Nintendo 64 Games

To most people, the idea of bashing a fuzzy little ball around a court with a net in the way is their idea of hell, and for the most part, I'm sorry to say, but they could be right. Okay, so Wimbledon is great fun, but seriously, you can't be serious.Well Nintendo, hope to change all this with Mario Tennis, a quirky spin on the old English game. With 16 characters to hand, ranging from Bowser to Baby Mario, the crux of the game is the standard game of tennis, with the break points, the deuces and the double faults, but with the added bonus of powerups and special moves. The game revolves around the individual players and like in other Mario adventures from Nintendo the characters all have their own strengths and weaknesses. Bowser is great for sheer strength and his powerful smashes, while others survive on speed and agility rather like Mario Kart or Mario Golf.With Exhibition, Tournament and Multiplayer modes, the game does have a number of options to keep you busy and with the chance to play with up to three other players, this game is great to play with your friends.Nintendo have done what they did to kart racing and golf and produced a fun spin on what unfortunately is not the most fun of games on the computer. This is how tennis should be: super smashes, special combos and Mario running around in circles. --Stuart Miles... » read more

Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer is a shameless tie-in game based on the Boonta Eve Pod Race scene from the movie. As a Star Wars title it's sure to get a lot of interest, but the question is: is it any fun to play? Yes, actually, it is. Racer differs from a normal racing game. Rather than merely steering your way around the track, you can enhance your turns by using the Z button on the controller. Holding down the button shifts the cockpit off to the side and kicks you sideways with a burst of extra speed. And, of course, a big part of pod racing is the spectacular crashes, and here LucasArts does not disappoint. As Qui-Gon says, "Pod racing is very dangerous!" Even your opponents crash--sometimes into each other. The 3-D visuals and sound are good, but not ground-breaking. To forestall the inevitable boredom that all racing games eventually leave you with, the game lets you race on different planets, each with their own tracks. The tracks are inventive, especially in the later levels: some tracks have shortcuts to discover, others have zero-gravity sections and hair-raising jumps. The racing pods also differ, and with victory in certain races, more powerful craft become available. A pit area allows you to view all the weird designs up close in 3-D. In tournament mode, prize money is awarded for top finishers; you can use the cash to buy parts to upgrade your pod. It's a good thing the purse isn't paid out in Republic credits: Star Wars fans will recognise the parts dealer as none other than Watto. His wry comments spice up the shopping experience, and he sounds just like he did in the movie. Racer is a worthwhile purchase for fans of Star Wars or racing games. --Eric Fredrickson Pros: Imaginative tracks keep it interesting Watto's parts shop! Up to two players (each needs his or her own controller) Cons: Ab asic racing game that will not hold your interest forever Does not allow a four-player option... » read more

Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon you`ll help a young man with amnesia build a new life. Laguna doesn`t know who he is or where he comes from, so he goes looking for answers. He meets & befriends a young woman named Mist, who puts you to work on her farm. As you help her tend to the crops, you`ll try and build a life for yourself in the Harvest Moon world. Simulate the simple life as you harvest crops, buy supplies and try to find Laguna a nice girlfriend Choose the life you wish to live - Be a farmer planting crops, fish in the bay or forge weapons as a blacksmith Explore dungeons to capture and tame various monsters - capture a wolf to ride on, or a bee to make honey... » read more

Embody a young student who visits her grandmother's house for the summer. Your grandmother leaves to go on holiday and leaves you in charge of her house. During her absence you will have to maintain the house and even decorate it to your taste.... » read more

Mario Kart 64, one of the first games released for the Nintendo 64 platform, is an updated translation of the very popular Super Mario Kart for the Super NES (SNES). While the game clearly takes full advantage of the graphic power and speed of the N64, a few components that made the original so compelling have been left out of this release. Still, Nintendo's expertise at sucking players into the game world is strongly evident, and Mario Kart 64 offers enough challenges to keep players (especially casual gamers) entertained. Placing a familiar Nintendo personality behind the wheel of a sputtering kart powered by a 50, 100, or 150 cc engine, the game lets players race up to four of Nintendo's lovable characters on a variety of well-designed tracks. Because karts lack the power and speed of race cars, drivers must focus on collecting power-ups and non-lethal weapons rather than negotiating hairpin turns on two wheels. Grabbing and using on-track items is the heart of the game's fun: a strategically placed banana peel sends the unlucky victim into a spin, nailing an opponent with a turtle shell launches their vehicle skyward and a rocket provides a quick boost to near-breakneck speeds, if only for a moment. The multiplayer mode provides enormously chaotic fun for up to four players--flip it on at a party and watch the guests congregate around the screen. --Eric Twelker... » read more

No matter how you slice it, Jet Force Gemini is one tough game. But the frustration of playing this epic is tempered by the sheer magnitude and quality found within. Be forewarned, this run-and-gun action-fest is not for everyone. In fact, novices may be better off letting seasoned gamers fight over this morsel. Jet Force Gemini includes three complete characters, more than 15 unique weapons, smart artificial intelligence (AI), and the rescue of Ewok-like creatures from giant space insects. For those who don't have an extra 30 to 60 hours to burn, JFG feels like the most bloated, uncut Hollywood epic ever. Yes, the game is deep, but not good enough to wade through enormous hours of gameplay. Buying JFG is a commitment, one that will have die-hards playing gleefully for many months, and the rest of us wincing each time we need to restart a level after being annihilated. --Jeff Young Pros: An amazing array of gameplay styles, weapons and bosses Colourful graphics Good value Cons: Excruciatingly hard and excessively long Choppy animation Difficult control scheme... » read more

As with just about anything brandishing the Pokémon name, Pokémon Stadium is a must-have for any Pokémaniac. But this title is especially geared towards owners of Pokémon Red, Pokémon Blue, or Pokémon Yellow, for the Game Boy. Using the same battle system as the Game Boy games--think highly advanced paper-scissors-stone-Pokémon Stadium allows players to enter their Pokémon in a variety of tournaments and other battle modes, all featuring vibrant 3-D graphics and animation, as well as enhanced sounds and announcer commentary. Using the included Transfer Pak, players can use their own Pokémon from Game Boy Game Paks, or they can choose from a pool of rental Pokémon. Pokémon Stadium isn't all battles, though. The Kids Club mode features nine cutesy mini-games that make for great multiplayer fun for all ages. Gallery mode lets players take snapshots of Pokémon (similar to Pokémon Snap), which can then be printed out as stickers at your local Pokémon Snap station. While Pokémon Stadium doesn't require that you already have any Game Boy version of Pokémon, players won't be able to access two of the best features of the game without one. Pokémon Lab allows players to view, store, and better organise the data on their Game Paks, as well as trade Pokémon with another player (which requires an additional Transfer Pak, sold separately). GB Tower allows gamers to play their Game Boy Pokémon cartridge on the Nintendo 64. --Joe Hon... » read more

The annoying little red-crested breegull Kazooie is back in action in Banjo-Tooie and sporting a host of more than 40 new abilities, including Claw Clamber Boots, Breegull Blaster, Bill Drill and the wacky Clockwork Kazooie Eggs. It's a good thing, because you'll need all the firepower you can muster as they confront the 10 new, huge end bosses. Banjo the bear is alive and kicking, too, with some awesome enhancements and new abilities. Also, Mumbo Jumbo the shaman makes an appearance with his amazing bag of spells. He's even a playable character in some levels. It will come as no surprise to gamers that Gruntilda the witch is once again up to no good, spreading her bad breath and venom across eight new worlds. Aside from the returning cast, gamers will be introduced to more than 125 new characters. In this sequel, Banjo has the ability to get Kazooie off of his back... literally. The dynamic duo of Banjo and Kazooie must separate in order to solve the many puzzles and overcome obstacles that will confront them in this game. Both of them can also transform into different creatures, each with specific abilities that allow them to perform special tasks, which would otherwise be impossible for them to execute in their native forms. Banjo, for example, can turn into a washing machine or a submarine, but still maintains the familiar yellow shorts and blue backpack that gamers have become accustomed to him wearing. The gameplay has more of a cinematic approach this time around--there's support for widescreen and surround-sound--and the camera system has been tweaked to provide better shots of the action. What's more, Banjo-Tooie is loaded with 10 multiplayer games that will accommodate--get this--four players. Two favourites are the unique egg-blasting first-person shoot-outs and one called "Bottles Revenge". --Todd Mowatt... » read more

Platforms: Nintendo 64... » read more

Although it's geared more for younger players, Pokémon Snap is good clean fun for Pokémon fans of any age. In this Pokémon battle-free adventure, players assist Professor Oak in completing his Pokémon Report by photographing the cute little monsters in the wild on Pokémon Island. Players take a trolley-like ride through the island's 3-D environments, filled with Pokémon that not only look just like they do in the cartoons, but also have "cries" to match. While there's a limited amount of film for each trip and no zoom lens, players enjoy great freedom of directional movement from within the vehicle, thanks to solid controls. Pokémon Snap isn't as easy as it looks, as not just any old picture will satisfy Professor Oak; submissions for his Pokémon Report are judged on size, pose, technique and whether or not there's more than one of the same Pokémon in the picture. As progress is made, new areas open up, and players are given items to aid them in their quest. Although there are only seven areas, they need to be revisited often, as hidden and otherwise uncooperative Pokémon must be "coaxed" by using items that you previously didn't have before. Also, Pokémon will do some of the craziest things--which make for great photographs--but only under certain conditions that require much experimentation (or a strategy guide) to unearth. --Joe Hon... » read more