Released: December 1998
Publisher: Lucas Arts
Developer: Factor 5
Developer: Factor 5
Platform: Nintendo 64, Windows PC
Type: Action, Shooter
Graphics: Narly
Game Play: Narly
Originality: Meh
How many hours I’ve wasted: Narly
The Nostalgia Factor: Narly
While Tie Fighter and X-Wing still rank higher, Rogue Squadron was an excellent Star Wars fighter simulator for the Nintendo 64 console.
The first game I actually played on the Nintendo 64 platform was Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire. For those of you who don't remember, or never played it, the very first level was dedicated to flying a Rebel T-47 Snowspeeder against Imperial Probe Droids, AT-ST's and AT-AT's.
"That armour is too strong for blasters! We'll have to use harpoon and tow cables!"
And it was just as exciting as that to play. Shadows was a great game in itself, but that first level left you craving more of the same. With Rogue Squadron, the developers at Factor 5 delivered it in spades... 19 challenging, unique, well designed and exciting levels in which to pilot numerous Star Wars fighter craft.
Rogue Squadron featured the following fighters:
A-Wing
X-Wing
Y-Wing
V-Wing
T-47 Snowspeeder
And several un-lockable or cheat activated bonus craft:
The Millenium Falcon
Tie Interceptor
Naboo N1 Starfighter
1969 Buick Electra 225
AT-ST
Each fighter had unique capabilities, lending certain craft to certain missions, although there was nothing stopping you from returning after you'd finished the game to try out these levels with non-optimal craft for a challenge. Indeed, this was one of the main factors making Rogue Squadron so enjoyably re-playable.
Rogue Squadron was also fast paced, had superior graphics (it was one of the first games to take advantage of the N64 memory expansion pak) and had excellent stereo sound effects, music and voice narration. From this standpoint, it was probably one of the most advanced games developed for the N64 system and in the 15 years since it's release, it has aged remarkably well.
Rogue Squadron lacked only two features: One, a multiplayer option and two, no levels were designed for in-space combat (the Death Star Trench Run bonus mission doesn't count); all missions were in planetary atmospheres. While the levels were exceptionally well rendered, it would have been nice to have at least one in a traditional space setting.
These two points however in no way detracted from my overall enjoyment of the game (they would have been just nice to have) and it's still as very enjoyable to play (it has stood up well enough to even introduce my young nephew to). Rogue Squadron and the two sequel games in the series (released on the Nintendo Game Cube) remain in my opinion, three of the better titles that Nintendo has released over the years.
The first game I actually played on the Nintendo 64 platform was Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire. For those of you who don't remember, or never played it, the very first level was dedicated to flying a Rebel T-47 Snowspeeder against Imperial Probe Droids, AT-ST's and AT-AT's.
"That armour is too strong for blasters! We'll have to use harpoon and tow cables!"
And it was just as exciting as that to play. Shadows was a great game in itself, but that first level left you craving more of the same. With Rogue Squadron, the developers at Factor 5 delivered it in spades... 19 challenging, unique, well designed and exciting levels in which to pilot numerous Star Wars fighter craft.
A-Wing
X-Wing
Y-Wing
V-Wing
T-47 Snowspeeder
And several un-lockable or cheat activated bonus craft:
The Millenium Falcon
Tie Interceptor
Naboo N1 Starfighter
1969 Buick Electra 225
AT-ST
Each fighter had unique capabilities, lending certain craft to certain missions, although there was nothing stopping you from returning after you'd finished the game to try out these levels with non-optimal craft for a challenge. Indeed, this was one of the main factors making Rogue Squadron so enjoyably re-playable.
Rogue Squadron was also fast paced, had superior graphics (it was one of the first games to take advantage of the N64 memory expansion pak) and had excellent stereo sound effects, music and voice narration. From this standpoint, it was probably one of the most advanced games developed for the N64 system and in the 15 years since it's release, it has aged remarkably well.
Rogue Squadron lacked only two features: One, a multiplayer option and two, no levels were designed for in-space combat (the Death Star Trench Run bonus mission doesn't count); all missions were in planetary atmospheres. While the levels were exceptionally well rendered, it would have been nice to have at least one in a traditional space setting.
These two points however in no way detracted from my overall enjoyment of the game (they would have been just nice to have) and it's still as very enjoyable to play (it has stood up well enough to even introduce my young nephew to). Rogue Squadron and the two sequel games in the series (released on the Nintendo Game Cube) remain in my opinion, three of the better titles that Nintendo has released over the years.
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