Of all the N64 classics, Goldeneye 007 is the elusive game that managed to avoid re-release for over two decades. Created by the fabled UK development studio, Rare, and released in 1997, it was a game that set the standard for console first-person shooters. In the mid-1990s, Nintendo held the rights to the James Bond film GoldenEye, and they tasked their trusted partner, Rare (or Rareware), with developing a game based on the property. The reason Goldeneye 007 wasn’t re-released is that Nintendo sold Rare to Microsoft, and neither of the companies held the James Bond license (after Goldeneye’s release). Back in the late 90s, with Zelda, Mario 64, and F-Zero X, (among others), Goldeneye was a big reason to own an N64. This was especially the case if you had a few friends to play with. In recent years, Nintendo finally resolved the rights issue with Microsoft and Goldeneye 007 has been re-released on Xbox and on the Nintendo Switch Online. Read on for a retro review of GoldenEye 007 on NSO.
Great on Rails Shooting
GoldenEye 007 was originally designed as an on-rails experience. It was to have James Bond going around the stages (on-rails) with enemies popping out and the character shooting them. However, because of an unexpected extra amount of development time, Rare had an exciting opportunity to enhance the experience. They decided to get James ‘off rails’ and it was the best decision that they could of made. In Goldeneye 007, the player is free to explore levels, find secrets, and achieve goals. The game is a traditional first-person shooter. The way enemies react to being shot is very realistic for the time, and is part of what makes the game great. The original developers used full motion tracking (basically putting a guy in a suit to track his movements) to replicate how someone would move when shot, and then laid the movements onto a 3D model, and it worked superbly. I can’t think of any game from that era that was as satisfying in terms of shooting.
The satisfying shooting and enemy reactions are integrated into a level-based game. GoldenEye 007 follows the movie very well. Each stage is built around an event in the film. The plane scene, tank scene, and Cuba scenes are all recreated in the game. Despite the game being based on the film (and releasing more than a year after the film), the game’s story is arguably better. Although the story is nowhere near as strong as the gameplay.
This NSO version is the vanilla GoldenEye 007 that we all remember. The graphics are crisp, and you won’t find any lower performance than you do with a PC emulator. The frame rate is capable of exceeding playing on the original console, and generally, I was very impressed with how multiple games run, including Goldeneye. I put off purchasing NSO for years, but the addition of Gamecube games finally won me over (this feature is exclusive to Switch 2). Now, it definitely feels worth it to have access to all these games at the touch of a button. Loading really is that fast, and Goldeneye, especially, feels like it zips along.
How the game runs and graphics
The graphics are typically N64. 3D models are used for characters and most environmental objects. The textures are simple. The graphics aren’t impressive today, but they retain a certain charm. They are iconic of the era, and the art style is mature and realistic. Sound is made up of level music, sound effects, and themes. There is quite a bit of traditional, James Bond-style music included. The level music is good and fits in well with the gameplay. Sound effects are iconic, even the violent parts, such as civilians or soldiers being crushed under the tank. Overall, sound and visuals aren’t the biggest strength of Goldeneye 007, but it does its job.
The other addition is save states. This means that the player can save at any point in gameplay and easily start again from that point. This makes the game much easier. However, considering how old these games are, it is a welcome addition. Goldeneye has a few difficulty spikes (The Train comes to mind), and it is a good thing that younger players will get some help in these scenarios.
Goldeneye’s strengths shine through on NSO. The shooting is accurate, and enemies are just as silly as they were twenty-five years ago. The game is separated into twenty levels. Each is different and well designed. There is also a good variety of weapons. The weapons feel fun to use and come in handy during multiplayer. I haven’t played Goldeneye multiplayer in years, but I remember the experience was frantic, fun, and one of the best things to do as a kid in the late 90’s. The single-player campaign holds its own as a singular experience and is arguably a better experience than the multiplayer. The multiplayer was added very late in development by Rare, and it was a great success. I remember how fondly the editors of my favourite gaming magazine would discuss cheats and tips. Speaking of cheats, there is an unlockable cheat system within the game that is fun to stumble across as you beat levels. If you use cheats, level progress doesn’t count, so the game is still fair.
To sum up
Goldeneye laid the way for first-person shooters on consoles. It was the evolution of titles like Doom. The full motion tracking for body movements was pioneering, and it is the first game that I remember using that technique well. Rare made a great decision, taking the game ‘off-rails’, and the time extension that was given to development is probably why we have such a great game. The NSO is so much more valuable thanks to this title, and it’s great to finally have an official re-release of Goldeneye 007. The game runs arguably better than it did on N64, and the save states really help for those who have never played the game. Overall, Goldeneye is 007 a major reason to own a Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 (NSO is on both), and it remains as fun as it was in 1997.
9/10
BongoBongo123 is an avid Zelda fan who also likes the odd game of Smash. His interests in gaming are broad but he loves a good Metroidvania or action RPGs.