Hey man, how's it going? Not bad. Not bad. No more cowboy ghost, right? You got to understand something. I ride the Klanser. I have the answers. I played great dodgeball for the Persian Kitty. Just be for the light years and a lot of shaking. Welcome to Remember 64, where this week we shake, shake, shake, shake. Welcome to the show everyone. My name is David Patrangelo, and this week we're playing and chatting about Mischief Makers.
Momentarily, I'll be joined by the one and only Slunk Obama, a wonderfully fun and entertaining gamer and content creator, over on YouTube. She is very excited to be here, and I'm very excited to finally have her on the show to talk about this very unique title I would say, but that'll come up in just a few moments. Until that time though, just a reminder that patreon.com/remember 64 Show is where you can get episodes early, video content early.
Help us pick what games we might be playing coming up in the future. And you can also get a free holographic sticker with the Remember 64 logo on it. Any new signups? There's a limited supply, but any look, any new signups? We'll get one of those in the mail. All you have to do is e-mail me at remember64show@gmail.com and let me know that you're a patron and boom, it's on its way to you in the mail. Remember 64 is a very proud member of the Tokyo Beats
Podcast network. Hi, This is Mono, the host of Tokyo Game Life, a Tokyo based video game podcast focusing on Nintendo and gaming culture in Japan's capital. It's your slice of gaming life from Tokyo. Every episode features deep dives into gaming related places to visit in Tokyo, interviews with fans, developers and experts, plus detailed thoughts on both retro and new games. Tokyo Game Life, only on the Tokyo Beat Network OK, let's bust out the history books everyone.
We're heading back to October of 1997. Mischief Makers, if you didn't know, was the very first 2D platformer on the Nintendo 64. We've talked about a few on this podcast, including games like Yoshi Story, but I'm guessing there isn't one quite like this. The title was developed by Treasure and published by Enix in Japan and Nintendo internationally. In the game, you play as Marina Light Years. No, not Buzz Lightyear.
She's a robotic maid who's trying to rescue her creator from the emperor of Planet Clancer. Okay. That's a very brief overview, but development on the game began about 16 months before the N64 was released, and at that time little was known about the console itself. Nintendo had things pretty far under wraps when Treasure was told it was a cartridge based
console. They had to shift some strategy as it was the first time for many of them on the team that they would not be creating a game on a CD-ROM. A select few did come from Konami though, where they worked on Castlevania and Contra in the past for the NES. But the team has said in past interviews the N64 was restrictive at the time and that made the development process much more difficult early on in its life cycle.
In a separate interview with IGN, Treasurer's CEO said that the catching or grabbing mechanic in the game was something they really wanted to do, but it proved to be quite difficult in the end. It says that the team of 15 developers were able to achieve what they wanted with the limited resources they were awarded at the time. With a little bit of help from Enix as the publisher, Treasurer says they were able to implement most of what they were striving
for in Mischief makers. This was an interesting scenario though, as it was just months prior that Enix announced it would be ending its exclusivity deal with Nintendo and releasing its Dragon Quest games for Sony and PlayStation. The initial plan was for mischief makers to only be released in Japan, but when the big end stepped in, they put together a localization team and off they went. And released the game internationally.
Mischief makers didn't fly off store shelves, with many estimating that sales may have dipped more than expected because gamers at the time were looking for a 3D experience instead of a somewhat familiar 2D one. That is, after all, how the consoles in that generation were marketed. Regardless, it's still sold just under 500,000 units worldwide, according to a couple of estimates out there. And despite what Enix may have thought or wanted to do at the time, the North American version
actually sold the most. Today's show is brought to you by EPOS Gaming Audio. With a comprehensive lineup of both wired and wireless headsets, gaming amplifiers, microphones and webcams, Epos has everything you need to
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Just good design. Listeners can save 15% by visiting www.eposaudio.com/gaming and entering the code EPOS FRIEND 15 at checkout, that is epos Audio EPOS audio.com/gaming and entering the code EPOS FRIEND 15. No spaces, no underscores, no points. All of that can be entered at checkout for a 15% discount shake shake. OK, as always it is discussion time, it is mischief makers chatting time. And I'm really happy I said this before I hit record that I wanted to have slunk.
Oh, on the episode or on a show of any kind? For months. And I don't life got in the way or my it slipped my mind. It's my fault. But thankfully now Salonco is here to talk about mischief makers. Hello, how are you? Welcome to the show. Thank you so much for having me. It's a pleasure to finally be here. How are you? I'm good. I'm good. I'm.
I'm really happy that, and I've said this before in other episodes too, but I'm always happy to be able to play a game that someone else is passionate about. Or has fond memories of and everything. Because it's not like, you know, I do this show, but it's not really about me, you know, It's about the games and it's about the people that play them and everything. So. So I'm actually excited that we get to talk about something like this because me too.
Yeah, you feel like nobody ever talks about this game. Exactly. So there you go. So we'll get into the game in just a SEC, I think before, so I don't forget, which clearly I have done in the past. Why don't we talk about yourself a little bit because you do some really great work on YouTube and everything. I want everybody to let everybody know what you do and how you do it, and I'll let you sort of take the reins from there. OK.
Well, hi guys, My name is Slonco, Slonco Bomb Bomb Swamps, and I'm a content creator on YouTube. I basically love video games, just like you guys probably do. Yes, I've been playing video games probably since 1989, nineteen 90, starting off with the OG consoles. Nintendo was my first console all the way up to the current consoles, and I just love sharing my gaming adventures.
And I love letting people know predominantly about the Nintendo Switch, what games are coming out for Nintendo Switch. And I also like to spotlight games that I'm playing on other consoles as well. So yeah, we just have a good time, that's all. And where and where can everyone find it? Because you have a I I I said this. You know, I've been saying this as I've watched more and more of your stuff. It's just like it your your personality, your channel,
everything is very. Happy and positive and all of that stuff that we need more of or it needs to be more at the forefront. So I want people to experience that as well. Where can they find it? Well, you can find it on YouTube, it's at www.youtube.com schlankeelbomb. All the O's are zeros and you can also find me on Twitter as well at Schlankeelbomp. Amazing. Amazing. Okay. So thank you.
You've you mentioned that you've had all this long experience with video games as many people have and the N64 is either a big or small part of it. We'll we'll I'll ask you so let's let's talk about the 64. Let's talk about before we get to the game itself, what's what was your experience with it growing up? What is it sort of now you know, was was it a long lived thing? Was it brief? What kind of games did you play growing up? Let's let's get into that first. Well, I love Nintendo.
Actually, my community, Some of them call me Nintendo Mama. So Nintendo 64 was. I know. I love it. No, no, it's great. Don't hide. It's amazing. Yeah, Nintendo Mama. But Nintendo 64 was very special to me. It's not my favorite Nintendo console. I will put that out there. Hey, not mine either. Just cuz I do this show doesn't mean it's my favorite. My God, I'm surprised. I thought it was. I'm a Super Nintendo girl, so seeing that, we're going to progress to something.
Oh, awesome, We have to talk. So seeing that Nintendo was progressing, we're going to get, you know, 64 bit games. Like, you know, I was really excited and my brother actually got it. He's older than I, so he had a Nintendo 64 before I did and he was very stingy with it. So I was begging my mom, please, mom, I need this. I need this. And Christmas 1997, That's when I got the limited edition gold controller Toys-R-Us. Yes, yes, I know. I was like, this is heaven.
And of course we all see that rectangle box and you're like, OK, it's a game, but like, what game is it? And it was Mischief Makers. No way. What? Yes. Yeah. So that's why, like this game means it means so much to me. I'm like, how did you? Like, what do you know about mischief makers? Like, what is this? And I was a subscriber of Nintendo Power, so I vaguely recall reading about it, but not really knowing too much about it. And right Chef's Kiss. I love this. Game. That's amazing.
You know what? Even though you said that you had a history with this game, even before we hit record and all that kind of stuff, and we're sort of figuring this out and and everything, I somehow still did not expect that that would be the game that you said you were going to open. I don't know why. I just didn't, Of course. Well, you know, like Nintendo 64 came out, what, 96? Right. So everybody was playing, you know, Super Mario 64, like, that was the game. Everybody like. Pretty.
But also there wasn't a huge, there wasn't a huge library of games in that first year. Like it really was not massive because from the way things seem, it was really hard to you know. Get things out in time and develop for cuz Nintendo was really stingy about getting their technology out there, so it's just like they still are. They still are, but they were like keeping things so under wraps that it was like. Yeah, come on.
Anyways, so I don't know like what were, what were some of the games that came out like it was Super Mario 64, I think maybe Mario Kart? Yeah, wave race, wave race was wave race 60. 4 Cruise in USA I think was early enough. That was probably just a killer. Instinct was definitely one of them. Awesome. Awesome. Yeah, Yeah. It's like Killer Instinct Gold too. So it was like this. Yeah, Yeah, it was. It was amazing. Probably.
Oh, yeah. So yeah, Like. Yeah, there wasn't that many Shadows of the Empire. Star Wars was a really early one. And then Mortal Kombat trilogy, and that's kind of like the, you know, not there wasn't that was it. Yeah, that was it. So everybody and, you know in my neighborhood was either playing Mario Kart 64 killer instant Gold Wave Race 64. OK, fine. And that's all dandy, but I tend to really love platformers. I've always play platformers. I find I pride myself in being
pretty decent at them. So that's why this game really means a lot to me, because it was literally right off my alley and it was just such a great surprise to me first. Does it? So does it? Does it still sort of feel that way now? Is it mostly off memory? Is it sort of like, have you played it since and have you played it enough since? Like, is it, is it mostly a nostalgia thing? Cuz And that's totally fair if it is, because believe me,
there's lots of games. On like NES and Genesis and stuff that I've played that I pick up later. I'm just like, I'd like this okay. Are you sure? Yeah, I would say for me, nostalgia is a hell of a drug for me. It hits so it's so bad for me. I haven't played this game probably in about 15 years, so I I'm I'm pretty sure I would love it still to this day, but I can't say for sure if like the mechanics still hold up and such.
Again, I still play plenty of platformers today, so I'm still thinking I would love the experience as much. Well, it depends. There are some things about it that I'm like, I don't know if I can handle it anymore because that game, there were some challenges with there for sure. What? What stuff stands out and what stuff do you remember like that? What? So, so, the game. So I don't know if you haven't beaten the game yet, but. I did. I did finish it. Oh, you did. I did, Yeah. I did it.
Yeah. OK, awesome. So there's there's these gems you have to collect, and in each stage there's gold gems, and they're either hidden or whatnot very well. They're harder to get, really. Yeah, they're so much harder to get. But with the bosses, you have to defeat the bosses without getting hit. And that part really, I don't know if I have the patience anymore when I'm like 13 years old. Yeah, I had the patience.
I had the skills. I had the reflexes to dodge missiles and whatever they're throwing at me. And and let's be honest, you had the time, the time at the time too. So you know, that part really is not the most appealing to me. I used to be more of a completionist, and now that I'm a lot older, it's, you know what, let me just get through the game. But also a part of the game is you have to get all of the gold gems in order to see the complete ending of the game.
And so that would bug me so much that I would get all these gems and I'm missing one. And I don't know what happens at the end, right? I do know what happens at the end, but I'm just saying like as an adult, like it'd be nice to see. Yeah, so, So I completed it and I was going through the game. Not knowing this whole gem
situation, I didn't. So for me cuz OK, so here's the other thing about doing shows like this and playing games, You know, either through emulation or on just a cartridge and stuff. I'm sure I could go and find the manual of this game online and flip through it and it would tell me. It would give me some information, but. I tend to forget or I don't do it, cuz I'm just like, I'm just gonna jump into the game and
just experience it, you know? Sort of like, yeah, like I'm renting this game from Blockbuster and I'm just gonna play it for the week. That's kind of how I approach some of these, especially if it's like a single player platformer like this. I'm sitting there going. How complicated. I got this. I got it right. So that's. Yeah, sure. At least. So I told myself and that's what I did with this. I was like, you know what, It'll be fine. I'll figure it out. I kind of remember playing this
at a friend's place. I think I told you earlier that like, you know, one of our friends, family friends, she had a 64 and she was the only person. This is the same person. If if anyone listens to the Yoshi Story episode, it's the same person that had Yoshi Story and this game. And she has phenomenal taste. Right, and it was, but it's the only person I knew that had those games outside of the typical Mario Kart and Zelda,
and those were sort of like her. Her side games or whatever you want to call them, like sort of like next tier down or whatever. Anyways, I play them at the same household and that's the only experience I have at this game. And I was like, OK, I kind of remember these early levels. I remember the shake, shake of course. Like how could you not? How could you not times throughout the game, right,
exactly. So like all those things, I was like, OK, I got this and I went into it and I found a couple of those gold gems and. I, you know, picked them up. I'm like, oh, it's giving me a bunch of health. Great, cool. They're sort of like getting 50 coins at once or something. That's kind of what it feels, exactly. Yeah. Did I know that it had anything to do with the ending or the bosses or? Nope. I had. No. Did I know that it was counting how many I had?
I had no idea. I didn't know There was like an overall tally. I was just like, sure I got two of them. On this stage, great. Cool. I found it. So when I and then the bosses like, no chance I'm going without getting hit. Like, no. No way. Right. Exactly. That was like top tier get good gaming back then. Like, I'm not. And I did it. It was like one of the changes of my damn life. I got all the gems in this game.
I know the ending. I thought you knew the ending because you looked it up. I say no, this is a personal experience. Oh my God. Team Blanco was really good at this. I mean, it took blood, sweat, and tears. A lot of tears, but I got it. But if I were to do it now, no way. No way. I have. Yeah. Yeah. And some of the boss fights are pretty interesting. I found the, I found them kind
of funny because there was one. I I think it's the second or third world, I think is what they call them, where you're sort of in like the lava and you're underground. Oh, yes, yes. Yeah. I talked with a bull. Yeah, a bull, but he like comes out of the lava and. I thought it was. I was like, oh, this is kind of cool. This feels like other games, but they're sort of doing their own thing with it. We have to grab them and stuff.
But it's so funny the way that they implement the grabbing and punching sort of mechanic because you basically make him just punch himself over and over and he gets like all dizzy. And then you hit him and I'm just like, this is hilarious. Like that's what they're doing because she never kicks anyone. You know, you can throw bombs and things like that, like, but it's not. It's all cartoon violence, which fair enough. It's sort of anime and
everything. But just the fact that, yeah, just the fact that you're literally throwing a fist at the back at this guy's face, I was like, this is great, This is so funny. So this ear, that's what I'm saying. Yeah, I really enjoyed enjoying sort of some of those silly elements of it. It doesn't take itself seriously. It's a little too over the. Top anime kind of thing for me, which is not usually my bread and butter. So I think you know it just is you know that is what it is.
That's a very personal thing. Not everyone has that experience. I'm not sure about yourself, but you know, I was like sometimes I was like, what is going on here and why I don't I would. I wanna. You know that the whole anime thing, like I I think I also read that they weren't sure that this like type of material would even mesh well with the like North American audience. But I will say what was really weird is like, this guy is like 80 years old and he's kind of like thirsty for this.
Oh my God. Is this OK? Is this OK? No, it's not. Well, you know, when you're like 14 years old, you're like, OK, this is like, it's just the game, fine. But like, when you look at it with adult eyes, it's like the pervy professor that like, I don't even know what he wants to do with her, but like, OK, you just shake it off and play the game. Like, literally shake it off. Literally, literally say shake, shake and keep going. Yeah. Like, why are you saving this
guy? Like, why you saving him? He's a creep. Like what you doing, not just creep. Such a creep. And it's right off the bat too, right? Like I didn't. I did not remember that part at all. But it's like literally the opening. I guess you could call it cinematic before you even press start to play the game. It's him like creeping behind her being like ooh with like his hands. Like, what the fuck is happening this? She knows. She knows that, and she's not about that life.
So she, like, throws him away. 100% smart enough to know. Yeah, like she's. Smart enough. She's badass enough. She has a she has the abilities. You know, all that is great. I I like that. Like, she's great. But why bother saving this guy? He's not. He's he's is your creator, I guess, is sort of the story. So OK, there's some sort of like Frankenstein attachment thing to it maybe or something. I don't know. Sure. But I don't know. Loyalty to a fault, honestly.
There you go. There's the appeal here, girl. I don't know, man. And then when you get to the end. I don't know. So I didn't get a certain like full ending or whatever, but it is related to what we're talking about. So I think I look this up, but I think the full ending is just as creepy and just as weird. It's awful. I almost wish I didn't get the last gem. It was like, what is happening here?
He's still being a perv and he has like little, like Booger in his nose and he's like booming at the mouth as she, I mean at spoilers, you know, she turns into like a real girl and he's still like. Yeah, so it's OK. So that's the other thing. The way you phrase it. I don't know why I thought like Frankenstein, when really I should have just said Pinocchio. Because when you say.
Yeah, when you say real girls like Oh yeah, real boy like Pinocchio. So essentially what happens is you save him at a certain point and then you go back to your house or his house or whatever it is and using the gems that you've collected if you have all of them, I think this is what it is. Is you, is she turns into.
Multiple stages or a certain version of a I don't know if it depends how many gems you have, but the the the play, the long play that I watched when there was like one or two gems left, she turned into a girl, but it was only half girl, half robot still, and then another and then another gem was used and then she turned into what was supposed to be a full girl. And he's like super excited. And he's like, yeah, he's like, yeah, like you said, he's like drooling or something.
It's so fucking creepy and weird. And then it's like, game over. Like, wait, what? Yeah, that's it. That's it, Doug. It's like, oh, OK, well, was it worth it? To me it was, But not because of the ending, just because of the satisfaction of knowing, OK, there's nothing left to do in this game, you know, Right. Just for that. Only I could have totally done without that. I honestly, I think a lot of people could have, let's be honest, it's. I hope so. Yeah, I hope. Yeah, I sure.
I sure as hell hope so. It's just so weird because the journey to get to that point, whether you get all the gems or you don't, is is pretty, you know, full-fledged. There's a lot of different mechanics. They're really random. Honestly, like some stuff that you do makes no fucking sense. I have no idea like early in the
game. You pick up one of the little guys, which by the way, the guys that are the the enemies and the ones that you're going to save like the sort of like ghost fit, like they look like Ghostface, the clansers. Yeah, they look like Ghostface and scream. That's what they look like for me. Like, that's so to me. They look creepy. So sweet. Come on. Some of them are, some of them are. They also look like they're like, in pain.
Yeah. Yeah, either they're in pain or they're hiding a knife in their back pocket. I don't know which one, it's one of those two. So, but you know, at one point you pick one of them up and then you shake them. It says, oh shake me and it turns into like this giant like block of mech. Oh yeah, totally. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, That's awesome. Yeah, it's pretty cool because you're doing something different. Like, there's a lot of different ideas in this game, which is really fun. Oh yeah.
Why it's happening and why this guy just needs to be shaken to turn into basically a transformer, I have no idea. But I'm like, all right, I'll go with it for the next like 45 seconds of the level, because really the levels are really short and everything. So sure, yeah, I. Was so sure? Yeah, I mean, the game is like I I say it's like very chaotically cute. Like there's just so much variety. There's just so much involved in the game.
Like, first you'll just be going from point A to B, then the next stage you're riding on a Kitty, and then the next stage you're on a missile, trying to balance it out with your pain, and then you're on a bicycle. It's. Just this is gonna say you're a little kid on a bike, on a bike. It's just like, what? What is happening? Although that stage is a pain in the ass, like that one has a core memory, like has ingrained in my brain.
Yeah, but I think that's kind of why I like this, because it it was so I never knew what to expect. The only thing I knew what to expect was to shake. Just shake. Freaking everything. And it's it's not a bad mechanic. I kind of get the idea. And then and then you, like you have her gimmicky you. Know. Yeah. That's gimmicky. Yeah. Every once in a while it's like do I did I really need to do that.
But yeah. And then you have the C buttons that you do with the with the for her boosters and stuff though those are cool. I just. I just wish that when I was playing it every once in a while. I think this is probably because you know you get used to. You know more modern games where they have mechanics that are similar to that, where a double jump or something like gives you a little bit of extra height or boost or more of what than what it gives you here.
So it's almost like you have to do this combo of like up and right if you want to get to a higher ledge on the right, you don't just press double jump, you know? You don't just press jump and OK. So it's it's sort of like this I it took me, I think the entire first world, which is not super long, but it took me a while to
be like. OK, I I get how this works now because it's almost like the Jetpack is underpowered in some ways and only and I think it only feels that way because we like I said, I think it's because we're used to other mechanics and newer generations of games. I think that's really it. I don't think that makes the game any worse. It does make it a little frustrating sometimes because some of the jumps are a little bit like lackluster. It feels and everything but.
So what am I gonna do? Faults. Yeah. Like, am I gonna fault something? A game that came out 2527 years ago. Like, I I get it. Like, I get it. That's what That's what I do feel like. I do feel like that is one of the cons that a lot of people mention that have actually played the game is is the is the movements. They feel like a little bit stiff and it's and yes, like the first world is really like the whole tutorial.
Like you really should pay attention on how what to do, because these are the moves that are gonna get you to get those gold gems to not get hit by the boss or whatnot. So like, I think they do a good job of teaching you how, but like to actually master it is that's a whole nother level. At least to me, it was. No, I agree. And that's and that's what it felt like, you know, Like I think I played when I was playing through it. I played like a world at a time sort of thing.
I sat there and they did. Half an hour here, an hour there, 45 minutes here, and it took. I don't know exactly how long it took, but took at least a few hours to get through the game and stuff with a, you know, couple of replays and stuff like that. Not not too bad, honestly. Pretty good for for that. I feel like some of the boss battles lasted a little too long. You have to hit them a little like too many times. I was like, OK, I get it. I'm punching the bull five times in the face.
I get it. OK, OK, All right, 15 times. OK. All right. 25, you know, it's just felt like a lot. It's a lot of like. It's a lot of like pattern recognition to you. Know it's yeah, it doesn't change. But you know, as you go along it does get like a little bit harder. I do remember the the bird Falco. Yes, the damn sore. My God, this this bird don't need bananas.
Bananas. And and that was actually probably one of the last gems I could get because there was number way I can get through that without getting hit. It does like this, like spinning thing. Oh, God, it's there's there's a lot. Yeah, there's a lot of moves that are, yes, like you said, pattern recognition. But every once in a while, for some reason, like, OK, I played him a couple times like this one in particular, actually know that you mentioned it.
I was like, OK, I played this a couple times. I think I got it. And then somehow I didn't get it. Like, I was just like, what is going on with my mind? How did I not? I knew that was going to happen. And yet here I am, sitting there like an idiot. Like it's like that period where you're like you've been playing for so long and you just start sucking more and then you're like, you know, let me just put it down for like a day and come back to.
It, yeah, you get it. Well, yeah, and for someone who was such a completionist on this game, I can imagine that. At the time, you probably have to, right? Like, there's no way you could just, oh 100%. But, you know, back then I totally had more time too. And I had more patience and I had more drive to actually want to put myself through that pain, not wanting, you know, to get hit. Like, yeah, I could beat the boss, but take it up a notch and not get hit, yeah.
I mean, that's that's impressive to me. That kind of stuff is really impressive in games in general. It's almost like like speed runs and stuff, like those types of things. I cannot. Wrap my head around, yeah, but, but, but I actually would say that, you know, going through a game like this, not getting hit, collecting all these things is not that far off. Yeah, you could repeat it and it's not a quote UN quote speed run, but it's an impressive feat to be able to do.
It doesn't matter when you do, it doesn't matter if you're 13 or if you're 30, like it really doesn't matter some of these games, man. Like, you know, we just played Jeff Force Gemini and like. You have to in a similar way you have to collect all the tribals to get like to get to the final boss. And I'm like, I I can't do that. But that's this thing. I don't, I don't like games like that. They kind of like close off the story until you collect everything.
I I don't like that. Like, give me the. It's an option to get the gold gems in this game. We said this, yeah, we said the same thing. We said the same thing. It was just like. I want to get to the ending. I want to fight the final boss. I want to do this stuff, like I want to get to the end of this and I just, I'm not it's not happening. So I I watched it so like similar to this to watch the other ending. I watched the real ending and
and Jet Forest and stuff too. But yeah, so I I think for the most part the game is good. It's just a little frustrating sometimes for me playing it past the first or past the Second World pretty much. I don't really remember anything past the Second World. Was cool to experience. So that was fun to go back to and be able to like, like, so It's so strange how this game I played so little of like 20-6 years ago and I still remembered certain things like why?
Like what? Well, like the almost the entire first world I remembered. Yeah, yeah, maybe that's very yes. Maybe I don't remember exactly what I needed to do. But like chasing the little kids and and giving them back to their mom, all those those bad kids. Yeah, and they're just like running in circles. I'm just like you stupid kids, stop moving. Why are you jumping over fire? This is ridiculous. I know.
Yeah, you know, like, hey mom, why don't you help out and like, at least call their name instead of just like standing there. I'm like, that's like totally safe. But OK, kids do. And then after that she's like, oh, where's my husband? I'm like, Jesus, yeah, there's gotta be a reason why Who's running away from you. But I. Oh my God. I mean, yay. She's just trying to be really nice. She's a nice, she's a nice robot hero. I get it. You know, or Android, you know, I get it.
But like those things, somehow I remembered. Of course, like I said before, I remember the shake. Shake like before I turned the game on, I just remembered that. That tone. So you can't forget it. You cannot forget it. I think that's probably like one of my gripes about the game. As adorable as that Shake Shake is, I I do wish that they added a little bit more voices. A little bit. You know what? And all that stuff. That's cute. But the Shake Shake. Give me something else.
Man, yeah. And then when you finish some of the levels, like the bosses and stuff, she's like woo Hoo like little things like that. Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's cute, actually. Really like that? I like it too. I thought it was. I thought it was. And she does like a little, like, pose. She almost does, you know, a little like dance and just pose thing. Yeah, it's yeah, she does that. Whatever the kids call that. I don't know what it is. I'm too old now.
I don't know. I. Can't remember what it's called but that's kind of what it looks like and and those things. But yeah, a little bit of something you know like let's say you it's hard. I mean, we're we don't make games, we're not programmers. We don't know, but not at all. Yeah, like, let's say you, you know. Throw an enemy off the stage and she would just like, do a little cheer or something like that. You know, like something small, like it would be kind of fun.
But anything just a shake, shake all day. And you know what? Like this game. So most of the games that we know for like Nintendo 64 are like more of that 3D. So they're using the hardware right. But this game is too 2.5, I guess, because it's kind of 3D, but not really. So I feel like they weren't even using all of the power of the Nintendo 64, so maybe maybe they're cutting back on funds, I
don't know. Yeah, but they could have done a little bit more with it. It's it's a it's a like, it's a platformer. It wasn't like a 3D open world kind of game. So I feel like they did have space to kind of play with it more, maybe be a little bit more, you know, with the voice acting and such, but it's not bad. But I feel like they could have done. Yeah, give me a little more than I think. You know, yeah, yeah, I think that's my complaint. No, hey, fair enough.
Hey, it is what it is. I think part of it. It's so strange cuz some of the games I've played already, and I'm sure ones that I'll play as I continue. It seems like early games in the first like 2 years, 9697. Unless it was a Nintendo developed game like Mario 64 or like Zelda for example. Like it seems like that they, the developers had so much less to work with and less
information. And it's really like, you know, I think that restricted a little bit of what they feel like they could have pulled off because Jeff Force Gemini, for example, was out three years after this game or 2 1/2 years after this game and. It does way more with the music it does. It doesn't have really all that many voices as a few, but it does so much with the music and so much with the sort of like shooting mechanics and all
these. Yeah, it's a different game, but there's so much more going on in it. I don't know that that game could have been made in 97, like this one was like, I don't know if it could have. And I'm just, you know, grasping at straws here. I don't really know 100%, but it feels like when I look up the development of these games and I look up.
The year that they're released, like if a game is starting to be developed in 98 and comes out in 2000 and then this one started to be developed in 95, yeah, it's, it's tough, right? You can't. I agree. I wish there was more. I don't disagree with you at all. I think it would like elevate
the game for sure. I just almost wish that the game came out in 98 or in 99 and it would have had that, I think true, true true, and and from what I know, like the guys that made this, I think it's treasure. I think it's like literally like such a small group of people who probably had to wear like many hats to develop this game and such. So, and it's funny, like those guys they worked for, I think Konami.
Yeah. So a few of them did, yeah, yeah, they were like working on like Castlemania and Freaking Contra and stuff. And they also made Gun Star Heroes, which is, which is Have you ever played Gun Star Heroes? I I've dabbled in it. I've dabbled in it, yeah. Yeah, it's so good. And you can kind of see like some of the influence from there in this game, like the throwing, the gun shooting. It's a run and gun type of game.
So I actually appreciated that. Not that I knew that back then, but I was like oh, that's so freaking cool. Like the same team kind of brought this here. But back to the point is that they're a small team, small developers. They do the best that they can. Yeah, that's why I can't really give them, like too much crap about like, oh, give me another phrase, you know, like.
Still, it's just it's because you have so much love for the game that you want as much as you could possibly get out of it, right? That's kind of kind of how it is and that's totally fair. I mean, I've had that with with other games too, where like you know, Diddy Kong Racing is a great game in my opinion. But, but do I wish there was like, more characters or more tracks? Yes, sure, fine. But that's because I love the game and I just want to keep playing it.
Like, that's why. Yeah, exactly. Doesn't mean it's a bad game, doesn't mean you like it any less. It's just, yeah, I mean, yeah, we can have like gripes about a game. It doesn't mean that all it's terrible. You know, like I said, like what games? A 10 out of 10, you know what I mean? Especially on the 60 four. And yeah, yeah, that's a whole.
That's another podcast, guys. But I also feel like the reason I kind of gravitated to this game is because it and I know it's Nintendo 64, so we're supposed to kind of move forward, but it kind of reminded me of a lot of Super Nintendo platformers. I guess. And so, like I did, I did enjoy Super Mario 64. I did. But I played that game like a few months ago and I hated it. I hated it. I said there's too much happening. I just wanna go left to right, almost like that's just where I
thrive. And so, like, it just reminded me of those Super Nintendo platformers. You know, like Mega Man. I thought it was Mega Man's girlfriend when I first saw this shit. Hey, that's totally fair. That's totally fair. I would. I could see that. Yeah. I I mean, you know what? All right, I I enjoy Mega Man games, but man, I suck at them. I am so bad at fuck at them. So they kick my ass all the time. It doesn't matter which one it is. I think I had.
X or X2? I don't remember exactly how they did it for Super Indo. I had one of them where you can play. My God, this is terrible. What's the guy with the sword? Is it 0? Is his name zero? Yeah. Yeah, you or you could play a Sam. I was like oh cool, I got a Mega Man guy with a sword like that's or or a blade or whatever. That's kind of why I liked it. But did I ever beat it? Probably not. I probably beat like 3 bosses and they were like so murder. Murder. And they're supposed to be this
supposed to be difficult. So yeah, like they have. They've historically always been hard. Like, oh, my little Mega Man steer, by the way. Oh, I just broke him. But he's here. Oh, yeah. Hey, nice. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But yeah, like I played two a few months ago and I was like, oh, how the hell did we do this back? Yeah, it's just so damn hard. You know, yeah, I agree. And this, like you said, I think Mischief Makers has aspects of those of those games.
Like you can see that there's influence there, you can see that there's similar ideas. And yeah, OK, the core mechanic of like grabbing something and throwing it I think is pretty cool and different and I like that. I had that, yeah, but but the other like the actual like jumping and the boosting and things like that, like, yeah, it feels like a 2D platformer from a couple years prior that would have been on their previous console.
And that's not a bad thing because like we both said, the SNDS is fucking amazing. So that's all good. Amazing, amazing. And I think that's where I was like thriving. I was like, oh, this is just like a a glorified 16 bit, you know, a game on, like on my new system. So I'm just gonna rock out and have no complaints and and and you kicked its butt, so there you go. It's awesome. I I really think it's such. I don't even want to say it's underrated, but it's it's more like like.
I don't even know. It's I unappreciated. I think yeah. Yeah and I yeah, exactly. I I don't think it's a home run personally for the like the gameplay wise and like there's there's aspects of it where I'm like, OK, you know I don't love this, but I don't think that it's a game that people should avoid either. So I think it's a really good sort of like for me it's it feels like, and again, I'm not far into the library of the games as of this recording, but it doesn't really matter.
Like, I feel like it's gonna be somewhere in the middle, you know? I feel like it's gonna be somewhere in the middle for me. And that's totally fine. That's it. It is what it is, and it's. At least top ten. Well, you have so many to go. So that's the thing. Yeah, yeah. Wait, just wait. Wait a couple decades before I get through this entire library. I guess it's again. Yeah, yeah, me too. But there's, you know, there's there's lots of, there's not that many 2D platformers at this
point. And this is going to be probably one of the definitely one of the more unique ones for sure and on a lot of different in a lot of different ways. And. And that's enough for me. Is, is that right? It's unique, it's 2D. It doesn't always have to be the same as everything else, just cuz you have 64 bits. So then you have to go 3D and for the most part I think they did a pretty good job with it, so. Thank you. Let's get mischief, makers. It's flowers.
You know, I do have one question though. Yeah. What do you think about using the D pad as opposed to the sticks right being that? It's on. You know Nintendo 64, So here's yeah. So the fact that it's on 64 and they didn't use it feels strange because it's like, why wouldn't
you just utilize what you have? But I also am this type of player, and this is probably because I have a had a Super Nintendo, played a lot of NES at Friends Places and Genesis, and when there is a 2D platformer even nowadays, like even difficult ones like Celeste and Dead Cells and things like that, like those. I mean, it's not quite a platform, but you know what I mean?
Those types of games, even if it's a new Mario game, even when the new one comes out for Switch, when it can't wait, when it comes out, if it allows me to use the D pad, I will default to a D pad on a 2D plane for a game. So totally I'm totally yeah I am totally fine with it in this game. It doesn't bother me not utilizing 2 of the more unique aspects. I would say of the 64 controller is a little odd like nose nosey
or zed button. No joystick to fine, yeah, but as I'm playing it, I'm not sad about it either. So it's. Like, man, I can't use the, can't use the stick, all that stuff. Yeah, and I don't know what it is. Maybe because it's a 2D plane like my mind goes to. Well, I don't need to go diagonal because it's on a TV flag, so that's why I never I I usually never use a joystick unless, like the game really wants you to for certain maneuvers or something. OK, fair enough, that's fine.
I can probably pull it off better with a joystick no matter what console it's on. But I I just my mind has a hard time wrapping itself around. This is just old me, old man yelling at cloud you. Know old us? Yeah, just you know what I think exactly. So I think that's part of it. So yeah. So yeah, it's a little strange, but didn't bother me. Didn't bother me. I don't. Know. Yeah. It's not like game breaking or anything of the sort. Actually, it don't makes it's not a problem at all.
But I know people are like little bits on the Nintendo 64. How come we're not using? You know what I mean? Well, one of my favorite 64 games and and games in general of all time is WWF. No Mercy. I just love mercy, love that game so much that uses the D pad on a 3D game and it never crosses my mind that it's a problem. Never was then, isn't now, and I will play that game for days on end. I absolutely love it and that's. Awesome. It's not a problem. So it is.
It's fine. It's totally fine. It's all good. That's all I need to hear. Well, I wanna say thank you for coming on and bringing this game. Honestly, when I get to play something that is this unique, when I get to play something I have very little experience in and someone, like I said, it's off the top of someone that's passionate about it. Thank you. Thank you for bringing it more
to the forefront. No, I'm proud to be a Mischief Makers Ambassador. And I hope if you can get your hands on this game that people actually give it a chance, especially if you really appreciate platformers. Nice. I think personally it's in my top 10 on Nintendo 64. Amazing hands out for me. So much for having me. This is awesome. It was a pleasure to have Slankobaum on the show and talk
about mischief makers. I love finding these types of games that's I am only vaguely familiar with or haven't played at all or have very little experience with. This one is definitely a unique one, very early in the console's life cycle as well, so it's always cool to look that far back. And I just want to say thank you to her for being on the show once again for Remember 64 and check out her stuff on YouTube as we were mentioning. It is fantastic and a whole lot of fun and all about the
positivity which we love. And of course here on Remember 64 you can always support us at patreonpatreon.com/remember 64 Show and if you are a new sign up you can just shoot me an e-mail. Say that you are and I will have a holographic sticker on its way to your mailbox. You can check out what it looks like on the Patreon page and then sign up for there as little as a dollar a month, any level, any tier on Patreon will get one of those for free in the mail.
On top of that, feel free to give us a rating on your podcast app of choice. Of course Spotify, Apple are much preferred and appreciated, but that's pretty much it for Remember 64. We have some pretty great games coming down the pipe, so stay tuned for that, including a
special one. If you are listening to this when this episode is out, a special Goldeneye episode will be coming up. So stay tuned for that and find us on social media at Remember 64 Show where I will be hyping that up as much as they possibly can. But until next time everybody, we'll see you soon. I'm remember 64.