Review: Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA (N64)

Graphics- 9/10
Sound- 4/10
Gameplay- 8/10
Replay Value- 7/10
Overall- 7.5/10

Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA is what the title says...Rush 2. The game is good but doesn't do much to improve on the original formula. The main difference is that it isn't "San Fransisco" it's "USA." The game is slightly better than the first thanks to a few improvements.

Ah yes, Rush 2. Rush re-released, only this time it was exclusively for the N64. You can just read my review for the original game and understand this game. The game is generally the same with some minor improvements. I got this game because, as I mentioned before, Rush was amazing to me at the age I got it. If you can follow that logic to me Rush 2 would have been phenomenal. Well it's not. There are many great features in this game such as the graphics. Once again the level of detail that went into this game is out of this world for an N64 game; and this is really shown off when you drive through a city. Once again the cars themselves look really good and life-like. The cars look good until you crash into something that is, because once again the collision damage is terrible. No matter where you get hit the damage will be in the same place. If you are hit in the front the damage will show up in the back, as well as the front. If the collision damage really bothers you, you could ram straight into a wall instead of crashing into and bouncing off. However you might actually do this a few times because the explosions look really cool, unrealistic (like the air time), but cool nonetheless. There is an improvement as far as cars go and that is the ability to customize cars. This feature is heavily pushed in the game and can really make or break you in a race.

While the graphics stayed the same, one major change was the music. In the original Rush the music was abysmal. While the music still sucks out loud it is a great improvement from what it was before. The music is still weird Techno-Reggae mix with bizarre screaming at points. I would still recommend muting your television set, but if for some reason you can't you can wait longer before smashing your skull in than you could before. While the music obviously isn't the greatest part, it's pretty obvious what is...the shortcuts/stunts. These two elements make the game what it is and the shortcuts are what the game is know for. There is once again a heavy emphasis on shortcuts, although it may be slightly less than before, it's hard to judge. Unlike the shortcuts the stunts are dramatically different in this game. While you still get unrealistic air time there is a course designed specifically for stunts and this is the best part of the game by far. The countless hours that I spent driving around that large and rather nicely laid out course is unreal. On top of that playing the stunt course on multilayer is even better because you are given points based on your stunts (the system is pretty straight forward.) I remember one time my friend I were playing and trying to get the highest air time. I got an 18, which was the highest any of us had gotten at the time, so I was pretty cocky... only to see my friend land a 24 air time with two seconds left. I did manage to get a 28 later, and that record still stands today. As you can see this can be pretty damn entertaining. To contrast that the worst part is Midway decided to get rid of "It's Dangerous!" What the Hell?!?! However, the game is relatively the same as before. If you don't like the sound of the stunts aspect, then don't buy this game... unless you want different courses for San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing.

Pros: Stunt course, Graphics, Shortcuts, Exaggerated gravity.
Cons: No "It's Dangerous," Collision damage graphics, Same as before.

Review: Dan

Review: San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing (N64*)

Graphics- 9/10
Sound- 2/10
Gameplay- 7.5/10
Replay Value- 7/10
Overall- 7/10

A good racing game with nicely done graphics. This will not be your first choice if you want to race your friends, but it should be considered. You should mute your television though.

When I got this game I was at an age where this game was amazing to me. I felt so cool driving a car so life-like, and, while they are pretty well done, the game is nothing special. It is a straight forward racing game with its big selling point being the graphics. The effort that went into recreating the streets of San Francisco is amazing and, as a result, the finished product looks really good. You can tell this because you are driving all over San Fransisco on any given track - in other words, there are a lot of shortcuts. When I say a lot I mean a lot, sometimes I have trouble remembering the way that you are supposed to go on the track. The high amount of shortcuts will lead you to play the course again because you think that if you take "shortcut B" verses "shortcut A" you can shave off a significant amount of time. Enough about the shortcuts, back to the graphics - the worst part of them is the collision damage. The crash damage is the same for every hit you get, and while I understand that it might have been hard to do incredibly realistic crash damage on a N64 it could have been way better and realistic. Along the lines of realism there is one thing in this game that isn't - the gravity... and that's fine by me. The air you can get in this game is unreal at points.

The problem with this game is how predictable it is. San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing does nothing new and does not appear to try to do anything new. You will probably find this game fun for a while but after you get good at it - well, the game will just go downhill from there. You may be thinking "What about multiplayer?" Sure, multiplayer is fun but if you are playing someone who hasn't played that many times, the race is no fun. You will end up absolutely owning your inexperienced friends because you have the shortcut knowledge that they so desperately need. The other negative feature of this game is the key collecting. It was kind of fun for a little while but the novelty soon wore off and I gave up on it. Do not get me wrong, you may love this feature, but I found it to be nothing more than an attempt to bulk up the game - and if you don't have a controller pack that's too bad because key collecting is truly pointless. However, the far and away worst feature is the sound, more specifically the music. It is absolutely shameful - mute your television except to hear the announcer say "It's Dangerous!!!" when you scroll over the harder to drive cars. In the end this would be a great bargain bin purchase. It will provide you with a few days of entertainment and not much more... except for the few times you friends will play multiplayer with you and unless they like to lose, they won't be playing it with you a lot.

Pros: "It's Dangerous!!", Graphics, Shortcuts, Exaggerated gravity.
Cons: Music, Collision damage graphics, Predictable.

Review: Dan

*Also released for Playstation - Review for N64 only.

Review: Beetle Adventure Racing! (N64)

Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay 9/10
Replay Value- 4/10
Overall-8.5/10

This game features the best graphics that were achieved on the N64 (in my opinion). Pair that with the incredibly realistic style of racing along with some nicely laid out courses and you get a good game. It could have been a great game if multiplayer battle wasn't so bad.

It's a shame this game was released towards the end of the N64's run because it went largely unnoticed. To me this game should have created a pretty big buzz because of how good the graphics were, I mean some games on the Gamecube look worse than Beetle Adventure Racing!, especially at the start of the Cube. As soon as the first race starts I'm sure you'll understand what I'm talking about. The cars look fantastic and the courses are nicely done as well (come on, a T. Rex snapping his jaws at while you fly past him?!?!). Speaking of the courses, they are fantasticly designed ones, although there are only six of them. The lack of courses is a negative for sure, but the six that are available are so expertly layed out and visually stunning that I doubt you will care - not for a long while, at least. Along with the courses being layed out so well come the shortcuts, and let me tell you there are plenty in the game. In fact there are so much it won't be a matter of taking them, it turns into a matter of which ones to take, which can take up a lot of your time right there (not in a bad way.) Most of the shortcuts themselves are really cool, from smashing through a casino and a hotel to navagating your way through crystal caves, all of shortcuts add a great element to each course and the game overall.

The biggest problem in this game isn't the lack of courses, it's the multiplayer battle. The courses are way too big. You spend more time looking at the radar than at the actual battle. The courses are so poorly designed you'll soon be asking for the good compact courses of Mario Kart 64. The other problem with multiplayer is when you actual want to race someone you don't have the option of racing against computers. On that line the replay value is very very low - after you have beaten the main courses... well, that's it. Those are the only major problems, but to me, this game was a great step forward and nothing more. There were some great concepts in this game. There was the bonus point; throughout the level and it's shortcuts there are boxes that if you smash through will give you bonus points, enough of these and you get a continue. The other unique feature was the engine sound, every car had it's own unique engine sound which is a great idea because after awhile you get bored of hearing the same engine for what seems like ever. Going with the sound, the music is also really good, as is the stereotypical seventies announcer. In the end it's a great single player game for a long time but multiplayer will bore you rather quickly.

Pros: Graphics, Unique engine sounds, Shortcuts, Bonus points system.
Cons: Multiplayer, Lack of replay value.

Review: Dan

Review: Banjo-Kazooie (N64)

Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay 9/10
Replay Value- 7/10
Overall-9/10

A great game for the N64, that while seems to appeal to little kids, should not be overlooked by older gamers. Some have compared this game to Super Mario 64, and while similar it adds its own unique features, and it is really well done.

Many people say that this is Super Mario 64 only with minor changes. While the two are very similar they are not the same game. Super Mario 64 redefined gaming as we know it and Banjo-Kazooie simply did not. However don't misinterpret that to mean it's a bad game, it's still a great game. This game adds many of its own features and of course bumps up the graphics, which by the way are stunning. The graphical style is similar to Super Mario 64 in the cartoonish sense, but you can just see the improvements. Not only are graphics bumped up but the environment it decidedly bigger, almost rivaling Ocarina of Time, it's huge and well laid out. The general idea of this game also appears to be borrowed from Mario 64, you have go through levels and collect jigsaw pieces... stars anybody? There are, however, new things that you have to collect in order to proceed in the game. There are musical notes which open up new sections of the game which is where you use jigsaw pieces to open up new worlds (it makes sense when you play it.) With new a collecting style, unfortunately comes a problem - there is too much to collect. There are Mumbo's Tokens, Jinjos, Eggs, Red Feathers, Gold Feathers, Extra Lives, and Honeycomb Energy. All that in addition to the required notes and puzzle pieces, this can lead to pre-stage planning, which can sometimes restrict you from exploring.

The only other problem with this game is its difficulty. The first two or three levels are a snap, but from there the difficulty races skyward at an ungodly pace. While some elements remain easy, some of the things required for jigges (jigsaw pieces) are really hard, especially collecting all the notes in each world. However you might not mind because of the discovery aspect. At first some of the stages may appear simply mapped and straight forward, you will soon discover many unfound gems that will keep you coming back. That being said, the last level is an amazing concept, well laid out, and brilliantly done. Part of the reason that it's done so well is your transformation in that stage. You see, the reason you collect Mumbo's Tokens is because good old Mumbo himself will transform you into various animals in certain stages; these include termite, crocodile, walrus, a pumpkin, (the exception to the animal thing) and a bee. That isn't the best feature of the game however. Some might argue that it's the graphics, but I say the sound by a mile. While there is no voice acting, none is needed - the music speaks for itself. This music sets the tone so well, it could be compared to Ocarina of Time. I could try and describe but I would deem it indescribable and not only is the music good, the sound effects are on the same remarkable level. Bottom line: buy this game... it's a shame it won't be on the VC.

Pros: Sound, Graphics, Gameplay, Mapping, Transformations.

Cons: Difficulty level rises too quickly, lots of collecting.

Review: Dan

Review: Mario Kart 64 (N64*)

Graphics- 8/10
Sound- 9.5/10
Gameplay- 10/10
Replay Value- 8/10
Overall- 9/10

Mario Kart 64 is the best Mario Kart game in the series - out of the five that have been released (not including arcade releases.) The single player in this mode is challenging on 150cc but nice and easy on 50cc, just as it should be. The multiplayer battle is entertaining and will keep you and your friends playing for a while.

Mario Kart 64 is the non-serious racing game to own. The cars in this game aren't meant to a huge graphical achievement, nor are the characters. This is simply a good racing game to casually pick up and play, but be careful because before long, you will be hooked. You get hooked so easy because of how close the races end up being. Especially as the races get closer, they sometimes end up being decided right at the finish line. I can remember races that I won because I fired a red shell and Bowser was stopped inches short of the finish line. That reminds me of two other great aspects of this game: the weapons and characters. Much like Diddy Kong Racing, there is as great weapon set that is incorporated. There is the green shell, red shell, blue shell, mushrooms, fake item boxes, bananas, lighting, Boo, and the star. While some do the typical and expected, such as the shells acting as missiles, but some of the items are very unique, such as the lighting, which will shrink all the karts other than the person who used it. This allows the person who used it to go faster than them and run them over. The characters in the game are all characters that you should recognize from past Nintendo titles.

The problem with this game is the graphics, and while there are some vast improvements for the SNES version, there are some things that appear to be the same. The big one being the characters; since the characters are pre-rendered they might look okay at first, but when you turn you can tell how bad they are. The other big graphical problem is the edges of some courses. There are solid walls of repeated images; I much prefer the invisible wall to that. There are some minor clipping problems but nothing that should affect or distract you to much. All of that aside, this is definitely a great purchase or download from the Virtual Console (although apparently you can not save ghosts, which is where Nintendo REALLY f***ed up), but still worth it.

Pros: Close races, Weapon set, Characters

Cons: Character rendering, Solid walls vs. Invisible walls, No memory pack on VC

Review: Dan

*Also available for download on the VC - Review based on original.

Review: Diddy Kong Racing (N64)

Graphics- 8.5/10
Sound- 9.5/10
Gameplay- 10/10
Replay Value- 9/10
Overall- 9/10

Diddy Kong Racing is an excellent racing game for kids and adults alike. This game has a very distinctive feel to it and has a great adventure format that will keep you coming back for more. There is, of course, the superb multiplayer aspect of the game that is a great time with your friends.

One of the unique features of this game is the adventure mode. Instead of the standard race selection screen we have grown accustomed to, you are dropped in the middle of a field and you have to drive to different locations were different areas are. The other nice feature is that you are allowed to go to different races at different times. In other words, if you have enough balloons (points) you are allowed to go to any race you want, verses the straight forward progression that has become common in racing games. After you beat each "world" you can take on the boss for that world, which is essential a big animal that races really well. Another great feature of this game is the vehicle selection. In this game you aren't restricted to just a car, you can also choose from a plane or hovercraft, and the controls vary for each, just as they should. There is also a great cast of characters whom you may not be familiar with but they will grow close to you over time, and just as I like, each character has there own strengths and weaknesses (top speed, acceleration, etc.) .

There is also a great weapon set that is incorporated. When you run through different color balloons you get different types of weapons. A red balloon is a missile, a blue is a boost, a green is an obstacle dropper, a yellow is a shield, and a rainbow balloon: special (a magnet attack that pulls you towards an opponent. Mentioning these attacks leads me to the massively fun multiplayer. There is of course the standard race mode but there is also the battle mode. In the standard battle mode you are set in nicely designed courses with balloons and you have to survive. The addition to this is the two courses in which you have to collect a certain amount of bananas (or eggs) before the other people. However this mode does get boring after a while. The only other problem is that your reward for beating adventure mode is "Adventure 2" which is "Adventure" but backwards (Erutnevda?...) While it's fine for a while you will get bored of it unless you are a fan of perfect completion. Don't let that discourage you from buying this game, however, because it is a great single and multiplayer game.

Pros: Adventure mode, Character selection, Multiplayer, Weapon set, Boss races.
Cons: Adventure 2 is nothing special, Collecting eggs/bananas gets boring.

Review: Dan

Review: Super Mario 64 (N64*)

Graphics- 9.5/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay- 10/10
Replay Value- 9.5/10
Overall- 10/10

This game was one of only two launch titles for the N64, and it's a good thing it was because this game helped start the system off because of the buzz it created. All that buzz you hear is true, it is what made future platformers great.

This is the next installment in the Mario series and is the first to make the leap to true 3D. Instead of the side-scrolling Mario games we were used to, this game incorporates many new moves such as wall kicks, long jumps and backwards somersaults. The other thing that was added was cap power-ups. The Wing Cap allows Mario to fly, the Metal Cap makes him immune to most damage and allows him to withstand wind and walk underwater, and the Vanish Cap renders him partially invisible and allows him to walk through some obstacles such as wire mesh. The great thing about this game is the wide selection of levels. There are fifteen main stages in total (25 if the games 10 extra mini-levels are included), and each stage is unique. As for the gameplay, it's rather straight forward. You are in Peach's Castle to defeat Bowser and rescue Peach, but the problem is that the doors that lead to beat Bowser require a certain number of stars to open. In order to get enough stars to open the doors you have to jump through picture frames in the castle that lead to all of the worlds where you can get the stars for various tasks that you complete.

The big problem in this game lies in the camera; it's terrible. It starts off being automatically handled by Lakitu, but you can move it on your own using the C buttons. Even that won't save the camera, though. It still manages to get stuck behind walls and other such objects, which over time can end up really frustrating you. There also is some clipping (getting close to a wall = you can see through it) problems but that didn't bother me a great deal. To this day this game is still a great play, because of it's high replay value. Since you are only required to have seventy stars to beat Bowser, most people beat him then. This means that there are still fifty stars left to get in the game, because once you get all 120 you get to blast to the roof of the Castle and see Yoshi himself. This is the game that you wanted to have when the N64 came out because of it's revolutionary effect on gaming and it will go down in video game history as one of the greatest games ever made.

Pros: Gameplay, high replay value, new moves.
Cons: Camera, minor clipping.

Review: Dan

*Also available for download on VC - Review based on original

Review: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)

Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 9.5/10
Gameplay- 9/10
Replay Value- 10/10
Overall- 9.5/10

Majora's Mask is a great sequel to Ocarina of Time. The graphics are mind-blowing and many of the elements that made Ocarina of Time a smashing success return, along with some improvements. However, the three day format that was used really bothered me and put a restriction on my open ended exploration, which is what makes Zelda games so good.

This game takes on the darkest tone of any Zelda game to date, mainly because the game is played in a continuous three day cycle that leads up to the moon crashing into the land of Termina, which is where the story is set, instead of Hyrule. The Moon is about to crash into the Earth because Skull Kid, while being his mischievous self, stole Majora's Mask and it took control over him, causing him to do many bad things including attempting to make the moon crash. Days pass as fast in this game as they did in Ocarina of Time, which on the surface makes three days appear to short to stop the moon, but once again some nice incorporation of music saves the day. The music is unfortunately not as easy flowing as expected, but still nicely done. The main songs in this game are about time control, whether it be traveling back to the start of the cycle, speeding up time, or slowing it down. The other big part of this game is masks (duh) there are so many masks - from the ones that make you run faster to the one that transform you into a Zora the masks definitely make the game and are nicely incorporated.

The problem with this game is that the three day format ends up putting a major restriction on what you do, and as a result you have to plan what you are going to do in each three day cycle beforehand. If you don't you might be forced to give up something mid-task and return to it later, which as you guessed can really piss you off. The other problem is that you might have to waste a whole cycle on a single sidequest you feel you must complete. As for sidequests, that is the game's strength, due in part simply to the sheer mass of sidequests, however some people might find this distracting. If it weren't for that, this game could top Ocarina of Time. Majora's Mask definitely tops it graphics wise because of what the expansion pack made the N64 capable of. There is so much going on in the game and on the screen at once it's almost unbelievable. The land is also as vast as it was in Ocarina of Time, although not as cleverly mapped out in my mind. Anyways the bottom line is that this game makes a nice sequel and is an excellent purchase for any N64 owner.

Pros: Graphics, good plot, easy controls.
Cons: Three day format, music not as good as expected (almost is).

Review: Dan

Review: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64*)

Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay- 10/10
Replay Value- 10/10
Overall- 10/10

I feel like a dumbass for saying this but - buy this game... God, if you don't own this game well...you're a lost cause.

This game needs no review, it's the best game ever. Period, end of discussion. Don't even bother to say any other game, not Majora's Mask, or Twilight Princess. When this game came out it blew people's minds and for a good reason. Look at those graphics. Jeez, at that time they were far and away the best graphics ever. What those graphics did for games on the N64 and games in general... it's insane. The gameplay in this game is a mile beyond every other game, from the absolutely MASSIVE playing field to the dungeons there is always something being done that makes you want to come back for more. The dungeons in this game are so amazing and in depth. They may be considered complicated, but they are at the right level - not to complicated. The hardest Temple is the Water Temple and that is the only temple that I took a significant amount of time to beat.

The sound in this game is also on another level. The sound is nicely timed and used when it is needed. The most important part of this game involves sound and let me just say that the songs are just phenomenal and incorporated flawlessly. Whenever I learn a song again I get chills up and down my spine. I say again because I have played this game some many times it is unreal, it is probably around a hundred - and I am not kidding - one hundred, probably over. The people who say that this game has no replay value probably didn't play this game. From the countless sidequests, to perfect completion attempts, along with beating the game without dying (it is possible...I have done it), and not to mention that fact that you just want to play it again.

Some people might say that since the fact that the ability to skip cut scenes doesn't exist the game should receive a slightly lower score. Well to that I say "WHAT THE F***?!?!" I want to watch the cut scenes, I want to get those chills up and down my spine, I want to remember why I must destroy Ganon. The only other argument that I hear is that the lack of ability to rematch defeated bosses and play through completed dungeons deems a lower score. Why don't you replay the game? This game is well deserving of all of the hype that it receives and is the greatest game of all time.

Pros: Everything.
Cons: Nothing.

Review: Dan

*Available for download on the VC - Review based on original.