goldeneye 007

'Goldeneye 007' is one of the best games for Nintendo 64… but it was originally made for Super Nintendo. It turned out badly, of course

Since the first official James Bond game in 1984 (there were earlier ones but without rights, like a pirate), the saga had something in common for a decade: with a controller in hand, no one seemed to get the most out of agent 007. It didn’t help, of course, that the games still had to fight to be seen in 8 bits, with titles like A View to a Kill, Goldfinger, or The Living Daylights, which adapted a completely original story and even had audio tapes that explained the story in the voice of the very actor who played Q, Desmond Llewelyn. And then, GoldenEye arrived

Since the first official game of James Bond in 1984 (there were earlier ones but without rights, pirate-style), the saga had something in common for a decade: with a controller in hand, no one seemed to fully exploit agent 007.

It didn’t help, of course, that the games still had to fight to be seen in 8 bits, with titles like Panorama to Kill, Goldfinger, or The Living Daylights, which adapted a completely original story and even had audio tapes explaining the story from the mouth of the very actor who played Q, Desmond Llewelyn. And then, GoldenEye arrived.

Agitated, mixed, improved

In 1992, the franchise didn’t know where to turn with consoles, and a final game was released for Mega Drive titled James Bond 007: The Duel, in which the agent had to overcome 5 levels, face Jaws, and escape. The problem was that, at that time, Timothy Dalton had made his last appearance as the agent in License to Kill, and they had not yet found someone to replace him.

In doubt, they used his image on the cover and pixelated it within the game, although it didn’t matter much to anyone: despite receiving decent reviews, James Bond was part of the past, and there was little that could be done to revive the interest of the youth.

This impasse only lasted until, in 1994, they announced that Pierce Brosnan would take the helm of the saga in a new spectacular film: GoldenEye. And of course, with the relaunch, they had to have their corresponding video game: immediately, Rare and Nintendo began working on a possible game based on the movie, especially after the success of Donkey Kong Country.

Moreover, from Nintendo, having little faith in the producer, they proposed making a 2D platformer for Super Nintendo, which at that time was still selling non-stop and showed no signs of stopping. A perfect plan. Or not?

Back then, no matter how well they sold, movie adaptations were worth nothing: 2D platforms of Robocop or Batman that only slightly resembled the original title and that, in reality, would only go down in history for the most dedicated fans. Fortunately, Martin Hollis raised his voice in that meeting and insisted that the game should be made in 3D and developed for Nintendo’s new console, the Ultra 64 (which would eventually be, of course, the Nintendo 64).

What was the problem? By the time the console hit the market, the movie would have already left theaters and even the VHS market. At Rare, they were convinced it didn’t matter: the essential thing was to make a good game. The license was secondary.

They were right, of course: the game was released more than a year and a half after the movie, on August 25, 1997, but by then Pierce Brosnan was already starting the promotion for Tomorrow Never Dies, which would come out four months later, and the hand game ended up benefiting them.

It cost an absolute fortune for the time and they took much longer than usual, yes, but the result was incredible. No one cared that GoldenEye was a 1995 movie: the graphics, the extended story, the mapping, and the levels made the risk worth it. After all, masterpieces are not created every day.

It has been almost 30 years since the release of GoldenEye 007 and those who played it at the time still remember it as a canonical moment when they discovered that FPS games were not just for computers. And now, with the new 007 First Light about to be released, it’s time to ask ourselves if perhaps, none of this would have been possible without a brave person saying “I don’t see this for the SNES”. Hero.

The best Xbox Game Pass games that you can play now

The best Xbox Game Pass games you can play now, from the latest releases of this year to timeless video game classics.

One of the great gifts of this Christmas has been the Xbox. Whether it’s the Series X or the Series S, this has been a year where, thanks to the offers and a catalog that is settling, it begins to shine on its own. But let’s not fool ourselves. A good reason to switch to Xbox is GamePass. But it can be intimidating. There are many games. Too much to choose from. Where to start? Well, here we make a selection of the best games to jump into right now so you don’t have to navigate for hours without knowing what to play.

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A Short Hike

Sometimes you feel like playing a simple, sweet game that makes you feel comfortable and warm. A Short Hike is exactly that. An adventure of reaching the top of a mountain by the route that seems most suitable to us. With a simple open world, many possibilities, and never forcing us to go on a specific path or even reach the top, it is a game that encourages us to simply live in the moment.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Sometimes you feel like playing a simple game, sometimes you feel like embarking on a dozens of hours epic where you can get lost and feel like you will never get out of there if you don’t want to. That’s what Assassin’s Creed Odyssey offers you, a huge game, full of collectibles, mysteries and most importantly: a great story and even better characters. The best Assasin’s Creed to get into today, and it’s even available on GamePass.

Cocoon

During this year that is ending in Xbox Game Pass, some great games have appeared. One of them has been Cocoon. An excellent third-person puzzle game created by the designer of Limbo and Inside. It lasts only five or six hours, but it is designed with an absolutely insane finesse. And if you want more, you also have Limbo and Inside on the platform.

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Although nostalgia is a trap, sometimes you can make a burrow in the trap. That happens with GoldenEye007. The version available on Xbox Game Pass not only serves to check how shooters have evolved in the last twenty-five years, but also to enjoy a game that you may have enjoyed during your childhood. The first shooter that, for many, was the excuse to get together with friends and shoot each other.

Hi-Fi Rush

Although surprise releases are becoming more common, surprise announcements and releases are still extremely rare. Even more so in a game the size of Hi-Fi Rush. But it turns out that this game from Tango Gameworks, a mix of action and rhythm game, is an absolute delight. Fun, clever, and very dynamic, it’s the perfect game to spend a weekend laughing and rocking out.

Jusant

Sometimes all you need is a game with excellent mechanics and a carefully crafted environmental narrative. Although we could be talking about a game from From Software, we are actually talking about a game from Don’t Nod. Because Jusant perfectly accomplishes both things: introducing perfect climbing mechanics that make you want to keep going forever, and a delicate and well-thought-out narrative that rewards paying attention and taking your time with the game. A delight that you shouldn’t miss.

Lies of P

Talking about From Software games, this year there has finally been a studio capable of making a Soulslike that can satisfy us. And its name is Lies of P. With an extravagant reinterpretation of Pinocchio’s story, it builds a very satisfying Dark Souls-style game that has its own twist based on those foundations. Adjusted through patches, it is still not as good as From Software’s games, but it is almost as good as them. And that’s not saying little.

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Starfield

Although it hasn’t turned out as we expected, Starfield is a very interesting game if you are a fan of Bethesda games. Although “Skyrim in space” is a title that is too big for it, it is true that, after 40 hours of story, a universe of very interesting possibilities opens up in a game that is somewhat lacking in all its aspects. Bad? Not exactly. But even more than Skyrim, it is a game that you have to discover how to find fun in it. And if you are capable, it can be fun like no other.

Wolfenstein: The New Order

We live in a problematic world in certain aspects, so it’s okay to be able to immerse ourselves in power fantasies that allow us to do what we can’t in reality. For example, Wolfenstein: The New Order. A game where we embody a soldier who faces the Nazis after they have won the Second World War. In this game, MachineGames managed to perfect a heavy and brutal shooter style that, even today, remains extremely satisfying. That, and killing Nazis, is clearly the ultimate power fantasy for 2024.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon

The Yakuza saga has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. The problem is that knowing where to start can be very complex. We’ll make it easy for you: play Yakuza: Like A Dragon. That will leave you ready to play the next installment of the saga, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and jump into the previous titles of the franchise. All of them available on GamePass, so you can immerse yourself in literally 200 or 300 hours of an epic yakuza epic, if that’s what you want. Or just stick with the new ones, because they are semi-independent.

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Nintendo releases a Switch app only for people over 18 years old (but there’s a catch)

It will be an exclusive section for Japan that, at least for now, will feature… two games. If two. And you don’t expect them: ‘Goldeneye 007’ and ‘Jet Force Gemini’

Since the beginning of its time, Nintendo has avoided making games specifically for adults: from ‘Metroid’ to ‘Mario Kart,’ it fills the family market niche that neither Microsoft nor Sony dare to touch. Each to their own. And yet, suddenly, they’ve taken on the responsibility of the Nintendo 64 catalog in their online service and have decided to create, for the first time ever, something for those over 18. And it’s not what you’d expect.

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The secret place

This isn’t a place for the most perverse games from the Nintendo 64 catalog that you access through a curtain, no. In fact, it will be an exclusive section for Japan that, at least for now, will feature… two games. Yes, two. And you won’t expect them: ‘Goldeneye 007’ and ‘Jet Force Gemini,’ from 1997 and 1999, respectively. There’s a reason for this, although it might be surprising.

In most parts of the world, ‘Goldeneye 007’ was considered a game suitable for teenagers, but in Japan, the government agency responsible for age ratings, CERO, decided to rate it as “Z,” which means for ages 18 and up. The same happened with ‘Jet Force Gemini,’ categorizing them similarly to games like ‘Alien Isolation’ or ‘Doom.’

In fact, this is the only way they can be released in Japan, a country that carefully enforces age restrictions and doesn’t want any unpleasant surprises. Perhaps if CERO were to review the games again, the rating might decrease – although it’s not likely. But for now, Nintendo has to comply with what was decided in the late ’90s, as if society had remained stuck.

When you think of “content for ages 18 and up,” you might immediately think of sex, but the truth is that in both games, you can shoot civilians, something that Japan will never allow. In the United States, however, it’s part of everyday gaming, after all.

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