I think the game sold so well because a lot of people didn't read reviews before buying games. They'd just run out and buy whatever looked cool. I know that's what I did before I was really active online. Superman is really recognizable and a lot of people like him, so naturally a lot of people thought a game with him would be just as good.
I remember playing this when I was 12. I didn't have high standards but I think this was really my first true "what the fuck" moment of disappointment in gaming. And the reason why people got this game despite poor reviews because the Internet didn't exist and kids like myself only had hype magazines like Tips & Tricks spinning screenshots of game trailers that were strategically designed by the developers themselves before the game actually released. So I'm like wow that looks dope! And it was not dope.
ive watched a couple, the fact they spent hours working out all the glitch areas to get through the entire game in such a short time deserves them to be immortalised in gaming lore forever
This is the game that taught me the value of reading game reviews. At the time I didn't have access to the internet or any of the gaming magazines, so when I saw that there was a new game on Superman coming out I went and bought it. I remember putting it in my 64 and playing it for less than an hour. For me it is definitely the worse day I've ever spent my own money on, if not the worst game I've ever played. The plus side is Superman 64 made me a wiser consumer, so there is that take away. That being said I kinda wish someone would try and fix its issues and release it on a homebrew cart. It would take a lot of work but it has potential.
I remember actually really wanting Superman 64 as a kid. For some reason I was just so intrigued by 3D games with open ended worlds. I would imagine in my head all the stuff you'd be able to go around doing. Then one day at Toys R Us, I got to try the game and after about 30 minute, my interest had completely plummeted Only thing this game show is that Superman must have good ring muscles.
I got up to like 70-80% complete N64 collection CIB then sold off as I lost interest. You know the prices started to get real silly around 2-3 years ago :(
As the first speedrunner of this game, I admit that hearing the "whooosh" sound for hours on end was maddening. After routing and practicing, eight two-hour attempts was all I had in me. The game feels so much longer than it is because of the sheer amount of rings. A truly punishing game.
I remember being stuck in the damn subway for hours for what felt like me like going in an endless loop of bullshit and hate. Finally giving up and never playing this piece of wasted petroleum and circuitry again... *pretty sure that was the training course*
This is THE definitive video on this game. I had no clue this game had anything other than flying. Very interesting to hear about Titus and their profit. Well done!
I only ever played this game as a rental from Blockbuster in the 90s, until recently where I picked it up for my 64 collection. Now as an adult, and with the help of whiskey, I genuinely find this game rather fun to play. I haven't beaten it yet, but I've made great progress in the game so far and don't find it that frustrating to fly through a million rings, it's kind of neat how big of a city they actually built for the game. Obviously, it's not a great game, but personally I find it a bit unfair how trashed this game gets by generally everyone... but that's just one man's humble opinion.
One of the few people to review this on actual hardware, using a real cart, thank you! (Sky box isn't purple in the first level, that's the giveaway). Glad you finally gave this one a go. In my, opinion, honestly, the game wasn't the worst thing ever, it's just a clunky, disjointed mess. I do agree it's one of the worst N64 titles though, next to Daikatana and Carmageddon, but I think it's like E.T. where the reputation of being bad, counts more than the actual product itself. It's not a good game, but I've played plenty of garbage over the years.
yeah theres so much hype these days about how bad it is, I think its the worst on n64 from a western release perspective but probably not the worst game of all time
I bought this and Turok 2 in 2000 for $20. I had never seen reviews for it and I didn’t even really know it existed until I saw it sitting in my local Walmart. I regret this purchase to this day.
N64 Glenn Plant Both were $20. Haha. Turok 2 was worth the purchase, it turned out to be one my favorite 64 games. Superman however wasn’t worth the $20 for it.
What are all these comments on about? This game was a masterpiece. The ring stages are amazing, and make me feel like I'm in that old Japanese Superman movie, "Superman vs the Ring Monster". The graphics are second to none. I've never seen graphics simulate fog the way this one does. The controls are super hard but this was intentional, to add to the challenge. And what you perceive to be random glitches are intentional. You are not restricted by the game designers' vision - you're superman. LEAVE THE GAME BEHIND YOU AND EXCEED THE BOUNDARIES OF EXISTANCE! ❤ 10/10
It sold well because we weren't in touch with reviews back then. That generation of gamers were much younger and also didn't have access to information like we do nowadays. We still did have a lot of fun with the multiplayer side of the game.
This game was so hyped up when it came out, but actually playing it devastated my young mind. Even then it felt like an unfinished game. It was so broken and unplayable that I just flew around in the open world exploring until the timer ran out. It's sad to see that they made such a huge world and limited it to a tiny area, mostly flying through rings... It's like they were punishing you for wanting more out of the game. Such a scar was left from that terrible experience that even to this day I can't bring myself to buy any superhero games.
Why do people buy bad games? I bought Devil's Third on Wii U and I admit I really, REALLY like that game and I find it sad that it wasn't more popular, especially in the Multiplayer^^ I bought it because I thought it looked so dumb, sstupid and idiotic, I just HAD to play it and I had a good time. Now I still play it on Cemu Emulator and in mostly 60FPS it is actually really good - dumb as all hell but I like it^^
I remember that my local independent N64 magazine too was incredibly scathing of it's review of Superman. In saying that, they still accepted advertisement money to print ads on their pages for the game. Which is my contributing idea to why the game sold better than people realize. Interestingly, I also remember a lot of said advertisements were of real live action photographs rather than including actual screenshots or gameplay of the game.
Hi Glenn, for starters this game has left a scar in my memory... During my youth my mother would allow me to rent a game maybe once or twice a month. When I heard Superman64 was out I begged her for a couple weeks to go and rent it. My local video store would have a two day or week rental policy depending or the popularity or age of the game. Needless to say my excitement could not be contained... Going to the store getting the last copy in the return bin... Brought it home and...This $#%&ing game ruined my entire month... 2 day rental and I couldn't get past the first stage. This game should not have ever been released. Terrible memory. Btw great job Glenn :)
Reading these comments I realize I've taken for granted the gaming press in the UK when I was a kid. I've just always assumed that gaming mags were just as available to everyone else as they were to me growing up - y'know, like every country has their own publications surely? Having said that, I'm sure people who had rental stores where they lived don't realize how lucky they were. There were two small ones in my town only one of which stocked games, though both closed down some years before I got my N64.
Superman was my brother's Christmas gift, mine was Quest 64. Didn't realize it was a bad game, just thought it was tough. At least the multiplayer was somewhat enjoyable.
My buddy bought this game before a sleepover. We were young and didn't read reviews before buying games. We spent all night trying to get through the rings and never did. It was the most frustrating gaming experience ever. I haven't touched the game since.
A friend of mine had it and I remember feeling so bad for him. We were so proud of our games back then. Didn't know it sold well tho. Enraging if you think Conker's Bad Fur Day sold badly and this well.
Superman as a character is simply extremely popular. I remember back in day on gamestore, when i was purchasing Shadowman, there were few kids super excited to find Superman 64 available. Needless to say, it was rather funny moment.
This game ended my childhood. The christmas after we rented it was the first time i asked for socks. I had decided that as long as i could avoid comming into contact with this game again, i would gladly accept the dullest christmas gift you could ever get. And when i opened socks on christmas, yes i was in fact truly happy i did not get this game.
I wonder if Glenn will take a look at a prototype ROM of Superman 64. I hear it's actually better than the final release. It's not complete, but I don't think it had ring levels.
Nah, we should get an Atari demake instead, just to see how that would work. It'd probably just be the ring parts, but I'm sure it would work better on Atari than on the N64...but with those developers, who knows...
I won't lie this game is my guilty pleasure, I actually liked flying through rings. There was something about the speed of flying and the animation that had me enjoying the game. I wish the controls were better and they were generous with the ring penalties. When combat and mazes were involved I realized it was a bad game.
I remember this game being hyped up in gaming magazines back in 1997 and 1998. I bought it in June 1999 and oh my effing Gawd....I wanted to smash my N64 but realized it wasn't the consoles' fault. So what did I do? I rented Diddy Kong Racing and swapped the game cartridges. Some poor soul(s) must've thought they were gonna play some Diddy Kong Racing but instead got Superman 64....hahaha. Yes. Yes...I know. I was evil. Hehehehe.
king gaming Nope! At that time, my local Family Video didn't put bar codes on the game cartridges yet. So it was easy to pop open the carts and swap chips.
I had the unfortunate experience of renting this from my local Blockbuster when I was much younger. Probably my first ever memory of being frustrated due to a game's badness despite not me being able to grasp such concepts. It's very satisfying to see how others also couldn't do the flying stages.
I can almost guarantee you that the reason this game sold well is also the same reason I rented it from Blockbuster as a kid: the box art. I loved the Superman cartoon back then and as soon as I saw this on the shelf at Blockbuster, I nabbed it. I was only 7 at the time, so I was still way too young to bother keeping up with gaming news, especially since this was the late '90s. So I just took one look at the cover and decided to rent it, because how could a Superman game be bad? I actually didn't know it was bad at the time since, as I said, I was 7 and I couldn't figure out what to do. I just flew around trying to look for bad guys to beat up. Eventually I just lost interest because I thought I was just doing something wrong. It actually wasn't until nearly a decade later when I first fiscovered AVGN that I learned (to my surprise) that not only was it a horrible game, but one of the worst games ever made. But going back to my original point, if seeing that admittedly awesome box art was enough to make me rent the game, then you can bet it was enough to make uninformed people such as myself want to buy it. Especially for their kids. Because like I said earlier, how could a game where you play as SUPERMAN possibly be bad?
Why do people buy bad games? Is a game really bad because "critics" and "reveiwers" say it is. NO! In fact several games I have played, that people say are bad, turn out to be really good or atleast entertaining enough that I just don't throw it at Gamestop and demand my money back. On the other hand there are games I have played that are universally praised and I simply have no fun with them. Having said that Superman 64 is not either of these. It's simply a bad game and no amount excuses or finger pointing is gonna save this rushed, low quality, buggy, garbage fire of a game. This is like E.T. on the Atari or Sonic 06 on the 360/PS3.
Tunestar funny you say that cause I know of a guy that loves to play and try bad games...and I do admit that there is a personal satisfaction from playing a bad game (as long as you are FULLY aware it is a bad game and not a "bad game" by internet standerds like Shadowrun (360 version) compaired to prototype 1 and 2 which both (namely nowdays) are bad but they were....okay/good for their time...as long as you had free time and did not care for their meh controls)
I was excited for this game. Apparently I wasn't alone, because it was unavailable, for maybe two weeks, when I wanted to rent it. But when I finally did rent it, I was disappointed that I couldn't directly enter buildings.
I don't see how Mike matei beat this game. I played it the other day and I couldn't even get through one ring. The reason why this game sold well in 99 is because the bright colors on the cover and I'm sure alot of moms and grandma's bought this for their child or grandson
I doubt he completed it without using the level skip code like must other reviewers, myself included. I don't watch his channel so cannot really comment but thats my assumption
Played this for like 3 days when I was younger and I hated it because I missed the rings then had to go back, think I only beat the first mission it was so bad.
Superman License and the fact that not many gamers ever read game magazines compared to the audience of people who already had the N64 system in their homes, much less those on the PlayStation a lower percentage of people who owned the system and brought the gamer mags compared to those who didn't that were mostly casual gamers who didn't do their research. I considered myself a rare beast during the N64 life span as I already knew about Dinosaur Planet and how it was changed into a StarFox game, compared to the average Nintendo Gamer who never buys gamer magazines and saw the StarFox Adventures not realizing the history behind it, they thought it was going to be Star Fox 64 but on Gamecube and were totally not expecting a Zelda like adventure.
see I can only go off my group of friends who all had n64 and we literally knew everything that was happening so perhaps things were different in NA, plus many of us also had the internet
I think that it sold well due to the IP. Superman is globally recognizable, and people make the assumption that an IP that big would have a great product attached to it. I do remember the Nintendo Power review being quite flattering as well. The fake positive reviews played into this as well. I'm assuming that the official Nintendo magazines reached more gamers in 1999 than did their independent counterparts.
Why? Because if it’s based on something you like you’d still buy it, hell I bought an Xbox back in the day just to play WWE Raw fully knowing reviews weren’t great but the pics in mags still looked good
I rented this from a local video store as a kid. I remember the rings and just running around with poor direction. But I know I barely played it because of how frustrating it was.
The game was hyped up to no end. People really did think this would be on par of evolutionary gameplay as Mario 64. It was all lies of course, but many people were duped.
I hate this game solely because it kept us from getting a good Superman game. Game development isn't easy, but Superman should be relatively simple to make a game of. Just make it a Shootem-Up like Starfox, or Sin and Punishment. Hell it would be even easier to make it today, as we have had masterpieces like Kid Icarus Uprising to draw inspiration from. Sucks that Warner Bros is still in such a terrible mindset with their most famous character.
Hey Glenn, I've just watched all your reviews and I have an abundance of games added to my purchase list now, haha :) it might be superficial, as n64 fanatics tend to agree Ocarina of Time is a masterpiece. However, I'd like to see your take on it, especially Majora's Mask! Thanks for the content. Unfortunately, your video's severely "underwatched". Nevertheless, your viewers actively watch your videos, which matters more after-all ;)
Superman 64 is less of a game and more like a contest to see which developer on an acid trip can make a game as fast as possible without ANY consideration of the basic fundamentals that makes a game.
I was a kid during the N64 days and really didn't have much opinions on games. I just played them to beat them. I'd probably would have did that if I had found this game or it got into my collection where so many games just did.
Are you happy with the Ultra HDMI? Having used it for a bit are you satisfied with it, worth the money? I'm curious about getting one as I only have a standard PAL N64 with SVideo setup.
I'm still in two minds about it. Upwards of £300 when there's lots of N64 games I still want. Hard to decide, though your vids are helping make my mind up!
I expected the UK Nintendo Official Magazine to give Superman 64 a high review score like the Australian Official Magazine did with their 80% The UK Official Magazine gave it 49% Still too high but at least it’s not as high as the Official Australian magazine
I have heard you mentioning Superman 64 with you saying that you would rather play Superman than Elmo's Letter Adventure on your Elmo's Letter Adventure Review.
Game sold well for 2 reasons. 1. Gaming media was non-existent by modern standards. Unavailable in many homes completely. Many people didn't even have the internet, and most kids were lucky fucks if they got videogame magazines on top of getting all the videogames they wanted (like you apparently did?). So most kids just saw a commercial and said "mom i want that" and aside from looking at the back of the box in the store, that was that. 2. It's superman.
This game was a fun rental back in the day. In the days before the internet, before everyone just hopped on the "Superman 64 is the worst game ever" bandwagon...it was actually fun, renting it with your friends. It's obviously not a top tier title and it's buggy, but it has some redeeming value.
sub....could you fix this?!?!? like delete the ring stages, improve the graphics, music, controls, enemy AI and animation? jokes aside, always enjoy seeing you stop by with your insight !
Actually, I had investigated code in the prototype version of Superman 64, which is a bit more fun even and has no rings...But as expected, however...the code is not very good at all either, so it was too much of a pain to do anything with the game...so I stopped.
I didn't have Nintendo Power or any magazines as a kid so I never read reviews. I just wanted games based on their box art or what I heard on the playground. I definitely was disappointed when I got this game. :( Still haven't beaten it.
I love how quick Titus were to throw DC under the bus for how terrible this game turned out to be. Somehow, I reckon that if DC had really been as hands-on and controlling as the dev team claims, particularly in regards to preserving the brand’s reputation, they’d never have let such an abysmal game be released at all. Were I a licensor with an interest in protecting my brand and as much freedom and discretion as Titus claims DC/Warner had w.r.t. this game, I’d have pulled the plug at the last minute after seeing the release candidate rather than risk allowing a pile of crap like this to reach store shelves. Not to mention it doesn’t explain why all of Titus’ other games were similarly awful...
My reaction when seeing this in my sub feed: Wait, he's really reviewing it? After review: So it is true, it is terrible. Thank goodness I never even played the game (even to rent)
This is my personal experince in NA as a kid but not many of my friends read reviews, had the internet or magazines. It was just taking a chance with your money or asking a friend what they thought about the game. My friends would also buy games with big name brands like Tony Hawk, Madden and Wrestling. I was lucky enough to have borrowed Superman 64 and Bomberman 64 from a friend for 2 days. I thought nothing of Superman 64 other than i wish i could explore the city more instead of flying through those pesky rings.
It's easy for him to blame Warner bros for the game being a disaster. That doesn't excuse shoddy controls and camera or the awful emphasis on early impossible time trial stages or overall terrible quality. Warner Bros doesnt have to defend themselves or even acknowledge his comments. I think hes full of shit. Yea, maybe they put creative restrictions on the team but they still could have made a playable game at least.
I think personally it was because if Warner rejected something that they had already implemented it just caused them to be delayed month after month so for sure not 100% their fault but im sure it played a part
Bought this game for $9.99 back in the 90s, played a couple stages, i though the control was pretty bad, sold the game back them on ebay now i want to buy another copy for collection purposes.
I LOVED THIS GAME SO MUCH AS A KID! I can't comprehend how severely underrated this game is. Me and my friends used to play this and enjoyed every little bit of it: From flying through the rings to throw cars!! /s
![เปิดบ้าน โคตรสวย ป๋องกพล รู้จักตั้งนาน เพิ่งรู้ว่ารวย!!! l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tmgCF_2HfYI/mqdefault.jpg)
I think the game sold so well because a lot of people didn't read reviews before buying games. They'd just run out and buy whatever looked cool. I know that's what I did before I was really active online. Superman is really recognizable and a lot of people like him, so naturally a lot of people thought a game with him would be just as good.
The internet wasn't as big and if you wanted to read reviews you had to buy a magazine.
yeah thats true, see I always got the magazines both official and unofficial ones and had internet early on in my house so I got lucky
Since I'm a n64 fan boy my friend buys me this game every year for my birthday
Miguel Flores oki.....
Miguel Flores this is hilarious - what a great friend =D
And it's the best present you'll get every year
How many copies do you own now??!!
My cousin kicks me in the crotch every year for my birthday, so I know your pain.
What does the S on his chest means? in the N64 world, it means "Shitty"
seriously shitty
A.K.A. Shittyman
I remember playing this when I was 12. I didn't have high standards but I think this was really my first true "what the fuck" moment of disappointment in gaming. And the reason why people got this game despite poor reviews because the Internet didn't exist and kids like myself only had hype magazines like Tips & Tricks spinning screenshots of game trailers that were strategically designed by the developers themselves before the game actually released. So I'm like wow that looks dope! And it was not dope.
I have nothing but respect for anyone who speed runs this game.
ive watched a couple, the fact they spent hours working out all the glitch areas to get through the entire game in such a short time deserves them to be immortalised in gaming lore forever
I don't know if "Respect" is the right word. More like: "You must really hate your life, huh?" is more like it....lol
You get a like just for getting through this review, Glenn. 🤘
haha my pain, the communities gain lol
N64 Glenn Plant Haha, touché.
Uh oh. Well it had to happen someday ;)
only took me a couple of years right hah
N64 Glenn Plant do you take requests?
This is the game that taught me the value of reading game reviews. At the time I didn't have access to the internet or any of the gaming magazines, so when I saw that there was a new game on Superman coming out I went and bought it. I remember putting it in my 64 and playing it for less than an hour. For me it is definitely the worse day I've ever spent my own money on, if not the worst game I've ever played. The plus side is Superman 64 made me a wiser consumer, so there is that take away. That being said I kinda wish someone would try and fix its issues and release it on a homebrew cart. It would take a lot of work but it has potential.
I remember actually really wanting Superman 64 as a kid. For some reason I was just so intrigued by 3D games with open ended worlds. I would imagine in my head all the stuff you'd be able to go around doing.
Then one day at Toys R Us, I got to try the game and after about 30 minute, my interest had completely plummeted
Only thing this game show is that Superman must have good ring muscles.
I remember flying around the city and fighting imaginary enemies.. it just felt better than the missions
Hah that does sound more fun!
It's nice to see another Brit who loves the N64. I've started to try and get a full collection.
I got up to like 70-80% complete N64 collection CIB then sold off as I lost interest. You know the prices started to get real silly around 2-3 years ago :(
N64 Glenn Plant prices are still good here in Canada, but many other consoles are quite overpriced.
Fun fact: Angry Joe's superman shirt (and the reason he likes superman) is in direct homage to the Titus version of superman in this game!
what is a angry Joe? jokes aside, I don't watch his channel so thanks for sharing that cool fact
Angry Armando is a doucher.
As the first speedrunner of this game, I admit that hearing the "whooosh" sound for hours on end was maddening. After routing and practicing, eight two-hour attempts was all I had in me. The game feels so much longer than it is because of the sheer amount of rings. A truly punishing game.
I salute you good sir! amazing effort
they literally made you jump through hoops
I remember being stuck in the damn subway for hours for what felt like me like going in an endless loop of bullshit and hate. Finally giving up and never playing this piece of wasted petroleum and circuitry again... *pretty sure that was the training course*
This is THE definitive video on this game. I had no clue this game had anything other than flying. Very interesting to hear about Titus and their profit. Well done!
Thanks richard
I only ever played this game as a rental from Blockbuster in the 90s, until recently where I picked it up for my 64 collection. Now as an adult, and with the help of whiskey, I genuinely find this game rather fun to play. I haven't beaten it yet, but I've made great progress in the game so far and don't find it that frustrating to fly through a million rings, it's kind of neat how big of a city they actually built for the game. Obviously, it's not a great game, but personally I find it a bit unfair how trashed this game gets by generally everyone... but that's just one man's humble opinion.
One of the few people to review this on actual hardware, using a real cart, thank you! (Sky box isn't purple in the first level, that's the giveaway). Glad you finally gave this one a go. In my, opinion, honestly, the game wasn't the worst thing ever, it's just a clunky, disjointed mess. I do agree it's one of the worst N64 titles though, next to Daikatana and Carmageddon, but I think it's like E.T. where the reputation of being bad, counts more than the actual product itself. It's not a good game, but I've played plenty of garbage over the years.
yeah theres so much hype these days about how bad it is, I think its the worst on n64 from a western release perspective but probably not the worst game of all time
I agree 100%!
I bought this and Turok 2 in 2000 for $20. I had never seen reviews for it and I didn’t even really know it existed until I saw it sitting in my local Walmart. I regret this purchase to this day.
19.99 for turok 2 I assume? haha
N64 Glenn Plant Both were $20. Haha. Turok 2 was worth the purchase, it turned out to be one my favorite 64 games. Superman however wasn’t worth the $20 for it.
Hahaha, best opening line to a video ever... "Superman 64 is a danger to the public" LOL
wu tang clan fan?
N64 Glenn Plant yessir lol
Glenn, thank you for the detailed info . I also was unlucky enough to play this. Never got past the second level lol
don't worry, I expect that many people will not have either without using the code
N64 Glenn Plant yeah. 90% use emulators, especially for speed runs. I try to use the console and my frustration continues lol
Superman deserves better. I hope that one day Rocksteady Studios would do a Superman video game that does the hero justice.
that would be cool to check out
What are all these comments on about? This game was a masterpiece. The ring stages are amazing, and make me feel like I'm in that old Japanese Superman movie, "Superman vs the Ring Monster". The graphics are second to none. I've never seen graphics simulate fog the way this one does. The controls are super hard but this was intentional, to add to the challenge. And what you perceive to be random glitches are intentional. You are not restricted by the game designers' vision - you're superman. LEAVE THE GAME BEHIND YOU AND EXCEED THE BOUNDARIES OF EXISTANCE! ❤ 10/10
Can’t wait for superman vs ring monster the return part 17 it’s going to be 🔥
It sold well because we weren't in touch with reviews back then. That generation of gamers were much younger and also didn't have access to information like we do nowadays.
We still did have a lot of fun with the multiplayer side of the game.
This game was so hyped up when it came out, but actually playing it devastated my young mind. Even then it felt like an unfinished game. It was so broken and unplayable that I just flew around in the open world exploring until the timer ran out. It's sad to see that they made such a huge world and limited it to a tiny area, mostly flying through rings... It's like they were punishing you for wanting more out of the game. Such a scar was left from that terrible experience that even to this day I can't bring myself to buy any superhero games.
One of my favorite reviewers... reviews N64 Superman... og my god
Why would people buy a game when the reviews are so bad?
*FIFA*
I still have this in near mint condition complete with poster. I dont know that’s something to boast about but hey... its gaming history
you have done well...not to burn it hah
N64 Glenn Plant haha true. Keep up the excellent N64 reviews Glenn
you can remove the rings in the options menu by selecting easy mode...for extra frustration select superman mode
Why do people buy bad games?
I bought Devil's Third on Wii U and I admit I really, REALLY like that game and I find it sad that it wasn't more popular, especially in the Multiplayer^^ I bought it because I thought it looked so dumb, sstupid and idiotic, I just HAD to play it and I had a good time. Now I still play it on Cemu Emulator and in mostly 60FPS it is actually really good - dumb as all hell but I like it^^
I remember that my local independent N64 magazine too was incredibly scathing of it's review of Superman. In saying that, they still accepted advertisement money to print ads on their pages for the game. Which is my contributing idea to why the game sold better than people realize. Interestingly, I also remember a lot of said advertisements were of real live action photographs rather than including actual screenshots or gameplay of the game.
Hi Glenn, for starters this game has left a scar in my memory... During my youth my mother would allow me to rent a game maybe once or twice a month. When I heard Superman64 was out I begged her for a couple weeks to go and rent it. My local video store would have a two day or week rental policy depending or the popularity or age of the game. Needless to say my excitement could not be contained... Going to the store getting the last copy in the return bin... Brought it home and...This $#%&ing game ruined my entire month... 2 day rental and I couldn't get past the first stage. This game should not have ever been released. Terrible memory. Btw great job Glenn :)
oh man that must have sucked so bad, nothing worse than waiting for a game you hope is awesome and it turns out being so bad
Reading these comments I realize I've taken for granted the gaming press in the UK when I was a kid. I've just always assumed that gaming mags were just as available to everyone else as they were to me growing up - y'know, like every country has their own publications surely? Having said that, I'm sure people who had rental stores where they lived don't realize how lucky they were. There were two small ones in my town only one of which stocked games, though both closed down some years before I got my N64.
Yeah and I think from comments it’s mostly very young kids who got this that probably weren’t as magazine addicts as we were 😁
Superman was my brother's Christmas gift, mine was Quest 64. Didn't realize it was a bad game, just thought it was tough. At least the multiplayer was somewhat enjoyable.
My buddy bought this game before a sleepover. We were young and didn't read reviews before buying games. We spent all night trying to get through the rings and never did. It was the most frustrating gaming experience ever. I haven't touched the game since.
A friend of mine had it and I remember feeling so bad for him. We were so proud of our games back then. Didn't know it sold well tho. Enraging if you think Conker's Bad Fur Day sold badly and this well.
Superman as a character is simply extremely popular. I remember back in day on gamestore, when i was purchasing Shadowman, there were few kids super excited to find Superman 64 available. Needless to say, it was rather funny moment.
those poor kids hey
Fantastic video buddy!
thanks Matt!
This game ended my childhood. The christmas after we rented it was the first time i asked for socks. I had decided that as long as i could avoid comming into contact with this game again, i would gladly accept the dullest christmas gift you could ever get. And when i opened socks on christmas, yes i was in fact truly happy i did not get this game.
I think the dislikes are from WB
hope so hahah
Literally just got my copy in the mail from eBay yesterday...for collectors only 🤣🤣🤣
agreed 100%!
Another informative and entertaining review!
I wonder if Glenn will take a look at a prototype ROM of Superman 64. I hear it's actually better than the final release. It's not complete, but I don't think it had ring levels.
ive played it before, maybe ill get around to featuring it in an n64 beta project episode if I ever bring that series back
my local electronics boutique back in the day wouldn't sell you a abysmal rated game without warning you. It's how I dodged bullets like Bubsy 3D. lol
What if the devs started a Kickstarter for a good remake?
Nah, we should get an Atari demake instead, just to see how that would work. It'd probably just be the ring parts, but I'm sure it would work better on Atari than on the N64...but with those developers, who knows...
You can't polish a turd
agreed!
Emma Starr
Wasn't there already a terrible Superman game on Atari? Or is it not bad enough?
I won't lie this game is my guilty pleasure, I actually liked flying through rings. There was something about the speed of flying and the animation that had me enjoying the game. I wish the controls were better and they were generous with the ring penalties. When combat and mazes were involved I realized it was a bad game.
I remember this game being hyped up in gaming magazines back in 1997 and 1998. I bought it in June 1999 and oh my effing Gawd....I wanted to smash my N64 but realized it wasn't the consoles' fault. So what did I do? I rented Diddy Kong Racing and swapped the game cartridges. Some poor soul(s) must've thought they were gonna play some Diddy Kong Racing but instead got Superman 64....hahaha.
Yes. Yes...I know. I was evil. Hehehehe.
Maximillion Roivas did you get caught
king gaming Nope! At that time, my local Family Video didn't put bar codes on the game cartridges yet. So it was easy to pop open the carts and swap chips.
haha that rocks
Lmaoo😂 me n my bros did that shit a few times..damn
I had the unfortunate experience of renting this from my local Blockbuster when I was much younger. Probably my first ever memory of being frustrated due to a game's badness despite not me being able to grasp such concepts. It's very satisfying to see how others also couldn't do the flying stages.
Frogbert I am one of those others that could not do them as well for the longest time lol (and still can't do most of them)
I think mine was Dracula in quack shot but thats still one of my all time fav games
I can almost guarantee you that the reason this game sold well is also the same reason I rented it from Blockbuster as a kid: the box art. I loved the Superman cartoon back then and as soon as I saw this on the shelf at Blockbuster, I nabbed it. I was only 7 at the time, so I was still way too young to bother keeping up with gaming news, especially since this was the late '90s.
So I just took one look at the cover and decided to rent it, because how could a Superman game be bad? I actually didn't know it was bad at the time since, as I said, I was 7 and I couldn't figure out what to do. I just flew around trying to look for bad guys to beat up. Eventually I just lost interest because I thought I was just doing something wrong.
It actually wasn't until nearly a decade later when I first fiscovered AVGN that I learned (to my surprise) that not only was it a horrible game, but one of the worst games ever made.
But going back to my original point, if seeing that admittedly awesome box art was enough to make me rent the game, then you can bet it was enough to make uninformed people such as myself want to buy it. Especially for their kids. Because like I said earlier, how could a game where you play as SUPERMAN possibly be bad?
Why do people buy bad games? Is a game really bad because "critics" and "reveiwers" say it is. NO! In fact several games I have played, that people say are bad, turn out to be really good or atleast entertaining enough that I just don't throw it at Gamestop and demand my money back. On the other hand there are games I have played that are universally praised and I simply have no fun with them. Having said that Superman 64 is not either of these. It's simply a bad game and no amount excuses or finger pointing is gonna save this rushed, low quality, buggy, garbage fire of a game. This is like E.T. on the Atari or Sonic 06 on the 360/PS3.
Tunestar funny you say that cause I know of a guy that loves to play and try bad games...and I do admit that there is a personal satisfaction from playing a bad game (as long as you are FULLY aware it is a bad game and not a "bad game" by internet standerds like Shadowrun (360 version) compaired to prototype 1 and 2 which both (namely nowdays) are bad but they were....okay/good for their time...as long as you had free time and did not care for their meh controls)
Maybe the people who buy this game in 1999 don't know anything about it
could be!
I love you glen!
and I love you for taking time out of your day to stop by :)
I was excited for this game. Apparently I wasn't alone, because it was unavailable, for maybe two weeks, when I wanted to rent it. But when I finally did rent it, I was disappointed that I couldn't directly enter buildings.
I don't see how Mike matei beat this game. I played it the other day and I couldn't even get through one ring. The reason why this game sold well in 99 is because the bright colors on the cover and I'm sure alot of moms and grandma's bought this for their child or grandson
I doubt he completed it without using the level skip code like must other reviewers, myself included. I don't watch his channel so cannot really comment but thats my assumption
Played this for like 3 days when I was younger and I hated it because I missed the rings then had to go back, think I only beat the first mission it was so bad.
yeah its like insane how hard the first level is
Here it is, the The Room of video games. I still would buy a copy if I ever see it for a good price, just so I can see how bad it is for myself.
and if you buy it thats one less person who will get ruined by it lol
Superman 64 developers should of been sent too the Phantom Zone!
or hell :)
@@n64glennplant nah, phantom zone is better, since the Phantom Zone is from Superman.
Didn't know a lot of this, thanks for dropping all the facts
thanks for watching Lon
Been waiting so long for this
hope you enjoyed!
Superman License and the fact that not many gamers ever read game magazines compared to the audience of people who already had the N64 system in their homes, much less those on the PlayStation a lower percentage of people who owned the system and brought the gamer mags compared to those who didn't that were mostly casual gamers who didn't do their research.
I considered myself a rare beast during the N64 life span as I already knew about Dinosaur Planet and how it was changed into a StarFox game, compared to the average Nintendo Gamer who never buys gamer magazines and saw the StarFox Adventures not realizing the history behind it, they thought it was going to be Star Fox 64 but on Gamecube and were totally not expecting a Zelda like adventure.
see I can only go off my group of friends who all had n64 and we literally knew everything that was happening so perhaps things were different in NA, plus many of us also had the internet
I think that it sold well due to the IP. Superman is globally recognizable, and people make the assumption that an IP that big would have a great product attached to it. I do remember the Nintendo Power review being quite flattering as well. The fake positive reviews played into this as well. I'm assuming that the official Nintendo magazines reached more gamers in 1999 than did their independent counterparts.
Ahhh was so excited to see this in my feed!
hope you liked the episode
LOL I just ordered this on ebay a few days ago. Not in yet. But when it is, time to rock baby!
brace yourself....
Do you need a hug after reviewing this game?
embrace me bill!
Why? Because if it’s based on something you like you’d still buy it, hell I bought an Xbox back in the day just to play WWE Raw fully knowing reviews weren’t great but the pics in mags still looked good
I rented this from a local video store as a kid. I remember the rings and just running around with poor direction. But I know I barely played it because of how frustrating it was.
Great review of the worst Nintendo 64 game of all time in my opinion.
thanks gamer :)
This game was profitable? I swear I had no idea!
yeah for real...
The game was hyped up to no end. People really did think this would be on par of evolutionary gameplay as Mario 64. It was all lies of course, but many people were duped.
I hate this game solely because it kept us from getting a good Superman game. Game development isn't easy, but Superman should be relatively simple to make a game of. Just make it a Shootem-Up like Starfox, or Sin and Punishment.
Hell it would be even easier to make it today, as we have had masterpieces like Kid Icarus Uprising to draw inspiration from. Sucks that Warner Bros is still in such a terrible mindset with their most famous character.
Hey Glenn,
I've just watched all your reviews and I have an abundance of games added to my purchase list now, haha :) it might be superficial, as n64 fanatics tend to agree Ocarina of Time is a masterpiece. However, I'd like to see your take on it, especially Majora's Mask! Thanks for the content.
Unfortunately, your video's severely "underwatched". Nevertheless, your viewers actively watch your videos, which matters more after-all ;)
Who thought making a game where Superman flies through rings was a good idea? Maybe it was Fred Fuchs.
Superman 64 is less of a game and more like a contest to see which developer on an acid trip can make a game as fast as possible without ANY consideration of the basic fundamentals that makes a game.
well it was the late 90s so probably it was E they were all tripping on lol
lol
I was a kid during the N64 days and really didn't have much opinions on games. I just played them to beat them. I'd probably would have did that if I had found this game or it got into my collection where so many games just did.
as a kid this game would have been insanely tough, I would love to know of any kids that beat it back in the day without cheating that would be insane
Probably, but If I had enough I'd still try. Probably just end up breaking it and also, so would I.
Are you happy with the Ultra HDMI? Having used it for a bit are you satisfied with it, worth the money? I'm curious about getting one as I only have a standard PAL N64 with SVideo setup.
I used svideo before. It’s worth the money but not the hassle I had to go through to get it 😬
I'm still in two minds about it. Upwards of £300 when there's lots of N64 games I still want. Hard to decide, though your vids are helping make my mind up!
I expected the UK Nintendo Official Magazine to give Superman 64 a high review score like the Australian Official Magazine did with their 80%
The UK Official Magazine gave it 49%
Still too high but at least it’s not as high as the Official Australian magazine
It’s funny because I’ve never read any of the official Aussie magazines
I have heard you mentioning Superman 64 with you saying that you would rather play Superman than Elmo's Letter Adventure on your Elmo's Letter Adventure Review.
I would! although thats like saying id rather skydive without a parachute as opposed to catching a bullet with my mouth haha
The N64 was great, it has the best and worst video game of all time in its library.
Superman? More like Pooperman, or Boogerman
I was 6 years old when I played this and knew it was bad after playing it I remember thinking that games based off movies or shows are always bad.
Game sold well for 2 reasons.
1. Gaming media was non-existent by modern standards. Unavailable in many homes completely. Many people didn't even have the internet, and most kids were lucky fucks if they got videogame magazines on top of getting all the videogames they wanted (like you apparently did?). So most kids just saw a commercial and said "mom i want that" and aside from looking at the back of the box in the store, that was that.
2. It's superman.
Reason number 3) the rise of crack in North America 😂
This game was a fun rental back in the day. In the days before the internet, before everyone just hopped on the "Superman 64 is the worst game ever" bandwagon...it was actually fun, renting it with your friends. It's obviously not a top tier title and it's buggy, but it has some redeeming value.
sub....could you fix this?!?!? like delete the ring stages, improve the graphics, music, controls, enemy AI and animation? jokes aside, always enjoy seeing you stop by with your insight !
Actually, I had investigated code in the prototype version of Superman 64, which is a bit more fun even and has no rings...But as expected, however...the code is not very good at all either, so it was too much of a pain to do anything with the game...so I stopped.
You deserve more views and subs :)
thanks, im happy plodding along as I am :)
Perfect Video Again Glenn It Was Unfortunate I Bought This Game :( haha Cheers.
oh man I feel so bad for you, hopefully you managed to trade it for something else
I didn't have Nintendo Power or any magazines as a kid so I never read reviews. I just wanted games based on their box art or what I heard on the playground. I definitely was disappointed when I got this game. :( Still haven't beaten it.
That’s unfortunate....don’t worry as I don’t think many of us ever completed this it’s far too wacky and messy from start to finish
I love how quick Titus were to throw DC under the bus for how terrible this game turned out to be.
Somehow, I reckon that if DC had really been as hands-on and controlling as the dev team claims, particularly in regards to preserving the brand’s reputation, they’d never have let such an abysmal game be released at all. Were I a licensor with an interest in protecting my brand and as much freedom and discretion as Titus claims DC/Warner had w.r.t. this game, I’d have pulled the plug at the last minute after seeing the release candidate rather than risk allowing a pile of crap like this to reach store shelves.
Not to mention it doesn’t explain why all of Titus’ other games were similarly awful...
see Xena wasn't too bad on n64. roadsters was also another one at the upper end of their work too
Still just a couple of occasional flukes in a sea of diarrhea. :-P
My reaction when seeing this in my sub feed: Wait, he's really reviewing it?
After review: So it is true, it is terrible. Thank goodness I never even played the game (even to rent)
yeah this is a game to avoid at all costs
The most shocking thing about this game is how expensive it is in the PAL region.
I heard there is a beta/prototype version of this game floating around and that it's better than the final version.
indeed there is and yes it is
Superman! More like Hooperman! Such a shame as there were so many possibilities that could have been explored with the license!
The verse mode was actually kind of fun
This is my personal experince in NA as a kid but not many of my friends read reviews, had the internet or magazines. It was just taking a chance with your money or asking a friend what they thought about the game. My friends would also buy games with big name brands like Tony Hawk, Madden and Wrestling. I was lucky enough to have borrowed Superman 64 and Bomberman 64 from a friend for 2 days. I thought nothing of Superman 64 other than i wish i could explore the city more instead of flying through those pesky rings.
yeah that was the original idea and concept but man those rings killed it
It's easy for him to blame Warner bros for the game being a disaster. That doesn't excuse shoddy controls and camera or the awful emphasis on early impossible time trial stages or overall terrible quality. Warner Bros doesnt have to defend themselves or even acknowledge his comments. I think hes full of shit. Yea, maybe they put creative restrictions on the team but they still could have made a playable game at least.
I think personally it was because if Warner rejected something that they had already implemented it just caused them to be delayed month after month so for sure not 100% their fault but im sure it played a part
Bought this game for $9.99 back in the 90s, played a couple stages, i though the control was pretty bad, sold the game back them on ebay now i want to buy another copy for collection purposes.
I like the graphics, the art deco look of it.
and now its probably like $40 - doh! lol
Got this at my local game store in the box. Couldn't resist 😅
Titus also invented a special Ultra Low Rez mode just for this game, apparently.
Wretched attempt.
Haha legit news 😬
I would love to see groups of modders try and fix this game in a contest or something.
now that would be funny! but nearly impossible too hah
same!
i too ignor e reviews because noone can tell you what you should like or dislike thats for you to decide by experiencing it for yourself
Nintendo Magazine System was legit, the Australian version anyway. Good magazine for kids at the time.
I LOVED THIS GAME SO MUCH AS A KID! I can't comprehend how severely underrated this game is. Me and my friends used to play this and enjoyed every little bit of it: From flying through the rings to throw cars!! /s
i bought this game for £5 just because of its reputation, i think i got as far as level 2 before i was like "meh"
That’s probably twice as far as others have got with the game 😂