- NA release: 19th May 1998
- PAL release: September 1998
- JP release: N/A
- Developer: Saffire, Midway
- Publisher: Midway (NA) GT (PAL)
- N64 Magazine Score: 76%
I really had no idea that the N64 had so many people trying to claim the title of being the N64’s fighting game. In BioFREAKS, the concept is that in a dystopian future, people have been modified into grotesque monsters (although, predictably, the female characters aren’t modified as much). The only notable character to me was a fish monster, although he oddly throws up blood before and after matches.
A couple of things set BioFREAKS apart. First is the hover, where you can fly. This doesn’t seem that well integrated into the fighting and is mainly used to making distance, as this fighting game relies a lot on projectile attacks, which don’t even need special attacks to use. Levels are a 3D but not that interesting, although a couple do make use of the flying.
Do enough damage to an opponent and they may lose limbs and lose some of their attacks. I think this is supposed to look gruesome (as with the whole game), but it all comes across as laughably silly, unlike the gore in Mortal Kombat.
This isn’t bad, but it’s just another fighting game on the N64.
Fine
Overall, Bio FREAKS is a pretty good game, far above average, certainly. However, for all but the most committed beat-’em-up fan, it’s not really enough of anything to be an essential purchase.
James Ashton, N64 Magazine #20
Remake or remaster?
Throw all the Midway fighting games in a collection.
Official ways to get the game.
There is no official way to get BioFREAKS
Europe
Japan
North America
N64 Games by Date
1997: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
1998: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
1999: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2000: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
Makes sense. Arena fighters, in their early days, depended a lot on projectiles to even function (another such example is Destrega, for the PS1). Melee attacks are virtually useless when you move that fast, and the target is so small.
Developers would only figure out lock-on targeting systems (the one way to do melee combat in Arena fighters) during the following generation.
(If you count Wrestling games as Arena fighters, then they do Melee combat by having really small arenas, relatively slow movement, and thought-out grapple systems)