GoldenEye (Switch / Xbox One)

[Matchstick]

Been seeing a lot of misinformation about this re-release online, so I thought you guys might appreciate some input from someone who's actually played both "new" versions - and is an avid fan of the original.

So! GoldenEye was finally made available on both the Switch and Xbox last night. On Switch, it's part of the Switch Online subscription package, and shows up in the Nintendo 64 app. On Xbox, you can play it on Game Pass - as I did. There is no individual physical release, but if you own Rare Replay for the Xbox One, you *should* be receiving a download of GoldenEye as a free add-on.

I played both the Switch and Xbox versions for about an hour last night. First things first, both look identical on my TV, and run in 1080p widescreen at a steady, smooth frame rate, with no noticeable drops. The game is so clean and sharp, but still has the OG graphics and textures. Fog has been reduced, making the outdoor levels easier to explore. On Xbox, the game is widescreen native, but on Switch, you can set it to 16:9 in-game. In the widescreen format, both versions display in the correct aspect ratio, with no stretched or distorted visuals.

There are no sound glitches from what I can tell. Some outlets reported missing sound effects or altered music in the Switch version, including the removal of the industrial pipe / "bong" sounds from the soundtrack. Sorry, Twitter - they're all there, and sound exactly as they should.

The biggest difference between the two is that the Xbox has a dual-analog control scheme akin to most modern shooters. Honestly, after years of playing on the N64, it seems a little weird! But it quickly feels like the ideal way to play. On Switch, the C buttons are mapped to the right stick, which is used for strafing / running and panning up and down. It takes a bit of getting used to, as I play with a Pro Controller - not the newer N64 pad.

You can re-map some of the buttons within the Switch menu, which I would recommend. By default, shooting is done with the "ZL" button. I moved it to "ZR" and put aiming on "ZL," which feels more natural to me.

Both versions support local split-screen multiplayer. All of the original options are there, and from what I can tell, all the original characters (Grace Jones!!) are, as well. The Switch version has online multiplayer, but I have not tried it out yet. Really, this seems like a feature Xbox should add at some point - and I hope they do.

The bottom line is, it's GoldenEye. Some will argue the game has aged poorly, but I am not one of them. No, it doesn't play like a modern shooter. No, it doesn't look like a modern shooter. But if you've played it before, you know what to expect. And now you can play it wherever you go. It looks great on a widescreen TV, plays smoother than it ever has, and sounds incredible through a nice soundsystem. For me, it's all I could ask for!

[Atariboy]

There is no individual physical release, but if you own Rare Replay for the Xbox One, you *should* be receiving a download of GoldenEye as a free add-on.

Sadly that only applies to those that purchased Rare Replay digitally. For whatever reason they're not giving it to physical Rare Replay owners.

At least this one goes on sale frequently for $7.50 or so (regular price is $30), so it's not as aggravating as it might've been for owners of the physical version.

[Matchstick]

Sadly that only applies to those that purchased Rare Replay digitally.

Wooooooooow. If that's the case, I really hope they reconsider their stance on that. I've been playing on Game Pass, as my wife currently has the "3 months for $1" deal. It's about the only time we ever subscribe!

Granted, you also make a great point that Rare Replay - as well as many other titles published by Microsoft - often get significant sales in the console's Microsoft Store. I think Rare Replay is a great buy no matter the price, honestly - but for $7 or so, it's an absolute steal. N64 fans, don't forget it also includes Blast Corps!

As far as GoldenEye, itself, I have a few more impressions after another day of play. I've finished the game on the Secret Agent difficulty on Switch, and have even managed to replay some levels and pick up a few cheats along the way. As nice as the dual-analog controls on Xbox are, I do appreciate how faithful the Switch controls are to the original. After a little tinkering, it feels quite familiar, and I adapted to it quickly.

Gamespot - which used to be my go-to gaming website, back when they were known as "videogames.com" - had a front-page story yesterday where the author ripped the Switch control scheme to shreds. I'm not saying it's perfect, but dude... get over yourself. It's always been a bit of a quirky game, with controls to match.

In terms of visuals, some of the outdoor levels still keep some atmospheric fog / steam, especially Surface 2 and Jungle. This seems mostly done for effect, as other outdoor levels like Dam, Surface 1, and Cradle are very clear, with far-reaching draw distances. I honestly feel like this makes Cradle a bit too easy, as you can spot guards from far away and pick them off before they get too close.

I had a funny moment at the end of my game last night. I used up all of my ammo as I was running after 006 at the end of the Cradle level, and was forced to slap him to death during the "duel" segment at the bottom of the long ladder at the finish. It must've taken a good 15-20 seconds of chops. Poor Sean Bean

[BanjoPickles]

I played the NSO release for about fifteen minutes yesterday. Am I doing something wrong because the controls feel absolutely broken, and I’m saying that as somebody who played the OG quite a bit. Using the reticle was basically worthless because it was so unstable that I missed more shots than I landed.

[Matchstick]

Am I doing something wrong...

Absolutely not! I noticed the manual aiming seems more loose and touchy, as well.

I don't believe there is a way to adjust the sensitivity on that, and it's a damn shame, because it feels much higher than it needs to be. But when I play GoldenEye, I rarely use the manual aim unless I have to take out a camera or an alarm. I rely heavily on the game's auto aim for the regular lot of baddies.

I can see this being a major issue if you're used to lining up headshots. In my experience, it did make some missions harder than they needed to be, especially ones with the ceiling-mounted turrets.

That being said, in time, I did get used to it. My first few minutes on Switch were also a bit rough, but I stuck with it due to being impressed by the smoother frame rate and level of clarity in the game's increased resolution. I simply wanted to keep playing so I could see more of how the game performed.

My opinion of the controls changed greatly once I re-mapped a few of the buttons. It bites you have to do this from the main Switch menu, but at least you can save your changes as a template that you can toggle on and off. I have a "GoldenEye" profile now that I use just for the game on Switch. It's clunky, but it works.

I would tinker with the controls and see if it helps, Banjo. Do you happen to have the Switch N64 controller??

[Atariboy]

That's just par for the course for emulated Nintendo 64 games. They never get the range and sensitivity of the controller's analog stick correct. I'm not even convinced that modern analog sticks are capable of the job.

For instance on Mario Kart 64, straightaways on original hardware with a good original controller require no effort on my part. On the Wii, Wii U, and Switch I'm constantly making fine adjustments just to try to keep going the direction that I want.

It's the same reason why replacement analog sticks for the N64 always end up failures. They look and feel good at first glance, but when you get into a situation tuned for the finesse of the original analog stick like navigating Mario down a narrow platform, these modern components always fail at the job.

[Matchstick]

That's just par for the course for emulated Nintendo 64 games. They never get the range and sensitivity of the controller's analog stick correct.

Regarding the Switch Online titles, I think you are 100% right.

Every time I've played a game from the Switch's N64 collection, I've thought to myself, "Something's not quite right." Not the speed of the game, not button input delays, but the joystick, itself.

Now, this hasn't stopped me from playing a variety of games on the service and doing well (earning all the Gold Badges in Pilotwings, beating Expert mode in Wave Race, completing GoldenEye on Secret Agent difficulty) but it does add an extra learning curve to each title. I still own the majority of those games on my actual N64, and can compare the two experiences directly - and the Switch Online games always feel a bit more "squirrelly."

Still, I'm happy to be able to play the games properly upscaled on our HDTV, and it is nice to have so many titles in one place. But I'd be lying if I said the N64 Switch Online games were perfect - they absolutely aren't.

[DrLitch]

The best part of Goldeneye was multiplayer. I wonder if there is any way my brother and I could reignite our childhood rivalry with this game. The single player campaign was decent enough to warrant a look at this game particularly if they have it running with a playable frame rate.

[travistouchdown]

I have the disc copy of Rare Replay so won't be playing this I guess. Luckily I have my original copy for N64.

Let all email Phil (philsp@microsoft.com) and tell him this policy of punishing those of us who want to OWN something rather than renting the streaming rights is B.S.

[Matchstick]

I'm totally on board with this! I'd be shocked if they don't add support for the disc version, at some point.

Go get 'em, Travis