Perfect Dark Multiplayer Games


Everyone's favourite N64 shooter, Perfect Dark, is certainly known for its excellent multiplayer mode. Up to four players and eight simulants, fighting to the death with a variety of weaponry, and several play modes, makes for some exciting combat which will keep you going almost indefinitely.

But while it's hard to tire of such joyful slaughter, there are a number of ways to spice up your Perfect Dark multiplayer games. In this special feature, we present a number of special multiplayer challenges that we frequently play when tired of the standard combat. Ranging from the edge-of-your-seat hunter vs hunted scenario of 'Far-Spite' (I take full responsibility for that crap pun) to the contest of action and wits in 'Waiting on Thin Ice' (again, my fault), there are games here to suit all tastes. And you can even turn Perfect Dark into a pretty competent racing game with 'Slayer Race'.

First off, many of these challenges are best used with the cheats specified. Mostly, these are the 'Invincible' cheat and one or other of the 'Infinite Ammo' cheats. None of these three cheats are particularly hard to get, and you should certainly find it easy to get them all. The Invincible cheat can be got by completing Mission 4:3 (Area 51 Escape) in under 3:50 minutes on Agent setting; Infinite Ammo No Reloads is obtained by finishing Mission 5:1 (Air Base) in under 3:11 on Special Agent setting; and Infinite Ammo is found by completing Mission 6:1 (Pelagic II) in under 7:07 on Special Agent. Getting these cheats is advisable not only for these challenges, but also because they're loads of fun to use in the main game, too.

And without further ado, we present nine superb Perfect Dark multiplayer games!



Waiting on Thin Ice

Number of players: 2
Simulants: None
Level: Grid
Use cheats: Invincible and Infinite Ammo (NOT Infinite Ammo No Reloads)
Limits: Disable limits
Other options: Turn off auto-aim
Weapons: DY357 Magnum times 6

How to play: This game is definitely one of our favourites, and requires a lot of strategic thinking by both players.

One player is designated the 'runner', and he must make his way to the top floor in the room with the nine glass panels. The other player needs to get a Magnum, and then goes to the bottom floor in the same room, standing underneath the nine panels. The runner then stands on one of the corner panels, and the game can commence.

The game's premise is that the shooter must drop the runner to the ground by blasting away the panels with the magnum. The runner, who obviously isn't allowed to step off the panels onto solid ground, must remain up for as long as possible. It takes two magnum bullets to destroy a panel, but the panels respawn after a short time, making it impossible to drop the runner by blowing away the panels methodically. There are two essential rules that the shooter must obey - only one magnum may be used, not a pair; and also, once a panel is hit with one bullet, the shooter is required to finish it off before shooting another panel.

Both players need to use strategy to win the game. The shooter must try and trap the runner by carefully shooting out panels leaving him with nowhere to go, while the runner must think very quickly and plan a path. The runner will find that it is possible to 'jump' across a one-panel gap, provided that he does so in a diagonal movement (using a left or right C button while pushing forward on the Control Stick), which makes you run faster, so this adds an extra complication. All-up, it's a fine strategic challenge, and the amazing coincidence of the perfect regeneration speed of the panels is very fortunate indeed.


Dark Zone

Number of players: 2-4
Simulants: None
Level: Skedar
Use cheats: Invincibility and either Infinite Ammo cheat
Limits: Disable limits
Other options: No changes
Weapons: Laser, Remote Mines, Cloaking Device, Laser, Remote Mines, Cloaking Device

How to play: If you enjoy those 'live-action laser games', where for an extortionate sum of money you can run around a maze shooting an annoyingly-non-lethal laser at other people, then you'll certainly appreciate this Perfect Dark game. At the start of the game, each player grabs a laser, remote mines and a cloaking device. All the players then meet up in the central area, and each player then gets a remote mine affixed to his character's chest, and one to his back. The players then all whip out their lasers, set to primary mode, turn on their cloaking devices, and scatter across the level.

The game then begins in earnest. Your objective is to hit either of the remote mines on your opponents with a laser blast. You'll know you've hit one when it explodes, obviously. However, don't forget that when you fire, your cloaking field will be temporarily disrupted and you - and the mines on your front and back - will become visible. Because of the infinite ammo, you have an unlimited amount of cloaking time. You get a point for each time you hit an opponent's mine, and lose one if one of your own mines is hit. After each explosion, the player whose mine was hit gets another one thrown on in the same place. Play for as long as you want, or set a time limit before the game starts.


Slayer Race

Number of players: 2-4
Simulants: None
Level: Villa
Use cheats: Invincibility and Infinite Ammo No Reloads
Limits: Disable limits
Other options: No changes
Weapons: Slayer times 6

How to play: All players grab a Slayer, and set it to secondary mode, fly-by-wire rocket. They all then meet up in the large open area near the green corridor, where there is a walkway overhead and a cylinderical pillar in the middle. Once all assembled, the players fire their rockets at the same time, and must follow the racecourse outlined below. The first one to reach the end without crashing their rocket into a wall or floor is the winner!

The course that we consider the best is as follows: Go through the rock tunnel, and when you emerge from it, turn right, then right again into a passage. Follow the passage around to the left, ignoring the turnoff to the right. Follow the descending passage around several left turns, then go down either side of the green corridor. Turn left at the end, then immediately right. Take a right once past the semicircular hole in the wall, and then just follow the path until you emerge above the starting area. Smash your rocket into the top of the cylinderical pillar to win!

This is what we think the best possible course, although if you want you can of course try different routes. Our course starts off easy, but gets tough quite quickly, so don't forget to hold R to slow down your rocket around the tight bends. Enjoy!


Far Spite

Number of players: 2-4
Simulants: None
Level: Complex
Use cheats: Infinite Ammo (not IA No Reloads)
Limits: Disable limits
Other options: Enable team play, and put one player on his own team, and all other players on another team.
Weapons: Farsight, Farsight, Farsight, Farsight, Shield, Farsight

How to play: The player on a team by himself is designated the 'runner'. He goes to the shield location, which is reached by climbing the grating in the area near the blue and yellow passageways. He gets a shield and waits at that location. The other players get a Farsight each, and then each makes his way to one of these three locations: The top of the ramp in the area on the opposite side of the blue passageway to the yellow passageway; the bottom of the pit with two walkways going across it, near the room with lots of thin pillars; and in the small 'slot' in the room with two ramps, diagonally across from the red passageway.

Once all is ready, the runner calls 'go', and the game begins. The runner then has the job of running through the level and attempting to get to the locations of the other players. He must reach the other players and disarm them all to win. Once disarmed, the Farsighter can no longer participate until the end of the round. While the runner is trying to get to the other players, who aren't allowed to move from their locations, it's their job to try and gun him down with the Farsights. Since the runner has a shield, he can withstand one hit - but no more - before dying. The runner wins if he successfully disarms all of his opponents; the Farsighters win if they kill the runner before this happens. Then another round begins. If you want another player to be the runner, you have to quit and restart with this player on a team by himself.


Ninja Turtlesims

Number of players: 1-4
Simulants: Four turtlesims on Dark difficulty, plus up to three normalsims on Normal difficulty, to bring total numbers including humans up to eight
Level: Sewers
Use cheats: None
Limits: 7 minutes
Other options: Enable teams, and put every single player and simulant on a separate team. Turtlesims are assigned to Cyan, Pink, Red and Orange teams.
Weapons: AR34, K7 Avenger, CMP150, Cyclone, AR34, K7 Avenger

How to play: With this multiplayer challenge, you can relive the fun of the craze of the early nineties. In a way. For maximum cheesy and cringeworthy enjoyment, here's how to turn your copy of Perfect Dark into a cartoon-character massacre.

Set up the game as follows (it does take ages to set up the first time, but you can save the settings once you're done). Firstly, change the team names as follows: call the red team 'Raphael'; the yellow team 'April'; the cyan team 'Leonardo'; the navy blue team 'Shredder'; orange 'Mikey'; pink 'Donatello'; magenta 'Vernon'; and brown 'Splinter'.

Next, change the character of each of the eight players as follows. Each of the turtlesims should be given the green dataDyne shock trooper body and the Maian head. The Shredder normalsim or human is to have the body and head of the dataDyne sniper; Splinter needs the Maian body with Carrington's head; April needs the Cassandra's bodyguard body and the redhaired female head; and Vernon has the Office Casual body and the 'snarling' male head. Make sure that team colours are turned on. Finally, all the human players should change their name to the same as their team name. You're then ready to begin.

Your goal is to get the highest score out of all the human players and normalsims. Don't even try to get a higher score than the turtlesims, since on Dark difficulty they're not only superpowerful, but as turtlesims they have a massive shield to boot. Avoid the turtles at all costs, and instead seek out and destroy the others. Soon you'll learn to dread the turtlesims, but it's hugely cathartic to fill Vernon or Splinter full of lead!


I Think that's Mine

Number of players: 2
Simulants: None
Level: Felicity
Use cheats: Invincibility and either IA cheat
Limits: Disable limits
Other options: No changes
Weapons: Falcon 2 (scope) times 3, Proximity Mines times 3

How to play: Each player grabs a Falcon and proximity mines. Then, while one player looks away or leaves the room, the other player goes to the large room with the two huge solid cylinders and the stairs. He places five proximity mines wherever he wants in this large room, ensuring that none is within the blast range of the others, and also that none will be set off by someone entering through the door. He then exits the room, and the other player returns. It's this player's task to find and shoot all five of the mines, without setting any of them off by getting too close to one. He wins if he gets all five, and the mining player wins if any mines go off without being shot.

Tangy is firmly of the opinion, by the way, that the game is much better without the invincible cheat, and you're playing with your very life at stake. I leave it up to you to decide if he's right....


Fun By Wire

Number of players: 2-4
Simulants: None
Level: Temple
Use cheats: None
Limits: Disable limits
Other options: Set each player's handicap to 1000%
Weapons: Slayer times 3, Cyclone times 3

How to play: Firstly, each player gets a Slayer and four rockets, and two Cyclones and 900 bullets. Then you must pick one player (if you are playing with two or three players) or two players (if you are playing with four players) who will be 'runners' to start with. These runners go to the main hall of the Temple, on the top floor. The other player or players stand behind the various sliding blocks which mark the entrances to the hall. These players take out the Slayer, and the runners take out double Cyclones. The runners call 'go', and at this point the other players open the entrances and shoot a fly-by-wire rocket each into the hall. The runners then have to race around the hall, fleeing the rockets in terror, while the Slayer players attempt to 'get' them. The runners can try and shoot the rockets with their Cyclones, but these is a very hard task. The 1000% handicap means that even a direct rocket hit won't kill a player, but it can hurt. Once both rockets have exploded, the Slayer players fire a second rocket each, and the procedure repeats.

When all four of the Slayer players' rockets are gone, positions are exchanged (or rotated, for a three-player game), and the hunters become the hunted. One other important thing is that if a runner inadvertantly falls through the hole in the upper level and falls to the lower floor, he must stay within the small lighted area until the current rockets have exploded - a virtual sitting duck.


Touch My Pillar

Number of players: 2 or 4
Simulants: None
Level: Warehouse
Use cheats: Invincibility and Infinite Ammo No Reloads
Limits: Disable limits
Other options: No changes
Weapons: RC-P120 times 6

How to play: One player goes to the room where the hovercrate is, and takes the crate to the huge main room - the one with the massive grey block in the middle and the two levels of walkways around the room. Then the players divide evenly into two teams, and each team picks two of the four pillars in the corners of the room as 'theirs'. The object of the game is to get the hovercrate to bump into your opponents' pillars, getting you a point for each touch. Oh, and you can only move the crate by shooting it...


I Spy the Cam Spy

Number of players: 2
Simulants: N/A
Level: N/A
Use cheats: N/A
Limits: N/A
Other options: N/A
Weapons: N/A

How to play: This one's unusual, since it's not actually played in the Combat Simulator mode. Instead, go to the Carrington Institute and to the gadgets training room. If you haven't completed all the gadget training and thereby opened all the doors in the training area, do that first. Then select the Cam Spy training. While one person looks away, the other person launches the Cam Spy and moves it somewhere in the training area. The person returns to Joanna by pressing A, then the other person looks back, takes the controller, and tries to find the Cam Spy. It goes without saying that he can't switch to Cam Spy view to do this, instead having to track it down with Joanna. Hours of fun await!

Written by: Maverik