My expectation for n-Space’s accompanying handheld port to Activision’s Eurocom’s Albert R. Broccoli’s Goldeneye 007 was that it would somehow be more like the N64 classic that this reboot was trading on nostalgia for. Turns out it was, but only a little bit. A combination of the lower technical specs of the DS that forced chunky models and simple level layouts, and perhaps a few intentional design choices here and there (such as displaying health and armour in the curved bar form, even if there’s no longer a watch aesthetic to contextualise it and it still regenerates anyway) made this portable port at least feel a smidge more like I was back in the good old days.

It still tries to capture a lot of the modern shooter innovations of its console counterpart, and does a decent job at that. I expect n-Space’s experience with Call of Duty games on DS has helped them refine this conversion process, as the game controls well in a Metroid Prime Hunters style. On top of that it’s got its own touchscreen segments, although they’re sparse, simple, and non-intrusive. There’s even a sequence where you close the DS lid to break a door or something, which made me roll my eyes but also chuckle. Not quite a Phantom Hourglass “aha” moment.

For my thoughts on the reboot itself and how the story’s been reinterpreted, see my review of the Wii version but basically I think it’s pretty cool. This particular version isn’t quite as fleshed out, missing not a few setpieces, abbreviating most levels and cutting some entirely such as the airfield, the gun trade show, and the night club. Certain scenes play out differently but it’s no biggie. About the only thing this game has over the “real” version is the addition of hidden collectibles, which unlock tile puzzles in the main menu. Woo. Now don’t misunderstand me, I did enjoy this; it’s competent at what it’s doing and a not too challenging romp. The climax is also surprisingly effective in its simplicity, more so than the overblown QTE sequence that it replaces. At least look that one up on Youtube.