Tropical Nintendo 64 Destinations You Should Visit
Martin Watts January 29, 2013Earlier this week, we took a closer look at Wave Race 64, a remarkable water-based racing game which features realistic water and vibrant locations bursting with colour and warmth. It’s the perfect game to be playing in the cold, mundane month that is January.
All the sun and sand got us thinking about other N64 games with great tropical destinations. If there’s one thing that the system was really accomplished at, it was producing colourful and fun game worlds for the player to explore.
We’ve taken a look at some of the best tropical destinations to be found in N64 games, which you can see below. If you’re hopelessly sitting there dreaming about jetting off on a sunny vacation that’s never going to happen, why not enjoy a bit of escapism with these delightful virtual locations?
We do wonder if the noisy speedboats keep people up at night
Hydro Thunder – Lost Island
Hydro Thunder may not be as good as Wave Race 64, but it’s not bad for an arcade port and it’s certainly one of the more playable N64 games. Lost Island is covered in tall cliffs, golden yellow beaches and lush palm trees. It’d be a really nice holiday destination were it not for the fact that giant high-tech speedboats are constantly roaring through its waterways.
Among many of the interesting things for visitors to see are gushing sky-blue waterfalls and small huts where a local tribe probably lives. It’s a shame how little of it you take in whilst racing around at full speed; the scenery is actually quite impressive.
Those two dead bodies come with the property, we swear!
Perfect Dark – Carrington Villa
Situated in an undisclosed location, Carrington Villa was clearly designed with rich and wealthy entrepreneurs in mind. This luxurious property is larger than most housing estates and even has its own power generator. The interiors are splayed with fine art, modern furniture and showers so big and spacious that you could rent them as a room in their own right.
In the basement, Daniel Carrington (the owner) keeps a wide range of vintage wines. Well, at least he did until one of his agents came along and shot every single bottle…
Once you get used to the eerie music, it’s not so bad
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask – Great Bay
Great Bay is a beautiful coastal area, yet you may feel some apprehension about going there at first. Located in the western region of Termina, the area is home to Gerudo Pirates and the Zoras. There’s a research laboratory where all sorts of marine biology experiments are conducted. A bit beyond that is Pinnacle Rock, where the water is very murky and Deep Pythons live. A word of warning: you don’t want to tick them off.
It may not be the ideal holiday location, but nevertheless it’s nice to see Link be presented with the opportunity to take a break and catch some rays. Unfortunately, he always seems to be a little short on time.
It’s a bit of a beach to get to
Pilotwings 64 – Holiday Island
We just love coming back to Holiday Island over and over again. In our recent feature, The Sights of Pilotwings 64, we took a look at the fun fair that holiday goers can enjoy while on vacation on this pleasant little island. Now, we’re focusing on the luxurious beach, where those in need of relaxation can enjoy an idyllic view of the sea from their sun lounger.
Coated in golden sand and with plenty of sail boats to wave at, there’s something extremely peaceful about this place. Just make sure that you sunbathe with one eye open; there’s bound to be a reckless pilot around to spoil your holiday plans by crashing into you.
That DK is so big-headed when he wants to be
Donkey Kong 64 – Donkey Kong Island
Donkey Kong Island is perhaps best described as a tropical amusement park set on an island in the middle of nowhere. That’s because it’s packed full of many themed areas, all of which come with their own wacky ups and downs. There’s a lot to do here, and this isn’t somewhere that you’d go for a quiet getaway while writing a novel.
It has its fair share of nasty critters, vicious obstacles and dangerous terrain, but if you’re looking for adventure, treasure and a lifetime supply of bananas, DK Island is most certainly worth visiting.
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We’re sure there are plenty more great tropical N64 environments for players to explore, so why not share your favourite ones with everyone in the comments section below?
