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Title: Twelve Tales: Conkers Quest 64

Devolper: Rare

Players: 4

Genre: Platform

Rumble Pak: Yes

Memory: Battery Back up

Release: Quater 1 99'

Origin: U.K.

Rare certainly hasn't been slacking when it comes to development for Nintendo 64. The company, hot off the success of Blast Corps, Goldeneye Banjo Kazooie and Diddy Kong Racing has currently 4 new games in the works.

One of Rare's big games, due out October 27 but delayed untiled Q1 99', is Twelve Tales: Conker 64 (also known as Conker's Quest).

Storyline

Twelve Tales follows the mishaps of a lovable squirrel named Conker and his chipmunk friend, Berri, as the duo work to recover more than 100 house warming gifts scattered throughout four different worlds. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? The furry force must also thwart a gang of evil hoodlums who have not only stolen the presents, but kidnapped their friends as well. Evidently the hoodlums have discovered a marginal profit was to be made in thieving house-warming gifts - those slackers!

Gameplay The game looks and plays very nicely. As you can see from the screen-shots, Conker's world is filled with an assortment of bright, lively colors. Grass glows green; flowers blaze purple, red and yellow and even the sky seems to scream blue from every direction.

Conker and Berri progress the worlds collecting Conker nuts, combating enemies with the whip of their powerful tails and utilizing various bonus weapons or objects. The control is similar to that found in Mario 64; fast, touch-sensitive movement with a handful of unique jumping moves, tail-flips, cork-screw dives and so on. The control is tight and fluid. In fact, it can be said that the game plays as well as Super Mario 64, but in a different way entirely.

What keeps this game from becoming a standard Super Mario 64 clone is the fact that so much attention has been paid to detail. As Conker and Berri make their way through each level players can make decisions based on their facial reactions, which can be read clearly. Berri, for example, might warn Conker of impending danger with a pale-faced look of terror. It actually works very nicely.

Multiplayer The biggest rift between Mario and Conker, however, is Twelve Tales' addition of a multiplayer mode. That's right, friends can compete in a four-player deathmatch bonanza or, better yet, explore side-by-side in a two-player cooperative quest mode.

Four-Player Deathmatch Mode

Judging from screen-shots alone, it appears that in four-player deathmatch mode, players control different variations of Conker in a free-for-all brawl. However, bearing Rare's last deathmatch effort in mind, Goldeneye, it seems likely that a number of different characters will be playable in the mode. It is still unclear what type of weapons can be used, if any, though we expect that nuts, stones, and other squirrely paraphernalia are an option. Additionally, Conker's speed will likely play an important part in the matches, along with the character's ability to climb up trees and dig holes.

Two-Player Cooperative Quest

In cooperative mode, players can control Conker and/or his owl companion. Working together through levels, Conker's owl side-kick (controlled by one player) will be able to pick the squirrel up and fly him safely to hard to reach areas. Likewise, Conker can help the owl out in time of need. Players can also spread out, completing certain objectives on their own. Imagine what Super Mario 64 would have been like had Luigi been a selectable player in two player mode. This is truly the next step in multiplayer gaming on Nintendo 64.

Single-Player Game

In the single-player quest, players can choose to be either Conker or his female counterpart, Berri the chipmunk. Depending on which character is chosen, two considerably different game modes can be played. Selecting Conker results in an arcade-like quest with emphasis on action and speed. Conker offers a variety of different attacks in this mode as well. Berri's game, on the other hand, is much more strategy-oriented, as the chipmunk struggles to keep her monster companion fed and happy so that he -- it, can protect her.

Also, both can acquire different tools to help them through various scenarios. A prime example would be the hard-hat equipped with a light that Conker wears while spelunking through one of the many dark caves in the game. Incidentally, Nintendo has said that at least seven different vehicles will also be included in the game to help Conker and Berri access those hard to reach areas. What sort of vehicles are as of yet still unknown, but we're guessing they'll be land, water and air driven. Another stunning feature in the game is that the engine can pull off things like moving more than 20 different characters independently on screen. Wait till you see 20 little critters hopping out of your way as you slowly move through the pack -- it's as eerie as that Compsognatus sequence in the movie Lost World.

But is the game just too darn cute for its own good? It would seem Nintendo (and Goldeneye aside, Rare) are the only two developers in the industry left who insist upon releasing mascot game after mascot game. Rare alone has Twelve Tales: Conker 64, Banjo-Kazooie and Diddy Kong Racing billed. In an industry that seems to be pushing more dark, violent games out into the open everyday, the Marios and Conkers may not have what it takes to compete -- well, if it wasn't for the millions of true gamers who don't care much what a character looks like, as long as the game plays well.

Considering the fact that this is a key Rare title which looks and plays great despite how cute it may be, Rare is likely to have another hit on its hands when this one is released.