Wanted Dead or Alive...

Mailbag #55: "Can't Drive 55"

Mario Kart 64
"One foot on the brake and one on the gas.
There's too much traffic, I can't pass..."

The "letters" section has always been a favorite part of any publication.

Even material written ages ago can be entertaining (which is why I hate to throw out old mags).

Skimming through a time capsule of old video game trivia and discoveries submitted by readers.

And while it's fun to get posters, panties (WTF?), and copies of Perfect Dark Zero, anything sent to the old mailboxes will no longer be received.

Mailbag #55: "Can't Drive 55"
https://deterest.blogspot.com/p/mailbag-55.html

RE: No Subject MAILBAG #55 "CAN'T DRIVE 55" Decided to post a few coherent messages from the old mailbox... (Anyone still reading really does deserve a good thrashing!)

This bag of mail touches on Perfect Dark, TimeSplitters 2, Super Smash Bros, and of course perennial favorite GoldenEye 007.

Best letter wins a rare photo of Natalya in a bikini, "signed" by former President Clinton.
(Already sealed in a bag and chucked in the mail because I sure as hell don't want it!)


Mailbag #55: "Can't Drive 55"
https://deterest.blogspot.com/p/mailbag-55.html

Can't Rush Perfection...

Mario is Missing!

Little Miss Dark manages to usurp Super Mario!
How can this be?

Possibly because of an unplanned side-project, the Perfect Dark N64 Blog which quietly debuted last year.
perfectdarkn64.blogspot.com

Much of the content is not to be taken seriously - But many of the cheat codes, unlockables, secrets and walkthru pages have been restored.

STAR CHARTS " Because The Best   Video Games Came Out Last Century! " Game System Released 1 Perfect Dark N64 2000 2 Super Mario Bros. 3 NES 1990 3 GoldenEye 007 N64 1997 4 Donkey Kong Country 2 SNES 1995 5 Super Mario All-Stars SNES 1993 Despite the enduring popularity of Super Mario Bros 3, the NES classic gets bumped down one spot as Agent 007 hides in the basement shadows.

On An All Time High...

The Juggling Act

Managed to put together more than fifty journal entries during the past spring & winter, effectively doubling the number of posts on this blog.

Definitely didn't expect to crank out that many pages (considerably more, considering the unplanned unveilings of the GoldenEye & Perfect Dark blogs).

Wasn't exactly sure when I'd put down the controller this time round...

After finishing Super Mario Bros 3, and completing 18 of 20 GoldenEye missions on 00 Agent (stuck on Jungle, Aztec)
it feels the time is about right. Also surprised myself by making it halfway through Perfect Dark.

Finding myself too busy with other things.
Some fine specimens out there, in the realm of Bass fishing and bikini babes (and not necessarily in that order).

Last summer, enough sand accumulated on the carpets to play beach volleyball in the hallway...

Prequel Power...

The Dark Side Clouds Everything

A few more "beta" magazine scans, with Nintendo Power taking a look at Perfect Dark, Donkey Kong 64, and Star Wars Episode I: Racer.

Scan from Nintendo Power #120
May 1999

Scan from Nintendo Power #120
May 1999

Dark Dossier...

Breaking And Entering

Five pages scanned from Nintendo Power magazine (May 2000) just before the release of Perfect Dark.
Some minor changes to some of the textures along with a few other details.

Scan from Nintendo Power #130
May 2000

Scan from Nintendo Power #130
May 2000

Scan from Nintendo Power #130
May 2000

Scan from Nintendo Power #130
May 2000

Scan from Nintendo Power #130
May 2000

Mission Statement...

Professional Courtesy

Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario reigns supreme on the leaderboard, with Secret Agents James Bond and Joanna Dark covertly infiltrating the ranks.

The Kongs also manage to keep up, with the enduring popularity of Kremling Pirates and Dixie Kong (because blondes really are more fun).

STAR CHARTS Navigating the Retro NintendoSphere  Game System Released 1 Super Mario Bros. 3 NES 1990 2 Super Mario Bros. NES 1985 3 Donkey Kong Country 2 SNES 1995 4 GoldenEye 007 N64 1997 5 Perfect Dark N64 2000

GoldenEye 007

"The Future Looks Dark..."

Quick scan from Nintendo Power magazine showing pre-release Perfect Dark.
Nintendo Power #110 (July 1998)
Possibly the first image of PD that I ever laid eyes on...

A single screenshot inside Area 51 Infiltration (first of three missions on that base).

Possibly captured in Co-Operative mode (when another Joanna Dark was the default Buddy as a placeholder).

An Area 51 Guard is coming out of the door - Unclear in the screenshot whether he's wearing the unused "beta" helmet that matches the uniform...

Perfect Dark Preview from Nintendo Power

Also in the above screenshot, I believe Joanna Dark is wearing a slightly different Combat Uniform than she does in the final version.




Snapshot of the unused mask in Perfect Dark's Combat Simulator.
Joanna is also wearing her standard outfit.

Actual snapshot captured in Perfect Dark Plus.
(ROM Modification which also offers a Japanese Joanna...)

Perfect Bond... (And The Quest For Invincibility!)

Unlocking the Invincibility Cheat in GoldenEye 007 is no easy task...
The feat is to clear the Facility mission in 2:05 (on 00 Agent difficulty, no less).
Even if you do everything perfectly - It's all for nothing if Dr. Doak isn't upstairs.

Alternating between Silenced PP7 and KF7 Soviet, performed a miraculous race to the lab only to come up empty handed. With absolutely no guards following me, decided to curiously backtrack to find the Soldiers milling about, having completely given up on the chase.

Hadn't actually unlocked the GoldenEye 007 Invincibile Cheat in over a decade, so decided to give it a shot.
So legendary that it's become the most-sought after Achievement in the entire game.
Takes a bit of dedication to earn the right to say "I AM INVINCIBLE".

Just need a good run to coincide with a Dr. Doak encounter. (He can randomly appear in seven different locations)

After an hour or two of cursing swearing (and re-living the frustration) decided a break was needed...
(The GoldenEye 64 Blog contains the actual "Strategy Guide": Speedrun For Invincible...]



Enter Perfect Dark...

The Invincibility Cheat is unlocked in Area 51 Escape (game's ninth mission).
Completing the level within the target time of 3:50 (on the easy Agent difficulty this time!).

Once I got back into this PD speedrun, some annoyances were rekindled - But not to the extent of the frustrating Facility. (The rant about Jonathan's "heroics" can be found in the Perfect Dark N64 Blog post "Area 51 Escapades". I tried not to swear.)


These Biotechnicians still give me the creeps...

Four Biotechnicians at the start of Area 51 Escape.
It's not always possible to tag them all when you're racing through the lab...
Survivors will give chase and meet you on the return trip
(subsequently trying to drug you with their sedatives).
Sometimes they even follow all the way outside.

Dashing back towards the secret hangar (making use of the strafing skills learned in GoldenEye 007).
Attempting to earn PD's coveted Invincibility Cheat, still coming up just seconds short. Watched the YouTube video by Graslu and learned a few necessary tricks.

(For a more satirical analysis of this frustrating accomplishment, see the Perfect Dark N64 Blog: Escape From Area 51, Area 51 Escapades and Preheat 350)

Perfect Dark offers a more challenging overall game, but I'm going to say that the Invincibility Cheat is more difficult to earn in GE than it was in PD (as far as difficult accomplishments go).

More on the legendary GoldenEye 007 Achievement (from the GoldenEye 64 Blog):
A quick "Strategy Guide": Speedrun For Invincible...
See also: Earning Invincible... It's Infuriating!


EDITOR'S NOTE: After finally completing this daunting task on the PC ROM, performing the feat on the N64 console was suddenly so simple... Got it almost instantly.

The ROM is beautiful and completely customize-able... The console might not be as pretty, but it handles so much smoother.

Welcome to The Jungle...

We have fun AND games...
Scan from a special Nintendo Preview (1999) of Rareware games Donkey Kong 64 and Perfect Dark.

Same pamphlet also features the GoldenEye 007 push button code for "64 Characters".
Third time they'd published the same code - But I just love the heading "Fresh Blood"
Favorite quote:

"Do the folks at Rare get together to play Multiplayer Mode?
If they do, do they choose their own characters or do they pick other characters?
We were just wondering."

Two Thousand (Sixty Four)...

Couple pieces from the year 2000.
First is a quick scan from the Nintendo Power Bonus Issue featuring the "64 Characters Code" in GoldenEye 007:

From the same issue...
Previews of Perfect Dark and Zelda Gaiden (which would become Majora's Mask):

The Dark Side of Podracing...

Sebulba!
(He always wins...)

Nintendo Power magazine from May 1999 (Issue #120).
This issue features a few pages from E3, including bits of Donkey Kong 64, Star Wars Episode I: Racer and Perfect Dark.

Possibly mentioned this before, but I still think it's neat...
Alternate covers for the issue of that month's magazine (May 1999 / Issue #120).

Some of these podracer pilots are more interesting than the characters in the main story.
(I just love it when Sebulba threatens to squash Jar Jar)

It's Ratts Tyerell!
"Splats" Tyerell fatally flew his racing pod into a stalagmite in a cave on Tatooine during the Boonta Eve Classic. He lives to race another day here in Episode I: Racer.

18M0ZYM8ND185