Retro Review - Pokemon Snap (Nintendo 64)

Gotta Snap 'Em All

Pokemon.. Ah, Pokemon. Gotta catch 'em all etc. etc. Yep, you guessed it, I am not a fan. As a lifelong loather of all things anime, I found Pokemon about as appealing as a final demand letter from a debt collection agency. But I am clearly in the minority as it's a worldwide phenomenon that shows no signs of going away. Kudos to the creators, though, for finding a way to fleece kids the world over for 20 years now, as they attempt to acquire every one of the ever-expanding bestiary of irritating critters. Anyway, I recently found myself in possession of a Nintendo 64, and in between games of Goldeneye and Wave Race 64, I decided to try out Pokemon Snap (purely to check it worked, honestly). I never thought I would end up inexplicable hooked to the damn thing, playing it for days on end - even starting a new game so I could watch my girlfriend do her own play through.

REVIEW SPECIAL - Road Rash Series 1991 - 2003

REVIEW SPECIAL - ROAD RASH series

I have always had a love-hate relationship with the Road Rash series. From the moment I was first wowed by the motorbike racing game on the Mega Drive way back in 1991, to right now, mere moments after an extended playing session incorporating multiple iterations on different platforms, I have found it a frustrating, yet addictive, experience. The series focuses on a motley bunch of oddballs, outlaws and degenerates as they participate in illegal motorbike races across California to earn cash and have the kind of fun that can only be achieved by breaking the law and the bones of your opponents. You qualify each race by placing 3rd or higher, and money earned can be used to upgrade your existing ride or purchase new bikes.

Retro Review - Automobili Lamborghini (Nintendo 64)

Tiredness Kills! 

For those of you outside of the United Kingdom, or the non-drivers among you, 'Tiredness Kills!' is a government sponsored advertising campaign to make drivers aware of the perils of falling asleep at the wheel. While playing Automobili Lamborghini probably won't result in any fatalities, it will certainly alert you as to how easy it is to doze off mid-drive. With the exceptions of Ridge Racer 64, Beetle Adventure Racing and (possibly) V-Rally 99, Nintendo's 64-bit console is not really known for great road racing games. Instead poor N64 owners are 'treated' to a library of titles consisting of sluggish gameplay, poor frame rates and the usual blurry textures the system is infamous for.

Classic Game - Turok : Dinosaur Hunter (Nintendo 64)

Dino-mite!

Turok Dinosaur Hunter was an early title for Nintendo's new 64-bit console, the imaginatively named Nintendo 64, back in 1997. Based on the comic book series that started life way back in 1954, Turok tells the story of the titular Native American warrior who is trapped in a land filled with dinosaurs. A pretty cool idea, and one that sounds like ideal fodder for a video game. It just so happens that Iguana Entertainment thought the same thing and produced a whole series of games based on the IP. 

Beating Goldeneye to the post by 6 months, Turok : Dinosaur Hunter showed us that, not only could Nintendo provide some blood and guts action on their new machine but also that fully 3d first person shooters were not just restricted to PC owners with fancy graphics card.

TOP 10 - Best Looking Games Consoles

Throughout videogame history there have been a ludicrous amount of machines released - many of which have had numerous different cosmetic revisions over their lifespan. These machines have come in all shapes and sizes - from hulking behemoths that resemble something seen on a 1960's Russian Submarine, to sleek pieces of technology that are so small you could easily lose them down the back of the sofa. We have seen consoles decked in faux-wood panelling, and ones with hardwired controllers with leads so short that the user had to have the damn thing on their lap. Some manufacturers have nailed the design of a console first time around, while others have released revised versions after listening to consumers complaints (or maybe after sobering up in some cases).