The Biggest Game Project on this Planet

Pilotwings 64

Aaaaaaaahh, yes. Pilotwings.
I remember this game as THE first game to be released for N64, alongside Mario 64 of course. Naturally, when I bought my N64 for a ridiculous price I got Mario 64 because it was the obvious choice, and not until much later did I get to play this game. I was VERY enthusiastic about the N64 in its early stages, because everything looked so nice, and I was basically prepared to play ANYTHING I could lay my hands on, and it was thus that I came to play this game.

Normally I stay well clear of any flight-related game, since I find them about as interesting as watching paint dry during a speech by Al Gore on the mating rituals of the mayfly, on Sunday.
And this, my friends, is where Nintendo stepped in and once again proved their uncanny nack to make ANYTHING a lot of fun. In fact, Nintendo's rare sleeper hit "Al Gore's Paint Watchers" is one of the most fun things I've ever played.
Nintendo has systematically taken every genre I tend to dislike, and made at least one truely fantastic game in it, which is why I still admire this company more than anyone else.
Racing games? Super Mario Kart!
First Person Shooters? Metroid Prime!
Strategy Games? Fire Emblem!
Flight Sims? Pilotwings 64!

Well, perhaps Flight SIMS is giving it a bit too much credit, since Pilotwings 64 is about as realistic as, well, Mario Kart, but that only means it's a helluvalot more fun.

Basically, you get 3 categories: Hang-glider, Rocket Belt and Gyrocopter.
Spread over 3 difficulty levels (not including the practice stages) A level, B level and Pilot Level, every level has 2 or 3 missions per category that you need to fulfill to get those elusive medals. Each mission will earn you a maximum of 100 points, depending on your speed, landing accuracy and landing impact, as well as numerous other mission-specific conditions.
Score enough points and you will get a bronze, silver or gold medal, and if you score enough of those, new subgames will open up, like Cannonball, Skydiving and Jumblehopping. Uh. Yes.
Do well enough in those categories, and you will unlike the Birdman stages, which will allow you to fly around the stages without any particular goal other than to take in the nice graphics.

And great graphics they are (or rather: were, this game IS already 9 years old!).
The stages vary from BIG to HUGE, which helps explain why there's only 4 of them.
They are incredibly detailed however, full of easter eggs and little things that'll put a smile on your face. It might possibly be even more relaxing and nicer to watch than an episode of The Joy of Painting, starring the immortal, yet dead, Bob Ross. God, I love that guy.

God, I love this game, for that matter. The only possible negative comment I can think of, is that it's WAY too short. You'll blaze through it in no time, especially since it's not particularly hard or anything, although it can be tricky. Oh, and I was kinda bothered by the fact that there's no direct Retry Option, you can only quit and go back to the mission screen if you want to try again.

Main replay value lies in improving on your score, although getting gold is good enough for all the unlockables. Perfect scores are not required.
The Birdman stages are a very nice addition, since there really is a lot to see here, and the relaxing jazzy music just provides a wonderful atmosphere to let yourself go. I bet if you get high first, there's NOTHING like playing this game.

Hell, even when sober, this is a truely unique experience, short-lived as though it maybe. There isn't a single kind of person I would NOT recommend this game to, since it's such pure unadulterated fun. If you're looking for explosions, gore and action, look somewhere else. If you have taste and brain cells on the other hand, you'll love this. I'm going to give it a whopping 9.5 since I'm feeling generous today.
Now give us a goddamn sequel already!

posted by Ingen! @ 2:55 PM