Goldeneye

Jumping ahead a little bit with this next one. Thought I would mix it up and tackle my first N64 game on this list. I won't go into the story behind my N64, I'll leave that for the Mario 64 entry, but it did very much take over from the Super Nintendo. One of my defining memories from my time with the N64 was the day my dad brought home from America a copy of Goldeneye.

Goldeneye was a game I had happened to read about in a N64 magazine and I thought it looked quite interesting. I had fairly limited experience with first person shooters at the time but was really intrigued by the different levels and weapons. As my dad was going to Detroit at the time on work, I asked if he could pick up a copy whilst he was over there as it wasn't coming out in the UK until some time later. He did so, and I had the joy of telling all my mates how great the virtually unheard of game was.

I played the majority of the game on a small 14" TV in the kitchen, the same one I had played the Super Nintendo on for so many years. Graphically the game wasn't mesmerising, we were already quite a way into the cycle of the N64 and this game didn't break any boundaries in this sense. But it was fine for the type of game and the settings which were included. Not having watched the film of the same name at the time, the levels and plot to the game were all new to me.

What made this game so enjoyable for me was the level design and how the AI interacted with you. Starting off on the Agent difficulty I soon got the hang of the controls and what was required to progress the different levels. But what also struck me was that it wasn't all about killing people, you were given different tasks like planting bombs and hacking into computer systems. 

At some point whilst working through the Special Agent mode though I hit a wall. I can't remember the level I got stuck on but it came at a time where I had a new game and just ended putting Goldeneye to the side for about a year. It was only when my step-brother started playing it that I got back into it. Once this happened I began a run that would eventually see us set the system up on the big TV downstairs one Saturday night for a final battle to complete 00 Agent mode.

Completing Goldeneye on 00 Agent remains one of my most satisfying game victories ever. I get the feeling a lot of people glossed over the single player element for the multiplayer, but for me it was all about tackling that single player game. I spent a bit of time messing about with the cheats that I had unlocked for a laugt but never really went back to the game after that.

I think it is safe to say that it doesn't hold up too good today compared to some N64 titles but for a time back in the late 90s this was the game on everyone's lips. And as the magazine Edge said in their 10th Anniversary edition, it was the only game they hadn't awarded a perfect 10 which they should have done in retrospect. 

The best bond game ever and the blueprint for first person shooters to come.