The annual James Bond Day, held October 5, is just around the corner and as the movie franchise’s 60th anniversary beckons, fans are being given an early treat in the form of a GoldenEye 007 re-release on Nintendo Switch and Xbox.
A classic in most gamers’ eyes, the first-person shooter was a surprise hit for Nintendo 64 back in 1997 and a remaster has been rumoured for as long as we can remember. Developer Rare was reportedly working on a re-release for Xbox Live Arcade way back in 2008, only for rights issues to scupper any such plans.
Better late than never, GoldenEye 007 is now akin to London busses. You wait around for ages, then two come along at once, both of which leave something to be desired. On Nintendo Switch, the game appears to be an emulated port, essentially replicating the original with support for online multiplayer via the Switch Online platform.
Remastered visuals are reserved for the Xbox variant, which will be included as part of the Game Pass subscription service on on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Those who own a digital copy of Rare Replay are also confirmed to get the game for free, which includes “improved control options,” as well as achievements and updated visuals with 4K resolution and “consistent refresh rate.”
Sounds like the Xbox version is the one to go for, right? Well, maybe not. While Microsoft can lay claim to remastered graphics and other various tweaks, online multiplayer is exclusive to Nintendo Switch. Yep, you read that right; Xbox versions of the game will be limited to campaign mode or split-screen local multiplayer.
A controversial split and one that is certain to frustrate fans who’ve waited so long to get back in the action. No release date has yet been confirmed but expect a whole heap of comparisons when both the Switch and Xbox releases become available.
