .
DL + CR Stalefish 315 .
DR + CR Benihana 420 image 2
.
C-Left Commands
Command Move Name Points Notes
U + CL Shove it 250
D + CL Impossible 250
L + CL Kickflip 100 .
R + CL Heelflip 100 .
UL + CL Kickflip to Indy 625 (Hold for more points!)
UR + CL Finger Flip 600 (Hold for more points/VCO)
UR + CL Hardflip 300 (SCO)
DL + CL Varial 800 (VCO)
DL + CL Sex Change 500 (SCO)
DR + CL Front Foot Impossible 600 (VCO)
DR + CL 360 Flip 300 (SCO)
VCO = Vert Characters Only
SCO = Street Characters Only
C-Up Commands
Command Move Name Points Notes
CU Wall Ride 500 (Press T near a wall)
U + CU Nose Grind variable .
U + CU Handplant variable (???)
N + CU 5050 Grind variable (Neutral and C-Up)
D + CU 5-0 Grind variable .
UR + CU Crooked Grind variable image 2
DL + CU Smith Grind variable
C-Down Commands
Command Move Name Points Notes
CD Ollie 0 .
L/R + CD 180 Ollie 50 (For every 180º, add 50 points)
L/R + CD Mega Ollie 350 (A 1440º ollie or higher)
U + CD Nollie 200
U, U + CD Fastplant 250 (Or, hold CD, Press U, U, Release CD)
.
L Variable Spin (left) variable .
R Variable Spin (right) variable .
Signature Moves:
Skater: Move Name: Button Press: Point Total:
Bob Burnquist: Backflip U, D, CR 4000
(Vert Character) Burntwist L, U, CU 5000
One Footed Smith R, R, CU Varies
.
Kareem Campbell: Frontflip D, U, CR 4000
(Street Character) Kickflip Underflip L, R, CL 1500
Casper Slide U, D, CU Varies
.
Rune Glifberg: Kickflip McTwist R, R, CR 4000
(Vert Character) Christ Air L, R, CR 2100
Front-Back Kickflip U, D, CL 1575
.
Tony Hawk: 540 Board Varial L, L, CL 2000
(Vert Character) 360 Flip to Mute D, R, CL 1500
Kickflip McTwist R, R, CR 4000
THE 900 R, D, CR 8000!
.
Bucky Lasek: Varial Heelflip Judo D, U, CL 2500
(Vert Character) Fingerflip Airwalk L, R, CR 2000
Kickflip McTwist R, R, CR 4000
.
Chad Muska: Frontflip D, U, CR 4000
(Street Character) 360 Shove It-Rewind R, R, CL 1500
One Footed 5-0 Thumpin R, D, CU Varies
.
Andrew Reynolds: Backflip U, D, CR 4000
(Street Character) Triple Kickflip L, L, CL 1500
Heelflip to Bluntslide D, D, CU Varies
.
Geoff Rowley: Backflip U, D, CR 4000
(Street Character) Double Hardflip R, D, CL 1500
Darkslide L, R, CU Varies
.
Elissa Steamer: Backflip U, D, CR 4000
(Street Character) Judo Madonna L, D, CR 1500
Primo Grind L, L, CU Varies
.
Jaime Thomas: Frontflip D, U, CR 4000
(Street Character) 540 Flip L, D, CL 1500
One Footed Nosegrind U, U, CU Varies
.
Officer Dick: Yeehaw Frontflip D, U, CR 4000
(Vert/Street Character) Assume the Position L, L, CR 1575
Neckbreak Grind L, R, CU Varies
.
Private Carrera: The Well Hardflip R, L, CL 5500
(Vert/Street Character) Somi Spin L, D, CR 5500
Ho Ho Ho L, U, CU 2000
Notes:
Grinds/Boardslides have variable point totals, the longer you grind/slide for, the more points you will receive. To help you slide longer, press left or right on the D pad to balance yourself!
All Grab Moves are the same way. The longer you hold a grab for, the higher point total you will receive. The numbers listed above are the basic score for tapping the circle button.
Comboing 2 or more moves together will give you different point totals. For Example: Doing an Impossible (400) into a Finger Flip (620) will give you 1020 x 2 points. By adding a third move you will multiply by three.
The Shoulder Buttons rotate your character. With each successive spin, your point total will increase. Point totals are below in chart 1.
Each skater has 3 unique special tricks. These tricks are called Signature Moves, and can only be performed when you've done a certain amount of tricks without falling. Doing so will gradually fill a "Special" meter that is located in the upper left corner of the screen. Once full, the skater is able to pull as many of their signature moves as they can before the meter dwindles back down and must be refilled. This meter will instantly empty when you bail/fall.
[fuzzy pic, I know]
You'll notice that the bar under the point totals is yellow. This means that you have a full special meter and therefore you can perform Signature Moves. Doing moves frequently will keep your bar filled. Geoff Rowley is doing a Darkslide, one of his signature moves. You'll notice that this move is written in yellow, while normal moves are in white.
Switch Stance
Switch stance is done when a skater skates "backwards" or opposite their normal stance. Doing moves while in switch stance will not give you any more points.
The Transfer
The final version of the game will award you if you do a transfer. Transfers are written in Blue on screen. For a more about these, check out the Transfer Listing.
Move Commands:
[Text Version Here]
The C-Down button is the main button in the game. You will pretty much want to hold this down at all times, releasing it to ollie and do any other trick. Holding up while releasing (or pressing) C-Down will help you jump out of the pool or half pipe. The best way to get a feel for this is to try it yourself!
The following is fairly self explanatory. CU is C-Up, CL is C-Left, etc. When a plus [+] is listed, press both at the same time (R + CL means press Right on the D pad and C-Left simultaneously) a comma [,] means there's a delay in between the button presses. (U, L, CD means press Up, then press Left, and then press C-Down. At no time should both be pressed at the same time)
Some of the moves listed below are linked to images of that move in action. All images are from Videogames.com, Neversoft.com and Activision.com. Thanks!
C-Right Commands
Command Move Name Points Notes
U + CR Japan Air 367
D + CR Tail Grab 315 .
L + CR Method 315
R + CR Indy Nosebone 315 image 2
UL + CR Madonna 525 image 2
UR + CR Rocket Air 367 .
DL + CR Stalefish 315 .
DR + CR Benihana 420 image 2
.
C-Left Commands
Command Move Name Points Notes
U + CL Shove it 250
D + CL Impossible 250
L + CL Kickflip 100 .
R + CL Heelflip 100 .
UL + CL Kickflip to Indy 625 (Hold for more points!)
UR + CL Finger Flip 600 (Hold for more points/VCO)
UR + CL Hardflip 300 (SCO)
DL + CL Varial 800 (VCO)
DL + CL Sex Change 500 (SCO)
DR + CL Front Foot Impossible 600 (VCO)
DR + CL 360 Flip 300 (SCO)
VCO = Vert Characters Only
SCO = Street Characters Only
C-Up Commands
Command Move Name Points Notes
CU Wall Ride 500 (Press T near a wall)
U + CU Nose Grind variable .
U + CU Handplant variable (???)
N + CU 5050 Grind variable (Neutral and C-Up)
D + CU 5-0 Grind variable .
UR + CU Crooked Grind variable image 2
DL + CU Smith Grind variable
C-Down Commands
Command Move Name Points Notes
CD Ollie 0 .
L/R + CD 180 Ollie 50 (For every 180º, add 50 points)
L/R + CD Mega Ollie 350 (A 1440º ollie or higher)
U + CD Nollie 200
U, U + CD Fastplant 250 (Or, hold CD, Press U, U, Release CD)
.
L Variable Spin (left) variable .
R Variable Spin (right) variable .
Signature Moves:
Skater: Move Name: Button Press: Point Total:
Bob Burnquist: Backflip U, D, CR 4000
(Vert Character) Burntwist L, U, CU 5000
One Footed Smith R, R, CU Varies
.
Kareem Campbell: Frontflip D, U, CR 4000
(Street Character) Kickflip Underflip L, R, CL 1500
Casper Slide U, D, CU Varies
.
Rune Glifberg: Kickflip McTwist R, R, CR 4000
(Vert Character) Christ Air L, R, CR 2100
Front-Back Kickflip U, D, CL 1575
.
Tony Hawk: 540 Board Varial L, L, CL 2000
(Vert Character) 360 Flip to Mute D, R, CL 1500
Kickflip McTwist R, R, CR 4000
THE 900 R, D, CR 8000!
.
Bucky Lasek: Varial Heelflip Judo D, U, CL 2500
(Vert Character) Fingerflip Airwalk L, R, CR 2000
Kickflip McTwist R, R, CR 4000
.
Chad Muska: Frontflip D, U, CR 4000
(Street Character) 360 Shove It-Rewind R, R, CL 1500
One Footed 5-0 Thumpin R, D, CU Varies
.
Andrew Reynolds: Backflip U, D, CR 4000
(Street Character) Triple Kickflip L, L, CL 1500
Heelflip to Bluntslide D, D, CU Varies
.
Geoff Rowley: Backflip U, D, CR 4000
(Street Character) Double Hardflip R, D, CL 1500
Darkslide L, R, CU Varies
.
Elissa Steamer: Backflip U, D, CR 4000
(Street Character) Judo Madonna L, D, CR 1500
Primo Grind L, L, CU Varies
.
Jaime Thomas: Frontflip D, U, CR 4000
(Street Character) 540 Flip L, D, CL 1500
One Footed Nosegrind U, U, CU Varies
.
Officer Dick: Yeehaw Frontflip D, U, CR 4000
(Vert/Street Character) Assume the Position L, L, CR 1575
Neckbreak Grind L, R, CU Varies
.
Private Carrera: The Well Hardflip R, L, CL 5500
(Vert/Street Character) Somi Spin L, D, CR 5500
Ho Ho Ho L, U, CU 2000
Notes:
Grinds/Boardslides have variable point totals, the longer you grind/slide for, the more points you will receive. To help you slide longer, press left or right on the D pad to balance yourself!
All Grab Moves are the same way. The longer you hold a grab for, the higher point total you will receive. The numbers listed above are the basic score for tapping the circle button.
Comboing 2 or more moves together will give you different point totals. For Example: Doing an Impossible (400) into a Finger Flip (620) will give you 1020 x 2 points. By adding a third move you will multiply by three.
The Shoulder Buttons rotate your character. With each successive spin, your point total will increase. Point totals are below in chart 1.
Mario kart
Put the pedal to the metal in this worthy successor to that Super NES classic, Super Mario Kart. Mario Kart 64 boasts great graphics, tons of unique power-ups and a stunning 3-D version of the legendary Battle Mode. Great control -- a trademark of all games from Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto -- will bring you back time and time again for free-wheeling fun!
Mario Kart 64 races eight familiar faces, including Mario, Bowser and Yoshi, on four progressively tougher four-track circuits. Wide curves and gentle banks mark the Mushroom Cup tracks.
Your commute gets notably tougher on the Flower Cup, though. You'll have to dodge semis rumbling on Toad's Turnpike and bounding boulders on fogbound Choco Mountain! Star Cup tracks range from the icy surfaces of Sherbet Land to the lava lakes of Bowser's Castle. The true test of karting competence, though, comes on the four tracks in Special Cup. Zip through the dark caves and green hillsides of Donkey Kong's Jungle Parkway, cling to the sheer cliffs of Yoshi Valley and hustle over haunted Banshee Boardwalk before tackling the longest track in the game: neon-lit Rainbow Road.
Mario Kart 64 offers two camera angles and three engine sizes: 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. You can gain even more speed by mastering the power slide technique or grabbing Super Star power-ups. Each kart has distinctive handling, acceleration and top speed capabilities. Light karts like Princess's smoothly steer through tight corners, but run the constant risk of getting flattened by heavy karts, like Donkey Kong's. Shells that you fire at rival racers, Bananas that make them skid out and Lightning Bolts that make 'em small and very slow are just a few of the game's unique power-ups.
Put the pedal to the metal in this worthy successor to that Super NES classic, Super Mario Kart. Mario Kart 64 boasts great graphics, tons of unique power-ups and a stunning 3-D version of the legendary Battle Mode. Great control -- a trademark of all games from Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto -- will bring you back time and time again for free-wheeling fun!
Mario Kart 64 races eight familiar faces, including Mario, Bowser and Yoshi, on four progressively tougher four-track circuits. Wide curves and gentle banks mark the Mushroom Cup tracks.
Your commute gets notably tougher on the Flower Cup, though. You'll have to dodge semis rumbling on Toad's Turnpike and bounding boulders on fogbound Choco Mountain! Star Cup tracks range from the icy surfaces of Sherbet Land to the lava lakes of Bowser's Castle. The true test of karting competence, though, comes on the four tracks in Special Cup. Zip through the dark caves and green hillsides of Donkey Kong's Jungle Parkway, cling to the sheer cliffs of Yoshi Valley and hustle over haunted Banshee Boardwalk before tackling the longest track in the game: neon-lit Rainbow Road.
Mario Kart 64 offers two camera angles and three engine sizes: 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. You can gain even more speed by mastering the power slide technique or grabbing Super Star power-ups. Each kart has distinctive handling, acceleration and top speed capabilities. Light karts like Princess's smoothly steer through tight corners, but run the constant risk of getting flattened by heavy karts, like Donkey Kong's. Shells that you fire at rival racers, Bananas that make them skid out and Lightning Bolts that make 'em small and very slow are just a few of the game's unique power-ups.
Resident Evil
Before I begin this critique, I must say that I've never had the chance to play the PSX version of Resident Evil 2, so I can't compare it to the N64 version. Now, then, let's begin.
Graphics: My first impression of this game's graphics was: boy, this sucks. As I got farther into the game, though, the graphics of RE2 got a ton better. The only real visual downfall RE2 has is that the flame and fire effects totally suck. Luckily, the only fire in the game is at the beginning on the truck (where my fist impression was), on the helicopter, and when you shoot something with a Flame Round from the Grenade Launcher. Other than that, this game has some of the best, most realistic graphics I've seen yet on the N64. All the zombies and monsters look great, especially when their heads are lying in pieces on the floor. The cutscenes are superb as well.
Graphics- 9.0
Control: Get ready to die at least three times while getting accustomed to the controls in this game. I must say that I died about 6 times before I got the hang of it. This is the worst point of the game, but that's not saying much. The directional movement uses up on the +Pad or stick as forward, no matter where you are or where you're facing. The addition of a controler configuration menu doesn't help much, as you can't change the stick or +Pad's operation. Besides that, the controls are a tad loose, but nothing too bad.
Controls- 8.5
Sound: RE2 scores big on music. It constantly is changing, according to the on-screen situation. If you're simply wandering the abandoned halls of the R.P.D. Station, it's a dreary melody, but when the Tyrant busts through a wall right next to you, it changes to a faster, "you're-about-to-die-so-run-away-fast" score. Sound effects are another thing, though. The constant zombie groaning gets old fast; all the more reason to kill them a second time. Gunshots are repetitive "bap-bap-bap" sounds. However, the rest of the effects are pretty good.
Sound- 9.0
Replay Value: This game has superb replay value. Just when you think you've beaten the game, put that last bullet into a zombie, a cut scene tells you of your second quest using the other character. You then have to complete the entire game again from the other characters prespective. Things you did in the other game may affect your second game, too. Even after you've completed the second quest, there is even MORE! Using the Randomizer Option, which places each item in a random position for each game, you practically have a brand new game every time you play!
Replay Value- 10.0
Options: There aren't many options in RE2, but that's because it only has the options you need. The main options of the game are the violence control and the Randomizer. The violence controler lets squemish players (or players with very protective parents) to set the violence at low, medium, or high, and the blood color as green, blue, or red (my favortie setting is high with red). With the violence on low, it doesn't show your actual death, assuming you die, the screen just goes black, you hear a scream, and "You Died" comes up on the screen in bloody letters, but in high, you get to see the zombies strike you down and start lunch. The Randomizer was already explained in Replay Value, but here it is again: the Randomizer randomizes item locations throughout the game.
Options- 9.0
Before I begin this critique, I must say that I've never had the chance to play the PSX version of Resident Evil 2, so I can't compare it to the N64 version. Now, then, let's begin.
Graphics: My first impression of this game's graphics was: boy, this sucks. As I got farther into the game, though, the graphics of RE2 got a ton better. The only real visual downfall RE2 has is that the flame and fire effects totally suck. Luckily, the only fire in the game is at the beginning on the truck (where my fist impression was), on the helicopter, and when you shoot something with a Flame Round from the Grenade Launcher. Other than that, this game has some of the best, most realistic graphics I've seen yet on the N64. All the zombies and monsters look great, especially when their heads are lying in pieces on the floor. The cutscenes are superb as well.
Graphics- 9.0
Control: Get ready to die at least three times while getting accustomed to the controls in this game. I must say that I died about 6 times before I got the hang of it. This is the worst point of the game, but that's not saying much. The directional movement uses up on the +Pad or stick as forward, no matter where you are or where you're facing. The addition of a controler configuration menu doesn't help much, as you can't change the stick or +Pad's operation. Besides that, the controls are a tad loose, but nothing too bad.
Controls- 8.5
Sound: RE2 scores big on music. It constantly is changing, according to the on-screen situation. If you're simply wandering the abandoned halls of the R.P.D. Station, it's a dreary melody, but when the Tyrant busts through a wall right next to you, it changes to a faster, "you're-about-to-die-so-run-away-fast" score. Sound effects are another thing, though. The constant zombie groaning gets old fast; all the more reason to kill them a second time. Gunshots are repetitive "bap-bap-bap" sounds. However, the rest of the effects are pretty good.
Sound- 9.0
Replay Value: This game has superb replay value. Just when you think you've beaten the game, put that last bullet into a zombie, a cut scene tells you of your second quest using the other character. You then have to complete the entire game again from the other characters prespective. Things you did in the other game may affect your second game, too. Even after you've completed the second quest, there is even MORE! Using the Randomizer Option, which places each item in a random position for each game, you practically have a brand new game every time you play!
Replay Value- 10.0
Options: There aren't many options in RE2, but that's because it only has the options you need. The main options of the game are the violence control and the Randomizer. The violence controler lets squemish players (or players with very protective parents) to set the violence at low, medium, or high, and the blood color as green, blue, or red (my favortie setting is high with red). With the violence on low, it doesn't show your actual death, assuming you die, the screen just goes black, you hear a scream, and "You Died" comes up on the screen in bloody letters, but in high, you get to see the zombies strike you down and start lunch. The Randomizer was already explained in Replay Value, but here it is again: the Randomizer randomizes item locations throughout the game.
Options- 9.0
Wrestlemania 2000
THQ has done it again. Thanks to AKI, THQ was able to proudly bring us the latest in a series of ground breaking wrestling games. The champion, by far, is the recently released WWF Wrestlemania 2000, WWF2K for short. WWF2K is THQ's first title under the WWF license, and with its roots in the award-winning WCW/nWo World Tour engine, it comes as the best WWF game to hit stores.. ever.
WWF2K features more wrestlers than any WWF game before it. Up to four players can step inside the squared circle as anyone from the heavyweight champ, Big Show, to the WWF's owner's daughter, Stephanie McMahon. Each superstar was fitted with their own signature moves. Stone Cold Steve Austin stomps a mudhole into his opponent while X-Pac takes his opponent for a ride with the Bronco Buster.
The detail given to the moves is incredible. The Rock, for example, will enter a grapple with the advantage. He then steps forward, holding onto his opponent with his right arm across his foe's chest and over his left shoulder. He pauses briefly to glance at the crowd with a raised eyebrow before focusing again, lifting his opponent in the air, jumping forward, and planting his candy bum with the Rock Bottom. The Great one gets up to his feet, walks around to his opponent's head as he lays motionless on the mat, kicks his arm closer to his side, looks up, and prepares to give him the most electrifying move in sports entertainment today, the People's Elbow. The Rock rears back, looking off into the crowd, goes through the motions of removing his elbow pad and throwing it into the sea of humanity, quickly waves his arms across themselves once, and takes off towards the ropes. The Rock bounces off the ropes, leaps over his opponent on the way back, comes off the ropes again, and pauses just before kicking his leg out, snapping back, and planting his elbow deep into the sternum of his opponent. Do you smell what The Rock is cooking?!
The controls for scintillating moves like that are easier to learn than one of the Road Dogg's catch phrases. Most moves are executed as a combination of the A and B buttons. Everything is simple to execute, which offers even inexperienced players a chance to have a scientific match-up with a wily ring veteran.
The variety of moves is so great that they have to be categorized. The largest categories include grappling moves, striking moves, running moves, flying moves, and taunts. These categories break down giving each character in excess of one hundred unique moves.
Of course, all the moves in the world won't do anyone any good without a proper place to use them. WWF2K features several arenas, sporting backgrounds unique to the television show they represent. The only set missing is that of Smack Down. Each arena allows players the freedom of spilling outside the ring and almost all the way up the entrance way.
Every set has the same thing in common, though, the ring. The ring is where all the fun begins, and it sees its share of matches including one-on-one, tag team, King of the Ring, cage, Royal Rumble, triple threat, battle royal, and team battle royal matches.
Each mode offers a unique experience, especially the brand new cage match. Two wrestlers are pitted against one another inside fifteen foot high walls of steel. Players can use the cage to their advantage in a number of ways including smashing their opponent's head into it or dropping an elbow off the top of it. The winner of a cage match is the one who can safely make it over the top and to the floor. This is easier said than done, however, as the person left inside the ring can shake, grab, and kick the one trying to escape.
All of the hitting, gouging, and slamming is presented with large, colorful graphics that easily bring home the attitude of the WWF. In fact, with accurate theme music, Titan Tron videos, outfits, and moves, this game is more realistic than the real thing!
To help keep the game current, players can edit wrestlers to mimic any changes occurring in the real world. Players can also create wrestlers to add to the roster, as well as title belts to distribute amongst the superstars. Anything that a player has created can also be saved to a memory pak for use on another cart or at another time.
Perhaps the coolest bit of realism, though, comes in the form of the Road to Wrestlemania. This season mode has a wrestler and a tag partner of choice fight up the ranks of the WWF with the ultimate goal of being the champion after Wrestlemania. This mode comes complete with run-ins, story twists, and surprise characters. Without the Road to Wrestlemania, the game wouldn't be complete.
In the end, WWF Wrestlemania 2000 has all the in-your-face action of the World Wrestling Federation and thanks to a great gameplay engine, is fun enough to last well past the event that it was named after.
THQ has done it again. Thanks to AKI, THQ was able to proudly bring us the latest in a series of ground breaking wrestling games. The champion, by far, is the recently released WWF Wrestlemania 2000, WWF2K for short. WWF2K is THQ's first title under the WWF license, and with its roots in the award-winning WCW/nWo World Tour engine, it comes as the best WWF game to hit stores.. ever.
WWF2K features more wrestlers than any WWF game before it. Up to four players can step inside the squared circle as anyone from the heavyweight champ, Big Show, to the WWF's owner's daughter, Stephanie McMahon. Each superstar was fitted with their own signature moves. Stone Cold Steve Austin stomps a mudhole into his opponent while X-Pac takes his opponent for a ride with the Bronco Buster.
The detail given to the moves is incredible. The Rock, for example, will enter a grapple with the advantage. He then steps forward, holding onto his opponent with his right arm across his foe's chest and over his left shoulder. He pauses briefly to glance at the crowd with a raised eyebrow before focusing again, lifting his opponent in the air, jumping forward, and planting his candy bum with the Rock Bottom. The Great one gets up to his feet, walks around to his opponent's head as he lays motionless on the mat, kicks his arm closer to his side, looks up, and prepares to give him the most electrifying move in sports entertainment today, the People's Elbow. The Rock rears back, looking off into the crowd, goes through the motions of removing his elbow pad and throwing it into the sea of humanity, quickly waves his arms across themselves once, and takes off towards the ropes. The Rock bounces off the ropes, leaps over his opponent on the way back, comes off the ropes again, and pauses just before kicking his leg out, snapping back, and planting his elbow deep into the sternum of his opponent. Do you smell what The Rock is cooking?!
The controls for scintillating moves like that are easier to learn than one of the Road Dogg's catch phrases. Most moves are executed as a combination of the A and B buttons. Everything is simple to execute, which offers even inexperienced players a chance to have a scientific match-up with a wily ring veteran.
The variety of moves is so great that they have to be categorized. The largest categories include grappling moves, striking moves, running moves, flying moves, and taunts. These categories break down giving each character in excess of one hundred unique moves.
Of course, all the moves in the world won't do anyone any good without a proper place to use them. WWF2K features several arenas, sporting backgrounds unique to the television show they represent. The only set missing is that of Smack Down. Each arena allows players the freedom of spilling outside the ring and almost all the way up the entrance way.
Every set has the same thing in common, though, the ring. The ring is where all the fun begins, and it sees its share of matches including one-on-one, tag team, King of the Ring, cage, Royal Rumble, triple threat, battle royal, and team battle royal matches.
Each mode offers a unique experience, especially the brand new cage match. Two wrestlers are pitted against one another inside fifteen foot high walls of steel. Players can use the cage to their advantage in a number of ways including smashing their opponent's head into it or dropping an elbow off the top of it. The winner of a cage match is the one who can safely make it over the top and to the floor. This is easier said than done, however, as the person left inside the ring can shake, grab, and kick the one trying to escape.
All of the hitting, gouging, and slamming is presented with large, colorful graphics that easily bring home the attitude of the WWF. In fact, with accurate theme music, Titan Tron videos, outfits, and moves, this game is more realistic than the real thing!
To help keep the game current, players can edit wrestlers to mimic any changes occurring in the real world. Players can also create wrestlers to add to the roster, as well as title belts to distribute amongst the superstars. Anything that a player has created can also be saved to a memory pak for use on another cart or at another time.
Perhaps the coolest bit of realism, though, comes in the form of the Road to Wrestlemania. This season mode has a wrestler and a tag partner of choice fight up the ranks of the WWF with the ultimate goal of being the champion after Wrestlemania. This mode comes complete with run-ins, story twists, and surprise characters. Without the Road to Wrestlemania, the game wouldn't be complete.
In the end, WWF Wrestlemania 2000 has all the in-your-face action of the World Wrestling Federation and thanks to a great gameplay engine, is fun enough to last well past the event that it was named after.
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