Glover: Unique N64 Platformer With a Glove

Here’s one of the more obscure Nintendo 64 titles, a unique platformer from Interactive Studios of Warwickshire, England.

Glover

Okay, so we never did get round to playing this game. But the upbeat N64 Magazine review did make us think nice happy things about it.

We should also mention the game did make it onto the PlayStation and PC. It wasn’t a smash hit or anything, but reviews were pretty solid.

The title launched in November in 1998 on the Nintendo 64, with the Sony version cropping up in 1999.

The plot is fairly standard sort of silly fun stuff. Here’s one of those classic 1990s game intros.

It’s all set in the Crystal Kingdom, with Glover created by accident by a wizard. Glover subsequently realises he must save the day by going off to collect stuff.

The title did try on a unique concept for the 3D platformer genre.

Rather than just go out and replicate Super Mario 64, for example, Interactive Studios had a think and came up with this glove concept.

The main objective is to manouvre a ball across a stage, using some nifty tricks and skills to manage that.

We remember at the time, N64 Magazine was impressed with the tricks Glover can perform.

Basically, you can learn some unique ways to get the ball around. And then impress your friends with your fancy skills.

For example, you can run on top of the ball like some circus whizz. He can roll the ball, bounce it basketball style, and chuck it as well.

Which opens up some opportunities for fun looking gameplay.

Although some reviews were very middling. GameSpot handed out the N64 and PlayStation versions 5/10.

The legendary Edge was much kinder, though, offering the N64 title 7/10.

Nothing truly outstanding, of course, but the developer at least tried! And it was set to try again, but the sequel was cancelled.

The Return of Glover?!

However! In 2018 American developer Piko Interactive said it had intentions to re-release Glover on the likes of Steam.

As well as finish the cancelled sequel and launch that. We’ve not heard anything about that since, so who knows? Perhaps we’ll see this quirky little number again some day.