I really had no idea that the N64 had so many people trying to claim the title of being the N64’s fighting game. In BioFREAKS, the concept is that in a dystopian future, people have been modified into grotesque monsters (although, predictably, the female characters aren’t modified as much). The only notable character to me was a fish monster, although he oddly throws up blood before and after matches.

A couple of things set BioFREAKS apart. First is the hover, where you can fly. This doesn’t seem that well integrated into the fighting and is mainly used to making distance, as this fighting game relies a lot on projectile attacks, which don’t even need special attacks to use. Levels are a 3D but not that interesting, although a couple do make use of the flying.

Do enough damage to an opponent and they may lose limbs and lose some of their attacks. I think this is supposed to look gruesome (as with the whole game), but it all comes across as laughably silly, unlike the gore in Mortal Kombat.

This isn’t bad, but it’s just another fighting game on the N64.

I genuinely think this one could be incredible if revisited by the right team, but it's curdled in its age for certain. Incredibly stiff, hard to comprehend hitboxes, and a hyper-difficult final boss that throws the previous gameplay lessons out the window, all make the other aspects feel too little to save the experience.

But the character designs? The stages? The aesthetics? And even the mixed weapon and melee combat? They could all be salvaged with modern sensibilities. It's just VERY unlikely that will ever happen given gestures to the game.