15 Best N64 Games of All Time

The Best N64 Games, as it is more commonly referred to, remains an iconic console which introduced gamers to numerous legendary titles that continue to leave an indelible mark on gaming culture today. “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” stands tall as one of the finest N64 games ever made, revolutionising action-adventure gaming with its groundbreaking mechanics and immersive world.

“Super Mario 64” revolutionized the platforming genre by providing gamers with an expansive 3D play space filled with imaginative challenges. Meanwhile, “GoldenEye 007” brought FPS action directly onto consoles and set new standards for multiplayer gaming.

Mario Kart 64 offered gamers hours of racing fun together, while Super Smash Bros. offered chaotic brawling between iconic Nintendo characters. Both classic games continue to draw in gamers and evoke fond memories from their N64 days.

What is N64 Games?

N64 games refer to video games designed specifically for Nintendo 64 (N64) console released by Nintendo in 1996. It was an immensely popular gaming system during the late 1990s and early 2000s due to its unique controller with analog joystick, groundbreaking 3D graphics capabilities and revolutionary controller with analog joystick.

Some of the most beloved N64 titles include “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” “Super Mario 64,” “GoldenEye 007,” Mario Kart 64,”Super Smash Bros,”Pokemon Stadium,”and Banjo-Kazooie.” These games are celebrated for their innovative gameplay, memorable characters, and contributions to gaming industry.

N64 games have a special place in gaming history and boast an ever-eager fan base who enjoy and honor them through emulation, re-releases, and classic gaming communities.

Here is List of Best N64 Games of All Time

• Banjo-Tooie
• Pokemon Stadium 2
• Blast Corps
• Space Station Silicon Valley
• Beetle Adventure Racing
• 1080° Snowboarding
• WWF No Mercy
• Mario Kart 64
• Diddy Kong Racing
• F-Zero X
• GoldenEye 007
• Mario Party 3
• Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber
• Mario Golf
• Pokemon Puzzle League

15 Best N64 Games of All Time

1. Banjo-Tooie

Banjo-Kazooie 2 expanded on what made the original so appealing, adding eight gorgeous (but slightly laggy on Nintendo 64) levels that kept up the collectathon while not oversimplifying things too much. Banjo Tooie picked up right where Kazooie left off and also continued it creatively: in this way.

Nintendo ultimately decided against their initial plan of physically connecting both cartridges via physical swapping, yet unexpected events in both games — like well-hidden Easter eggs and inaccessible Ice Keys from the first title — made an appearance in Tooie and made them feel more connected to one another than separate adventures.

Banjo-Tooie was pitted against several beloved platformers during our selection process, such as Conker’s Bad Fur Day and Donkey Kong 64 from Rare’s developer Rare. But Tooie stood out with its refined platforming with goofy transformations and endless new moves; plus its expansive areas dwarfing Conker.

2. Pokemon Stadium 2 (Best N64 Games)

As with its predecessor, Pokemon Stadium 2 did not tell its own narrative, yet provided an enjoyable expansion to GameBoy Color users playing Pokemon Gold, Silver or Crystal games. A transfer pak for Nintendo 64 controller allowed you to fight with your own Pokemon from GameBoy games such as Gym Leader Castle and most tournaments at the Stadium;

You could see 3D models of them at the Lab; play your GameBoy games double or triple speed when unlocking Doduo or Dodrio modes; battle using their transfer pak; see 3D models at Lab; or play the GameBoy games at double or triple speed with Doduo or Dodrio modes unlocked by unlocking Doduo/Dodrio modes to name just some of its unique offerings; just another of its kind of great expansion!

Pokemon Stadium 2 offered hours of entertainment with its 12 new mini-games and quiz mode, while its Pokemon Academy served as a built-in strategy guide that taught useful tactics through actual Pokemon battle tests. Overall, Pokemon Stadium 2 proved an incredible addition for Nintendo 64 owners of any age.

3. Blast Corps

Rare’s innovative Blast Corps, about clearing a path for an out-of-control nuclear missile carrier, was one of the great puzzle games from that period that looks one way but is actually another. While its collection of destructive hardware like giant bulldozers, dump trucks and mechs with names like Thunderfist or J-Bomb may appear solely focused on destruction, Blast Corps also serves as an engaging puzzle experience.

At the time, we praised Blast Corps for its disaster movie vibes, creative bonus games, and beautiful graphics, while only criticizing its length (11 hours for story and side missions according to How Long to Beat isn’t bad by modern standards). Blast Corps still holds up exceptionally well today; so much so that many gamers wonder why there haven’t been more games inspired by it aside from giant monster titles!

4. Space Station Silicon Valley (Top N64 Games)

Although Nintendo 64’s library is best known for its first- and second-party offerings, you’ll discover some true gems by some of the top developers from its early days (and today) by delving a bit deeper. We were especially fond of Sucker Punch’s successful debut with Rocket: Robot on Wheels or Paradigm/EA’s Beetle Adventure Racing but would also like to draw attention to Space Station Silicon Valley by DMA Design.

its 1998 puzzle game featuring you as part of an injured robot called walking microchip who took control over various robot animals to solve intelligent yet amusing puzzles crafted by DMA Design that kept players engaged throughout – providing hours of fun puzzle-solving fun.

Space Station: Silicon Valley was an intriguing success thanks to its designers and lead programmer Leslie Benzies’s original idea: creating an open world filled with different vehicles that felt different and were fun to fiddle around with. Unfortunately its low sales meant we never saw another sequel; nonetheless the team moved onto Grand Theft Auto III without looking back; we can forgive them their choice not to revisit Silicon Valley again!

5. Beetle Adventure Racing

Beetle Adventure Racing was released as a licensed game to showcase Volkswagen’s New Beetle which had just been introduced the year prior. But to dismiss it so easily would be to overlook an important step in the development of racing games which led us to contemporary titles like Need for Speed or Forza Horizon.

What it lacked in car variety it made up for in its level design. Due to EA Canada’s collaboration with Pilotwings 64 developer Paradigm Entertainment, six huge tracks with shortcuts and sideroads made exploration a key part of successfully winning races.

6. 1080° Snowboarding (Best N64 Games)

Ten80 Snowboarding, Nintendo’s early attempt at serious sports gaming, predated SSX by two years. While its graphics were gorgeous, what really made it stand out was its focus on realism – much like how Wave Race 64 captured water, this captured snow’s movement with unparalleled realism.

At its release, this game received rave reviews due to its deeply engaging experience, while many players found its demanding control scheme (where you had to absorb impacts using Z-trigger squeezes) punitive. Reviews at the time raved of how enjoyable and immersive this experience was; yet many found its initial challenging controls dauntingly difficult at first.

7. WWF No Mercy

One of the hallmarks of the forthcoming AEW video game will be its strong ties to WWF No Mercy, including hiring its director Hideyuki Iwashita as part of its development team. No Mercy’s easy fighting mechanics allowed even casual wrestling fans to quickly jump in, select their desired wrestler, and have an enjoyable experience without much onboarding time required.

No Mercy stands out as one of the few four player games without split screen requirements, making it an excellent party game. Furthermore, its single player story mode still remains one of the best available today, where your choices and performance in matches actually affected its course. Modern wrestling simulation games have since made strides toward replicating this experience with greater fidelity; No Mercy represents its peak fun factor at even its most basic levels.

8. Mario Kart 64 (Best N64 Games)

Mario Kart 64 took advantage of its pixelated Mode 7 gameplay to pioneer fully 3D courses for the first time, blending polygons and 2D sprites for an array of huge, sprawling raceways packed with tunnels, giant ramps, iconic Nintendo characters and locations, tunnels, banana peels and turtle shells into chaotic kart racing stages that featured eight intensely competitive players all competing to take home first place – it proved both challenging and hilarious; landing a perfectly blue shell projectile on an unwitting opponent and scoring victory by only seconds is unlike anything seen anywhere else in video games – nothing came close in terms of video gaming history!

Mario Kart 64’s racing mode offers various difficulty speeds, numerous hidden shortcuts and an exciting time trial mode, making racing an exhilarating experience. But that’s only half the story: its battle mode features an unforgettable set of multiplayer stages which have gone down in history as some of the most memorable in kart racing history. Later releases like Mario Kart: Double Dash and Mario Kart 8 took this series even further but Mario Kart 64 is an exceptional classic that still stands up today as one of the finest multiplayer N64 titles ever.

9. Diddy Kong Racing

At present, there remains much debate as to which of Nintendo 64’s mascot racing games was the greatest. While it can be difficult to pinpoint one title over the others, Diddy Kong Racing deserves special mention as we consider its impactful legacy and how far its influence extended past Nintendo characters alone. At first glance, Diddy Kong Racing may appear similar to Mario Kart 64 clones with Rare characters replacing those found within Nintendo but when you dive deeper you discover so much more.

Diddy Kong Racing pioneered many innovations never seen before in kart racing – like not relying solely on karts! Racers can soar through the air on a propeller airplane or speed along on a hovercraft! An extra benefit of playing split screen with another kart racer on ground level racing courses is that virtually every course can accommodate for any of these vehicles, giving you more ways to compete!

While racing your regular kart, you could also be competing against someone up in the air! Diddy Kong Racing proved itself as one of the greatest racers for Nintendo 64 with its full story mode featuring boss races, secret characters to unlock, and even a mini-open world to cruise around in. Additionally, almost every track in its soundtrack is incredible – trust us on that point.

10. F-Zero X (Best N64 Games)

Nintendo’s EAD team pioneered an entirely different style of racing game at a time when most titles focused on detail and realism: up, down, inside and outside of twisting tubes and halfpipes. After liberating themselves from Mode-7 plains of its SNES predecessor, F-Zero X showed off one of the most complex roller coaster tracks ever seen in any racer; not just 30 rides.

But ALL at the same time were displayed simultaneously – creating an unparalleled pack racing experience at high speeds all done within 60 frames per second of gameplay; truly one of Nintendo 64’s notable technical achievements was in F-Zero X but there would be many more like it to come – even after finishing this brilliant racer;

Nintendo didn’t stop there either; after creating another great game like F-Zero X, Nintendo didn’t stop either; rather they didn’t stop with F-Zero X and continued their own creation of F-Zero 64; then came F-Zero 64 which would feature all these incredible roller coaster tracks at 60 frames per second; creating not only an amazing racer, F-Zero X was something special too – yet another unique pack racing experience brought this one despite it all that. But Nintendo didn’t stop here…

11. GoldenEye 007

GoldenEye 007’s first person single player campaign not only recreated some of the greatest and most action-packed scenes from its film counterpart, but it also introduced Bond-inspired gadgetry, breaking from the typical “run and gun” style shooters of its day. Not only was there plenty to shoot at; there were also stealth sequences, unlockable cheats, and increasingly difficult objectives available when replaying on higher difficulties.

Making GoldenEye 007 one of the finest video game adaptations of feature films ever released and it raised expectations regarding FPS single player modes! To this day it remains one of best video game adaptations ever released and raised standards among FPS single player modes!

GoldenEye 007’s true potential lies within its multiplayer mode, where up to four players could gather together for hours of contemporary and classic James Bond themed deathmatches. With excellent, varied multiplayer levels, customizable weapon and gizmo sets and an iconic roster of heroes and villains like Bond himself all available, multiplayer mayhem would never end for any group eager to gather around a television together.

12. Mario Party 3 (Top N64 Games)

What was Mario Party’s finest moment on Nintendo 64? At IGN, the answer comes down to two great games – Mario Party 2 or 3. Choosing between them may prove challenging; unlike picking Waluigi for his Mario Party debut alongside Daisy in Mario Party 3. Mario Party 3 not only introduced new characters, but it also boasted more stuff – 70 new minigames (MP2 had only 64 – some recycled from its first version), five brand-new boards – some still popular today, including Waluigi’s trap-filled and outlandish board – and its unique Duel Mode where two opponents faced off against each other – in case friends couldn’t make the party.

Although Mario Party enjoyed some success on GameCube as well, its enduring legacy lies with Nintendo 64: you and three friends may already own four controllers for Goldeneye, Smash and Kart — each game requiring different skill levels — yet any casual player was able to join in and experience split-screen couch chaos with Mario Party — creating lasting memories — as well as lasting rivalries – that will last generations after it first released.

13. Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber

Nintendo 64 was home to some truly innovative experiments in genres more commonly found on PCs – or simply nowhere. Animal Crossing began its life on N64 – though only in Japan! Real-time strategy games like StarCraft 64 deserve honorable mention, although our console RTS preference lies with Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber.

Ogre Battle was closely inspired by The March of the Black Queen on SNES and offers map-based real-time strategy with an RPG-like battle system. While on first blush it seems an unusual mix of 2D and 3D visuals, RTS and RPG battle systems, story and exploration, and gameplay which puts more weight on planning than actual combat itself, somehow it all works perfectly together and works beautifully – while games like Fire Emblem (Tactic series) has taken over, we still hope Quest’s strategy RPG series makes an unexpected comeback.

14. Mario Golf (Best N64 Games)

Developer Camelot had already proven its ability to craft addictive golf games with Hot Shots Golf on PlayStation, so naturally infusing that same formula with Nintendo characters proved even more successful. Mario Golf provides an accessible take on the sport with straightforward controls that result in satisfying shots every time – thanks to Mario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong and their allies boasting individual stats, special powers, costumes unlockable over time and special achievements that are unlocked during gameplay. Later entries would feature Mushroom Kingdom-themed courses but there still variety on green.

Today, Mario is famously known for expanding beyond platforming genre into other sports activities. Nintendo made history when they released Mario Golf as their own sports game console version (after failing with Mario Tennis on Virtual Boy a few years earlier). While its success may have wavered with later iterations like Mario Golf Super Rush on Nintendo Switch in 2021; its N64 round made an excellent first impression!

15. Pokemon Puzzle League

Pokemon Puzzle League marked not the first time Panel de Pon had been revamped and rebranded for release on a different platform, yet still proved enjoyable despite this transformation – as was evident when we experienced its predecessor, Panel de Pon. However, no matter its form it remains great fun and Pokemon Puzzle League is no different.

There are some truly wonderful covers of nostalgic themes found in the US version of Pokemon anime, an abundance of playable characters with unique voice quips, and an immersive story mode where you navigate your way through the Pokemon Puzzle League, fighting gym leaders for badges, and ultimately becoming the greatest Pokemon Puzzle Master!

How to Play N64 Games

1. Original N64 Console: If you own an original Nintendo 64 console and still have your N64 game cartridges, you can play them on the console directly. Simply insert the cartridge into the console, connect it to your TV, and use the N64 controller to play.
2. Emulators on PC: You can use N64 emulators on your computer to play N64 games. Here’s how:
   • Download an N64 emulator like Project64, Mupen64Plus, or RetroArch.
   • Obtain N64 ROMs (game files). Be aware of the legalities surrounding ROMs, as downloading copyrighted games without owning the original cartridge may not be legal in some regions.
   • Open the emulator and configure it according to your preferences (e.g., graphics settings, controller input).
   • Load the N64 ROM within the emulator to start playing.
3. Emulators on Mobile Devices: Some emulators are available for mobile devices (iOS and Android) that allow you to play N64 games on your smartphone or tablet. The process is similar to using emulators on a PC, where you download the emulator app and N64 ROMs.
4. Virtual Console or Online Services: Depending on your gaming platform, Nintendo occasionally offers N64 games through their Virtual Console service (if available on your console) or their online subscription services (like Nintendo Switch Online). These services may require a subscription fee but provide a legal way to play N64 games on modern Nintendo consoles.
5. Nintendo 64 Classic Edition: Nintendo may release special classic editions of their consoles, like the Nintendo 64 Classic Edition, which come pre-loaded with a selection of N64 games. These are plug-and-play devices designed to replicate the classic gaming experience.

Best N64 Games Conclusion

Conclusion The Best N64 Games era provided gamers with a wealth of timeless classics that remain beloved today, such as “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” “Super Mario 64,” GoldenEye 007,” Mario Kart 64,” and Super Smash Bros.” These games not only advanced what was possible back then but also laid the groundwork for many of current gaming experiences – something this N64 chapter celebrates with its iconic characters, ground-breaking 3D worlds, and joy-inducing hours! Its legacy remains revered and honored today among gaming communities of all generations alike!

Best N64 Games FAQ