Does it Hold Up? Playing every N64 game on the Switch Virtual Console, Part 2.
Mario Golf
What do I remember about this game? I mostly remember playing as Wario, and that there was some way to make him taunt the other players.
What holds up? The golf physics and mechanics are pretty decent. There are a lot of courses. In general, Mario Golf kinda holds up as a serious golf game, but also offers accommodations to those of us who have never played the game aside from mini-golf (which is probably over 90% of the population).
What doesn’t? Without a manual, you’re flying blind. You only start with a few playable characters for single player (Peach, Baby Mario, and 2 generic golfers) and it’s absurdly difficult to unlock additional characters without a cheat code.
Overall… Fine. It’s definitely more “golf, with Mario” rather than “Mario Golf” so don’t expect a lot of Nintendo-isms such as powerups or fantastical features. That said, it’s fun for a quick look.
(I felt similarly about Mario Tennis, so I won't give it a separate rundown.)
Mario Party 1 and 2
What do I remember about this game? I mostly remember hearing about the controversy regarding kids skinning their palms while playing this game. I know I played Mario Party 3, but I'm not sure if I had previously played the first two.
What holds up? The overall concept and clever board game mechanic. Some of the minigames are pretty good too. Mario Party 2 adds some cool features like board-specific costumes and items.
What doesn’t? The balance. The game is notably not very “fair.” Also, the character models are noticeably worse than those in Mario 64.
Overall… Good for casual play. Don’t take it seriously, but Mario Party is worth a look, and the creative mechanics with the gameboards are really cool.
Mario 64
What do I remember about this game? It was basically the most amazing thing we had ever seen in video gaming. I played this one a lot, and eventually got all the stars (after about 2 years of playing).
What holds up? Mario’s move-set is excellent, and really brings the concept of 3D Mario to life. The objectives in each level are interesting, and I like the idea of giving the player a hint for each star rather than laying everything out. The artstyle and music also work well, though it’s disappointing that many of the later levels all have recycled musical themes.
What doesn’t? Camera controls. I don’t think Nintendo really figured this out until Mario Galaxy. The boss fights are uninteresting and poorly balanced, aside from the rock monster in the pyramid. You can tell that it was the first of its kind, as it has an “experimental” feel to it.
Overall… Best of the best! Mario 64 is still amazing. I had some trouble getting into the game at first, but it eventually sucked me in just as hard as it did in 1996. Banjo Kazooie is a little bit better, though.
Mario Kart 64
What do I remember about this game? I played this one a lot back in highschool and college. It was the bestest Mariokart ever!
What holds up? The basic gameplay is a lot of fun, especially in multiplayer. The racing feels more “real” than the original SNES Mariokart, and laid the groundwork for future entries in the series. Overall, there’s not much to complain about.
What doesn’t? The rubber-band AI is too prominent, making a first-place run require some luck. Also, there are only 16 race-tracks, tying with Double Dash for the skimpiest track selection (SNES Mariokart had 20 tracks).
Overall… Still pretty awesome. Mario Kart 64 is still a really fun game, even if the newer versions of Mariokart have rendered it somewhat redundant.
Paper Mario
What do I remember about this game? As with most late-cycle N64 games that came out when I was in college, I didn’t play this one. I did know that it was one of very few RPGs on the N64.
What holds up? The simple combat is very well-calculated, and thus pretty satisfying. The level designs are varied and feature some impressively lengthy and elaborate quests. The overall sense of world-building is cool, especially making the “bad guys” from the Mario platform games into friendly or neutral characters.
What doesn’t? The story is pretty basic, and the overall flow of the game is very formulaic (go to place X to rescue Star Spirit Y, repeat 6 more times).
Overall… Best of the best! Paper Mario really impressed me! It’s a surprisingly “meaty” game, with lots to do and many options for character abilities.
Pilotwings 64
What do I remember about this game? I remember knowing that it was one of only two games available for the N64 at launch, the other one being Mario 64. I’ve mostly played the SNES version.
What holds up? The objectives and scoring are spelled out cleanly. The graphics are low-tech, but still clean and crisp.
What doesn’t? Pilotwings feels more like a tech demo than a fully polished game. The physics are highly questionable, and the difficulty curve quickly escalates from “quick and easy” to “frustrating.”.
Overall… Not good. I was under the impression that Pilotwings 64 was a great flight simulator that just got buried under the hype for Mario 64. But after several attempts to enjoy the game, I finally had to admit that it kinda sucks, and left it unfinished.
Pokemon Puzzle League
What do I remember about this game? Nothing, because I’m not a Pokemon fan.
What holds up? The gameplay is really awesome, providing a unique twist on the “falling blocks” puzzle genre. I especially liked the balance between offense and defense, and how clearing your screen quickly with simple solutions usually isn’t a great strategy because it leaves you open to attack.
What doesn’t? While Pokemon fans may appreciate all the references to the TV show, it just reaffirmed for me how stupid it was.
Overall… Not bad! This one really surprised me. My first reaction was “Oh, it’s another one of these. Whatever.” And then I couldn’t stop playing!