Duke Nukem 64

Lore & Background

Duke Nukem is a pop-culture icon of 1990s gaming, embodying the era's over-the-top action hero archetype. In Duke Nukem 64, the story begins with aliens attacking Earth, destroying cities and abducting women. Duke, a one-man army, is called into action to save the planet. The game's narrative is minimal, conveyed through brief cutscenes and Duke's one-liners, but it establishes a clear good-versus-evil conflict where Duke's bravado and firepower are humanity's only defense. The Nintendo 64 version adds an exclusive level like the 'Duke Burger' restaurant, expanding the original game's urban warzone setting. The aliens, led by the Cycloid Emperor, are a mix of grotesque creatures and robotic drones. Duke's arsenal includes iconic weapons like the shrink ray, pipe bombs, and the devastating Devastator missile launcher. The game's tone is satirical, blending sci-fi horror with juvenile humor, as Duke quips while blasting through hordes of enemies.

In Their Own Story

The sky turns red. Sirens wail. Duke Nukem, fresh from a workout and still slick with sweat, hears the news on a crackling TV: aliens are everywhere. He doesn't wait for orders. He grabs his shotgun, kicks open the door of his penthouse, and steps into a warzone. Cars burn, buildings crumble, and a giant alien ship the size of a city block looms overhead. Duke spits out his cigar, the ember hissing on the asphalt. 'Time to kick ass and chew bubble gum,' he mutters, 'and I'm all out of gum.' The hunt begins.

Reader's Guide

Duke Nukem 64's campaign spans 36 levels across four episodes, though the Nintendo 64 version includes exclusive new stages. The story is straightforward: aliens have invaded Earth, and Duke must stop them. The first episode, 'L.A. Meltdown,' sees Duke fighting through Los Angeles, rescuing women, and destroying alien nests. The second episode, 'Lunar Apocalypse,' takes the fight to the moon, where Duke infiltrates alien bases and faces tougher enemies. The third episode, 'Shrapnel City,' returns to Earth for a final stand in a devastated urban landscape. The fourth episode, 'The Birth,' is exclusive to the Nintendo 64 and features a trip to the alien homeworld to confront the Cycloid Emperor. Key moments include Duke's first encounter with the alien queen, the destruction of the alien mothership, and the final boss battle against the Cycloid Emperor. The game's importance lies in its role as a flagship title for the Nintendo 64's mature gaming library, showcasing that the console could handle violent, adult-oriented content. It also demonstrated how a PC hit could be successfully adapted for a console, with added content to justify the port. Duke Nukem 64 remains a cult classic, remembered for its crude humor, fast-paced action, and the enduring appeal of its protagonist.

Did You Know?

• Duke Nukem 64 includes a multiplayer mode with up to four players, a feature that was a major selling point for the Nintendo 64 version.
• The game was originally rated M for Mature by the ESRB, making it one of the first M-rated games on the Nintendo 64.
• Duke Nukem 64 features a secret level called 'Duke Burger,' a parody of fast-food restaurants, where players fight aliens in a kitchen.
• The game's soundtrack was not composed by Robert Prince; the original Duke Nukem 3D music was by Robert Prince, but the N64 port's music was handled by different composers, including possibly Eurocom's in-house team.