Format: Nintendo 64 Genre: First Person Shooter Released: 1997 Developer: Rare
Facility level + Licence to Kill mode + Pistols only = Best multiplayer game ever? Discuss.
The thing that most impressed about GoldenEye was just how far ahead of its time it was in terms of gameplay features, such as the huge weapon set, the cleverly designed levels and the sheer range of multiplayer options. When you compare it to the other first person shooters (FPSs) that came out on the N64 in 1997 – Doom 64, Hexen, Duke Nukem 64, Turok – it’s clear that GoldenEye was just leaps and bounds ahead of the opposition. It’s all the more astonishing, therefore, to learn that the multiplayer mode was added as ‘a complete afterthought’.
I think the most staggering achievement of this game is that it’s actually impossible to get bored of it. OK, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but I dread to think just how many nights of my teenage years were consumed by marathon GoldenEye sessions. If GoldenEye were to appear on Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) tomorrow (which is unlikely to happen for various reasons), I’m sure that it would garner just as many online players as some of the more recent FPS efforts, like Call of Duty. Actually, I really hope that GoldenEye doesn’t appear on XBLA – I spend enough time playing video games as it is, and XBLA GoldenEye might just send me over the edge into game zombie oblivion.
The more I write about this game, the more I want to play it again. There are just so many stand-out moments: such as lacing the toilets in the Facility level with mines, then gleefully detonating them when your hapless opponent walks in. Or fighting over who gets to play Oddjob in multiplayer (he’s so short, it’s almost impossible to hit him). Or playing with rocket launchers only on the miniscule Archives level. Or shooting an enemy agent in the balls and watching him crumple to the ground clutching his groin (puerile admittedly, but fun nonetheless). Or cathartically executing Natalya after she gets lost for the umpteenth time (it means a Game Over screen, but it’s worth it). Or annoying the hell out of your best friend by consistently defeating him with a karate chop to the back of the head (in the game that is, not in real life).
I could go on, but I think it’s better if you just watch the video below and relive the memories yourself.
Facility level.
Licence to Kill mode.
Pistols only.
It doesn’t get any better than this.
Lewis
PS. I couldn’t end this post without mentioning the brilliant ‘GoldenApple’ spoof that was filmed by the GamesMaster and NGamer magazines – watch it for yourself below:
And if you liked that, the ‘GoldenEye Facility Remix’ is also worth a look:
101 Video Games That Made My Life Slightly Better 
The only vivid memory of this game is consistently being shot in the back of the head, whilst looking at the ceiling, by yourself or Mr Watts. Rocket launcher suicide my only comfort.
Ah, those were the days!
Despite my frequent visits to this blog – I wasn’t actually a big computer gamer.
However, multiplayer Goldeneye is one game that really DID make my life not just slighty better, but WAY better.
Many uni nights were spent suppin’ on fosters and blasting each other with sniper rifles, Walther PPKs (?) and various other weaponary.
RE: Oddjob – we actually banned being Oddjob in multiplayer mode due to the massive advantage his shortness gave. I wonder if this was an oversight by the developers?
Ahhh, I still play this, going so far to even having the console with the game inserted stored in a plastic bag all good to nostalgically go. If it were just a little bit faster it would still be one of the best multiplayer games of all time.
Just remember to keep a stack of post it notes ready to cover those mini-maps. That’ll stop those cheep camping bastards.
We also banned odd job for the same reason. Most epic fights rcp90s in temples bottom large room circling with a friend trying to kill each other and doing than for along time unabkle to get lock on him but anything else in room would get taken out by onw of u showing your prowess against normal people. Licence to kill mode with fully automatic weapons FTW.
Great game, multiplayer was great (it’s sequil in spirit: Perfect Dark too), but one-hit-kills mode was anoying to me, no epic battles. I also found the “No radar” cheat essential for multiplayer.
If you liked the original Goldeneye, you would probably like the first Perfect Dark game, as well. Can’t vouch for Perfect Dark’s sequel(s?), as I’ve only played the first, but it’s like Goldeneye on steroids. Lots of steroids. There are so many more weapons and maps available, and so much more functionality in general, that I’d have to say Perfect Dark is by far the better game of the two. Heck, it even has the facility level, and a few other classic multiplayer maps from 007.