Our peerless British spy, James Bond, has fought its way through years of licensing and ownership issues to come out on top. A remastered version of GoldenEye 007 is now available in all its glory on Xbox, along with a port of the original game for Nintendo Switch that has support for online multiplayer as well. Developed by Rare, the game originally came out for the N64 and quickly became a fan-favorite, introducing mechanisms such as stealth that were a novelty for first-person shooters of those times.
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Rare has now released two remastered versions of GoldenEye 007 for Xbox and Switch, promising the same level of fun, excitement and adventure, but with updated functions and features. Both Xbox and Switch versions feature a few crucial differences, with the Xbox version being a full-on remaster built from the ground up for modern consoles.
The Xbox version of GoldenEye 007 is a remaster of the Nintendo 64 game, which promises native 16:9 resolution up to 4K Ultra HD, smoother frame rates, and split-screen local multiplayer, letting up to four players join for couch co-op. “With 20 campaign missions to master at a range of difficulty levels, unlockable cheat modes and a truly classic split-screen multiplayer mode for up to four players, GoldenEye preserves all the action and excitement of the original game – while adding Xbox achievements and a raft of new features that enhance its timeless gameplay for the modern day,” reads the game’s description on the official Xbox page.
The game is now available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S as part of the Xbox Game Pass service, meaning subscribers can now enjoy the classic title without spending an extra dime. Furthermore, if you already own a digital copy of the Rare Replay game collection, then you will be able to “download and enjoy the game free of charge.”
‘007 GoldenEye’ | Image: Nintendo
On the other hand, Nintendo has taken a whole different approach here, treating audiences with basically the same game as the N64 version but repacked to work on current-gen consoles. GoldenEye 007 is available as part of its Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack and you will need both Nintendo Switch Online and its Expansion Pass, which adds the N64 digital library to access the title to access the game.
The Switch Online version of the game comes with all the classic mechanisms, levels and even exclusive features like online play that will let “007 fans across the world to take part in the popular four-person multiplayer mode together.” So, load up that PP7 Special Issue, it’s time to take Alec Trevelyan down for good.
‘007 GoldenEye’ | Image: Nintendo
