Players-- Thoughts on Conker's Bad Fur Day
I know that this game is many years old, so there are tons reviews online and even gameplay footage on places like YouTube.
However, I wanted to ask you guys, specifically, do you feel that Conkers is an actual "good game". I ask because, to me, it seems that this game is a little over priced considering the state of the N64. Yes, there's a good chance that price will go up because the N64 market is, probably, just starting to heat up. However, a quick search of this game on eBay will show that it's, well, not THAT rare or hard to find. Instead, I think it's contraversial nature and fact that it came out late in the N64 is what makes it desirable.
With that said, I'm a bit on the fence on getting a good copy. I'm thinking of ignoring this one, however, if it's a legitimately good game and worth playing, I'd consider the purchase. Do any of you guys actually enjoy playing it? I'm not really into crass humor, but I can look past some of that if it's not constant. Is this a decent platform that really spotlighted the capabilities of the N64 in it's final days?
Anyway, I'm interested in you guys thoughts and words cause I know that many of you are player/collector's just like me, and you too are aware of market and value.
Thanks guys.
However, I wanted to ask you guys, specifically, do you feel that Conkers is an actual "good game". I ask because, to me, it seems that this game is a little over priced considering the state of the N64. Yes, there's a good chance that price will go up because the N64 market is, probably, just starting to heat up. However, a quick search of this game on eBay will show that it's, well, not THAT rare or hard to find. Instead, I think it's contraversial nature and fact that it came out late in the N64 is what makes it desirable.
With that said, I'm a bit on the fence on getting a good copy. I'm thinking of ignoring this one, however, if it's a legitimately good game and worth playing, I'd consider the purchase. Do any of you guys actually enjoy playing it? I'm not really into crass humor, but I can look past some of that if it's not constant. Is this a decent platform that really spotlighted the capabilities of the N64 in it's final days?
Anyway, I'm interested in you guys thoughts and words cause I know that many of you are player/collector's just like me, and you too are aware of market and value.
Thanks guys.
Comments
If you're just looking for a good platformer, Mario and Banjo Kazooie will probably outshine it as a much cheaper price. If you are looking for the adult and crude humor, you won't find it anywhere else and that's why you have to pay the price of entry.
It's just a cult classic at this point, the N64 equivalent of Earthbound. Value will probably remain fairly stable on it, won't fall off a cliff and won't spike overnight on some gameplay video either. N64 market is pretty mature and not nearly as volatile as it was 4-5 years ago.
If you're just looking for a good platformer, Mario and Banjo Kazooie will probably outshine it as a much cheaper price. If you are looking for the adult and crude humor, you won't find it anywhere else and that's why you have to pay the price of entry.
Ok, fair enough. As a platformer, has does it compare to Banjo Kazooie? Interesting that you mention those cause I played the heck out of both of them and they were both my favorite platformers for the system, with STAR WARS SotE being 3rd place.
Is Conker's much like BK in play style? Just a different theme?
I feel that it is a polished platformer that pushed the limits of the N64. Graphics and sound are superb. I think it is one of only a few cartridge games that had Dolby Surround sound. The graphics are great and I am surprised to learn that it accomplished these graphics without using the ram pack.
Ah, (sorry for the double post. Posted after my first response.)
Yeah, that's what I'm looking to hear too. I was going to ask if it needed the expansion pack and I've heard reviews that the soundtrack is pretty good too. Alright, I might be swayed on this one... still interested in any thoughts. Anyone out there buy the game due to hype (either recently or after release) and "hated" or didn't like the game? It's always good to hear the skeptic too.
It's just a cult classic at this point, the N64 equivalent of Earthbound. Value will probably remain fairly stable on it, won't fall off a cliff and won't spike overnight on some gameplay video either. N64 market is pretty mature and not nearly as volatile as it was 4-5 years ago.
If you're just looking for a good platformer, Mario and Banjo Kazooie will probably outshine it as a much cheaper price. If you are looking for the adult and crude humor, you won't find it anywhere else and that's why you have to pay the price of entry.
Ok, fair enough. As a platformer, has does it compare to Banjo Kazooie? Interesting that you mention those cause I played the heck out of both of them and they were both my favorite platformers for the system, with STAR WARS SotE being 3rd place.
Is Conker's much like BK in play style? Just a different theme?
Yes, almost identical in play style, just different stories and concepts. They are both produced by Rareware and used the same engine I'm sure. Conker came out nearly 3 years later though, so it really polished the graphics and squeezed every ounce of capability out of that engine.
Unrelated, did they also make Jet Force Gemini? That's also to be one of the best platformers on the system, from what I hear.
Conker's is easily one of the best. sharpest-looking games on the N64. I would even argue it IS the best looking game on the N64. It also has such solid gameplay and memorable moments that it surpasses Banjo Kazooie. The presentation and voice acting is excellent, and the game sticks with you long after you play it. HOWEVER, I like Conker's Live & Reloaded even more. It's cheaper, the graphics are astoundingly good (real-time rendered fur, great textures), and it breaks the fourth wall knowing it's skating the lines between a remake and a remaster of the original, which only adds to the fun.
Edit - I see your question about Jet Force Gemini. The game is an acquired taste, a total mixed bag. It can feel like a hardline third-person shooter/exploration game, and it can feel like an amateurish game too. I'd hate to say total mixed bag again, but it's pretty much that. I wouldn't even call it much of a platformer.
It's just a cult classic at this point.
If you are looking for the adult and crude humor, you won't find it anywhere else and that's why you have to pay the price of entry.
Yep, that about sums it up. It was good at the time but the "crude/raunchy" humor is quite tame by today's standards. Conker's idea of crude humor is having a scantily-clad, messy-haired female squirrel leaving the tree while Conker says "*Burp* Call me later, babe" as he takes a swig from a beer mug. Real NC-17 stuff there. The novelty of seeing what kind of humor was considered to be pushing the envelope at the time is really what draws me to throw it in from time to time.
It's just a cult classic at this point.
If you are looking for the adult and crude humor, you won't find it anywhere else and that's why you have to pay the price of entry.
Yep, that about sums it up. It was good at the time but the "crude/raunchy" humor is quite tame by today's standards. Conker's idea of crude humor is having a scantily-clad, messy-haired female squirrel leaving the tree while Conker says "*Burp* Call me later, babe" as he takes a swig from a beer mug. Real NC-17 stuff there. The novelty of seeing what kind of humor was considered to be pushing the envelope at the time is really what draws me to throw it in from time to time.
The interesting thing is, really, that wasn't pushing the gaming envelope-- it was pushing the Nintendo gaming envelope. I always found it odd that Nintendo always kept such high standards in trying to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere (at least in the US) yet there were always one or two games that seemed to not really slip under the radar, but break the mold. Mortal Kombat, and it's sequels, also come to mind.
It's just a cult classic at this point.
If you are looking for the adult and crude humor, you won't find it anywhere else and that's why you have to pay the price of entry.
Yep, that about sums it up. It was good at the time but the "crude/raunchy" humor is quite tame by today's standards. Conker's idea of crude humor is having a scantily-clad, messy-haired female squirrel leaving the tree while Conker says "*Burp* Call me later, babe" as he takes a swig from a beer mug. Real NC-17 stuff there. The novelty of seeing what kind of humor was considered to be pushing the envelope at the time is really what draws me to throw it in from time to time.
The interesting thing is, really, that wasn't pushing the gaming envelope-- it was pushing the Nintendo gaming envelope. I always found it odd that Nintendo always kept such high standards in trying to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere (at least in the US) yet there were always one or two games that seemed to not really slip under the radar, but break the mold. Mortal Kombat, and it's sequels, also come to mind.
I would've killed to be a fly on the wall at Nintendo headquarters when the dilemma of releasing an obscenely violent, and yet also oscenely popular/profitable game came up at a board meeting. I'll bet a few of the suggestions how to Nintendo-ize it were solid gold. "Turn the blood mist blue!" "For Sub-Zero's fatality, have Sub-zero rip the guys WALLET off, and have it still attached by the chain instead!"
It's just a cult classic at this point.
If you are looking for the adult and crude humor, you won't find it anywhere else and that's why you have to pay the price of entry.
Yep, that about sums it up. It was good at the time but the "crude/raunchy" humor is quite tame by today's standards. Conker's idea of crude humor is having a scantily-clad, messy-haired female squirrel leaving the tree while Conker says "*Burp* Call me later, babe" as he takes a swig from a beer mug. Real NC-17 stuff there. The novelty of seeing what kind of humor was considered to be pushing the envelope at the time is really what draws me to throw it in from time to time.
The interesting thing is, really, that wasn't pushing the gaming envelope-- it was pushing the Nintendo gaming envelope. I always found it odd that Nintendo always kept such high standards in trying to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere (at least in the US) yet there were always one or two games that seemed to not really slip under the radar, but break the mold. Mortal Kombat, and it's sequels, also come to mind.
I would've killed to be a fly on the wall at Nintendo headquarters when the dilemma of releasing an obscenely violent, and yet also oscenely popular/profitable game came up at a board meeting. I'll bet a few of the suggestions how to Nintendo-ize it were solid gold. "Turn the blood mist blue!" "For Sub-Zero's fatality, have Sub-zero rip the guys WALLET off, and have it still attached by the chain instead!"
Mortal Kombat series should consider including 'Nintendalities', with ridiculously obviously censored fatalities. Hahahaha!
It's just a cult classic at this point.
If you are looking for the adult and crude humor, you won't find it anywhere else and that's why you have to pay the price of entry.
Yep, that about sums it up. It was good at the time but the "crude/raunchy" humor is quite tame by today's standards. Conker's idea of crude humor is having a scantily-clad, messy-haired female squirrel leaving the tree while Conker says "*Burp* Call me later, babe" as he takes a swig from a beer mug. Real NC-17 stuff there. The novelty of seeing what kind of humor was considered to be pushing the envelope at the time is really what draws me to throw it in from time to time.
The interesting thing is, really, that wasn't pushing the gaming envelope-- it was pushing the Nintendo gaming envelope. I always found it odd that Nintendo always kept such high standards in trying to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere (at least in the US) yet there were always one or two games that seemed to not really slip under the radar, but break the mold. Mortal Kombat, and it's sequels, also come to mind.
I would've killed to be a fly on the wall at Nintendo headquarters when the dilemma of releasing an obscenely violent, and yet also oscenely popular/profitable game came up at a board meeting. I'll bet a few of the suggestions how to Nintendo-ize it were solid gold. "Turn the blood mist blue!" "For Sub-Zero's fatality, have Sub-zero rip the guys WALLET off, and have it still attached by the chain instead!"
Mortal Kombat series should consider including 'Nintendalities', with ridiculously obviously censored fatalities. Hahahaha!
Sonya's fatality could be to blow an orb kiss towards her opponent, and when it arrives at their feet, the orb grows into a person that tells the loser that the most important thing is not that they won or lost, but that they tried their best.
Kano's fatality could be to reach his hand towards his opponent's chest and rip their phone out of their shirt pocket, and hold it up while it's still dinging with texts that say "That wasn't very nice!"
The "mature" humor is actually mostly childish, as in, vulgar stuff a child might giggle at while trying to keep their parents from hearing. There are parts where they literally think the "joke" is that the characters are cursing and they go on and on as if people just can't get enough (the barn tools). There's another part where the "joke" is that Conker asks "Who wants to be a millionaire?" and then answers his own question with "I do, actually." It was just as stupid then as it is today so if you didn't groan at that then it's no wonder you liked the game! They can't even stress the right words when making a punchline, like "That's what I *call* a bowel movement" (should stress "I," not "call").
It's clear that they are amateurs laughing at their own jokes and thinking that they are more funny than they actually are. It's as insipid and stupid as the Rare employees voicing their bosses in Diddy Kong Racing, where we're supposed to be entertained by each one saying the exact same thing in a different voice. They also fall in to the trap of thinking that referencing something people recognize and making a parody automatically makes it a funny parody. Terminator, The Matrix, Saving Private Ryan, A Clockwork Orange... none of it is funny.
I recall there being SOME good gameplay (notably, the hoverboard race) and there was certainly a lot of variety, but it was still another insufferable fetch-quest during a period when Rare simply would not stop forking out fetch-quests. Heck, they were even ruining Donkey Kong with DK64 (and the fetch-quest elements of DKC3 before it). I had my fill of it in Banjo-Kazooie where it fit the fresh style of the game. I didn't need the same thing in every other game.
I don't know how anyone could call it a "unique" game when Rare was making so many of these in that era. It's as bad as Star Fox Adventures, for sure, and for a lot of the same reasons. Despite the "adult" content, I hope most people developed their love for this game as children because that should be their only excuse.
There were SOME funny bits.
There were SOME fun bits.
They didn't add up to much.
At least the graphics were generally nice.
Gameplay alternates between fun and tedious. It's worth playing, but I think it's highly over rated.
I've only played the game for 20 minutes but that's because I really didn't like it. There was a jump right at the beginning of the game that I couldn't seem to make and I kept falling. After about 10 minutes I realized I could glide, that certainly changed things but didn't save it. I didn't want to start out drunk, I just wanted to start playing the game.
They were going for the crowd who would think "Ha ha! I can't believe they made him drunk, in a videogame!" Another dumb "joke" where we're supposed to think it's funny.
One thing I liked about CFBD in comparison to the Banjo Series or DK64 is that it's not really a collect-a-thon. The main item you collect is money which grants you access to other areas but you pretty much just pick it up on the way.
That's not even primarily what most dislike about fetch-quests. It's a constant barrage of this contrived crap like this:
https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/09/27/may-not-be-spelled-correctly
Star Fox Adventures is another Rareware game guilty of this. Collecting Jiggies and Notes and Feathers and Eggs in Banjo-Kazooie is fine. Collecting gold bomafadod pods or whatever because some wooly elephant is hungry and happens to be blocking a tunnel is contrived. Random characters block just about every turn and entrance with their own "I lost this" or "I need that" or "I'm sad because this" BS. I face-palmed as soon as the big rock guy complained that "nobody brings me any gifts anymore" as if that was all he needed to say to set up why I couldn't do what I needed to do there.
To highlight the difference, Diddy Kong Racing is one of my favorite N64 games even though it's just as contrived (Beating your friends defeats a wizard? Why doesn't Taj just give you the balloons? Why are they even balloons?). That's probably because collecting and racing was the standard gameplay/progression, unlike Conker's BFD and Star Fox Adventures.
It seemed to be their standard game-design philosophy after some key players moved up and others left. I miss the Rare that made DKC and KI, not the Rare that made Conker and Star Fox Adventures. It's clear to me that Conker would have been better off if they continued the original design idea but Star Fox Adventures would have been just as bad as Dinosaur Planet.
Yooka Laylee may be a good game like Banjo was, but the formula doesn't work everywhere.
One thing I liked about CFBD in comparison to the Banjo Series or DK64 is that it's not really a collect-a-thon. The main item you collect is money which grants you access to other areas but you pretty much just pick it up on the way.
That's not even primarily what most dislike about fetch-quests. It's a constant barrage of this contrived crap like this:
https://www.penny-arcade.com/comi...
Star Fox Adventures is another Rareware game guilty of this. Collecting Jiggies and Notes and Feathers and Eggs in Banjo-Kazooie is fine. Collecting gold bomafadod pods or whatever because some wooly elephant is hungry and happens to be blocking a tunnel us contrived. Random characters block just about every turn and entrance with their own "I lost this" or "I need that" BS. I face-palmed as soon as the big rock guy complained that "nobody brings me any gifts anymore" as if that was all he needed to say to set up why I couldn't do what I needed to do there.
To hi-light the difference, Diddy Kong Racing is one of my favorite N64 games even though it's just as contrived (Beating your friends defeats a wizard? Why doesn't Taj just give you the balloons? Why are they even balloons?). That's probably because collecting and racing was the standard gameplay/progression, unlike Conker's BFD and Star Fox Adventures.
It seemed to be their standard game-design philosophy after some key players moved up and others left. I miss the Rare that made DKC and KI, not the Rare that made Conker and Star Fox Adventures. It's clear to me that Conker would have been better off if they continued the original design idea but Star Fox Adventures would have been just as bad as Dinosaur Planet.
Yooka Laylee may be a good game like Banjo was, but the formula doesn't work everywhere.
I dunno, I didn't really like collecting Notes in Banjo and I know I'm not the only one. Watching 100% speedrunners collect the Notes is fun for me though. And anyway they cleaned that part up significantly in Tooie by putting the Notes in clusters. Jiggies were fine too because without them there wasn't really any point to the game. I also didn't really like collecting 500 Bananas per level in Donkey Kong 64, but similarily, the Golden Bananas were fun (as were minor things like Coins, because there were rewards associated with getting them).
I would have to play CFBD again to see how it measures up to the fun I had the first time. I really don't remember the game being tedious though.
One thing I liked about CFBD in comparison to the Banjo Series or DK64 is that it's not really a collect-a-thon. The main item you collect is money which grants you access to other areas but you pretty much just pick it up on the way.
To hi-light the difference, Diddy Kong Racing is one of my favorite N64 games even though it's just as contrived (Beating your friends defeats a wizard? Why doesn't Taj just give you the balloons? Why are they even balloons?). That's probably because collecting and racing was the standard gameplay/progression, unlike Conker's BFD and Star Fox Adventures.
Taj is too wise to simply give the balloons away. He wants to make sure you are well-trained enough to be ready for Wizpig once you finally face him.
"Get this b!@#h off me!"
Collect the poo, take the poo and make a ball, roll it around, etc because some dung beetles want you to. It was kinda funny that they assumed you understood why and didn't feel the need to explain it to you.
Need the cog to start the machine to do... whatever.
"Bring me some sweet corn!"
Lead the bees to the flower to make the flower open to bounce on the flower's boobs to get... the... thing?
Gah! It's tedious to even remember.
One thing I liked about CFBD in comparison to the Banjo Series or DK64 is that it's not really a collect-a-thon. The main item you collect is money which grants you access to other areas but you pretty much just pick it up on the way.
To hi-light the difference, Diddy Kong Racing is one of my favorite N64 games even though it's just as contrived (Beating your friends defeats a wizard? Why doesn't Taj just give you the balloons? Why are they even balloons?). That's probably because collecting and racing was the standard gameplay/progression, unlike Conker's BFD and Star Fox Adventures.
Taj is too wise to simply give the balloons away. He wants to make sure you are well-trained enough to be ready for Wizpig once you finally face him.
Makes sense I guess. Wonder why Wizpig and his bosses are all so willing to stop oppressing you just because you beat them in a race (both endings kinda subvert this idea so it makes even less sense). Also convenient that Wizpig's rocket malfunctions just because you beat him. I really liked the game though. All the coin and key and mirror challenges really added depth and challenge to the game while remaining structured. The structure was inherently less-contrived than a string of random roadblocks.