This text was initially printed in July, however in honour of ‘James Bond Day’ — the sixtieth anniversary of Dr. No‘s cinematic launch on October fifth 1962, do not you realize — we thought it the right time to revisit it.
Bear in mind, the rating under just isn’t set in stone, however is ruled in real-time by every sport’s Person Rating on our video games database. If you have not assigned a rating to any of the video games under, merely log in and faucet on the star in every of the banners under to attain the sport out of ten and exert your affect on the rating. Get pleasure from!
With James Bond lastly confirmed to be returning to a Nintendo console after years of rumours (pah, ‘quickly’ my Aston!) with the Nintendo Swap On-line re-release of GoldenEye 007, we have as soon as once more been desirous about Uncommon’s seminal N64 shooter. Point out ‘James Bond’ and ‘video games’ in the identical sentence and avid gamers of a sure age will get a faraway look of their (golden)eye as they recall crawling by means of vents into the gents in Facility or taking out safety cameras with a PP7 within the Severnaya Bunker. Good instances.
Nevertheless, the video games that carry the title of the world’s least undercover agent have been many and various, with winners like Every thing or Nothing, the underrated World is Not Sufficient, and a bunch extra showing on Nintendo consoles. 007 may need been quiet for some time — since 2012’s 007 Legends, actually — however we rely 20 James Bond video games launched for Nintendo platforms over time.
So whereas quantity 001 is likely to be a foregone conclusion, we had been very to listen to about how the different video games in Bond’s previous rank. Just like our different reader-ranked polls, we requested you Nintendo Life readers to fee each James Bond title you have performed from the record under.
Missed the ‘voting’ part? No, you did not. Bear in mind: the order under is up to date in real-time in accordance with every sport’s corresponding Person Score within the Nintendo Life sport database. Whilst you learn this, it is completely potential to affect the rating under! If you have not rated your favourites but, merely click on the ‘star’ of the sport you want to fee under and assign a rating proper now.
So, holster that Walther for a second, seize your self a Martini, and let’s take a look at the very best (and worst) James Bond video games on Nintendo methods…
Writer: EA Video games / Developer: JV Video games
We won’t lie, we forgot this sport existed. The house console model of Nightfire drew all of our consideration on the time, and this GBA model from JV Video games flew completely below our radar — to the purpose the place we missed it in our preliminary publish asking to your rankings.
As a first-person shooter on a system that basically struggled to deal with first-person shooters, it appears like a technical triumph for the developer if nothing else. Be happy to tell us what we missed within the feedback if you happen to performed this one!
Writer: THQ / Developer: Grey Matter
Based mostly on a cartoon collection of the identical title, James Bond Jr. is a side-scrolling journey title that suffered drastically from poor animations and a definite lack of problem. Though it saved issues comparatively recent with segments that includes gameplay not too dissimilar to R-Sort, this sadly wasn’t sufficient to bolster its somewhat restricted attraction. One for true hardcore followers, solely.
Writer: EA Video games / Developer: EA Tiburon
What do you imply the ‘GoldenEye’ title was milked to dying? How absurd.
However, we received one other ‘GoldenEye’ sport eight years after the N64 basic, and it’s protected to say that the DS model of this definitely-not-a-crass-cash-in-on-a-popular-name actually did not hit the spot for long-time followers of the franchise. With poor enemy AI and a multiplayer mode that lacked in all areas, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent was a low level for the collection, certainly.
Writer: THQ / Developer: Eurocom Software program
The NES model of James Bond Jr. is arguably a extra substantial expertise than its SNES sibling, with fairly expansive environments and extra concerned goals to finish. The gameplay is vaguely reminiscent Mega Man, however James Bond Jr. simply doesn’t fairly show the identical aptitude.
Although it does admittedly showcase some fairly killer music.
Writer: Activision / Developer: Vicarious Visions
That includes a barely bizarre top-down viewpoint, Quantum of Solace for the DS felt like a bootleg model of Metallic Gear Stable — actually weird stuff. Visually, the sport is fairly poor, nevertheless it’s the gameplay that commits the worst sins, specializing in sluggish, lumbering fight that feels about as polished as a rusty fork.
Not very 007, then.
Writer: Digital Arts / Developer: Griptonite Video games
Utilizing an isometric viewpoint, Every thing or Nothing on GBA could not maintain a candle to its dwelling console counterpart, nevertheless it remained type of satisfying nonetheless. There’s an honest vary of environments to discover, the fight isn’t horrible (although it isn’t nice), and who can neglect the hilarious sprite photos of Judy Dench and Willem Dafoe.
Sometimes diverting, however hardly worthy of the world’s biggest undercover agent.
Writer: Activision / Developer: Eurocom
007 Legends was billed as a little bit of a celebration of the franchise, with its marketing campaign going down throughout a number of iconic Bond eras, inserting Daniel Craig into non-Daniel Craig Bond movie situations. Regardless of the celebratory intention, developer Eurocom did not create a worthwhile expertise for 007 followers, with each the visuals and gameplay falling under par. It clearly tries to capitalise on the success of franchises like Name of Responsibility, however struggles to carve out its personal identification consequently.
Wii U had greater than its share of gems, however this isn’t one in every of them.
Writer: Activision / Developer: n-House
Regardless of some somewhat rudimentary visuals, the third-person taking pictures gameplay seen in Blood Stone on DS wasn’t that dangerous! Heck, we gave it an 8/10 in our assessment and known as it “surprisingly enjoyable and properly put-together”, praising the weapons together with the various environments.
Double-O heaven? No, however double-O satisfactory, not less than.
Writer: Digital Arts / Developer: 2N Productions
Due to the Sport Boy Shade’s restricted capabilities, The World Is Not Sufficient is among the most archaic-looking of all the key Bond video games. That stated, the top-down gameplay is favourably harking back to the unique Metallic Gear titles, with loads of exploration and experimentation on supply. We would positively take the N64 model first, however Bond has received into far worse scrapes than this 8-bit journey.
Writer: EA Video games / Developer: EA Tiburon
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent for the GameCube is not a nasty sport by any means — in some methods it felt like a real evolution of the N64 basic. There are some thrilling additions, like dual-wielding, and it blends parts and characters from Goldfinger, The Man With The Golden Gun, and GoldenEye (it appears EA had gold on its thoughts throughout its preliminary brainstorming periods), however total the fight is probably slightly too bombastic for a Bond sport.
EA’s blatantly deceptive use of ‘GoldenEye’ within the title left a nasty style within the mouth, too.
