The launch title is an important aspect of a console's release, and sometimes it can even be an indicator of the success or failure of the console as a whole. It was especially important for the Nintendo 64; previously the household name in video games, Nintendo was in desperate need of a generation-defining title to help claw back some of the momentum they lost to the Playstation's release 2 years earlier. Of course, Super Mario 64 ended up being that game, but those who weren't enthralled by the red plumber's first 3D outing only had one other option; Pilotwings 64, a sequel to the original on the SNES. As a flight simulation game, it was clearly an attempt to further emphasize the power of the N64, as well as show off its detailed 3D environments. And it did so successfully; while a lack of alternative games surely helped, P64 nevertheless went on to sell over a million copies.
There's something very charming about Pilotwings 64, irrespective of how well its mechanics are implemented or how good it looks. It's definitively a retro title with a simple premise, which gives it an almost arcade-like appeal. Its main game mode is completing challenges while flying, and the landscapes are large and decently-detailed enough to still be quite impressive in the modern day, given the game's context. Flying is separated into 3 vehicle types; the hand glider, the jetpack, and the helicopter. The jetpack is fast and responsive, and easily the best to control, and the missions are mostly fun to play through. The helicopter feels mostly fine, although it turns wider than players would often like, but launches impressively accurate missiles, even at long range. But the vehicle you'll be spending most of your time on is the hang glider, which is a shame, since it's easily the worst of the bunch. Its controls are too inconsistent to be often enjoyable, and the levels are significantly slower paced than the others. They're also the only levels to include the photo aspect, which is wildly inconsistent with how it awards points, and is just not very fun to play through. The other vehicles have their own faulty missions, too; hitting the ball to the goal with the jetpack and shooting the robot with the helicopter are both pretty unfun.
The amount of gameplay modes in Pilotwings 64 is to be commended, though, and aside from those initial three, players can unlock 3 more; a human cannonball mode, a skydiving mode, and a jumble hopper mode. Aside from the skydiving, these modes add a bit of fun variation to the gameplay, and the cannonball mode especially makes for a nice multiplayer option. There's also the "birdman" mode, which allows you to fly around a few of the levels in the game without an objective. This was a nice addition, and introduces a relaxing diversion from the sometimes stressful main game. Speaking of stress, another potentially commendable aspect to P64 is the amount of replayability it has in terms of its medal system, although this is a lot more of a toss up. While it's true playing for max points on each level will significantly increase the longevity of the game, it's arguable that it's even worth doing. The scoring system often feels completely arbitrary, which makes replaying levels to get a perfect score more of a test of patience than an achievement, especially levels with the faulty mechanics mentioned above.
Pilotwings 64 has gone the way of many 3D games of its time-impressive initially but quickly becoming obsolete-but it's important not to understate how interesting it is as a time capsule. It's from an era where games, especially 3D ones, were still developing their own personalities, which lead to a lot more variety than is seen in the modern gaming market. P64 is definitively from that era, and it's fun enough to enjoy with that in mind. Devoid of that context, though, Pilotwings 64's many faults are often too much to overlook while playing it in the modern day. There is enjoyment to be had here, but its enjoyment comes primarily from the fact that it's an old game; aside from that, there's more frustrating than fun about the Nintendo 64's other, often overlooked launch title.
There's something very charming about Pilotwings 64, irrespective of how well its mechanics are implemented or how good it looks. It's definitively a retro title with a simple premise, which gives it an almost arcade-like appeal. Its main game mode is completing challenges while flying, and the landscapes are large and decently-detailed enough to still be quite impressive in the modern day, given the game's context. Flying is separated into 3 vehicle types; the hand glider, the jetpack, and the helicopter. The jetpack is fast and responsive, and easily the best to control, and the missions are mostly fun to play through. The helicopter feels mostly fine, although it turns wider than players would often like, but launches impressively accurate missiles, even at long range. But the vehicle you'll be spending most of your time on is the hang glider, which is a shame, since it's easily the worst of the bunch. Its controls are too inconsistent to be often enjoyable, and the levels are significantly slower paced than the others. They're also the only levels to include the photo aspect, which is wildly inconsistent with how it awards points, and is just not very fun to play through. The other vehicles have their own faulty missions, too; hitting the ball to the goal with the jetpack and shooting the robot with the helicopter are both pretty unfun.
The amount of gameplay modes in Pilotwings 64 is to be commended, though, and aside from those initial three, players can unlock 3 more; a human cannonball mode, a skydiving mode, and a jumble hopper mode. Aside from the skydiving, these modes add a bit of fun variation to the gameplay, and the cannonball mode especially makes for a nice multiplayer option. There's also the "birdman" mode, which allows you to fly around a few of the levels in the game without an objective. This was a nice addition, and introduces a relaxing diversion from the sometimes stressful main game. Speaking of stress, another potentially commendable aspect to P64 is the amount of replayability it has in terms of its medal system, although this is a lot more of a toss up. While it's true playing for max points on each level will significantly increase the longevity of the game, it's arguable that it's even worth doing. The scoring system often feels completely arbitrary, which makes replaying levels to get a perfect score more of a test of patience than an achievement, especially levels with the faulty mechanics mentioned above.
Pilotwings 64 has gone the way of many 3D games of its time-impressive initially but quickly becoming obsolete-but it's important not to understate how interesting it is as a time capsule. It's from an era where games, especially 3D ones, were still developing their own personalities, which lead to a lot more variety than is seen in the modern gaming market. P64 is definitively from that era, and it's fun enough to enjoy with that in mind. Devoid of that context, though, Pilotwings 64's many faults are often too much to overlook while playing it in the modern day. There is enjoyment to be had here, but its enjoyment comes primarily from the fact that it's an old game; aside from that, there's more frustrating than fun about the Nintendo 64's other, often overlooked launch title.
Reviewed on Mar 04, 2023
2 Comments
Oh thank you very much! I appreciate it. I actually have a soft spot for Pilotwings 64 that, even though I acknowledge I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked, I still think it's pretty neat, and I can definitely understand if others thought it deserved a higher rating or had more fun with it. I'm glad it seems like my feelings came across well!
MacBlank
11 months ago