Nintendo reportedly want GoldenEye on the Nintendo 64 to remain for their eyes only...

GoldenEye 007, developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64, has gone down in history as one of the best FPS games of all time. Its split-screen deathmatch mode and stealthy single-player mode were extremely innovative for the time, and the game drew in 8 million people worldwide. With a total average score of 96% on Game Rankings, GoldenEye is one of the most well-received games of all time.

In 2006, The Reggienator said that he was exploring the possibilities of GoldenEye 007 coming to the Wii's Virtual Console. Now, a site called MundoRare claims to have an all-knowing source, who in turn claims that GoldenEye was planned for a re-release on both the Virtual Console and the Xbox Live Arcade, in a proposed deal between Activision, Nintendo and Microsoft.

A special 10th anniversary version of GoldenEye 007 was supposedly proposed for the Xbox Live Arcade, including the following features: a flawless recreation of the original game, 60 frames per second, HD graphics and an option to switch back to the original N64 graphics, four-way online split-screen multiplayer and a spectator mode, and new multiplayer maps including the Dam, Depot and Frigate levels.

The mysterious source says that Activision doesn't need Nintendo's permission to green light such a project, though never the less they approached Nintendo for their blessing. Even when offered the original game on the Virtual Console (which is a stingy deal when the XBLA gets a new enhanced edition...), Satoru Iwata shot the proposition down. Activision then quickly cancelled the project to stay friendly with Nintendo.

No one knows whether or not this story is true. Until someone from Microsoft, Nintendo or Activision makes a comment, we just have the word of the 'insider'. But if it is true, surely it wouldn't have been too hard to port the enhanced edition of GoldenEye 007 over to WiiWare...

But for now, it appears the project has been left to live and let die. Stay tuned to N-Europe for the latest on this web of rights, secrets, and LIES.