Let There Be Guards...

Whenever Bond finishes a mission, the game automatically "removes all guards from level" before the cutscene kicks in. (So the guards won't still be randomly attacking our hero as he exits in style)

Was curious to see what it looked like if all guards were NOT removed from the level.
Here in Bunker 1, deleted that one small instruction (ROM Modification).





In the Facility, Ourumov's troops keep firing away as Bond calmly makes his exit.

Calm and collected, Bond doesn't even flinch as he get shot...
(Fortunately, the bullet missed all vital organs)

In the Water Caverns, Bond reaches the end of the level and the elevator music quietly plays.

In this modified setup, the half dozen or so guards in the room continue to relentlessly fire at 007.

Guard opens fire at close range with his AR33 Assault Rifle.

On another playthrough, a guard pulls a grenade and wipes everybody out as Bond calmly puts his gun away.

The Water Caverns is definitely a favorite so far...

Boom Box...

Destroyed by the GoldenEye blast?

Not sure that I've seen this one before...

Escaping from Bunker 1.
One of the guards must have pulled a grenade, because in the cinema scene, the alarm blows up!

Fun Run...

Bond bolts out of the Bunker...

Always found it fun to shave seconds off my best times in Mario Kart...
The levels in GoldenEye 007 also offer a wide variety for potential speedruns.

With the black-clad Janus Special Forces troops, the "Bunker 1" mission is more exciting than Runway.

Inspired to return to the Satellite Control Bunker (aka. Bunker 1, the game's fifth mission) after reading a few thoughts by Wouter Jansen (who set a good number of records for both GoldenEye and Perfect Dark back in the day).

Other missions around the 20-second mark include Runway, Frigate , Bunker 2 and Archives.
(Can barely mix up a vodka martini in that timeframe...)

Wouter Jansen also commented that it's required to take damage in order to set a world record...
It seems absurd at first - But Bond getting "pushed" by enemy bullets saves approximately .25 second (provided the hits send you in the direction you're heading).


His 17-second tear through Bunker 1 (Agent difficulty) in 2003 stood for a decade and a half.
(Others would tie the record... Eventually, Karl Jobst accomplished the feat of 16 seconds in 2018).

Photograph the screen and copy the GoldenEye Key...
For a seasoned veteran, the first Bunker is such a quick mission that it's like a lap around the racetrack.
But it's amazing what you can do to shed even more seconds of your best time.

While I'll never take my speedruns to the extreme, can always pick up a few tips and tricks to up your own game - And to get into the mindset of what it takes to go for the gold.

World Records
GoldenEye 007 - Bunker 1
16 seconds
(fifteen players sharing the record)

https://wrs.the-elite.net/goldeneye/rankings.php
https://wrs.the-elite.net/goldeneye/recordlevel.php?level=5

Not one bullet fired during the mission.
(MI6 is definitely cutting their budget these days)

Spontaneously picked up the controller and beat my previous best time by 2 whole seconds on the first attempt. Although I'm not a speedrunner, could maybe hit 22 seconds, eventually...

(Never thought I'd try to deliberately get shot in the back, but Bond flies down the stairs or hallway much quicker that way...)

My own best time for Bunker 1 on Agent is 25 seconds on the console (29 seconds on the ROM).
Relatively happy with it - But definitely room for improvement, considering the best players can finish the mission in practically half that time...

Will anyone ever hit 15 seconds???

Bra Band Connection...

Pretty sure the real Natalya would slap that guy...

Stumbled upon one of those old Angelfire GoldenEye 007 fansites that still exists.
Was searching for a certain memorable quote...

"The DD44 Dostovei is a strong loud gun great for one on one.
But it's name sounds like a bra size"

-Nick's GoldenEye 007 Page

Granted, the website hasn't been updated in a quarter century.
Talk of IE4, QuickTime 3, and ICQ.
(Not to mention 28.8 modems)
https://www.angelfire.com/ny/N64goldeneye007/

The quote, simplified:
"DD44 sounds like a bra size"

The Archives mission is particularly satisfying because you can grab a pair of 'em.
Remember to squeeze, don't pull!

All these years, I thought Boris' password was a reference to people wrapping on doors...

A loud screen presence in the Archives mission is especially fun with all that glass to break...

"Standard operating procedure.
Boys with toys"

In Perfect Dark, the classic DD44 returns as the CC33.
(Which somehow isn't quite as fun...)

The video game guns were modeled after the TT33 Tokarev.

Cold Reception...

Never return to the scene of the crime...

(Caught by the enemy upon finishing the Surface 2 mission)
If you had a dollar for every time that James Bond has been captured, you could probably buy the entire 007 collection on DVD...

The subsequent Moneypenny for the next level's briefing (Bunker 2).
Not sure how she managed to slip this note to Bond while he's locked in the jail cell, but it's still good for a laugh.

Scatterbrain...

KF7 Soviet, Keycard and a Grenade have been dropped by a fallen guard.

Items are tossed in a random direction whenever a guard is killed...
This pretty much guarantees that no two playthroughs will ever be the same.

Boris Grishenko at his workstation...

James Bond has collected the GoldenEye Key - Spelled in proper fashion with a capital "E".

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