The re-release of DOOM 64 was originally unveiled as both a standalone purchase and as a pre-order bonus for DOOM Eternal. DOOM Eternal is an extremely fast-paced tactical FPS which tasks players with remembering not only which weapons to use against which enemies but also provides them with a plethora of traversal options in which to jump, dash, and swing around their opponents in a gruesome, acrobatic display of destruction.

DOOM 64 is not that, and it's unfair to compare the two games in this manner, despite such comparisons being inevitable upon starting up DOOM 64 having played either DOOM Eternal or its 2016 predecessor. It's not a graphical remastering of the original Nintendo 64 title either, and players hoping for something akin to Capcom's recent re-release of Resident Evil 3 will be sorely disappointed to discover DOOM 64 is simply itself, with only an additional level and the ability to play without the N64's strange tri-wing controller.

Truly, the addition of twin analog sticks or mouse and keyboard support (depending on whether DOOM 64 is being played on console or PC) is the best new thing in the game, but what's old is still just as entertaining as it was in 1997. DOOM 64 was always considered one of the least important entries in the DOOM franchise, due partly to the fact that many players felt it was just a 3D re-skin of the original Doom and partly due to the Nintendo 64 console being primarily marketed more towards children, diminishing the game's core audience. Here in 2020, free of console exclusivity and with a video game industry completely overrun with 3D re-skins of popular franchises, DOOM 64 feels right at home.


Although the controls have been updated to match the more ergonomically designed controllers of today, the Doomguy of DOOM 64 still cannot jump or look up and down, something which will take new players (or young ones with no memory of early FPS mechanics) a little while to get used to. Firing at an enemy in the air simply requires pointing the weapon in their direction and pulling the trigger, no adjustment to the Y axis required. The game's original save progression mechanic, a password system prominent in titles of the era, has returned, but DOOM 64 can also be manually saved at any point via the in-game pause menu, which players will need to remember to do because there is no autosave system included and stopping to write down a password after completing each level is incredibly mood and immersion-killing.

The level design of DOOM 64 is definitely proof of its time, with blue, yellow, and red keycards scattered all over the map and numerous doors which seemingly appear out of nowhere, revealing a small hole in the wall stuffed with enemies. The levels are sometimes incredibly frustrating to traverse and, although thankfully not as obtuse as other shooters released around the same time like Hexen 64, still fall prey to the same problem of the player throwing a switch which activates something else entirely unrelated on the other side of the map. This design choice, to have players both linearly confined to an optimal path via locked doors but having that path be entirely unintuitive to navigate, is as frustrating now as it was two decades ago.


DOOM 64 isn't a bad game. It's older mechanics and systems may feel out of place in today's world which sees FPS titles like Call of Duty, Halo, and even DOOM Eternal offering vastly different play styles and gameplay loops which are, for some, more enjoyable than the simpler mechanics on display here. However, the relatively small audience DOOM 64 acquired upon its original release wasn't truly indicative of its quality, and players looking for a retro shooter which still delivers an engaging experience could do a lot worse than DOOM 64. For all its frustrations and occasional steep difficulty jumps, DOOM 64 delivers exactly what it promises, and the added bonus of slightly more content than before coupled with the ability to play the game without getting a thumb blister makes it a great choice for anyone who can't get enough of the Doomguy's slaughter.

DOOM 64 is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.