Earlier this year, we ran a Pick One feature asking you what your favourite game was in the Rare Replay collection for Xbox One, with Banjo-Kazooie getting 26% of the vote and winning the poll on that occasion.
Here were the top three results back then:
- Banjo-Kazooie = 26%
- Perfect Dark = 15%
- Conker's Bad Fur Day = 13%
However, Rare threw a very welcome spanner in the works recently when it was announced that GoldenEye 007 would soon become part of the Rare Replay collection (which is already included with Xbox Game Pass!).
So, the question is back on the table. Based on the N64 version of GoldenEye 007, along with some of the improvements that have been quoted for the Xbox version, does it automatically become your favourite Rare Replay game?
Remember, you can only pick one game from the list below!
Which is your favourite Rare Replay game - GoldenEye included? Let us know in the poll & comments below!
Comments 32
Goldeneye
Perfect Dark
Conker
in that order
I never grew up on N64 so I missed out on titles like Banjo, Perfect Dark and Goldeneye. On the original Xbox I had Grabbed by the Ghoulies which I remember enjoying so I chose that.
Mine would be:
1) Goldeneye
2) Jet Force Gemini
3) Conker's Bad Fur Day
4) Banjo Kazooie
5) Perfect Dark
6) Banjo Toole
It is startling how consistently amazing their line up of games were.
I'd still put Perfect Dark at number 1. A game that took everything that made Goldeneye 007 a great game and improved upon it every way (minus the Bond license of course).
If we really opened it up for all Rare games I'd rate it as
1) Perfect Dark
2) Donkey Kong Country 2
3) Banjo Kazooie
Rare made the n64 the games are incredible! I still prefer banjo to Mario 64. Goldeneye and banjo probably tied top for me
Perfect Dark was Goldeneye 'evolved' and as it wasn't tied to James Bond, was able to be more creative which to me made it a superior game to Goldeneye so the fact Goldeneye is joining Rare Replay wouldn't change my opinion on the 'best' game on Rare Replay.
It's difficult to pick a favourite as the games differ so much. Its easy to take Goldeneye and Perfect Dark to compare and have a preference because they are so similar but how can you compare to say Blast Corps which has a completely different Game-play loop and I loved this game too - as I did Conker, Banjo or Jet Force Gemini so they are all favourites depending on what mood I was in, whether or not friends were playing too etc.
All I can say is that there is good reason that people want to see Perfect Dark, Banjo, Conker etc games return - and I'd love to see Blast Corps get a modern day reboot among others. In fact I'd love to see many of these IP's get rebooted much more than I want 'Everwild' - nothing I have heard about that appeals at all, but the artstyle got peoples attention/hype...
All of these hold a special place in my heart. No way can I choose a favourite.
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Tooie
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
Blast Corps
Conker's Bad Fur Day
Kameo: Elements of Power
Perfect Dark
Battletoads Arcade will always be my favorite, it's why I bought Rare Replay in the first place.
That is the Battletoads game we should have gotten for the NES or at least the SNES. That was the Battletoads game I always wanted.
I played Goldeneye once for an evening back around the time it released. That is the sum total I have played of any of these games.
31 hits from one of the best developers in history, so how can I choose one? Banjo-Kazooie is an example of a classic European tale within a great platformer and surrounded by British humour. Banjo and Kazooie are the most underrated characters ever, because they're the best video game characters ever. Viva Piñata is wonderful and addictive and makes Animal Crossing the most boring thing in spite of the variety in Nintendo's franchise. Conker's Bad Fur Day is the best-looking N64 game with the most irreverent story, which is the perfect contrast to the hypocritical society of today. Goldeneye 007 has one of the best campaigns in a shooter... Do you want me to continue? 😁
@blockfight Sounds like you've got some catching up to do, then!
Unless you really don't care for older games. The N64-era stuff is arguably the big highlight of Rare Replay, and of Rare itself.
@Solidchief I loved Grabbed by the Ghoulies and I think it benefits from Rare Replay's port a lot because of the higher frame rate. The gameplay is frenetic, while the higher resolution improves the great art style.
I should defend Nuts & Bolts, too, because although is not great as a platformer but it's more of a sandbox. It has a very creative and satisfying gameplay. Creating and gradually improving your own vehicles to break records and get 100% is awesome.
There are some great games after the Nintendo period but Nintendo fans don't want to admit it, including myself until I got the Xbox One and Rare Replay.
Goldeneye has a lot of nostalgia value, but Perfect Dark refined the experience and I can’t overlook it as the superior FPS.
Their games back in the Ultimate day's were much better.
Conker… (all others are just bonus)
Nuts & Bolts all the way. Proudly part of the 2%.
@Banjo- I've always wanted to give Banjo Kazooie series a go, should I start from the beginning or Nut & Bolts since that's more sandbox with vehicle customisation?
@Solidchief I would start with Banjo-Kazooie, then Banjo-Tooie and finally Nuts & Bolts 👍🏻.
This poll is for Rare replay, not original Rare. Goldeneye and Perfect Dark have aged horribly (despite the amazing soundtracks) whereas Banjo is still pretty top notch. I think the 16 bit era aged much better than the 32 and 64 but eras in all honesty.
Top 5 Rare games in general , not just the replay
..
Banjo kazooie
Perfect dark
Banjo tooie
Starfox adventures
DK 64
What a decent company it was and what a time it was to be growing up with gem after gem.
Where is banjo threeie ??
I would personally pick Perfect Dark. It's just GoldenEye 007 but much better.
I also hope that Rare Replay gets ported to PC, alongside a Nintendo Switch version which also includes the Donkey Kong Country Trilogy, the Donkey Kong Land Trilogy, Donkey Kong 64, Diddy Kong Racing (both OG and DS), Star Fox Adventures, and Dinosaur Land.
Still the Viva Pinata games.
@smoreon I was a Playstation boy back when the N64 was out originally and only one of my mates had the N64. So I missed a whole bunch of great stuff. I have access to some of the classics now between Rare Replay and Nintendo Online. Just finding the time is the trick.
@Dr_Luigi I love Cobra Triangle. Not my favourite game in the collection, but it's well up there. I have it on the NES, used to play it a lot as a kid.
I cannot choose my favorite Rare game. They made so many great ones. From Goldeneye, Banjo Kazooie, and Conker to Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Kameo Elements of Power, and Viva Piñata. There was so much talent there. Each one so different from the next but a blast to play. I can’t pick a favorite.
Goldeneye for sure on Rare Replay now, though Banjo’s not far behind. However, if I were to consider all Rare games, DKC2 smokes everything else.
I know it’s probably an unpopular opinion here, but I feel like Rare was a decent arcade developer that peaked on SNES and then continued to do well on N64 and has been sort of off as a developer since then. They’re really hit or miss for me. I’m baffled why MS doesn’t reboot Viva Piñata too.
Too many to choose from but I went with Banjo Kazooie, so many good N64 memories!
Rare really had amazing hit after amazing hit
Killer Instinct Gold
Blast Corpse
Jet Force Gemini
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Tooie
Conker's Bad Fur Day
Perfect Dark
Golden Eye
***Not on Xbox***
Diddy Kong Racing
Donkey Kong 64 heard bad things abut this game
That Mickey Mouse racing game no idea but looks dumb
A lot of these games the first time i played them was on rare replay. For example, Conkers bad fur day. Even though its like Banjo and Mario 64
Viva Pinata TiP for me, underrated
I really do love banjo kazooie
@Banjo- Yes, continue please!
I just bought Rare Replay (I have played them via GPU). I am amazed how greeeat were/are Rare games.
Loved the Perfect Dark games back in the day, loved it now. Kameo, IMHO, was underrated.
@HarmanSmith Thank you! Yes and you can play all the Xbox 360 games in 4K and the rest in HD. Grabbed by the Ghoulies is 60fps on Xbox One and Series S/X. Conker's Bad Fur Day doesn't even look like it was made for N64. All games play great on Xbox One and Series S/X, even the Spectrum titles, that I had never played until Rare Replay.
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