Jet Force Gemini--widescreen

FYI--When you play the game and get rid of the borders, the game plays in widescreen during the cinematics but in 4x3 format for the gameplay. If you go into the options and turn the widescreen "on" then the game plays in widesceen format and looks pretty good. I guess they wanted to preserve the CRT original version.

Also, the patch today supposedly adds better controls for Jet Force Gemini. Even still, kind of expecting to have my fond memories shattered when I get to playing this.

Always wanted to play Jet Force Gemini but never was able to get it at the time. I just started it and hopefully it is good (was it good?). It is weird to have to jump using the right stick and push up. But then again, going back to the old N64 games and using the controller is hard in a post analog age. After having dual sticks as default now in games it really is hard to go back.

I loved this game as a kid, and when a co-worker and I picked up an N64 for the office a few years ago, I grabbed this, too. I didn't expect much, given its age and strange controls, but honestly I really fuckin enjoyed playing it. It's not just nostalgia; it just has this certain quality to it that is just fun and intriguing to be enveloped in. I think that's true of all good Rare games, though, frankly, and this one is no exception. However, the more tangible qualities that I like are the way that the guns feel (very powerful) and the art style (cute and gross at the same time). There is a point about 3/4 of the way through, though, where you get jetpacks for your characters and are supposed to go back to planets you've already 100%'d with each character and use the jetpack fuel pads to get to new areas, and honestly I stopped playing there both times, but the part I did play was like 15 hours of gameplay that I otherwise really enjoyed.

I also never played the Banjo games. So that should be fun. I did originally have Perfect Dark but you needed the expansion pak (whick i did get) but the framerate was atrocious if I remember correctly. I booted that up and looks good and the music is great. Looking forward to that. I did originally have Conker and got about halfway through (I got stuck), then got it on Xbox and also got about 1/3 the way through, so I may finally give this another go. Great game though.

I guess the 360 games in this collection will get separate updates?

@asger: Yes they do. Once you install the Replay disc, the 360 games (and N64 --360 ports) go into your install queue. Once you begin those, an update pops up for them individually. Strange thing is, all of those games automatically installed. I could pause them but then the next one would install. I guess I could just delete the ones I don't want installed right now. They don't "Replay" achievements, but use the existing achievements. You do get "Replay" milestones that use those acheievements ...like "reach gamerscore of 100".

I'm looking forward to this game again. I never beat it as a kid because I got to a point where I literally didn't know how to progress (Mizar's palace I think?).

I tried playing my N64 version a few years ago and just couldn't do it. Too much time away from that controller, and this game's weird control scheme, just made it unplayable.

The "modern" control scheme feels pretty good for the most part. The strafing while aiming is maybe a bit too touchy and aiming itself could use a little more sensitivity, but it still makes the game much easier to play in 2015.

I played with the new controls for a couple hours last night, they are a big improvement. Mapping the C-Buttons to the right stick sucked because the differences between 4 buttons and one analog stick are significant and it is unnecessary to change which stick controls movement when you have two sticks to work with. A to jump and B to crouch makes way more sense. I wish there was aiming sensitivity but it works okay. I mostly wish that you could use the right stick to control the camera when you are not in precision aiming mode because the follow camera they have is okay at avoiding geometry but does not take into account enemies at all and tapping the L trigger to recenter the camera has a weird pop in it now as a side effect to the changes they made to the aiming reticle.

Jet Force Gemini is running in an N64 emulator it is not a Xbox One port so they were probably limited to what they could change, the modern control scheme is way more usable and less frustrating. I might actually finish the game this time around.

JFG has always been one of my favourite games, and even though this version is not a full remaster, the framerate is better, the controls are better, and the game looks much cleaner than it would if I plugged my NSixty in. Also, while i often stopped playing at the aforementioned 3/4 mark, not gonna do that this time.

Gonna bust out this bad boy and go to town:

I played the game last night with the "patched" control scheme and it is MUCH better. I no longer accidentally jump or crouch when using the right stick. The X and A button make much more sense. The auto aim for regular firing is fine but to manual aim keep snapping back to center. It's a chore to manual aim properly. Not game breaking by any means, as there aren't a ton on enemies that you have to manually aim for (at least in the beginning). The only thing that stinks is due to the fact it is an N64 game. The camera sucks. It doesn't always always center you, especially in hallways. You can tap the left trigger to center but sometimes you walk in the line of fire before you can get centered properly. Not much else can be done about that, as that was life in a single control stick world. Not suer why they didn't use 2 sticks. They could have released a dual stick controller like the PS1 did well after launch.

I'm really happy with that widescreen option. The side art for that game was pretty terrible and the girl character's skirt was way way too high. I don't want to stare at that for hours on end.

@finaldasa: meh, Vela looks like that in the actual game too. you're gonna be getting up that skirt no matter what.

Personally, I just turn borders off for all the games, makes it feel more focused and serious.