Ian R Robell

I was not expecting to enjoy this game as much as I did. Pilotwings 64 has three main vehicles which each feature four courses to pass. The 12 courses have a combined total of 27 missions to clear. The bonus minigames are also a fun distraction. The game will be difficult at first, but once you learn how each vehicle handles, you just need to focus on each objective. That being said, the hang glider is not that great to use. The photography missions are to blame for that. Other than that, each stage has its own challenge that is satisfying to complete. I recommend the Switch version for its better performance, but don't expect a graphical masterpiece. This is a launch game for the N64 after all. I think it is a great retro game, but don't expect a lot of content. You will spend most of your time trying to get a perfect score on each stage. That is doable most of the time, but the photography missions do not give you much to go by.

The original Mario Party is certainly an oddball compared to later games. There are a couple of things to keep in mind: Items do not exist in this game, so skill only exists in minigames. Most minigames are like the later titles' battle minigames (fight for each others coins) but that is a constant here. The boards are quite interesting, but the minigames are the most mundane in the series. The physics when jumping on other players is also very off and take getting used to. The one vs three minigames are horrifically unbalanced and the infamous stick spinning is just as bad as I heard it was prior to playing. There is still plenty of charm though. The music is stellar, and the ending of each board has details that are unique. The title screen even changes based on who wins. Your enjoyment of the game will depend on how much you like the novelty. If you don't mind luck based games, there is a lot to enjoy. If you prefer skill and strategy, this game will feel evil.