The Best Nintendo Game Every Year 1983 - 2024
28. 1997 - GoldenEye 007
When Sony released the PlayStation in 1994 they did so knowing that Nintendo’s hold on all-ages gaming was firm and, therefore, they could aim for a more mature audience.
But 1997 saw the release of the game that had PlayStation consumers visiting their N64-owning friends and family members and getting to grips with an awkwardly shaped three-pronged controller to play the FPS game that was setting the world on fire.
GoldenEye 007 was a landmark moment in the shooter genre, being the most approachable and feature-heavy FPS to land on a console. It allowed players to more precisely aim around the screen, and rewarded them with different hit reactions depending on where their shots landed. There was stealth, there was dual wielding and there were a host of mad cheats to offer variety to the experience.
Best of all it supported four-player multiplayer for split-screen carnage. Finally, the joys felt by PC shooter players could be realised on a wider scale. And it worked wonders for Nintendo and Rare, as every player who got to try GoldenEye at a friend's house was inspired to purchase it, making it the best-selling game for the system without the word “Mario” in the title.