Nintendo 64

Mischief Makers

Only one gripe; for the occidental release, most of the character's names were changed, and the Japanese voice sample were replaced by some annooooying Yanky whines. Decide for yourself wether that makes a difference. Whatever version you get, this game is and will always be a sparkling work of genius.

There is a definite retro feel to this game which initially sits uneasily with its status as a dedicated N64 title. While obviously the predominantly 2D graphics are a reminder of a bygone age, it's the totally surreal gameplay, weird characters and inane muzak that truly takes the player back to the likes classic 16bit titles such as Geomon and Yoshi's Island. This is platform action as it used to be, with timed-to-perfection jumps, collectable power-ups and bosses whose weak points require patience to expose. With these elements come demands for old skills such as pin-point accuracy and resilience in the face of seemingly unjumpable jumps and unbeatable end-of-level bosses.

Buy this game if you: 1) are fascinated with Japanese style animation, 2) have the urge to own every N64 game that is released, 3) find it on sale for $45 or less, or 4) lost a bet. Otherwise just rent it for the weekend or borrow it from your eccentric friend.

Mischief Makers stars a robotic cleaning maid named Marina on a mission to rescue her kidnapped creator from the clutches of an evil emperor. As with most evil folk, the emperor isn't about to just hand over the aging scientist, and has amassed an army to stop Marina at all costs. To reach the emperor and rescue her creator, Marina must make her way through five different worlds with 12 stages each.