Starfox 64 (VC) Wikipedia Metacritic
Proof that quality design never gets old.
Just this morning I downloaded the Virtual Console release of Starfox 64 after planning to do it for some time now. I'm glad I did because my brother's had our N64 at his apartment in Philly for a while now, and it's one favorite of mine that hasn't been rereleased for the Gamecube or the DS (like the N64 Zelda's or Super Mario 64, respectively). Therefore I haven't played the game in a while.
The game is an arcade style shooter, so it's pretty fast-paced and short (you can finish the game in a half hour), and a great one at that. It's remarkable how well the game's aged, considering it's now over ten years old. It was my first N64 game back when I got it for Christmas in '97. It's design still holds up incredibly:
• Tight, responsive, and fluid controls.
• Moderate to Easy Difficulty, with greater challenge when competing for high scores
• Abundant Variety in Levels
• Outstanding and memorable voice acting keeps game fresh after all these years
• Graphics are simple though overtaken by ambitious level design
I really think the Virtual Console has been a disappointment so far, so be sure to pick up the classics that are available. I highly recommend Starfox 64 and Paper Mario if you haven't played them before. I have many memories of replaying Starfox 64 with my friends years after its release to earn higher scores.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GCN)
Definitely find a chance to play this unique MGS release on a Nintendo system.
About two weeks ago I purchased this game for just five bucks at a pawn shop in my hometown. I originally planned to purchase The Twin Snakes when it was set to release back in 2004, but lost interest in my Gamecube by the time it came out (A jobless kid in high school has many hobbies and only so much money!).
For those of you that don't know, this is a remake of the Playstation classic, Metal Gear Solid. This game was a lot more fun than I expected, but it's very short: I was able to play through the entire game in three days. Not a problem, though –it's a great experience nonetheless.
The signature stealth gameplay of Metal Gear Solid is something I've never quite experienced to this degree before. It's a lot of fun sneaking around as Solid Snake and the whole aspect of infiltrating and sabotaging a terrorist base is as satisfying an experience as you would hope. The graphics and animations are very smooth and pretty, the enemy AI is good, and the pacing of the game is as good as it gets. One problem brought up often with the Metal Gear Solid series is its long cutscenes. Typically I hate long cutscenes, but the story here is actually very engaging.
The game incorporates gameplay from Metal Gear Solid 2, some of which is welcome and some, depending on who you are, is not. I really like hiding and moving the soldier's bodies, but first person aiming has also been incorporated making the game very easy. For me it's not a problem. Bad control is an artificial way of making a game hard in the first place, and usually just makes the game bad; Metal Gear Solid was an easy game to begin with -just know it's even easier now.
The cut-scenes can be outlandish but are well choreographed and voice-acting is top notch. Very well done.
If you're a Nintendo fan, you probably haven't had much experience with Metal Gear Solid. I wouldn't get my hopes up for a Metal Gear game appearing on a Nintendo console anytime soon, so don't miss this great game. Make sure to use the Gamecube playing capabilities of the Wii!
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