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Underrated: Mischief Makers

Posted by Amber Ahlborn

Long before Wario shook things up on the Wii, a very odd little game that focused on the grab and shake mechanic came out for the N64. One of the earlier titles displayed for the N64, Mischief Makers was developed by Treasure. For those of you not familiar with Treasure, they are very well known for their 2-D shooters and for taking weird concepts and turning them into equally weird games, and we love them for it.

Mischief Makers was a 2-D platformer staring Ultra-Intergalactic-Cybot G Marina Liteyears, the robotic maid of lecherous Professor Theo. While visiting planet Clancer, the old prof is abducted and it's up to Marina to save her inventor/employer. You can cut the goof ball melodrama with a knife.

The game play centered around Marina's ability to grab just about anything; from objects, to enemy projectiles, to animals, to innocent bystanders; shake them and throw them. Shaking things would often reward the player with gems or cause the object to take on a new characteristic, like causing a missile to increase in power. The levels made full use of this play mechanic by offering elaborate platform and puzzle challenges.

Stages like this one really test your ability to maneuver.

The numerous boss and mini-boss encounters were especially a blast, demanding sharp reflexes and imaginative tactics to take down the screwball cast of enemies.

Yes, Marina is indeed riding on a cat for this fight. A cat she defeated in a game of dodge ball on the previous level.

Unless you're the type of person who takes gaming way too seriously, there's no reason not to love Mischief Makers.

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Posted Feb 23 2009, 10:00 AM

Filed under: amber ahlborn, n64, underrated, underappreciated, mischief makers

Comments

Roto13 said:

HEEELP MEEEE MARINAAAAAAAAA!!

I loved that game. Never owned it, though. I wish it would hit the Virtual Console, but at the rate N64 games come, it'll probably never happen.

February 23, 2009 1:42 PM

Ian said:

Ah, wow. I love this game. It needs to come out on the VC. Actually, I do feel there is some hope since Nintendo and Treasure seem to have a good working relationship at the moment.

February 25, 2009 1:45 PM

About Amber Ahlborn

Artist, writer, gamer and DigiPen survivor, she maintains a day job as a graphic artist. By night Amber moonlights as a professional Metroid Fanatic and keeps a metal suit in the closet just in case. Has lived in the state of Washington and insists that it really doesn't rain as much as everyone says it does.

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