GoldenEye 007 comes to Nintendo Switch with game-changing new mode
Golden gun
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Beloved Nintendo 64 shooterGoldenEye 007is making an imminent return. The classic secret-agent-simulator will be available for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members starting January 27.
The influential titleset the barfor multiplayer shooters and helped define a generation of FPS experiences. However, developer Rare has enriched the old warhorse with some quality-of-life improvements, including smoother frame rates and higher-resolution graphics. Though also available on Xbox, theNintendo Switchversion includes anexclusive online multiplayer mode– a welcome addition to theGoldenEyeexperience.
In order to play this modern iteration of iconic FPS, you’ll need aNintendo Switch Online + Expansion Packmembership. Nintendo offers a range ofpricing options on its website, including a free trial which is well worth checking out if you want to dip your toe intoGoldenEye 007without paying any cash upfront.
A Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription will also net you access to a range of Nintendo 64 classics, includingSuperMario64andZelda Ocarina of Timeas well as bonus content forAnimal Crossing New HorizonsandMariokart 8 Deluxe.
You only live twice
The most interesting feature of the latest incarnation ofGoldenEye 007is its online multiplayer functionality. Rare’s FPS was responsible for my formative experiences of the genre. Growing up, lazy summer afternoons were filled with my siblings and me shooting each other to bits in front of the TV.
Exclamations of joy and defeat were punctuated by cantankerous accusations of “screen-watching” or yet another debate about the ethics of playing as Oddjob, whose shorter stature gave him a smaller hitbox. These were times before the advent of online play, where disagreements were direct, in your face, and, altogether, simpler.
Unfortunately, not everyone who picked up a Nintendo 64 controller could say the same. ThoughGoldenEyedoes boast a fun single-player campaign which, famously, lets you slap Sean Bean silly, the multiplayer was a key component of the experience. Since I was a kid who lived in the middle of nowhere, getting three mates to come ‘round to my house was surprisingly difficult. This meant that, when my siblings were away, I had to settle for single-player.
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Thanks to the new online mode, you can enjoyGoldenEye’s fast-paced PvP action without the need for split-screen buddies to join you in meatspace. It’s a lovely touch and shows that Rare is keen not only on preserving a classic but also on ensuring that it remains playable and fun in a modern context.
That said, split-screen multiplayer is still very much an option. Though it seems unlikely that thisGoldenEyeremaster will become a staple Nintendo party game likeMarioKartorSmash Brothers, it’s great to know that, should you have the inclination you and your friends can fire up the Switch, settle in for some split-screen and duke it out like it’s 1997.
An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.
A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.
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