Editorial Review

GoldenEye 007 has been a huge success for Rareware, and it's easy to see why. More than a simple movie translation, this has earned its top-seller status on its own. Fans of Doom and Quake will recognize the first-person shooter perspective, but there the similarity ends. James Bond 007 has too much style to simply blast everything in sight and move to the next level. No, as 007, the player has a variety of different missions to perform, each with its own specific objectives. Each mission follows the film closely, and so James must use stealth and cunning as much as brute force. But if you see a Kalashnikov rifle lying around, by all means pick it up.

Controls are easy to master, which is impressive considering the variety of actions the onscreen hero can perform. James can run and walk at variable speeds, duck, pivot, hide, attach mines to enemy helicopters, block doors from opening, and more. The optional auto-aim feature is especially nice. Of course, James Bond is proficient in a wide variety of weapons. You get to use them all, from the trusty Walther PPK (with silencer) to double sets of full-auto machine guns.

The game's faithful tribute to the Bond legacy includes briefing dossiers on each mission, complete with wisecracks from Q and flirtatious comments from Moneypenny. And the 3-D representation of locations and characters from the movie is very impressive. The Rareware team spent time on the set with digital cameras, and it shows.

One of the distinguishing features of the game is the outstanding artificial intelligence of the enemies. When attacked, squads will rush to hit the alarm. If they make it, reinforcements come running. Enemy soldiers respond to being shot or blown up with chilling realism. According to Rareware, there are over 30 different animation routines that come into play, depending on where the soldier is hit. For those who prefer the challenge of human opponents, there are six clever multiplayer modes where up to four players can shoot it out, as teams or solo agents.

With excellent gameplay, intelligence, and style, GoldenEye 007 is a first-person shooter that'll keep you coming back for more. --Jeanne Uy

Pros:

• Built-in save capability for up to 4 players
• Auto-aim feature helps novice players feel like a sharpshooter
• Rich, complex game world filled with detail and variety
• Great bonus missions

• Sometimes cinematic scenes for fulfilling mission objectives are a bit anticlimactic

Editorial Review

A first-person shooter that mixes spy and sci-fi, PerfectDark is both a thoroughly engrossing one-player experience and ariotously fun multiplayer romp. Easily one of the best games of itsgenre on any video game console, this long-awaited follow-up toGoldenEye 007 is a must-have for Nintendo 64 owners--and a damngood reason to be one if you're not.

The futuristic Perfect Dark casts players as Joanna Dark, asecret agent who becomes embroiled in a sinister conspiracy involvingaliens and an evil corporation. Gameplay is broken down into missions,each with objectives that must be unerringly completed beforeprogressing to the next mission. This is not your typical kill-anything-that-movesgame: putting a bullet in the wrong person, not keeping theright one alive, or perforating a seemingly unimportant inanimate objectcan often result in mission failure.

While Perfect Dark's solo missions play out much like those inGoldenEye 007, the game's fantastic multiplayer options areanother matter entirely. Cooperative and counteroperative simultaneous-playmodes allow for another player to join in on a mission as,respectively, a teammate or the enemy. However, the real fun here is inthe highly customizable Combat Simulator, a one-to-four-playersimultaneous-play mode that features both free-for-alls and team-basedchallenges and can include up to eight Simulants, computer-controlledcombatants of varying behavior.

Although Simulants make for decent adversaries or teammates, you'll wantto grab a friend--and an Expansion Pak, as only 35 percent of the gameis available without one--to fully enjoy Perfect Dark. --JoeHon

Pros:

• One of the best first-person shooters on any video game console
• Outstanding multiplayer game with huge replay value
• Bevy of game options, cheats, and secret features
• Excellent training mode with challenges all of its own

• Graphics get ugly when playing with more than two players

Features

• For one player
• Side-scrolling action game featuring Nintendo superstar Link
• Save Hyrule from the minions of Ganon
• Jump and slash your way through enemies
• Simple control system

Reviews (24)

Not Much of a Zelda Game
I love Zelda* games! When I got the Collector's Edition disc, I thought I would try this one out. This is not a very good game. The story goes that on Link's sixteenth birthday, he discovers the Triforce on his hand. Princess Zelda's attendant, Impa takes Link into a room where Princess Zelda is sleeping. Impa says that a mysterious man put her to sleep. Link sets out to find pieces of a crystal that will wake Zelda up. Link doen't realize that Ganon's minions want to revive Ganon by sacrificing Link.
Unlike all the other Zelda games, this one is mostly a side-scroller. You also collect lives, so if you run out of lives you start back at the palace where Princess Zelda is sleeping. You also have HP(hit points) and MP(Magic Points). Luckily, this was the only Zelda game where they did that.

The Failure of Link?
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link* is the black sheep of the Zelda franchise.One of the most controversial games of that era, players sent a clear message to Nintendo, saying the sequel didn't live up to its predecessor. People still bought it, but the general consensus was it was not as good as the original "Legend of Zelda".The biggest controversy of this game was it was a 2D scroller, instead of an overhead game like the original was.You navigated in an overhead view.Then the battles and actual dungeons are in the side scrolling format. Another big factor is this game is HARD.VERY HARD.It's also the only Zelda where you collect lives.If you run out of lives and continue, instead of starting back at a particular dungeon's beginning, you begin at the very start of the game.When we're talking about trying to beat the Great Palace, this turns into a nightmare.There is also an unwieldy magic and leveling up system.The magic continued in the Zelda series.The leveling did not.But because it was such a radical departure, and not wholly successful, Zelda II is viewed as a flawed, if interesting, game.

The Zelda name does great damage here, because people come in expecting overview.Zelda II tries to be innovative with an uneasy hybrid of side-scrolling and overworld.Had it been released as just a fantasy game, I think Zelda II would be something of a cult classic.As it stands, people constantly judge this game on the Zelda name alone, instead of giving the game a chance.That's what really hurts Zelda II.

Zelda II is a misunderstood game.The true question, which cannot be answered, is this: "What would the public think if this had been released first, instead of The Legend of Zelda?"Who knows?No one does.People expected the wrong things from this game.People wanted traditional Zelda action, and this game didn't have that.It's a hybrid of overhead and platform gaming.This was one of Nintendo's biggest missteps in its history.They had misread the audience.All this has forever damaged Zelda II.It will always be viewed from the perspective it is not as good as the other Zelda games.

Without Zelda II, the structure of this seminal series would be drastically different.In terms of lessons learned, this is by far the most important game in the series.What if Nintendo hadn't done this game?It is possible they might have tried the hybrid on SNES version.Nintendo learned from its mistake, and never tried this again.In the Zelda context, that is a good thing.

Zelda is a great series, and without this under their belt, Nintendo might have put out a disappointing Zelda game at a much more crucial time in the series' evolution.It's a great game in and of itself, and had it been redesigned in terms of story and not making it Zelda, it would be considered a classic.But for Zelda it doesn't go with the others, and Nintendo learned what the public wants in a Zelda game.In terms of sticking to the formula, this is the best thing that ever happened to Zelda.If they had not released this game on the NES, they might have tried the hybrid experiment on the SNES game, and instead of getting what is arguably the greatest game on the SNES, and in the Zelda series, we would get a game like this.Then, we wouldn't get agame for the SNES comparable to Link to the Past.If Nintendo had not made this game, they would have made this mistake (remember, it's a mistake only in context of the series) at a much worst time.

What about Super Maria Brothers 3?Although Zelda II was viewed as a disappointment, I think it had direct influence on SMB 3.SMB 3 is the game Zelda II could have been.SMB 3 successfully combined a type of overview world, but then you moved and played the stages.Of course, the world in Zelda II was much more expansive.The SMB series was already a side scroller.It is hailed as one of the greatest NES games ever released.And yet, earlier when they tried the same thing with Zelda II, it was viewed as a disappointment because Zelda was not a side scroller to begin with.Nintendo took the hybrid idea into Mario, of which it was much more suited.Mario was not an overview game to begin with.When they did make the hybrid, they stuck with the basically formula of side scrolling, but they had a little overview too.

In this view, Zelda II is out of balance.In the series' context, they should have made more of the action overview, instead of all side-scrolling.Some main parts of the game should be like that though, but then there should be more old-school Zelda overview.As it stands in the series, its out of balance.But without it, we might not have the hybrid of the overview/side scrolling found in SMB 3 and Super Mario World, which both are great games.Independently, Zelda II stands proud.

After all these years, Zelda II still occupies that weird uncle status in the Zelda family tree.I personally think that it's a great game.It stands as a failure in the context of the series.Had it been released without the Zelda moniker, I think history and players would have been much more receptive to this charming (if entirely too difficult) game.

*An interesting note about its title.This is the only Zelda game it incorporate the numerical sequence into its official title. Its also the only title in the series that does not have "The Legend of Zelda" in it.Its just "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link."It sounds better than "The Legend of Zelda: The Adventure of Link."Too long I guess for those days

Zelda II is a brilliant game.
Zelda II is different. I will admit right off the bat that this game may not be for everyone. When it was released, it recieved a lot of negative feedback because it was not what people were expecting from a "Zelda" game. This game, at it's heart, is an action-sidescroller, and a VERY difficult one at that.

Having said that, you should definitely try it out. The game uses rpg-zelda-like adventuring, but zooms in for a 2D sidescroll view for combat sequences, and the result is a VERY engaging and creative game. The combat is more complex than most action games, lending a high degree of difficulty to the game. (fighting advanced opponents often involves sword-and-shield combat that required more thinking and reacting than simply"button-mashing.")

The graphics are way better than they have any right to be for an 8-bit game and the music is quite good. (much better than Zelda I's music.) There are only 7 temples, but they are challenging and will take you quite a while to defeat. The last temple is a MONSTER and it's big secret has stumped *many* excellent gamers for years.

The game builds nicely throughout and the gameplay never relents. There are very few opportunites for "metaplay" this game. (metagaming = "programmer-allowed cheating." as in: finding a way to defeat an enemy that the computer cannot possibly defend against.) The final battle is fast and ferocious and the identity of your oponnent will surprise you! (hint: he makes a cameo appearance in Zelda 64! Well, Now you HAVE to try the game, don't you?? :D)

As a fellow game-developer myself, I have to commend Nintendo for their ingenious design of the last temple and in fact, the whole game. This game has rightly become a cult-classic in recent years and should be required material for any action-rpg game fan.

Be warned though, if you are expecting a game like Zelda I or III, you will be surprised, though not necesarily dissapointed.

Reviews (16)

StarFox Fans - Great Game!
I may not be as young as some of the players that wrote reviews here, but I played the original StarFox for SNES as a kid. At the time, the "FX" chip was marketing hype for some new 3D technology. Nonetheless, it has become a classic at my home. My dad was hooked on StarFox since the beginning!

I bought some old N64 games and a N64 system about 2 years ago and starFox 64 was one of the games. Naturally, I'm hooked. The graphics are fairly pre-21st century but its a very natural progression for StarFox SNES.

Thd 3D graphics are colorful and saturated. There is also voice acting and some interesting levels.

I missed the original "Twin Blaster" and "Wing Damage" voice effects. The new music also sounds rather corny, as are the villains.

A Nintendo classic
This is a great game with large levels that vary from super difficult that will satisfy advanced players to easy levels ideal for begginers. The vehicles in this game are a space fighter called the Arwing a tank called the Land Master and a submarine called the Blue Marine. This adds a great deal of depth and replay value. How ever no game is perfect and this is no exeption as the multiplayer mode just doesnt cut it but thats ok as the single player is so awesome you probably wont mind the so-so multiplayer. All in all a great choice for N64 owners.

Features

• For 1 or 2 players
• Classic action game
• Save the Mushroom Kingdom from Bower's Koopa Kids
• Run, jump, and smash your way to victory
• Lots of hidden treasure and power-ups

Reviews (15)

Super Sonic Bros 3 for NES and GameCube
Now you can you play SSB3 on your NES Emulator or play it on your GameCube.

NOTE: Nintendo DS is coming on November 21st 2004.

Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES/GBA)
Super Sonic Bros. 3 (NES/GBA/GC)

Super Sonic Bros. 3 Release Date
NES1988
GBA2003
GC 2004

(c) 1988, 2004 Nintendo.

Super Mario 3, my greatest Nintendo addiction ever!
Ah, Super Mario Bros. 3-- one of the all-time classics from the days of yore, and one of my all-time fave console video games. I could play this for hours on end... and I would do so quite often. Sure its graphics are relatively primitive compared to today's painstakingly-rendered and graphics-engined offerings, but what a time I had playin' it. Without taking any warp shortcuts or skipping levels within a world, I was usually able to get through everything in about four hours, give or take a few minutes for bathroom/snack breaks. Sometimes I'd play this to the exclusion of doin' my homework, or going outside to see what the real world looks like:

ME: "Um... mom? What's that big blinding light up in the sky?"

MOM: "That's the sun, dear."

Speakin' of my mom: SMB3 became the first video game she got into playing, although she lacked the will & the patience to play it with any competence. Hey, they were workin' to support my sorry @$$, put food on the table, and pay the mortgage (come to think of it, they're still doin' alla' that today!)-- it's not like they had time to revel in the kinda frivolous, non-productive lollygagging that I lived for...

Anyhoo, while I sometimes enjoyed playing two-man SMB3 with ma-- I especially enjoyed keepin' her from taking on the next level by luring her into the challenge mode, which pitted Mario against Luigi in a classic Mario Bros. mini-game-- I much preferred to go solo. I didn't feel the need to wait for her to clear a level, and I could pick up all the hidden bonuses for myself. Yeah, I'm a selfish player-- whattaya gonna do `bout it?!

Speakin' of bonuses: the mini-games and discovery of hidden power-ups was half the fun for me. I especially enjoyed raiding the coin ships that would show up once in a blue moon, and I did a pretty good job with the card matching game. `Course, when you've got a copy of the Nintendo Power magazine that shows you all the tips, tricks, and cheats-- well, I think you get the picture...

Sadly, as time wore on and I began mastering this all-time classic, I found myself a bit bored with the whole thing. It had gotten to the point where I rarely needed to use my inventory of power-ups and suits to get through everything without too much trouble. And thanks to one particular level in the seventh world, I was able to max-out my One-Ups, which meant I could play almost indefinitely. Still, after the big thrill was gone I'd pull out my old NES system once a year or so, pop the Super Mario 3 cartridge in, and start playin' it again for old time's sake. That is, until the console finally gave up the ghost after many years of faithful service to my sun-deprived, caffeine-addled self. I've been considerin' hitting the local flea market and picking up a refurb NES from this one dealer for about twenty bucks, but I've just been too lazy to do so. Hmm... ya know what, I think I'll do just that tomorrow before I go to work. Yeah, I'll hit the local flea market, pick myself up a "new" NES, and geek out to SM3 all evening after my shift ends. No wait, I'll grab a 16-bit Super NES and the Super Mario All-Stars game pack (check it out at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000050FBJ/qid=1084083990/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl63/104-3503582-3486339?v=glance&s=videogames&n=507846) instead. Then I'll have all of the Super Mario games on one cartridge, and I can save the games for future play (which is something I was unable to do on the 8-bit cartridge).

Wish me luck...

`Late

The greatest game of all time
I don't agree with those who say that this game cannot compare with new games.Sure, graphics and sound none of them stand a chance.But as far as game play and fun, the oldies can and do compete and I place this game as the most enjoyable I have ever experienced.And that IS the whole point of video games after all.

Game play 10/10
Easily the most important category and easy this game's strong suit.Not only are the controls easy to master, but the challenges in the levels vary and continue to present you with new tasks as the game progresses.

Sound and graphics 2/10 now 9/10 then
The graphics fit the game.That's all they need to do.But they are not by any means realistic.

Story - nonexistant

Replay Value 10/10
I have played this game countless times.The lack of the save option is awful, terrible even, but as a result I have learned to play the first world with my eyes closed.Plus the creators had to have this in mind as there are plenty of things to find in the early going.

Editorial Review

With Grand Theft Auto III, Rockstar proves that not alldevelopers are concerned with toning down the violence in their games. Thissequel is even more bloody, violent, and sadistic than its popular predecessors,offering up an enormous 3-D city in which nearly any criminal act is possible.Players are free to steal cars, beat up the local population for their money (orweapons), make time with prostitutes, or simply roam to their heart's content.Those seeking more structure can embark on dozens of plot-driven missions orsteal cars that let them play minigames. Nab a cop car and you can go onvigilante missions. Grab a cab and you can play a deadly version of CrazyTaxi. Take a fire truck and you can earn money putting out fires. The gamejust never gets boring.

As in real life, there are consequences for your criminality. As your randomacts of mayhem mount up, the police start hounding you, eventually calling inSWAT trucks, the FBI, and even the army if you continue down the path ofdestruction. Shaking these pursuers is easily the most fun part of the game,especially when a bunch of friends are packed in the room to witness your narrowescapes.

Grand Theft Auto III is fine-tuned to near perfection in every category.All the vehicles, from slick sports cars to lumbering dump trucks, handleexactly as you'd expect and smash apart realistically when abused. The threeislands in the game are rendered in terrific detail considering their size, andare packed with traffic, pedestrians, and hidden jumps. The audio is equallyamazing. Pedestrians talk, cops scream at you, and you can tune in ninedifferent radio stations whenever you are in a car. It all adds up to amonumental achievement: the rare console game for adults that manages to geteverything right. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Offers an enormous world for players to exploit, rendered in staggeringdetail
• Equally fun whether you go on plot-based missions or run around as afreelance crook

• Ultraviolence, foul language, and adult situations mean you'll want to keepthis far away from kids
• It takes too long to get from one island to another, making some missionstedious

Editorial Review

Each installment of the Final Fantasy series has featured strongstorytelling, characterization, and strategic combat, fun minigames, and hoursupon hours of captivating gameplay. The 10th title in the series is noexception. This is the first time a Final Fantasy game has appeared on thePlayStation2, and it takes full advantage of the increased technicalcapabilities.

The story this time concerns Tidus, a blond-haired star of a sport calledBlitzball. While he is playing in a match, Tidus's city is attacked by an evilforce called Sin, and everything is destroyed save Tidus and his guardian Auran.The adventure begins as the pair are somehow transported to another world. Fromhere on, it's standard Final Fantasy gameplay: fight battles, manage experiencepoints, learn new powers, and recruit a motley crew of nonplayer characters tojoin your quest.

The graphics, however, take things to a new level. They are amazing not only fortheir realism, but also for their imaginative art design. The world these heroesinhabit is breathtakingly beautiful, flowing, and full of inventive surprises.You haven't lived until you've surfed cables high in the air, or ridden agraceful airship through the clouds. The stunning effects are on display whenyou use magic in combat, summon gigantic monsters, and use fire columns todevastate your foes.

One new element is voice acting. The innovation yields predictably mixedresults: it's wonderful to hear spoken dialogue rather than read subtitles, butas with most games translated from Japanese, the acting is mediocre andsometimes unintentionally hilarious.

Still, the game's new graphics engine and solid gameplay are sure to please fansof the series waiting to see what Square has in store for them. While FinalFantasy X doesn't offer much innovation, it also doesn't disappoint. Andfortunately, with Final Fantasy XI already in development, the title isstill a misnomer. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• Gorgeous graphics
• Epic story line
• Voice acting

• Little innovation
• The voice acting is sometimes laughable

Reviews (5)

I SEEMED TO HAVE LIKED THE SUPER NINTENDO VERSION MORE
THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST VERSIONS OF THE ORIGINAL GAME YOU CAN BUY. THE GRAPHICS ARE HORRIBLE, THE FIGHTS ARE BORING, AND THIS VERSION JUST LACKS THE DEPTH OF THE SUPER NINTENDO VERSION. ONLY REASON I DON'T GIVE THIS THING 1 STAR IS BECAUSE OF THE CODE THAT YOU CAN USE TO UNLOCK THE GORE AND THE FATALITIES THAT AREN'T FOUND ON THE OTHER VERSION. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, STICK WITH THE FAR SUPERIOR SUPER NINTENDO VERSION. THIS VERSION AIN'T WORTH LOOKING FOR.

WAY better than its Super Nintendo counterpart
Mortal Kombat is the game that reinvented the tournament fighter. This game series took the growing controversy of "violence in video games" to a whole new level. While many gamers loved this series, a number of parents feared it was a bad influence on children (of course, those people were morons.) The series all began here, with the original Mortal Kombat. Read on for my review.

PROS:
-First and foremost: Unlike the Super Nintendo version of the game, this one contains a code you can use to turn on the violent fatalities, as well as other options!
-There are seven characters you can choose from, each of which with his or her own strengths and weaknesses. The characters are as follows: Sub-Zero, a ninja who belongs to a clan of assassins. Scorpion, a ninja who has risen from the dead to avenge himself. Sonya Blade, a special forces officer. Kano, a wanted criminal. Johnny Cage, a martial arts movie star. Rayden/Raiden, the god of thunder (the spelling of his name depends on which version of the game you're playing.) And Liu Kang, a young martial artist who wants to get revenge for his brother's killing. No two characters play the same.
-You can do two player games.
-Unlike later Mortal Kombat games, the fatalities here are easy to execute.
-Each character has his or her own ending.

CONS:
-The graphics pale in comparison to those of the arcade version.
-Why was the violence taken out of the game if there's just a code to put it back in anyway?
-You can't play as Goro or Shang Tsung, the two boss characters. Likewise, you can't play as the hidden character, Reptile.
-Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Reptile look exactly the same, only the colors of their uniforms are different. This "pallet-swapping" technique was used repeatedly in later games, to show just how lazy the creator could be.
-The endings aren't quite as cool as the ones in the arcade version.

OVERALL:
If you only get one consular version of the original Mortal Kombat, make sure it's this one. This puts the Super Nintendo version of the game to shame, no questions asked.

Mortal Kombat
MORTAL KOMBAT for the SEGA was much better than the SNES version for a very simple but almost CRUCIAL part of the game, the blood could be unlocked. The game came in the censored version but if you knew the code, you could get the real thing and that's why MK on SEGA was just better.

The graphics weren't as smooth as SNES but that could easily be overlooked because of the blood code and being able to get the real deal. And of course how do you go wrong with the original characters? Cage, Kano, Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden and Sonya plus the sorceror Shang Tsung and the mighty 4 armed Goro. Along with Test Your Might challenges, the Mirror Match (where you fight yourself) and two 2-on-1 matches, the original MK tested your ability for what it was.

Features

• Two buttons control all the action
• A classic that introduced many players to video games
• Earn power-ups and shoot fireballs at your enemies
• Eight levels of Koopah-stomping fun

Reviews (9)

Super Mario Bros started a video game revolution!
Everybody should try this game and feel a joy for jumping with Mario. There are eight different levels, which contains four stages. If you are a real power player, you won't need warps at all. Koopa turtles, man-eating flowers and lukitus which flies with clouds are your enemies. Don't jump in canyons and beware lava paths! Grow up with a magic musroom and beat koopas with fire balls. Collect 100 golden coins if you want to get one life more. Attention, Super Mario Bros is not a easy game if you are beginner because there are lot of difficult levels in castles under water and clouds. This game can be cause a little addiction to playing. It takes so long that you beat the final boss whose name is Bowser. Melodies are simple but workable. It is easy to play with Mario because you can control him totally.
Play and enjoy a long trip with Mario1

WOW!
Many a gamer will without a doubt have played this game! This was the first game I ever played...EVER and let me tell you that this is the game that got me started on being a gamer!The first side-scrolling adventure ever made and it was great.

But if you're not an old-skool gamer or you're just so much more impressed with all the new stuff then you might as well skip this. Let me say that a game shouldn't be judged based on it's age, graphics and sound alone.This game taught me that the importance of a game was it's gameplay and that my friends is what this game is all about.

First let me say this though, there was one moment in this game that made me realize that games are meant to be explored, and you know what that is? That invisible block in the first level! When I first found that invisible block I was in awe because it was in the middle of NO WHERE but just appeared.I actually let that one-up get away the first time. I'd never seen anything like it before in ANYTHING!

Now I know that people complain, "Oh you can't save" and "You only get three lives and when you die you start from the beginning" and "There's a @#$%^&* time limit!" and of course everyone's favorite "These graphics suck" and second favorite "The game is too short".Well, as I said it isn't the age that counts.For it's time these graphics were some of the best the world had ever seen!Also, the ability to save your game wasn't in thought yet (Metroid was one of the first games to even use the "Password" system).You got three lives on just about EVERY game back then and as I said, saving hadn't been thought of.The lentgh? You certainly wouldn't think so now but Super Mario was one of the longest games in the world when it was released! For today's standards the difficulty has gone down (but I'd still say it's easier than the majority of XBOX, PS2 and GCN games) but not by much.The game can still be hard but it's easy to master. In fact this game started a series of Video Game challenges in which people did crazy things like go through the entire game without grabbing a single mushroom on one life WITHOUT warping! I remember doing that as well.

For the ages this game is freakishly awesome.Even those born in my time would know this game pretty well and have fun with it (Some of us were like what...one? two? three? etc.?)

Truly if you're an NES fanatic and an old-skool gamer this is one game you CANNOT be without!

Groundbreaking
When people first think of Nintendo, Mario is obviously the first thing that enters most people's minds.Even being the huge Zelda fan that I am, Mario has still plopped into my head first; Mario, like Sonic is for Sega, is still a pop culture icon that seemingly doesn't age... and it all started because of this game.Super Mario Brothers.

THE GOOD
Oddly enough, this game stands the test of time, even with later games (not all of them, mind you) that have seemingly better graphics and color schemes.It has this otherworldly fun factor that somehow exceeds most games (kind of like Tetris).The music may be old, but the soundtrack to this game grabs you by the cojones and forces you to like it.Everything about this game, in fact, inherently grabs you like no other game could.

THE BAD
Perhaps the only bad thing about it that I can say is probably the fact that I've gone through so many "You found the Princess!EHHHH! She's in another house, GO AWAY!" scenes that it got annoying (for those of you who are going "You got the phrase wrong," it came from a song).But oh well... I suppose it adds to the charm of the game.

Editorial Review

Fine-tuning the white-knuckled car chase formula of its predecessor,Driver 2 features more of the same high-speed, inner-city vehicularmayhem, and casts players once again as Tanner, a hard-boiled undercover copwho's posing as a badass getaway driver--this time, to stop an international mobwar.

With computer-animated cinematic sequences doing the lion's share of thestorytelling, players must guide Tanner through more than 40 action-packedmissions in four different city settings, this time on foot--which primarilyallows Tanner to carjack other vehicles--as well as behind the wheel.

While it can be of a lot of fun to play, Driver 2 is no joy ride. Themissions can be quite unforgiving and require many restarts to complete, and thecops are quite determined--even at the "Easy" setting. Also, the game's coarse,choppy 3-D graphics often get in the way of things, with slowdowns disruptingthe game's pace, and buildings and such popping up out of nowhere. --JoeHon

Pros:

• Drive like a bat out of hell in four different city settings
• Action now takes place on foot, as well as behind the wheel
• One- and two-player minigames add replay value
• "Film director" option lets players edit their own car-chase sequences

• Missions can be quite unforgiving--requiring many restarts to complete
• Coarse, choppy 3-D graphics make gameplay more difficult than it needs to be

Editorial Review

The measure of a good game, like a good movie or book, is the emotional and, sometimes,physical response it elicits. Syphon Filter will literally make your pulse race. As counterterroristspecial agent Gabe Logan, you must eliminate an evil terrorist determined to unleash a deadly virus in ournation's capital. Syphon Filter features the smoothest, slickest motion capture of any PlayStationgame. Gabe seems to come alive as he seamlessly connects acrobatics such as running, crouching, rolling,and hanging from pipes. As in a good action film, there's an impressive arsenal of firepower that rangesfrom stealthy night-vision sniper rifles to high-impact, short-range shotguns.

But this game's landmark contribution is its targeting control, which enables Gabe to lock and hold on to atarget while freely moving in any direction, eliminating the hassle of adjusting the viewpoint to face hisenemies. There are plenty of surprises, but all the goals are evident, and your partner, Lian Xing, keepsthings rolling along with radio messages of changing mission objectives. Everything in this game playssmoothly: the story line fits, the action moves at a steady clip, it just works. --Jeff Young

Pros:

• Fluid, stylish animation
• Useful weaponry and contextual puzzles
• Excellent level design

• Occasional slowdown when many enemies are onscreen at the same time
• No 2-player mode

Features

• Lemming types include Bombers, Builders, Bashers, Floaters, and many others
• Includes literary hundreds of levels for hours of playing-time
• For 1 player
• Puzzle-style game where players direct green-haired lemmings to their base before they die
• Box includes 2 games--the original Lemmings and Oh No, More Lemmings

Asin: B00002STOQ
Sales Rank: 8177
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Action   

Editorial Review

Mario Kart 64, one of the first games released for the Nintendo 64platform, is an updated translation of the very popular Super Mario Kart for theSuper NES (SNES). And while the game clearly takes full advantage of the graphicspower and speed of the N64, a few components that made the original so compellinghave been left out of this release.

Still, Nintendo's expertise at sucking players into the game world is strongly evident, andMario Kart 64 offers enough challenges to keep players (especially casualgamers) entertained. Placing a familiar Nintendo personality behind the wheel of asputtering kart powered by a 50, 100, or 150-cc engine, the game lets players racecomputerized opponents or up to four other players on a variety of well-designed tracks.Because karts lack the power and speed of race cars, drivers must focus on collectingpower-ups and nonlethal weapons rather than negotiating hairpin turns on two wheels.Grabbing and using on-track items is the heart of the game's fun: a strategically-placedbanana peel sends the unlucky victim into a spin, nailing an opponent with a turtle shelllaunches their vehicle skyward, and a rocket provides a quick boost to near-breakneckspeeds, if only for a moment.

The multiplayer mode provides enormously chaotic fun for up to four players--flip it onat a party and watch the guests congregate around the screen. --Eric Twelker

Pros:

• Well-designed tracks
• Simple controls
• Strong multiplayer appeal

• Computerized opponents sometimes pull off questionable feats

Asin: B00004SVTL
Sales Rank: 7474
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)   

Asin: B000035XAJ
Sales Rank: 6398
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy (Gameboy)    3. Classics (Classic)    4. Retro    5. Arcade   

Features

• 3-D fighter based on the hit arcade game Soul Edge
• Battle in classic arcade, survival, team, vs., and time attack modes
• Gain new weapons in Edge-Master mode
• Adjustable difficulty level
• For 1 or 2 players

Asin: B00000I1BZ
Sales Rank: 3665
Subjects:  1. soulblade    2. Video Games    3. Sony Playstation (Play station)    4. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)   

Editorial Review

Max Payne's wife and baby daughter were slain by junkies hopped up on adangerous new synthetic drug. For three years, Max has worked undercover to findthe source of these drugs, and, just when he's almost got it figured out,somebody ices his superior and pins the murder on him. Now it's payback time asMax faces off against the Mob, the police, and much, much worse. MaxPayne has jumped from the computer screen to the PlayStation2 and there'sgoing to be hell to pay.

Max Payne uses extremely realistic graphics to showcase a grittyfilm-noir-inspired New York City. Payne stalks subways, tenements, nightclubs,and even government installations as he takes his vengeance out on a horde ofgun-toting bad guys. Taking a page from the visual style of famed directorJohn Woo, as well as TheMatrix, Max Payne lets the player launch into a slow-motion modegenerally known as "bullet time," which makes dodging enemy fire and dishing outyour own return fire a breeze, all while leaping side to side. While this looksextremely cool to do, it also evens the odds and can only be used for limitedamounts of time, making it a strategic as well as aesthetic option.

And speaking of aesthetics, the game is packed with exciting moments, weapons,and locations, even if the enemies get a little redundant after a while. Thelevel design ranges from inspired (a multilevel parking garage) to humdrum (awarehouse) and several levels actually take place in the twisted wonderland ofthe hero's warped psyche. The graphics are state of the art, though admittedlythe PlayStation2 doesn't have the power to render them as well as the Xbox orPC, but most people won't notice the difference. The introduction scenes consistof painted photos presented in graphic-novel style, which is a stylistic choicethat pays dividends, even though the writing is hilariously bad and the voiceacting is, if possible, even worse.

Needless to say, all this is violent, disturbing, and not at all for the kids.Pay attention to the Mature rating; it's not there for decoration. --BobAndrews

Pros:

• Photorealistic graphics
• Fantastic cinematic action

• Terrible writing
• Even worse voice acting

Editorial Review

Raccoon City has been overrun by the living dead, and you are one of only a dwindling handful of survivors. You must escape the doomed city or become part of a ghastly new food chain: one with you at the bottom.

You play as either Leon Kennedy, a rookie cop who's having a really bad first day on the job, or Claire Redfield, sister of one of the stars of the original Resident Evil. Leon and Claire's meeting is depicted in a visually stunning, B-movie cutscene. They're quickly separated, but occasionally meet up throughout the game.

Right after the gruesome intro, you're dumped into the thick of things and have to dash through the devastated city streets, fleeing from one horde of zombies after another. As you make your way to a supposed refuge--the city police station--you find evidence that the citizenry fought bravely against the undead menace--and lost. Smashed barricades, abandoned police cars, boarded-up stores, dismembered bodies, and hundreds of expended bullet shell casings are all-too-common sights. Once you reach the station, you discover the remains of a siege. The defenders' desperate final hours are recorded in a fragmented journal. Its pages detail a possible escape route through an underground passage. Did the cops make it out? The alarming number of zombies wearing tattered police uniforms may be a clue.

Resident Evil 2 keeps the terrific puzzles and action of the original while vastly improving cinematic qualities such as dialogue, camera angles, cutscenes, atmosphere, and location design. An instant survival horror classic, Resident Evil 2 has it all. --John Cocking

Pros:

• Zombies
• Cheesy horror movie action
• Real sense of dread--actually makes you jump with fright
• 2 characters, 2 different angles on the story

• Clumsy save-game interface
• Backtracking for puzzles

Editorial Review

WarCraft II isn't exactly the freshest real-time strategygame on the market, but that doesn't mean it's any less fun than it usedto be. For those of you who missed it the first time around, WarCraftII is set in a fantasy realm where knights hack at trolls withswords, deadly spells crisscross the battlefield, and powerfulfortresses dot the landscape. The game pits the evil orcs against thehumans, letting players choose whichever side they want in a series ofbattles over the world.With the WarCraft II: Battle Chest, players can experience themagic of the original game along with the added enhancements of theBeyond the Dark Portal expansion pack. Rounding out the BattleChest is a complete strategy guide that will walk beginners throughthe basics and provide more experienced players with advanced tactics sothey can master the game. That's good, because players will need all thehelp they can get challenging other WarCraft II fans online. It'spossible to challenge one to eight other players on the developer's freeBattle.net servers, while more solitary gamers can immerse themselves inone of the fun single-player campaigns or stand-alone missions.WarCraft II's finely balanced gameplay has lost none of itscharm, even if the graphics are aging. In most missions you start with asmall force and must gather enough resources to build a strong base ofoperations that can field a formidable army. We had the most fun withthe set-piece battles, where we had to shepherd a few beleaguered troopsacross an enemy-infested map to either link up with a larger force onthe other side or protect a hero on his way to some goal. Blizzard isfamous for delivering games with terrific production values, timelessgameplay, and lots of extras, and the WarCraft II: Battle Chest isan inexpensive reminder of why the company has such a terrificreputation. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• A true classic with timeless gameplay
• Multiplayer mode is a lot of fun
• Plenty of campaigns and scenarios to satisfy the single-player set

• Graphics are showing their age

Editorial Review

Sid Meier's name is synonymous with outstanding games, particularlyturn-based strategy games. From the original Civilization toColonization to Alpha Centauri, Meier has been behind some of thebest games ever made. Now we can add Civilization III to the list. Thethird installment in Meier's signature series offers all the outstandinggameplay featured in the first two games while including new features andrefinements that keep the series fresh and engaging.

Civilization III offers 16 playable civilizations, and each has its ownstrengths and bonuses. The game begins in the year 4000 B.C., when yourcivilization is nothing more than a primitive tribe, and each turn progressesthe game forward in time. You manage growth, military production, citydevelopment, diplomacy, and scientific research as your civilization grows froma single village to several towns to a continent-spanning metropolitan sprawl.The fun is in deciding whether to research writing or the wheel, whether tobuild a musketeer to take out an encroaching enemy pikeman or direct your cityto work on the culturally significant Sistine Chapel. There are five ways to winthe game, ranging from wiping out the other civilizations with military power todefeating them through cultural dominance, which is one of several new victoryconditions.

Fans of Meier's other turn-based games will find the same addictive gameplaypresent in Civilization III. Building off the gameplay are several newadditions, specifically the new cultural rating and the new resource managementoptions. Every turn, each civilization earns culture points based upon how manywonders and other culturally significant structures are built within its cities.The higher the culture rating, the faster your civilization's borders grow. Ifyour border extends to an enemy city, it's possible to capture that city withoutshedding any blood; the city's citizens will be attracted by your culture andwillingly rebel.

The other big change is that you must collect raw materials in order to buildcertain units. For example, oil and rubber are required to build modern units,and if those resources aren't within your territory, you'll need to negotiatewith other civilizations for them. And because the game's negotiation process isvery deep and involved, you may find yourself cut off from key raw materials ifyou're at odds with other civilizations, which, in turn, will weaken youmilitarily.

The AI powering rival civilizations is quite good, and is capable of negotiatingcomplex arrangements with both your civilization and other civilizations. Thesenegotiations run from simple trade agreements to complex mutual protectionpacts, and it's not uncommon to find an enemy civilization taking steps toisolate you from the rest of the world.

There are a few minor issues with the game, most notably with unit imbalancesand the tedious endgame, which can drag on forever. These are minor problems,however, and don't detract from the overall experience. Fans of Sid Meier'sother games, or anyone looking for a fun and challenging gaming experience, oweit to themselves to pick up Civilization III. --P. Meyer

Pros:

• Enemy AI is very impressive
• New additions really add to the experience
• Very addictive gameplay

• Some unit imbalances
• Endgame is a little long-winded