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[Blue Ninja]

My review over at Eurogamer Benelux. Text is in Dutch, so quick summary:

Recommended-tag
- Unlockable videos are really cool and make the game something more than just a compilation
- Same with the whole 'theater' aesthetic for the Replay interface, it's just neat
- The way the really old-school games have been handed is cool, CRT mode is great and rewinding stuff is awesome
- N64 port performance isn't great and there's a lack of certain options (like being able to make the right stick uninverted while playing Conker)
- Grabbed by the Ghoulies was the biggest surprise for me, a lot of fun and it still looks great

 

[Karak]

Just ordered this. Has anyone stated if online multiplayer still works in the applicable titles? I'd love to play Assault mode in PDZ for nostalgias sake.

Yep it works great!

 

[Salty Hippo]

For me personally all I can say is my job isn't to pretend or ignore something just to make people feel more comfortable with a review. Issues(technical) are there and discussed and i would never presume to remove them as they deal with some of the more important titles, or at the very least some that gamers identified as their primary targets for this collection. I am only assuming that's what you mean by Ghosts...but thats pretty vague.

You shouldn't ignore the issues but I think you could have been way more specific as to which games are hurt by what. You put all N64 games on the same bag initially and say "some of them have this or that" but you never really clarify which games exactly other than Blast Corps. You even talk about that while there's Banjo gameplay going on which I'm sure will make people think Banjo is one of the affected games. Is it?

 

[hawk2025]

You shouldn't ignore the issues but I think you could have been way more specific as to which games are hurt by what. You put all N64 on the same bag initially and say "some of them have this or that" but you never really clarify which games exactly other than Blast Corps. You even talk about that while there's Banjo gameplay going on which I'm sure will make people think Banjo is one of the affected games. Is it?

That's a good point -- perhaps the review could have been more clear on precisely which games had which issues. It went into detail on Blast Corps (this still hurts ), but not on which others had which issues.

I assume the Banjos and Perfect Dark are fine due to being the 360 versions. Is Conker problematic?

 

[shandy706]

- N64 port performance isn't great and there's a lack of certain options (like being able to make the right stick uninverted while playing Conker)

I darn near can't play a game that ISN'T inverted.

I'm glad it is.

It would be nice if they offered a simple (software) invert option though as a patch.

 

[Blue Ninja]

I darn near can't play a game that ISN'T inverted.

I'm glad it is.

It would be nice if they offered a simple (software) invert option though as a patch.

I had to stop playing because I just couldn't get used to it and kept messing up my jumps. If it were only on the Y axis I'd probably be able to live with it, but the X-axis being inverted as well just screws with me.

 

[Karak]

You shouldn't ignore the issues but I think you could have been way more specific as to which games are hurt by what. You put all N64 games on the same bag initially and say "some of them have this or that" but you never really clarify which games exactly other than Blast Corps. You even talk about that while there's Banjo gameplay going on which I'm sure will make people think Banjo is one of the affected games. Is it?

Different complaint than what I was discussing with the other poster.
But noted.

I darn near can't play a game that ISN'T inverted.

I'm glad it is.

It would be nice if they offered a simple (software) invert option though as a patch.

Agreed. Could have been in the release originally. Would have rocked actually.

 

[Japanmanx3]

I might buy this without even owning a Bone...

 

[Fudgepuppy]

So what's the technical aspects? I'm going to call this out for shoddy craftsmanship if all 3D-games aren't running 1080p60fps.

If it's true they're just emulating the 360- and N64-games, this lost all cred to me.

Also, why not Conker Live and Reloaded? It's a beautiful remake.

 

[Salty Hippo]

So what's the technical aspects? I'm going to call this out for shoddy craftsmanship if all 3D-games aren't running 1080p60fps.

If it's true they're just emulating the 360- and N64-games, this lost all cred to me.

Also, why not Conker Live and Reloaded? It's a beautiful remake.

Talk about sense of entitlement.

 

[VibratingDonkey]

So what's the technical aspects? I'm going to call this out for shoddy craftsmanship if all 3D-games aren't running 1080p60fps.

If it's true they're just emulating the 360- and N64-games, this lost all cred to me.

Also, why not Conker Live and Reloaded? It's a beautiful remake.

Considering the price, I'd be fine with it being 100% emu. Reportedly Ghoulies is 1080p60, so it's not quite.

Dunno why no Live & Reloaded though.

 

[U2NUMB]

So what's the technical aspects? I'm going to call this out for shoddy craftsmanship if all 3D-games aren't running 1080p60fps.

If it's true they're just emulating the 360- and N64-games, this lost all cred to me.

Also, why not Conker Live and Reloaded? It's a beautiful remake.

The entire collection is 30 bucks... 30 man. A dollar per game.

 

[CosmicQueso]

So what's the technical aspects? I'm going to call this out for shoddy craftsmanship if all 3D-games aren't running 1080p60fps.

If it's true they're just emulating the 360- and N64-games, this lost all cred to me.

It's gotta be so disheartening for people who make video games to read threads about their products.

 

[robotrock]

Considering the price, I'd be fine with it being 100% emu. Reportedly Ghoulies is 1080p60, so it's not quite.

Dunno why no Live & Reloaded though.

It seems like they had no emulator for Xbox games. They had to actually port Grabbed by the Ghoulies for the Xbone, and I guess they didn't want to do that with Live and Reloaded.

 

[dLMN8R]

It's gotta be so disheartening for people who make video games to read threads about their products.

It's OK. People who work in software development are so immune to ignorant comments like that. It's what we laugh about at lunch, not what we get disheartened about.

 

[G0523]

Out of curiosity, is there a physical manual with the game? Or is it just case and disc?

 

[Burning Justice]

So the N64 games perform worse here than they did on an actual N64? Most N64 games didn't have a great framerate to begin with, so are we certain of that?

 

[friskykillface]

Here's friskykillface's two sentence review

Infected mode in PDZ is worth the price and time, buy it now. You also get 29 other games that are good.




Some of these reviews are what I expected tbh , just 8's and 9's and saying a lot of content for fans of rare and new people to play for a while
B^) I'm ready

 

[cool_dude]

Great reviews, can't wait to check it out on my own!

 

[foltzie1]

I rather like the Kotaku line that with the release of Rare Replay the Xbox one now has more N64 games available than the Wii U VC.

 

[Glendemonium]

I rather like the Kotaku line that with the release of Rare Replay the Xbox one now has more N64 games available than the Wii U VC.

Ouch! lol.

I'll have to pick this up, there are a few titles that I never did get to play... Battletoads Arcade baby!

 

[Megatron]

So, how is it that MS is doing what they're doing if the package they're selling is largely made up of emulations of non-MS hardware? I mean, to the end user, all the game has to do is function in a manner that seems accurate even if, under the hood, it's not at all close in many ways. I'm still unclear as to why this is some kind of problem with this release when MS isn't about to open themselves up to legal trouble over a $30 emulation package. It's not the first time someone has released emulations of games originally released on Ninty hardware for sale on non-Ninty platforms.

For copyrights and trademarks to work, they have to he renewed. Do you think Nintendo has still done that? What reason would they have to do so, really? All the third party retro console makers like Hyperkin, do you think they are paying Nintendo? I wonder if Nintendo did t give up those trademark rights to the nes code years ago?

 

[Fudgepuppy]

Talk about sense of entitlement.

Considering the price, I'd be fine with it being 100% emu. Reportedly Ghoulies is 1080p60, so it's not quite.

Dunno why no Live & Reloaded though.

The entire collection is 30 bucks... 30 man. A dollar per game.

It's gotta be so disheartening for people who make video games to read threads about their products.

To me having these games in 1080p60fps was the selling point. It's like if you buy a blu-ray collection and all movies are non-anamorphic wide-screen with black borders and a slightly upressed picture quality. It's not the most accurate description technically, but that was the USP to me.

Now, don't get me wrong, it's damn great bang for your buck and it's great so many people get enjoyment out of it, but I would've gladly paid 60$ if it was all ports/remakes and not just emulations.

 

[CosmicQueso]

To me having these games in 1080p60fps was the selling point... but I would've gladly paid 60$ if it was all ports/remakes and not just emulations.

Hey, I'm with you. Would love to have everything in that resolution and framerate. But to do that for 30 games? Would have cost a lot more than $60 retail I'm afraid.

 

[TheSlySoul]

Now, don't get me wrong, it's damn great bang for your buck and it's great so many people get enjoyment out of it, but I would've gladly paid 60$ if it was all ports/remakes and not just emulations.

It is just a games collection, like Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection.
A quick and cheap way to play all of Rare's best hits. Heck, CBFD cart goes for $30 online at least.

If it was just 1-4 games, you might have a point. But it is a collection.

 

[Lynd7]

It is just a games collection, like Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection.
A quick and cheap way to play all of Rare's best hits. Heck, CBFD cart goes for $30 online at least.

If it was just 1-4 games, you might have a point. But it is a collection.

Heh Conker on N64 goes for like $90-$200. Super expensive game, even cart only.

 

[Timu]

Heck, CBFD cart goes for $30 online at least.

Not these days, it's 80+ bucks cart only on average.

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

If I didn't already own at least half the games in it, id be all over this.

 

[TheSlySoul]

Not these days, it's 80+ bucks cart only on average.

I last checked 6 months ago. Retro collectors did say N64 prices were spiking though at a convention I went to. They weren't lying!

Still proves my point that one game alone is worth the price.

 

[SilentRob]

What I find most surprising about this collection is it's presentation. I expected some sort of list where I picked one of the games and that's it. But instead they worked on this great Theater/Musical-UI where every game is connected which each other and characters are constantly jumping in and out of the picture. When I click on a game I get a preview-screen that has specific characters to that game jumping around through the frame.

There are Cheats and a new rewind option for the older retro-games. There is a NES Remix mode for many of these games. Custom loads and saves for the games that need it, a CRT mode. Newly shot Making-Ofs and Behind The Scenes footage, even going so far as to showing cancelled projects. In those projects Nintendo is regularly mentioned, without them acting like Rare always was a Microsoft studio (I didn't really expect them to really call out how great it was to work for Nintendo in a Microsoft product).

This is a labour of love and so much more than they really had to do. It's great and a prime example on how re-releases should be handled.

 

[Megatron]

I rather like the Kotaku line that with the release of Rare Replay the Xbox one now has more N64 games available than the Wii U VC.

Ice cold. Is that true though?

 

[TheSlySoul]

Ice cold. Is that true though?

Kirby 64, Paper Mario, DK 64, SM64 - 4
KIG, B-K, B-T, PD, BFD, BC, JFG - 7

So technically true even if the Banjo games are remakes.
Heck, there are MORE DS games.

 

[Timu]

Ice cold. Is that true though?

Yes.

 

[LegalEagleMike]

Ice cold. Is that true though?

sadly yes.

 

[Timu]

Kirby 64, Paper Mario, DK 64, SM64 - 4
B-K, B-T, PD, BFD, BC, JFG - 6

So technically true even if the Banjo games are the remakes.

You forgot Killer Instinct Gold, which makes it 7!!!

 

[Pizza]

Kirby 64, Paper Mario, DK 64, SM64 - 4
KIG, B-K, B-T, PD, BFD, BC, JFG - 7

So technically true even if the Banjo games are remakes.
Heck, there are MORE DS games.

That's hilarious. I'm so glad to hear this is actually as great as it seems, I've always wanted to play the banjo games and Conker! Those three alone are worth the $30 asking price, the fact that I get twenty seven other games on top of that is nuts.

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

Regarding Goldeneye confusion, the ownership of the actual software is still split 50/50 between Nintendo and MS/Rare. Nintendo refuses to cooperate with MS on any matters pertaining to Goldeneye as they consider it a Nintendo game. Licensing of the Bond IP has little to do with it. In fact Activision was fully willing to play ball back in the day, because for them a MS-funded re-release would be free money.

 

[illusionary]

My copy's already with me - there was never any doubt - but it's good to see the positive reception.

 

[hawk2025]

Regarding Goldeneye confusion, the ownership of the actual software is still split 50/50 between Nintendo and MS/Rare. Nintendo refuses to cooperate with MS on any matters pertaining to Goldeneye as they consider it a Nintendo game. Licensing of the Bond IP has little to do with it. In fact Activision was fully willing to play ball back in the day, because for them a MS-funded re-release would be free money.

Link to all of this?

 

[illusionary]

Kirby 64, Paper Mario, DK 64, SM64 - 4
KIG, B-K, B-T, PD, BFD, BC, JFG - 7

So technically true even if the Banjo games are remakes.
Heck, there are MORE DS games.

Ocarina of Time is available on WIi U VC, so that's a little more in the Wii U's favour... but yeah, that's still a sad situation for Nintendo. Maybe they'll give something more to us in August? Here's hoping!

 

[Richie]

Ocarina of Time is available on WIi U VC, so that's a little more in the Wii U's favour... but yeah, that's still a sad situation for Nintendo. Maybe they'll give something more to us in August? Here's hoping!

And Mario Tennis, making it 6 to RR's 7. Still hilarious.

 

[Xemnas89]

Regarding Goldeneye confusion, the ownership of the actual software is still split 50/50 between Nintendo and MS/Rare. Nintendo refuses to cooperate with MS on any matters pertaining to Goldeneye as they consider it a Nintendo game. Licensing of the Bond IP has little to do with it. In fact Activision was fully willing to play ball back in the day, because for them a MS-funded re-release would be free money.

Wasn't the deal that the 360 would get an improved remastered version (much like perfect dark) and nintendo would just get the original on virtual console? I always thought that was why it didn't happen.

 

[OEM]

Microsoft is on roll this gen with offering some of the most incredible value to your money.

 

[Kriken]

Kirby 64, Paper Mario, DK 64, SM64 - 4
KIG, B-K, B-T, PD, BFD, BC, JFG - 7

So technically true even if the Banjo games are remakes.
Heck, there are MORE DS games.

You missed OoT and Mario tennis, but even then it's 6 to 7

 

[Alex_Mexico]

Very disappointing that they didn't give Conker, JFG and Blast Corps the widescreen treatment. It worked so well for both Banjo games and Perfect Dark. Oh well, still a good value if you don't already own the 360 games. Not for me though since I do own most of the 360 games.

I'm pretty sure JFG did get widescreen. Hell, even the N64 original featured widescreen making it one of the handful of N64 games that supported 16:9 (like PD and Goldeneye).

 

[SilentRob]

I'm pretty sure JFG did get widescreen. Hell, even the N64 original featured widescreen making it one of the handful of N64 games that supported 16:9 (like PD and Goldeneye).

Yes, JFG does feature a widescreen option.

 

[NintenDOMG]

Will the digital version unlock early tonight?

 

[Karak]

Microsoft is on roll this gen with offering some of the most incredible value to your money.

Ya I admit the collections are insane. This is a total value.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

For copyrights and trademarks to work, they have to he renewed. Do you think Nintendo has still done that? What reason would they have to do so, really? All the third party retro console makers like Hyperkin, do you think they are paying Nintendo? I wonder if Nintendo did t give up those trademark rights to the nes code years ago?

Right, I recall someone talking about Ninty's claim to hardware in the NES running out a decade or so ago and there are a ton of openly advertised and sold mainstream clone and emulation systems on the market across the world covering pre-disc Ninty systems, so I was questioning why there was a problem with this collection in the first place when it seems clear that Ninty has no control over that side of things, provided the manufacturers and software developers aren't directly stepping on software rightsholders can still claim. Current emulation isn't and, in many if not most cases, cannot be perfect, so it's not necessary to think that simply using it will mean there is a legal issue. I mean, MAME and other major emulation software are now available for commercial use under new agreements and they cover a ton of hardware spanning the entire spectrum of video and computer games, so, what's the issue?

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

I might buy this without even owning a Bone...

Do it.