Jet Force Gemini
Platform: Nintendo 64
Media: Cartridge
Genre: Action > Adventure > Shooter
Release Year: 1999
Developer: Rare
Publisher: Rare Ltd.
Players: Single-player, multiplayer
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Synopsis

Jet Force Gemini revolves around the Jet Force Gemini team attempting to defeat the evil leader Mizar and his horde of Drones. Jet Force Gemini is composed of three main characters: Juno, a taciturn, somewhat melancholy human male whose parents were killed by space pirates that invaded his home station. He desires to protect his side of space and is frustrated with the Federation, since they apparently do not perceive Mizar as a viable threat; Vela, on the other hand, is Juno's feisty twin sister. She desires to stay strong and help her brother protect humanity's side of space, as she feels she must prove herself as a female in the "skeptical military world"; And Lupus, Jet Force Gemini's wardog mascot. As a cybernetically enhanced companion, Lupus is considered to be a vital member of the Jet Force Gemini team.

The game begins with the three characters in orbit around the planet Goldwood after barely escaping the destruction of the entire Jet Force fleet at the hands of Mizar. Their ship however, had suffered extraordinary damage, leaving them defenseless and unable to warp out of the system. It is not long before the team witnesses Mizar's attack on Goldwood, and soon afterwards, their cruiser is attacked by a large craft of Mizar's known as the Spawnship. Boarded by drones and out of time, they decide not to wait for orders and act on their own. The three decide to abandon the ship and go off on their own separate paths to stop the invasion and confront Mizar. Juno is the last off the ship, and, like the others, begins following a set path towards Mizar's Palace. As the game progresses, the heroes eventually find themselves reunited at Mizar's Palace-and face to face with Mizar himself.

Severely underestimating the power of two humans and their dog, Mizar is quickly overcome, and Jet Force Gemini appear to have done the impossible all too easily. However, Mizar, enraged and vowing revenge on the human race, escapes to a nearby asteroid where he sets course to impact with Earth. King Jeff, the beloved leader of the Tribals, quickly arranges a plan to help the heroes: by providing an ancient starship that can quickly catch up to Mizar's asteroid. Nevertheless, the team needs to locate several vital parts scattered throughout the galaxy, as well as rescue all the Tribals enslaved by Mizar. Also, King Jeff upgrades the heroes with new armor and jet packs that allow them to fly. From this point on, the team stays united and, together, works to search every world for anything they can find.

After all the Tribals are rescued and the parts found, the team, along with King Jeff, reassembles the old Tribal craft and quickly depart to save Earth. After a rough landing, Juno fights through Mizar's guards in an attempt to locate the tyrant. Eventually, Juno does find Mizar, and in front of a dramatic view of Earth, they clash in epic battle. Mizar does not go down easily this time, but indeed after a long struggle, Juno does defeat him. To the surprise of all though, Mizar is revealed to be a robot controlled by King Jeff's jealous brother, Barry. After realizing destroying Barry's robot ruined their best chance of destroying the asteroid, the team is out of options. In an honorable notion, Floyd, the quiet little robot that defected from Mizar and followed the team, offers to sacrifice himself to destroy the asteroid. Hesitantly, the team agrees and attaches a timed warhead to Floyd before sending him into the core. With no time to spare, the team returns to the Tribal craft and departs only seconds before Floyd reaches the core. In a brilliant flash of light, the asteroid is destroyed mere miles away from entering the atmosphere of Earth. Afterwards on Earth, Jet Force Gemini is given the highest honors for their many accomplishments

Jet Force Gemini is a third-person shooter video game developed and published by Rare. It was exclusively released for the Nintendo 64 in late 1999 in North America, Europe and Japan. Created by the same Rare team that developed Blast Corps, the title features elements that have never been seen on the Nintendo 64, such as a no split-screen co-operative mode and a control scheme that features two ways to play the game. Jet Force Gemini shares elements with platform games, action-adventure games, and run and gun games.

Players assume the role of three members of Jet Force Gemini, the last remaining group of the once proud and strong military organization Jet Force. The main story arc encompasses the trio's quest as they try to stop the advances of the dark insect tyrant Mizar and his near limitless army. Throughout the game, the player will also have to collect several spaceship parts and save a large number of Tribals, a group of survivors who have been enslaved and prisoned by Mizar.

Reviews were generally positive towards the game, though not as high as Rare's other N64 games such as GoldenEye 007 and Banjo-Kazooie. Praise was given to its graphics, sound and originality, while criticism was levelled at the game's difficult controls and insistence on having to save every Tribal to fully complete the game. Jet Force Gemini is frequently regarded as one of the most innovative and original games of its era.