GoldenEye 007 is the game that made a generation of players argue about who got to be Oddjob. Rare’s first-person shooter for the Nintendo 64 came out in 1997, two years after the film, and it is still one of the better reasons to own an N64. If you are looking for how to play GoldenEye 007 today, there are three honest routes, and none involves hunting for a download.
In the games
GoldenEye 007 follows the plot of the 1995 film with Pierce Brosnan’s Bond (see our guide to the Bonds and the films). It went on to sell around 8.09 million copies, third on the N64 behind Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64, and in May 2025 The Strong National Museum of Play inducted it into the World Video Game Hall of Fame, citing its four-person multiplayer mode.
The ways to play it
Xbox. Rare released a remaster on 27 January 2023, with 4K output, Xbox achievements, dual-analogue controls and a consistent refresh rate. It is included with Game Pass on Xbox One and Series X|S, and can be cloud streamed with Game Pass Premium or Ultimate. Anyone who owns a digital copy of Rare Replay (listed at US$29.99) gets it free; physical copies do not qualify. The Xbox Store lists local multiplayer for two to four players and does not list an online mode.
Nintendo Switch. The game is part of the Nintendo 64 library for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members, US$49.99 a year for an individual. Nintendo says it has a two to four player multiplayer mode, with online play for up to four players on the service, and the Switch N64 controller works with it.
The cartridge. Completed eBay sales tracked by PriceCharting between late August and mid September 2026 put a loose US cartridge at roughly US$19 to US$30, with one cleaned near-mint copy at US$69.95 and a complete copy with box and manual at US$54.60. Rare variants sit far higher: a Not for Resale copy is listed at about US$650, and a factory-sealed one sold for US$699 in 2023. Regional versions exist, so check that the cartridge matches your console. Search eBay for the cartridge.
Which we would choose
For most people, the Switch or Xbox version is the right one: no hardware to find and no TV problems. The cartridge is for the player who wants the console, the controller and the original feel; for that route, an HDMI adapter or a scaler such as the RetroTINK 2X solves the modern-TV problem. We have not tested any of these ourselves.
Specifications
| Developer / publisher | Rare / Nintendo |
|---|---|
| Original release | 25 August 1997 (North America), Nintendo 64 |
| Re-release | 27 January 2023: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch |
| Xbox | Game Pass; free with a digital Rare Replay; 4K; achievements; local 2-4 players |
| Switch | Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, US$49.99 a year (individual) |
| Cartridge | About US$19 to US$30 loose, October 2026 recent sales |
| Sales | About 8.09 million on N64 |
Questions
Is GoldenEye 007 on Xbox Game Pass?
Yes, since 27 January 2023, on Xbox One and Series X|S, with cloud play on Game Pass Premium and Ultimate.
Can I play GoldenEye 007 online?
On Nintendo Switch Online with the Expansion Pack, yes. The Xbox Store lists local multiplayer only.
Is it the same game as the N64 original?
The Switch version is the N64 game. The Xbox one is a remaster with higher resolution, achievements and modern controls.
Is there a newer Bond game?
Yes: IO Interactive’s 007 First Light, released on 27 May 2026.
