Maybe I was young... maybe I was stupid

[Chibidia]

I was thinking to myself today all the great N64 games released back in the 90's. Titles that come to mind of course are Zelda, Mario, Goldeneye... uhh... I'm sure others? But anyhow, the games that get the respect 9/10 times you mention N64 games. But... I ponder back and I thought to myself "hey, I had quite a few games"... and Zelda and Mario weren't always plugged into the system. Ya see, I found a unique joy playing games that got "bad reviews" or budget titles no-one really heard of. Games like Chamelion Twist, Clayfighter DC, Earthworm-Jim 3D, Bomberman-64, ect.

Take BM64 for example. I loved the environments, the quirky music, the top-down view, the free-form levels that still had obsticals always insight... hell, I even liked the multiplayer. But, the game usually gets negative say because it was "non-traditional" and was just another Mario-esque game (but hell, could it not? The controller was basically designed for M64). Non-traditional?... yes. Still fun?... in my opinion... yes. This was a 3D console that I stood playing for an hour straight until my grandparents had to tear me away the first time I witnessed it. Something great that a kid who grew up with 2D games would find so alien and amazing. If it was a 3D system and it had to remain "traditional"... Mario would be another side-scroller as opposed to the "ground breaking 3D platformer" it was.

I personally think I found many games that had this "free-form freedom" so amazing was due to the fact that each one was this awsome little world that I had the freedom to explore and gander at as long as I wanted too. It was a simple world too. Not like in Zelda where you were constantly nagged at to do this and that and complete this. It made you feel as if you were always "on the job" and couldn't take time to dick around and view Hyrule. I really miss games like this. The N64 just had so many... and now they're gone. I'd love to yet see again a game that didn't really put pressure on some "save this and that" storyline and just made a ton of levels with awsome, alien-like atmosphere to run around in. If anyones ever played "Bomberman Hero"... you know what I'm talking about. Yeah, many people probably hate that game... but I thought it was pretty unique, and I'd love to see this style, this type of game again someday.

[Orion]

I think a lot of that comes from games like Zelda holding your hand far too much these days. I remember playing LTTP for the first time, just going wherever I wanted and taking my time because the game wasn't constantly telling me where I had to go next and practically pulling my by the arm to get the game finished. It really did feel like an adventure.

[Matteo]

Agreed, Although ALTTP paled in comparison to LOZ... that game didn't tell you anything!

[Chibidia]

Ha, yeah, that's all to true. I mean, they could re-release pong on today's consoles and no doubt would there be an un-skipable, long, boring "training level".

Maybe it's just today's developers being "proud" of they're work, they have to find ways to show you just about everything.

[vegeta1215]

Super Metroid... I don't think I've ever wandered around for so long in a game as that one. It was just so huge, and you could explore so much. Newer 2D Metroid games hold your hand a little too much for my liking, but I guess that's Nintendo's way of making it accessible to more players - I don't think Metroid was ever really huge for them prior to Metroid Prime. (afterall, how big was the gap between Super and Prime?)

[Modus Ponens]

Dude, Chibida, Bomberman 64 and Bomberman Hero are certainly two of the sweetest N64 games out there. I totally agree with you on that. And yeah, I, too, am disappointed by how little real adventure there is in games like Twilight Princess. Like, (and I know that this comparison probably comes up fairly often) take a look at Shadow of the Colossus. There's a game with about as much help from NPCs as the original Zelda. It just leaks adventure all over the floor. If there were a game just like Colossus that had enemies throughout the world and the occasional shop, I...I don't know what I would do. I probably wouldn't be able to stop the tears of joy.

[MottZilla]

Games like Chamelion Twist, Clayfighter DC, Earthworm-Jim 3D, Bomberman-64, ect.

Of all those, only Chamelion Twist would be a low profile title. Earthworm Jim, ClayFighter, and Bomberman are all well known series from the generation prior and Bomberman even longer. And thinking now, there really weren't any great N64 games that slipped under the radar for me. I mean most games were either based on an existing series, or they were a rather high profile arcade or new 3D title.

It certainly is worth it though to go back though past generations of games and find and play the games you never did. There are alot of great games you've never played.

[Warlock]

I hated Bomberman 64 even back in the N64 days :P Too much friggin' platforming. Bomberman is *NOT* a platformer.