- NA release: 31st October 1997
- PAL release: 14th November 1997
- JP release: N/A
- Developer: 3D Realms / Eurocom
- Publisher: GT Interactive
- N64 Magazine Score: 86%
Duke Nukem 64 is a port of Duke Nukem 3D, a PC game from a 1995. It still retains that “DOOM” feeling, although the levels are much more 3D. That said, it still has the sort of “puzzles” involving pressing random buttons and trying to figure out what has changed. On top of this, you are sometimes presented with a series of buttons and need to guess the correct combination to progress.
From a technical standpoint, Duke Nukem 64 has some graphical changes, with much better 3D explosions but lacking proper sky effects. One major problem is the sound: other than on the title screen, there’s no music whatsoever. It makes the game feel incredibly empty and lacking in atmosphere.
But those aren’t the biggest changes to the game. In order to release on the N64, Duke Nukem 3D is heavily censored. The voice acting has been completely redone to get rid of swearing, and women have been covered up with more clothes, with lots of posters changed completely. Some levels have been changed as a result, with an adult video store being replaced with a gun shop and a chapel being removed.
The thing is, all that stuff is pretty much what Duke Nukem was about, the N64 version is just very toned down. There’s no reason to play Duke Nukem 64, stick to the main version. Especially as the main feature for the N64 version – co-op – has now been added to Duke Nukem 3D.
Fine
The mixed news for someone that has played Duke Nukem before is that, apart from the censorious changes enforced by Nintendo, the levels in Duke Nukem 64 remain largely unchanged.
James Ashton, N64 Magazine #10
Remake or remaster?
The proper version of Duke Nukem 3D has been remastered and updated over time, so stick with that version.
Official ways to get the game.
Duke Nukem 3D is available on Steam.
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
I had such a top, top time with Duke 64. Loved it, and in some ways preferred it to GoldenEye! A few other differences to Duke 3D off the top of my head are mirrors are gone in the N64 version, there are different weapons (dum dums and explosive shotgun shells ftw), most levels were tweaked in some way or another and a few were Dukematch-only. The final boss is rendered in full 3D! Cutscenes were cut back to still images. And of course steroids became vitamin x. You also rescue the babes rather than kill them.
I spent a ton of time on Duke 64 in solo and with friends. Dukematches had Dukebots (GoldenEye didn’t have Bondbots) and I just had a great time exploring levels in single-player and co-op—particularly loved the interconnectivity via air vents and hunting out vantage points and hiding spots for Dukematches. Take the first level, you can see a shop on the CCTV and it took me yonks of exploring to finally find the teleporter to get there. Worth every minute of exploration.
Can’t say I don’t like the silence of it on the N64. You feel isolated and it made it all the more sinister when something happened.
Back then when Duke Nukem 4ever seemed to be around the corner, my imagination was in overdrive with the possibilities. What if you could phone people or just stupid hotlines? Play proper games of pool and pinball. Imagine if you could jetpack between the streets and space stations. Basically, a lot of open-world faff I wouldn’t entertain nowadays. 😀
Probably the worst thing I can say about Duke 64 is it was a memory pak game. Otherwise, easily one of my favourite N64 titles. Back then I played a good bit on Duke 3D as well (online death matches on dial-up!) and I think both versions are excellent.
Duke Nukem 3D’s also on the eShop. Though I wasn’t able to get into it the same with the Pro Controller, it remains a great package. Some day I’m going to try to reconfigure the Switch controls for the N64 controller.
Surprisingly, the N64 got precious few direct PC ports; despite being the most powerful console of its generation. Duke Nukem 3D is a rare exception here (and it’s not a particularily impressive port. Even though it was the best of the console ports from a technical standpoint, the N64 certainly could’ve done better).
Even the likes of Quake 2 were actually entierly original games that only shared the same setting & base mechinics; with wholly original level designs (as @Cube will no doubt get into when he eventually gets round to reviewing Quake 2 N64). It’s a bit strange when you think about it. The one console of the 5th generation that was actually equipped to handle accurate PC ports ended up getting the least accurate ports; as the N64 versions tended to be original experiences, while the PS1 & Saturn versions tended to try and replicate the original PC versions.
Same goes for Doom 64. Totally original game (despite what the title would have you believe), while PS1 and Saturn got actual ports of Doom.
It’s an odd situation, but that ironically makes Duke Nukem 3D actually pretty unique within the N64’s library as a result.