One of the top titles on the N64 is still not on the Virtual Console - Rare explains the games' legal limbo.

Simply put, Goldeneye for the N64 was one of the best titles of its generation. Therefore the fact that the Wii's Virtual Console service still hasn't seen a re-release of one of the most lauded games of all time continues to mystify. It even mystifies Rare, whose spokesman Nick Burton had this to say:

"I kind of wished that the difference got sorted out. But obviously there's the licensing issue for Bond, if it it's something that's already come out. The ball's not in anybody at Rare's court, really. It's squarely in the license holders' court. It's a shame. It's kind of locked in this no man's land. There's nothing on LIVE Arcade, there's nothing on Wii."

The current Bond liscense-holder is of course Activision, who will release a title based on forthcoming Bond movie Quantum of Solace later this year.

N-Europe imagines some deal would have to be reached between Rare, Activision, plus Nintendo for the title to see release on the Virtual Console and possibly Microsoft as well since they now own Rare. The legal complexities of which reduce our brains to spaghetti hoops just thinking about it. Oh dear...