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The Nintendo 64 evokes such superb memories in the mind of any gamer from that gilded age of gaming. Now, a new book takes a look at the titles that captured our imaginations, and Hambone FakeNamington grabbed a review copy. Let Hambone guide you. Nothing can go wrong…
Ultimate Nintendo Guide to the N64 Library
Note: A digital version of the book was provided for review by the author, but the thoughts and opinions presented here are entirely my own.
Now You’re Playing with Power
As a millennial, I’ve always straddled a bit of the old world and the new. My early gaming experiences reflect this as well, cutting my teeth on the 2D platformers of the NES and later the Sega Genesis. As I approached teenhood, though, gaming was about to go into a radical new dimension: the third dimension.
Seeing Super Mario 64 at a kiosk in the electronics section of Sears was the moment I realized gaming had grown up. Playing the Nintendo 64 for only a few short bursts at a time left me salivating for more. Sadly, a lack of supply kept me from obtaining one at launch, but my brother and I eventually picked the system up when Ocarina of Time was released.
I’m sure there are numerous stories from other gamers who experienced the foundational shift that occurred when the system launched. Sadly, Nintendo’s stubbornness to hold on to the cartridge format while the industry moved to disc-based media ultimately meant the war was over before it ever really started.
Still, nearly 30 years later, with the choice of playing basically any game from yesteryear a few mouse clicks away, I still cling to my physical N64 console and handful of carts. Hell, I even love the controller so many despise.
For those like me, who still hold a torch for the N64, retrogaming YouTuber Pat Contri (aka Pat the NES Punk) recently released his third systemwide guidebook. Now, along with complete guides to the NES and SNES library, gamers can hold practically everything they ever wanted to know about the console that ushered Nintendo into the new millennium in their hands.
Let’s-A Go!
The meat of the book is a full-page review of every game released for the N64 library, including Japanese and European exclusives. While the overall library isn’t huge, compared to other systems, each review covers some basic information about the game, such as release date, publisher, and any unique features. For someone who imports games, I was happy to see the book include how much of a language barrier there could be if a gamer chooses to bring a Japanese game stateside.
There’s also a photo of each cartridge and its variants as well as screenshots of the game, all in full color.
Upon receiving the book, I flipped through some random titles I thought of just to see how many stars they received, with one star being Poor and five stars for a Classic. Overall, I’d say I’d agree with the majority of them, give or take a half-star or so.
Naturally, I was expecting games like Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time to receive perfect scores, but I was glad Star Wars Episode 1: Racer, my personal favorite game on the system, fared better in the book than it did with contemporary critics back in the day.
I was a little surprised to see Sarge’s Heroes given four stars, as even with nostalgia goggles, I would have a hard time giving it more than three. I had a similar thought concerning the score for Ready 2 Rumble Boxing, but it’s been years since I played the N64 version, so looking at the game on its own, removed from the Dreamcast version, might encourage me to view it more favorably.
Regardless of the score, it’s a great time to just flip through the book and be reminded of titles that served as weekend rentals once upon a time and then forgotten, looking at you Mace: The Dark Age. Most people interested in this book will probably be familiar with the heavy hitters, but seeing the same care and attention paid to games not even good enough to be called “bottom of the barrel” helps up the value of the book.
The reviews themselves are fairly lengthy and do a fine job of giving the reader a solid impression of the game. For example, the review of Superman does more than just mention flying through rings and gives the impression that some poor bastard actually sat down and played the thing. I even learned a few things about games I’ve sunk numerous hours into.
I was also glad to see the Reflections section returned for each reviewer to give their personal insight into the game; however, in too many cases it felt like just a tacked-on part of the overall review. In the NES book, the reviewers provided more personal anecdotes about their experiences with the games, which helped preserve this oral gaming tradition of ours.
It’s more of a personal gripe, though, as most readers will not care, but I wanted to hear about some all-night gaming sessions of Super Smash Bros. or Diddy Kong Racing. That’s not to say these memories aren’t included in other spots, but the Reflections section was what gave the first book its heart.
Oodles of Extras
If the reviews are the steak, the appendices offering a more holistic view of the console are the sizzle. There’s a section detailing first- and third-party accessories, the color variations for the consoles and controllers, and an in-depth look at the Disc Drive expansion and games that were only released in Japan.
Readers are also given an insight into what might have been with a section dedicated to unreleased games. While most Nintendo N64 enthusiasts are aware of Earthbound 64’s development quagmire, I was heartbroken to discover that we missed out on Die Hard and Top Gun games, especially since I loved their 32-bit equivalents.
Dedicated sections are also given to platformers, wrestling, and multiplayer games. The greedy bastard in me wishes they would have made a similar section for racing games, which is one of the console’s most prominent genres, but it may be too nebulous a topic to cover appropriately. For the wrestling games, it’s easier to carve out a narrative regarding the companies involved and how AKI and THQ helped shape some of the most beloved games from the genre that still garner praise today.
Final Thoughts
The N64 has an odd place in most gamers’ minds. Ask the average gamer their thoughts on the system, and they’re sure to rattle off their love of playing Mario Kart or GoldenEye with their friends. Ask a more “hardcore” gamer their thoughts, and they will probably give the system its due for ushering in 3D gaming but say most games from that time have “not aged well.”
Regardless, most people who played it back in the day have some affinity for the system, as nothing can replace seeing our 2D heroes rendered in all of their polygonal glory for the first time. Whether you haven’t touched the system in over 20 years or you still have a console hooked up in your gaming room and are anxiously awaiting the release of the Analogue 3D, the book hits a wide enough target to appease most readers.
This is the most comprehensive encyclopedia of the Nintendo N64 system that we will likely ever have.
While this is a book I doubt few would read cover to cover, it’s nice to have at arm’s reach to remember a beloved classic or to do some additional research on a game we may hear about in passing. Sure, the same information can be pulled from somewhere on the internet, but having it all combined in a single package to flip through at one’s leisure is a nice luxury not often afforded in today’s digital world.
Where to Find a Copy
As most gamers prefer physical editions, I will definitely be picking up a hard copy of the book, which can be ordered from Amazon or Pat’s own website: https://the-punk-effect.myshopify.com/.
The standard hardcover edition runs about $70.00, and if it is the same quality as the NES book, then it is definitely worth it. There is a special edition for $90.00 that is identical content-wise but has a cover that is spot-gloss embossed with a matte finish if that’s something that’s important to you. Digital versions are also available as well as hardcopy and digital bundles.
If you find yourself with some extra holiday cash and are looking to scratch that Nintendo nostalgia itch, pick up a copy and enjoy remembering the days when our biggest fears would be our mom’s calling us to come to dinner in the middle of a gaming session.
The post Review: ULTIMATE NINTENDO GUIDE TO THE N64 LIBRARY appeared first on Last Movie Outpost.
