- JP release: 27th June 1997
- NA release: 1st October 1997
- PAL release: 12th December 1997
- Developer: Treasure
- Publisher: Enix (JP) / Nintendo (NA/PAL)
- N64 Magazine Score: 90%
Mischief Makers is a 2D platformer from respected developers Treasure. It received glowing reviews for its originality, including a 90% from N64 magazine. Unfortunately, the game didn’t click with me, but I can definitely see why people would love it.
Mischief Makers is made up of lots of short platforming levels, each one focusing one a single gimmick. What’s impressive is that these levels are extremely varied and feel unique. The main move that levels are based on are Marina’s ability to grab and shake objects – mainly NPCs, enemies and balls. These will cause various actions that you need to figure out how to use to progress. There’s also a secret gem hidden in each level that’s very difficult to find, unlocking the final cutscene if you get them all.
The biggest issue I had with the game was the controls. Most of Marina’s movement abilities are performed by double tapping the D-pad. At first, I praised the game because the c-buttons were used as shortcuts to these abilities, providing a great extra way to perform these abilities, but then discovered that the c-button versions are less effective than tapping the d-pad, which is probably why I struggled with some really basic jumps.
I would love to see an updated re-release of Mischief Makers, making the c-buttons function the same as double-tapping the d-pad, plus higher details sprites. The game definitely deserves a new version.
Fun
But the banality of this sagacity, when juxtaposed with the outright bonkersness of the game in general, serves only to heighten the lighthearted surrealism that abounds, which, in out book, is a Very Good Thing
Jes Bickham, N64 Magazine #8
Remake or Remaster?
A remake would be great. The game still feels unique and a new version would be lovely.
Official ways to get the game.
There is no official way to get Mischief Makers.
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 always wanted this game, but I could never find it in my local Toys’R’Us.
This one’s still on my bucket list. Ridiculous that it has still never been re-released (I know that S-E generally don’t give a shit about Enix’s legacy catalogue in general, but come on!).
Put this on Switch NSO already you bastards!
I’m very surprised you’ve never played it.
So am I!
I missed it when it first came out and was always expecting to come to the VC at some point, but it just never did.
Should just pick up an N64 cart at some point, it’s not even all that expensive. I’m just being lazy at this point :p
I bought it from a CEX years ago and still never got round to play it 🙁
You learn something every day—for some reason I believed this was a Konami game. ::shrug: Surprising review score as I remember magazines turning their noses up at Mischief Makers because they’d become polygon snobs.
I honestly don’t think it’s anything special. It’s a good game but I suspect it was given higher praise because of it being one of the few 2D games on the system. Guardian Heroes on the Saturn was a far better 2D game that was made by them.
Shake shake!