GoldenEye in 2023

Like many Millennials, I grew up with Nintendo consoles. I was 3 years-old when I was first introduced to Mario on my cousin’s NES, and I remember going to his grandmother’s cottage every Summer to play games for the system. I was also the perfect age for The N64, being 6 years-old when it debuted. I’d go over to friends and family to play it regularly, as I didn’t have one of my own. But my biggest and most-interesting discovery was being introduced to GoldenEye 007 in 1997. I remember walking in on a neighbour finishing one of the game’s levels, and I was struck by how bizarre it was; after all, how could a disembodied hand hold a gun, let-alone shoot enemies?

My memories only became stronger over time. I didn’t fully-grasp the game’s single-player right away, but multiplayer was my bread and butter. Whenever I went to a birthday party or sleepover, odds were that multiplayer was the first pick. And I was happy to participate, even if my first or second pick for a character wasn’t available. As I hit teenage-hood and experimented with emulators, something I’d advise against, my game of choice was still GoldenEye 007. I’d become so engrossed that when I finally sat down and watched the movie it was based on, I was disappointed that it didn’t meet my expectations!

I mention this because GoldenEye 007’s now available on The Switch and Xbox Series X. While this is great, since it’s been in licensing limbo for decades, it’s the Switch version that interests me. Despite having been birthed on a Nintendo console, a part of me wonders if it was worth waiting. After all, my memories are nostalgic, and nostalgia can blind you to time. So I’m worried the game doesn’t hold up.

This isn’t to disparage the game and its legacy. Far from it! GoldenEye 007 was a trailblazer in many respects. It helped make multiplayer shooters a phenomenon on home consoles, and it’s a great game! But having beaten the campaign roughly 2 decades ago for the first time, there were grievances and issues I had that made it feel antiquated. Some, like the controls, were unavoidable given the limitations of The N64, while others, like certain gameplay mechanics, have aged poorly. Even for a trailblazer from the late-90’s, not everything adds up the way I remember it.

For unavoidable issues, the controls are the big one. Unlike modern controllers, which have two analog sticks, The N64’s Trident controller only had one. This meant that general maneuvering was done with the joystick, while controlling the camera was done with the C-pad buttons. Most modern FPS games have more streamlined camera controls, so a C-pad instead of a C-stick, especially on a controller that was awkwardly-designed, feels like a step backward.

That’s to be expected, though. We take dual joysticks for granted, but in 1997 even having one was a novelty. The joystick wasn’t “new”, the Atari 2600 had one in the late-70’s, but it’d been abandoned by the mid-80’s. The N64, therefore, took a huge risk by bringing it back, and even The PS1 didn’t introduce dual-joysticks until later. So despite being a trailblazer, The N64’s controls were going to feel awkward when reskinned anyway.

On the subject of inevitable issues, the gameplay mechanics of GoldenEye 007 definitely feel their age. These include constantly screwing up basic objectives, leaving the main map of a level and realizing that you’ve messed up, getting stuck because you didn’t know you were supposed to use stealth and those tedious escort missions involving Natalya. This is on top of the game’s relentless difficulty and giving you one chance to complete objectives. It’s a lot. And it’s enough to drive people mad.

I get it: you’re a double-agent, not a marine. Your objectives are laser-focused to feel like you’re a spy. This includes the frustrations of repeated failure, as well as the satisfaction of getting something right. All of this works in favour of the game’s theme and atmosphere, which it excels in. None of these choices are accidental.

However, that doesn’t mean the design approach isn’t unbelievably-frustrating. Because it is. And even ignoring the old-school style of difficulty, that doesn’t excuse some of the limitations that modern FPS franchises have avoided or improved on. Nor does it excuse some of the game’s glitches and unfinished objectives, of which there are several.

I feel bad for bringing these issues up. Like I said, GoldenEye 007 earned its place as a classic on The N64 for a reason! And it’s not like the game’s entirely unsalvageable in 2023! I guarantee that I’ll have fun playing the game now, even if I struggle with certain sections. But flaws are flaws, and time isn’t always kind to classics. If memory’s any indication, then I’m sure that I’ll have many thoughts when I beat it again. I only hope they’re mostly-positive.