It’s time for the fourth entry in my StarCraft PC vs. StarCraft 64 comparison series. So far, this set of mini reviews has looked into various different aspects of the two version of StarCraft, from the in-game cinematics to the quality of the sound and even to the two games’ varying control schemes. Thus far, while StarCraft 64 is a strong contender and undoubtedly one of the better real-time strategy titles to hit the Nintendo 64, StarCraft on the PC has proven to be a much stronger game due to its fine-tuned mechanics and presentation. Today we’ll take a look at the multiplayer in both games and compare the differences.
One of the things that immediately sells people on StarCraft is its online multiplayer through Battle.net. This open mode allows you to go online and seek out opponent through Blizzard’s online multiplayer hub. Here you can communicate with others, set up matches, and play against friends or complete strangers who are equally hungry for a fierce competitive battle. The system works well, and it is intuitive and easy to use. Not to mention it’s free of charge, and the only thing better than awesome online multiplayer is free awesome online multiplayer.
Obviously, the N64 version of StarCraft doesn’t support online multiplayer. This type of gaming wasn’t a part of home consoles at the time, and if you wanted to make with the pwning online, you had to do so on your computer. But even without online capabilities, the N64 version of StarCraft adds an intriguing and fun multiplayer mode that fans of the series would definitely be interested in: split-screen co-op. That’s right, StarCraft 64 gives you the opportunity to take on missions alongside a friend, and co-op gaming is always a blast. Unfortunately, this mode does contain a lot of slow-down, which is a real shame because it’s so much fun, and it could have been even more fun without all the bothersome lag. But the mode is definitely good, and you’re likely to enjoy it for what it’s worth.
Comparing the multiplayer in the PC and N64 versions of StarCraft is different from comparing the two games’ other specs because it is a completely different variant in each game. StarCraft on the PC features some of the most memorable online game of all time, while StarCraft 64 substitutes that with an engaging—albeit laggy—cooperative mode for two players. If you’re super into co-op play, then you’ll like StarCraft 64’s multiplayer component. But if you hunger for taking out enraged competitors online, the choice is obvious: StarCraft on the PC. This one is up for debate, and while the multiplayer options in StarCraft for the PC are better overall, this one is left up to personal preference.
