They’re not unworkable, but they’re awkward enough that no matter which one you settle on, it’s going to take a little while to get accustomed to. The mechanics handle smoothly enough, for the most part, although none of the preset controller configurations feel particularly comfortable. Does this make for a more engrossing experience? Ehhhh, not particularly. The biggest change in this battle, though, is that Zero Hour strays considerably from Duke’s roots, going from the classic FPS format to a third-person affair, with a heavy emphasis on jumping and more focus on tactics like ducking behind cover and circle-strafing. Unfortunately for them, anything they can do, Duke can do better, so you’ll be skipping around time, from the present, to the post-apocalyptic future, to the Old West, to Victorian London, and finally, back to a distorted present for one last showdown with the invaders. Only this time, the aliens have tossed in a backup plan, utilizing time-travel technology to go back to the past and alter the future. The story, such as it is, is as shallow as you’d expect, aliens have landed on Earth in yet another attempt to enslave humanity, regular puny humans can’t hold them back, and once again, it’s up to Duke Nukem to singlehandedly save the world, blow things up, crack one-liners, kick ass, chew gum, and get the girl(s). Eventually, though, even a dinosaur like The Duke had to evolve, and just in time for the new millennium, His Dukeness was getting a new spin and an N64 exclusive title, 1999’s Duke Nukem: Zero Hour, by Eurocom and GT Interactive.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other, I suppose, but there’s no denying that along with Doom and Quake, Duke Nukem was an integral part of the initial wave of major first-person shooters on PC, which in turn, led to that wave of FPSs being ported onto consoles. Ah yes, Duke Nukem, a character bursting at the seams with so much testosterone-fueled badassery that I’m not entirely sure whether or not he was meant to be the the definition of macho masculinity in gaming or if he was meant to spoof it.

Duke nukem zero hour controls