Page 16 - Old School Gamer Magazine Issue #43 FREE Edition

INDIANA JONES AND THE INFERNAL MACHINE (N64, 2000)
Based on the animated series,
this Blockbuster exclusive 3D fighter featured a dozen playable characters, arcade and versus modes, and even a few mini- games for good measure. It's fun to experiment with each Transformer, as they can swap between three forms during battle: vehicle,
beast, and robot. Alas, it's marred by clunky controls, spam-heavy combat, and goofy voice lines.
OUTLAW GOLF EXCLUSIVES (XBOX, 2002/2003)
By the time sixth-generation home consoles hit the market, Blockbuster had started shifting their focus from exclusive rentals, but one franchise remained
stalwart in the program. Outlaw Golf (Xbox, 2002) was an edgy golf simulator that saw decent success, resulting in two Christmas-themed, Blockbuster exclusive level packs, Outlaw Golf: Holiday Golf (Xbox, 2002) and Outlaw Golf: 9 More Holes of X-Mas (Xbox, 2003). The risqué spin-off, Outlaw Volleyball (Xbox, 2003), also got a slightly updated version, Outlaw Volleyball Red Hot (Xbox, 2003), which simply added some costumes and a volleyball court literally set in Hell.
SPECIAL EDITION SPORTS GAMES
The games detailed above weren't the only Blockbuster exclusives around, as there were also several “Special Edition” sports titles
available from time to time. However, much like the enhanced fighting games, these were often simple revisions of existing games that lacked any meaningful content. For example, John Madden Football '93: Championship Edition (Genesis,
It's hard to believe that there was an Indiana Jones game on Nintendo 64 and very few people played
it, but that's the case with The Infernal Machine, developed by none other than LucasArts. Set in 1947, years after the events of the original film trilogy, this sprawling adventure has Hollywood's favorite treasure hunter on yet another globetrotting quest to save the world from supernatural disaster. Though it's oddly reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64, 1998) and ambitious
in its design, an awkward control scheme, convoluted puzzles, and playtime padding leave something to be desired. Ultimately, this N64 title was never released outside
of North America and was only available for rental at Blockbuster, an interesting fate for such a big- name licensed game.
TRANSFORMERS: BEAST WARS TRANSMETALS (N64, 2000)
1992) and NFL Blitz Special Edition (N64, 2002) added a handful of unofficial teams, but not much else. Similarly, Razor Freestyle Scooter (N64, 2001) and International
Track & Field 2000 (N64, 1999) were just ports of games that were widely available on other platforms, but the N64 versions were only available at Blockbuster to rent. The final Blockbuster exclusive rental, Freestyle Street Soccer (Xbox, 2004), offered decent 4v4 soccer gameplay, but it was mostly a pale imitation of titles like NBA Street (PS2, 2001).
Looking back, the Blockbuster exclusive game rental program was a smart way to get customers in the door, but it's clear that
the company struggled to nail down any exceptional deals with developers. Even so, the legacy
of the Blockbuster exclusive has been carved out in gaming history, serving as an anchor point for many childhood memories. Even now, as Blockbuster gathers dust as a relic of the past, many of these games are worth a small fortune, regardless of their quality. At the very least, it was an interesting experiment that resulted in some odd releases, all of which have gained immortality and cult-like status, thanks to their coveted spot on the row of rentals.
Apart from a few standout titles, the Nintendo 64 wasn't the best console for fighting games, and Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals didn't do much to change that reputation.
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OLD SCHOOL GAMER MAGAZINE • ISSUE #43