GoldenEye 007 Vs Mario Kart 64

Script written by Nathan Sharp

GoldenEye 007 vs. Mario Kart 64

These two games were the life of the party for the Nintendo 64, and today, we're going to determine which one is the true champion. Welcome to Watchmojo.com, and today we're putting guns against go-karts as we pit GoldenEye 007 against Mario Kart 64. We'll be considering a wide range of factors in our decision to determine who is the true king of the N64.

Round 1: Legacy

There's no questioning the lasting legacy that GoldenEye has left on the world of video games. At the time of its release, first person shooters were rare on home consoles, and deathmatch modes even more so. Enter GoldenEye 007, which helped revolutionize console-based multiplayer and the first person shooter genre in general. It included many notable and innovative gameplay elements, including a zoom-able sniper rifle and the aforementioned deathmatch style of gameplay, which in turn led to many clones and helped to influence the first person shooter staples that we know and love today.

On the other hand, there's no denying the legacy that Mario Kart has left on the gaming world. The N64 iteration was insanely popular in its time, becoming the second highest selling game for the console, and is still widely enjoyed today, particularly in college dorms and with nostalgic enthusiasts. There have been many sequels released, and each time they have been successful console-sellers just like this was in 1996. It seems as if everyone and their mothers have played this classic game, and it doesn't look to be going anywhere anytime soon.

While Mario Kart 64 is still enjoyed today, there's simply no denying that GoldenEye was the more impactful game. While Mario Kart was fun, we had seen it before in older generations, whereas GoldenEye was something entirely fresh, new, and innovative. It was praised by many for its unprecedented gameplay and influenced numerous future titles. First person shooters arguably wouldn't be where they are today without GoldenEye 007.

WINNER: GoldenEye 007 1 / Mario Kart 64 0

Round 2: Single Player

GoldenEye not only came equipped with terrific multiplayer game modes, but also a full-length campaign which sees you retrace Bond’s steps from the film of the same name. As you try to prevent the Janus syndicate from causing a financial meltdown, you'll travel to many exotic and detailed locations like the Byelomorye Dam, a frigate in Monte Carlo, and the rugged terrain of the Cuban jungle. The missions were always lengthy and detailed, with various difficulty levels bringing their own unique and challenging objectives, providing fantastic replay value.

While Mario Kart 64 was largely known for its multiplayer, the single player aspect still provided some thrills and excitement. Racing against bots, while not as fun as playing against your friends, was still a blast, and the various difficulty levels, represented by the engine’s cc, nicely mixed up the gameplay. There was also a time trial mode, which saw players attempt to break their own time records on a given track. You could even race against your own ghost, which provided a terrific sense of urgency and competitiveness in a single player mode.

We have to give this round to GoldenEye simply because of its variety and story. While racing against bots is fun, it gets tiring and old very quickly, and time trial is simply not enough to sustain your attention. GoldenEye, on the other hand, provides a full-length campaign, a story, various difficulty levels, and a myriad of challenging objectives, which are all far more fun than simply racing around a track for the thousandth time.

WINNER: GoldenEye 007 2 / Mario Kart 64 0

Round 3: Multiplayer

Where both games truly shined was in their multiplayer. GoldenEye 007 revolutionized the concept of multiplayer deathmatch on home consoles. Up to four players had five game modes to choose from: a basic deathmatch, You Only Live Twice, which is exactly what it sounds like, Licence to Kill, where players could be killed with one shot, The Man with the Golden Gun, and The Living Daylights, a flag-based game. This doesn't even include the customization options available, like making rockets the only available weapon, which was always amazing. The variety in game modes provided hours upon hours of fun, and left players in awe.

Mario Kart’s multiplayer was just as wonderful. The basic race modes were, and continue to be, a simple and accessible blast. Up to four players can race on sixteen incredibly varied and challenging tracks, either against only each other or with computer bots tagging along. The gameplay was fun and easily accessible, making the game approachable for both children and adults alike. There was also a battle mode which saw players attack each other with various pick-ups until only one player was left standing. While not as memorable as the core racing, it provided a nice variance on the gameplay.

As revolutionary as GoldenEye’s gameplay was, we have to give this round to Mario and his friends. There's just something about the game that demands love, whether it's the harmless fun or the pick-up-and-play style of the game. It's continued to be enjoyed many years later, and the gameplay really hasn't evolved all that much in the sequels. There's only so much you can do to improve upon perfection.

WINNER: GoldenEye 007 2 / Mario Kart 64 1

Round 4: Level Design

GoldenEye featured some complex levels both in its multiplayer and campaign. Its levels were always intricately detailed and large, as they often required a lot of walking down numerous hallways and open-air areas. The numerous objectives brought players to different areas of the level, allowing for a welcome variety in locations and gameplay upon repeat playthroughs. However, many of the multiplayer maps were imported straight from the campaign, and as such, weren't well equipped for multiplayer style gameplay, as players would often get caught in dead ends or camp at choke points.

If there's anything Mario Kart 64 should be praised for, it’s the level design. Many of the levels found in this game are now classics of the series, ranging from the very simple Luigi's Raceway to the dangerous Bowser's Castle to the wondrous and very tedious Rainbow Road. Each level had its own unique charms and appearance, and each had obstacles that the player had to overcome, whether it be lava pools, fenceless cliffs, or moving whomp blocks. Some even had secret routes that could he used to a player's advantage, although these often resulted in some swearing and ended friendships.

It’s a close call but while GoldenEye's levels were complex and enormous, we have to give this round to Mario Kart, effectively tying the game. There's simply nothing like the amazing levels of this game, many of which are still fondly remembered, and some even remade in later iterations. They were complex, beautiful to behold, but most of all, a whole lot of fun.

WINNER: GoldenEye 007 2 / Mario Kart 64 2

Round 5: Lasting Appeal

GoldenEye 007 was littered with things to occupy your time. Between the campaign and the multiplayer, there was always something to do, whether it be by yourself or with a group of friends. However, the campaign only provided a limited amount of hours, as the campaign was short and the replayability really wasn't that great aside from the varied difficulty levels. Once you beat the campaign on the hardest difficulty, there wasn't much else to do aside from experimenting with cheats, which often resulted in tons laughs and gags. Luckily, the multiplayer provided countless hours of fun and became the true source of the game's longevity, especially thanks to its wide range of customization options.

While there are very limited single player options in Mario Kart, the multiplayer mode more than made up for it. While the multiplayer was also limited in its courses and characters, the random nature of the races always kept players coming back for more. For example, maybe this time you WON'T get hit by a whomp block, or maybe you'll get a red shell instead of the stupid banana peel. While the gameplay was simple, the lasting appeal was limitless. As long as you had some friends along for the ride, the hours and variety in the races were unbounded.

Unfortunately where Goldeneye flat-lines is how well it’s stood the test of time. Because it was a First Person Shooter built around a single analog stick, it’s controls do not hold up well in comparison to other shooters available today, be it on PC or Console. Compare this to Mario Kart, whose controls and mechanics still hold up really well today, and you have the game that takes the Checked Flag at the end by a mile.

WINNER: GoldenEye 007 2 / Mario Kart 64 3

While both games are truly fantastic pieces of entertainment, we have to give the edge to Mario Kart 64, which edges out GoldenEye 007 with a score of 3-2.

Did we pick the right game? Be sure to debate in the comments and subscribe to Watchmojo.com.