We thought the day would never come where we would hear news like this. That’s right; the classic shooter is being given the 21^st century makeover many were looking forward to for years. It was looking more and more likely that legal issues would kill off any chance of the game being made available in the Wii’s virtual console catalogue, let alone a full blown remake. But now, we can expect this to be ready to buy before Christmas, although no official release dates have been given just yet.

Goldeneye was an immensely popular game on its release, with big scores from reviewers and players alike. It set a very high benchmark for all shooters to come, and some still consider it to be unrivalled, and firmly in their Top 10 games of all time. So why the need for a remake? Why not just leave it be, or at the very most, make it available on the virtual console for those with nostalgia? My only guess is that the legal issues were still there, and so the only solution would be to recreate the game.

I, for one, am happy that some form of this game is being released again, even if it isn’t identical to the original 1997 release. I am a massive Bond fan, but have to admit I never owned a N64 and therefore never played the game. With this release, I don’t have to bother trying to get an old console off eBay.

First things first, what have they changed?

One of the most controversial decisions is the replacement of Pierce Brosnan’s likeness with that of Daniel Craig’s. Some argue that Goldeneye was Brosnan’s film, and Brosnan’s game, so his likeness should stay in place. However, Brosnan left the Bond franchise under a bit of a cloud, so he was either unwilling to return for some voice acting, or, more likely, Activision decided it was more marketable to use the current Bond in the title role.

Also, the storyline has had a hefty rewrite. The game is going to be set in the modern day, so Alec Trevelyan’s back-story and motives behind his plan would make him a much older man than in the film and original game if the story were to remain the same. Valentin Zukovsky has also relinquished all ties with the now defunct KGB. Although the main elements of the story will be there, they have given it a major update to fit in with Craig’s portrayal of Bond. Despite all of the changes made, Activision has assured fans that the original locations will be in place, albeit with a bit of a facelift.

Voice talent will include the likes of Judi Dench and, obviously, Daniel Craig. The character of Bill Tanner has also been updated to reflect the change in actor, now bearing the likeness of Rory Kinnear, as opposed to Michael Kitchen.

The multiplayer mode looks promising; with 4 way split screen and numerous options to select, including paintball and Golden Gun. Old multiplayer characters are present and correct, with the likes of Oddjob, Jaws and Scaramanga making an appearance. Experience points can be earned through playing multiplayer games as well, which can be put towards unlockables. Online play will also be available, with up to 8 way multiplayer. Let’s hope it can be done well, so the Wii can redeem itself when it comes to online play.

Although this game has split opinion amongst game lovers, I can’t wait to get my hands on this. From what I have seen, I think Activision have done well to update the game so it feels brand new, yet retaining enough elements of the original to keep fans happy. Being exclusively available for the Wii, I really think this game can make people dust down their consoles, and switch it on once more. All being well, this could also be the shooter that people have been waiting for on the Wii. Other’s have been and gone, not living up to expectation. What the Wii really needs is a shooter that will hold the interest of online players for months to come. However, this game will be facing competition from a completely original Bond game, Bloodstone, released on PS3, Xbox and PC, which will be released at around the same time. Let’s hope some of the magic of the original will rub off on this game.

This is one to look out for, and will be released sometime in November.

Watch this space for more previews of big Wii titles coming soon.