With the success of Star Fox 64, it’s surprising that nobody really tried to capture what it does: a 3D shoot-’em-up in dramatic levels. It wasn’t until now that a similar game cropped up, from beloved developer Treasure and Nintendo themselves. The great thing is, Sin & Punishment doesn’t feel like it’s trying to be like Star Fox 64, it’s just its own thing that has some loose gameplay similarities: you move along a level automatically, while also having to dodge incoming attacks in a 3D space.

Sin & Punishment, though, it’s far more like the arcade origins of the genre, with an even greater focus on hit combos and high scores. There’s a story I don’t quite understand regarding alien blood triggering some kind of invasion and disaster, with some surprisingly touching moments in the story (which, even though the game was exclusive in Japan, is entirely in English), and it all leads to some wonderful levels, from navigating a ruined city, making your way through a forest in a section that feels more like a 2D platformer, or speeding around a naval fleet on a chunk of metal being controlled by a mysterious girl.

The game is quite short, with a focus on completing the game for high scores, which to perform well you’ll need to play on harder difficulties and not die. This is easier said than done, as you’ll need to juggle aiming, dodging, and using the melee attack to send projectiles back. You can also play individual levels, which are oddly lacking their own leaderboards. Sin & Punishment is short, but a ton of fun.

Fun

It’s far from the first game to make us curse out loud. But Sin and Punishment is so hard, so brutally unforgiving, that three N64 swear jars have already burst apart thanks to the sheer amount of 10p pieces we’ve had to stuff inside them. However, no matter how red our tear-stained faces, or how calloused our hands after repeatedly punching the joypad in frustration, we haven’t stopped playing. Because in Sin and Punishment, Treasure have brought us a game as utterly compulsive as it is frenetic, blisteringly-pace and downright gobsmacking.

Mark Green, N64 Magazine #51. Review Score: 89%

Remake or remaster?

A remastered collection of this and the Wii game would be very welcome.

Official ways to get the game.

There is no way to buy a new copy of Sin & Punishment, the only official way to play is to rent it via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pak.

Re-releases

2004: iQue Player

2007: Wii Virtual Console

2015: Wii U Virtual Console

2021: Nintendo Switch Online (Subscription Only)