Ah, other times that aren’t right now. I remember them well. If you grew up with industry-changers like the N64, it can be very easy to get disillusioned with the games of today, but luckily there are also plenty of developers today still making the games of yesterday for modern platforms.
Corn Kidz 64
Inspired by: Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, Psychonauts
Few consoles have ever changed entire genres quite like what the N64 did with platformers. That underground hit Super Mario 64 basically put together the blueprint to follow for years, and while the genre and Mario himself has gone in new, sometimes blood-chilling directions, there’s something about early 3D platformers that still feels like a nice big bottle of Tizer on a cold winter’s morning.
That’s exactly the kind of mood that something like Corn Kidz 64 has tried to recapture, as it’s a 64-bit send up seemingly designed for now mostly jaded grown-ups who can only fit in a couple of hours of gaming in between work, more work, and screaming in the bathtub.
In Corn Kidz 64, you follow two goat pals as they look to help one of them get out of a recurring dream, and everything is about as off-kilter and irreverent as you’d expect.
From the crunched aspect ratio to the fuzzy CRT aesthetic to just the way your little goat friend feels to control, Corn Kidz 64 is a very intentional send-up to games like Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie, except maybe crossed with a bit of Medievil on PS1 and also Psychonauts. It’s a collectathon that you can easily squeeze in during the marathon that is modern life, with distinct, weighty platforming, plenty of things to collect without being overbearing, and more butt puns than a Weird Al song. Lovely stuff.
You can check out Corn Kidz on Steam and Switch. Hop to it, on the double.
DoubleShake
Inspired by: Mischief Makers, Tomba, Klonoa, Pandemonium
Now, this is a special little game, at least from what’s available of it so far. I wouldn’t normally highlight a game based on a small preview slice, but the demo for DoubleShake is so packed with quality and charm that it’s going to become my next micro-obsession for the next few days until the F-Zero goblins start talking to me again.
In Double Shake, you play as Loam, a young girl on a tropical island who may well be related to Rikishi, as she looks to save her local islands and after a volcanic eruption gets everything a bit shook up.
Instantly calling to mind 2.5D games like Klonoa and Tomba, with maybe a bit of Pandemonium chucked in for all of you Pandemonium sickos out there — there are 9 of us! — DoubleShake’s main N64 inspiration comes from Mischief Makers, one of about ten supremely underrated Treasure bangers.
Loam can grab a lot of things in the world, including people, and shake them around, just like in Mishchief Makers. Enemies can be kicked and then shaken to pacify them, and then thrown at the environment to trigger buttons, break crates, and so on.
While it would have been easy for Rightstick Studios to just make this a simple throwback platformer, DoubleShake also has a lot of fun sidequests, NPCs to chat to, dogs to pet, and a constantly surprising amount of interactivity with the world around you. And it just looks and sounds phenomenal, man.
However, it must be said that DoubleShake has been knocking around for a long time now, as it was funded on KickStarter four years ago, and does not yet have a release date despite being planned for 2024. The Steam demo is still a pretty good preview of what they’re cooking up, and the full game is planned to be available for PC, PS5, PS4, and Switch.
Ex-Zodiac
Inspired by: Star Fox, Space Harrier
I think the best thing the throwback games like these do is to just instantly teleport you to another time. Let me tell you, it took about nine seconds of Ex-Zodiac before I was transported back to my friend’s house playing Lylat Wars, or Star Fox 64, with my hands coated in Wotsit dust as he played Dungeon Keeper on a PC the same size as a flat in London.
Another Kickstarter success and so very Star Fox that I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nintendo reach out to its developer at some point in the future, hopefully non-violently, Ex-Zodiac is a wonderful early 90s inspired rail shooter where you play as Kyuu, who’s trying to stop an evil organisation known as Zodiac. Translation: shoot everything that moves. Then blow it up with a bomb.
It’s not a terribly complicated game, and that’s what makes it so great. Figuring out when to use bombs, sussing out enemy patterns, and getting past some pretty tough bosses isn’t that deep on paper, but when you get a D rating and taking mortal offence as I did and probably should, it becomes intoxicating to try and one up yourself over and over again. I’m bad at it, so I need to add a few extra overs in there, but it’s so easy to get charmed by the 16-bit graphics and sound here that the inherent repetition of a game like this is barely even noticeable.
Granted, I’d say it’s maybe a bit more like the SNES version of Star Fox than the Nintendo 64 one, but Ex-Zodiac still scratches a Star Fox itch that you may not know you’ve had for the past two decades. It’s in Early Access on PC only at the time of recording this, but with like 9 pretty significant, plenty exciting levels already available and a few more to come, you’re getting more than your money’s worth, whether that’s Euros, pounds, or even New Zealand dollars. Speaking of kiwis:
Super Kiwi 64
Inspired by: Banjo-Kazooie, Super Mario 64
If Corn Kidz 64 is the McChicken Sandwich meal of old school 3D platformers, then Super Kiwi 64 is probably like the McFlurry of old school 3D platformers.
Clocking in at just under a couple of hours in length, Super Kiwi 64 is only going to momentarily stop the shakes for those who can’t stop collecting everything, but what a lean, pure couple of hours they will be.
In it, you play as a kiwi imbued with demonic superpowers who must, no, not really. You get to fly around a bit with your special little helicopter thing after you get stranded on a remote island. You can get your beak stuck in walls, and then basically climb up those walls by repeating that trick, and that’s the entirety of Super Kiwi in a nutshell.
Again, it’s a super brisk platformer that basically anyone can pick up and enjoy, with you able to complete the levels in whichever order you fancy. It has nice, suitably triangular visuals, a little bopper of a soundtrack, and time trial challenges for those who want to get a bit more bang for their 3 bucks, or 2 quid.
Super Kiwi 64 is a game custom made for you to dip in and out of portably, so luckily it’s available on PC, with it being great on Steam Deck, and also Nintendo Switch. The developers, Siactro, also have a wide…ranger of other platformers if you dig this one.
Super Galaxy Ranger Luna
Inspired by: Jet Force Gemini
Okay, so this one isn’t particularly new as such, considering it came out in 2017, some 25 years ago. However, throwback platformers do tend to dominate when it comes to modern games inspired by the N64, so let’s look at something a bit different.
Made by a solo developer, Super Galaxy Ranger Luna is a loving send-up to the often overlooked Jet Force Gemini. You play as the titular Luna of the Galaxy Ranger variety as she travels across a bunch of worlds in third-person shooter action, while also occasionally climbing inside a mech, racing, and surviving in an arena.
As a love letter to Jet Force Gemini, you can’t really go wrong here, though do bear in mind that as a free game, you should probably not expect the shooting to feel like Call of Duty, or even, I dunno Homefront. Super Galaxy Ranger Luna sets out to faithfully recreate the N64 era, warts and all, but the ambition of this low-poly adventure is pretty impressive all told. Again, don’t expect the galaxy of a solo developed free indie from 2017.
Also, you can get multiple outfits. It’s not Genshin or anything, but yeah. You can only currently get Super Galaxy Ranger Luna on itch.io on PC, so be sure to check out the rest of Ishmaru’s work while you’re there.
Aero GPX
Inspired by: F-Zeroooooooooooooooooooo
Anyone who’s been watching this channel for a while should know that this moment right here is basically like finally getting to watch your favourite band after years and years, only to discover that it’s a tribute act instead. Except, I dunno, Freddie Mercury is the frontman.
We’ve all been going on about F-Zero for a while, to the point where Nintendo may be placing us on some kind of register. As long as they aren’t suing us, hey, we’re fine with that. But we’re also a bit more fine with them not making a new F-Zero now that Aero GPX exists.
Take F-Zero X, or even GX from the GameCube, and slap on an art style reminiscent of Jet Set Radio and you’ve got basically an anti-gravity racing dream. From the soaring guitar riffs to the sense of speed that’s so fast you think some kind of ancient Aztec demon might get you if you look away, or you know, you might crash, this is as good as any anti-grav racer out there right now.
It’s also pretty feature complete too, with a pretty stacked roster of characters, a bevy of tracks, and multiple modes to tuck into, It also has that classic F-Zero difficulty that makes you lock in like nothing else — not ashamed to admit that I was even struggling at some points just on standard difficulty. One mistake can basically undo everything, and I hate that, but also love it.
Where I find GPX really gets me, though, is in its airborne slipstreams, where you’re effectively flying through the air and trying to a) use the added verticality to help you find shortcuts b) maximising the speed boosts and c) doing both of those things without flying off like an idiot after risking too much for a big reward. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
Aero GPX is currently available in Early Access on Steam, but you can also download a free demo that’s packed with content. This is a seriously incredible endeavour from a solo developer, and I can’t wait to play more.
Valkie 64
Inspired by: Majora & Ocarina
Listen. Valkie 64 is not an incredible, life-changing Ocarina and Majora send-up. It very obviously lacks the budget to match the scale of those two Zelda masterpieces, but also it does have a price point that should immediately explain why.
I also think that those people who don’t have the time spare to go and collect a bunch of masks and learn to play a hipster instrument will probably appreciate how condensed Valkie 64 is, just like some of the other 64-alikes in this video. It’s not very long, but the developer has packed plenty in to get your relative pittance in value back for sure.
In it, you play as Valkie as she traverses dungeons, swings a big sword, and helps out villagers across the realm of Celisa. You’ll be able to upgrade your equipment and also conquer the bulk of content in whichever way you see fit, which is a nice touch.
With those distinct low poly graphics we all know and love, as well as some hefty, chunky feeling combat, Valkyrie 64 is a pretty good buy for the same price as a nice sandwich. Pick it up on PC via Steam if you wanna use a massive sword for a bit, as is the dream of all of us.
Wrestling Empire
Inspired by: WWF No Mercy
Imagine No Mercy, but if AKI Corporation were insane. You’d get Wrestling Empire.
Developed by a man who takes the fringe out of lunatic fringe, MDickie’s Wrestling Empire is a wrestling game for people who grew up on a steady diet of No Mercy, Botchamania, and smashing action figures together indiscriminately. Maybe you even set them on fire.
While pretty easy to pick up and play, the action itself obviously doesn’t have the realism and fluidity of something like WWE 2K. There’s tonnes of content here though, from different match types to weapons, to a whole host of weird and wonderful modes.
But it’s the role-playing you’re here for. Role-playing in the sense of you just straight up being able to cripple your opponents, or actually kill them.
If you wished Undertaker had thrown Mankind just a little bit harder, this is the game for you.
The game’s career mode is where things really flourish, as you’re able to effectively do just about whatever you want. Wanna do a classic zero to hero underdog storyline? Alright, you can do that, but why not get addicted to steroids and break everyone’s knees instead?
With almost limitless mod potential and new stuff getting added all the time, we’re gonna have to send for the man if you don’t at least check out Wrestling Empire on PC, Switch, iOS, or Android.
Warhammer 40k: Boltgun
Inspired by: Quake, Hexen
From the undeniable influence of Goldeneye to banger games like Turok, Perfect Dark, Quake, and Doom 64, the N64 was quite comfortably the best console for your first-person shooting fix in the fifth generation.
If you still love your FPS games to be a little bit fuzzy and plenty grotty, you’re going to want to check out Warhammer 40K: Boltgun as soon as possible.
One of about 94 Warhammer games released in the last ten years, and I’m probably not far off even though that’s supposed to be a joke, Boltgun immediately stands out, because, well, look at it. Deliberately low-poly with low-frame animations, Boltgun is already pretty visually distinct among a sea of boomer shooters, and then you slap on the 40K modifier of buckets of blood, a proper slapper of a soundtrack, and being able to teleport into blokes with a chainsaw and it becomes basically irresistible.
To me at least, this really does feel like someone made a Warhammer 40K mod for Doom 64. You play as Malum Caedo, a Space Marine who’s got to do a something or someone for something, ah who cares. You can barge people into explosive barrels and even have a dedicated taunt button, which every good game has.
Purge the heretics in Boltgun on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and Switch.
Pseudoregalia
Inspired by: Castlevania 64, Nightmare Creatures
If you ever watched this woman kicking up a right fuss in My Hero Academia and thought “wow, I’d really like to play a 3D Metroidvania featuring those calves,” then, well, rittzler (presumably no relation) was listening to your very specific tastes.
Calling to mind the regularly forgotten Castlevania 64 in terms of looks, Pseudoregalia is probably one of the most immediately grabbing games featured in this video, and not just because of those calves and the almost cartoonishly dumpy dumper on Sybil. If your mum’s still here, let her know that you can cover Sybil up with some pants if you so want.
No, it’s not just the character design that makes Pseudoregalia so quickly captivating, as it captures not only the look of games of the time, complete with era appropriate framerate toggle, but just in how it feels in the weight of everything. Platforming has a fantastic chunkiness but never clunkiness to it, and the slow doling out of abilities means you’re basically always adding something new to Sybil’s repertoire.
As it’s a Metroidvania, you’re going to be going back and forth in Castle Sansa quite a bit, but when that exploration feels this good, you’re never really going to grumble. Add in some Zelda-esque combat in which you can slide under your enemy attacks and an atmosphere as thick as the thighs you’ll be staring at for 7-8 hours, and you’ve got a frankly incredible way to spend £5. Pseudoregaila is just available on PC as things stand.
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