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The Best N64 Games That Still Matter Today

racketboy.com — I thought it would be a good idea to develop a list of games that are still relevant in today ’s market because of their unique gameplay that has not been improved upon on other systems. Our basic rule of thumb for this list is to determine which games are still worth playing today, even if you have a Gamecube and/or a Wii.

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  • joehobbes, on 06/09/2008, -8/+18Very nice round-up. All of the timeless essentials plus a few lesser-known gems.

    I'll have to give Wetrix a try -- sounds interesting and this video footage looks good as well:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDdxAl47Hi4

    I wonder how many people will complain about Goldeneye or Perfect Dark not being on the top 10.
    BTW, if you want a more modern console-friendly FPS from the team that did Goldeneye, check out Time Splitters 2 or TS Future Perfect. Excellent games!
    • racketboy, on 06/09/2008, -2/+4Yeah, I'm a big fan of the Timesplitters series as well. The first level of TS2 has a great Goldeneye feel to it.
    • lordtyros, on 06/09/2008, -1/+39The saddest thing is that Perfect Dark still has the best bots on a console. I don't know why, but with the advent of online play, bots just fell into disregard.
    • BillMoocho, on 06/09/2008, -0/+18My friends and I played Perfect Dark almost exclusively once it came out. The guns were a lot more interesting, the AI was much better, and there were lots of extra options (including customizing characters). Personally, I never understood why Goldeneye seemed more popular when Perfect Dark was a superior game. I guess it had to do with the James Bond theme.
      • IronPwnage, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3Only reason I didn't get Perfect Dark at the time was because you needed to buy the memory expansion pack for it to actually play. Too young to be able to afford both a game and the expansion pack.
        • BillMoocho, on 06/09/2008, -1/+7I think my friend got his expansion pack from Donkey Kong. I guess it's also the fact that Goldeneye came out first, so most parents wouldn't really want to buy what they thought was a similar game.
        • xino, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1You could play Perfect Dark without the expansion, but the single player was completely gone. I think all you could play was multiplayer. I can't remember if there was any thing taken out of multiplayer when expasion pack wasn't present. I'm glad we don't have an accessory like the expansion pack on today's consoles.
      • Charlotte_Web, on 06/09/2008, -0/+12Rogue Squadron?

        It was one of the first Star Wars x-wing simulators that was accessible to the non-flight simulator crowd.
      • willywong, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2Goldeneye was simple and you could start playing in a minute. Perfect Dark was a lot harder to set up which meant people were often saying "just stick in golden eye" before you'd even goten the first game started. The lighting also confused people a bit until they'd got used to it. It also suffered from lagging problems. It was good if you took the time to get into it but from my experience I've found it very hard to move people from goldeneye to perfect dark.
    • BoonTobias, on 06/09/2008, -7/+2cod wipes the floor with any fps
    • browe07, on 06/09/2008, -2/+6I will definitely complain. Adjusting for technological differences of the time Goldeneye/Perfect Dark are IMO the greatest console FPS ever made. These lists are all opinion, but I imagine a pole would show most people would have Goldeneye in the top 10 if not #1 on this list.
      • rockyr67, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3But that's the point -- he isn't adjusting for technological differences over time.
        It's supposed to compare them to current technology and gameplay.
        • browe07, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1Good point rocky. Reread and got that jist now.
    • wem003, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2Wetrix is a pretty interesting game. I'm kind of surprised it didn't evolve into something else on newer systems. It can get pretty intense!
      • ELCad, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1I've got it on the Dreamcast also, but it just was not as good for some reason.
        Also Aqua Aqua was a follow up on the PS2 but I have not seen that yet.
    • Archer007, on 06/09/2008, -3/+3Goldeneye gets an "honorable mention"?! I don't think so.
    • rpgmaker, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2"Conker’s Bad Fur Day" is one of the best (if not the best) adventure game I've ever played. Classic, a sequel wouldn't be a bad thing as long as the concept remains intact.
    • DeathfireD, on 06/09/2008, -3/+2its sad to see the article writer add a few stupid games that had no impact at all and placed Goldeneye/Perfect as honorable mentions. Majora’s Mask was horrible, I don't see how that could make the list. There's the other Zelda game out for Wii thats ten times better...so I don't see how Majora’s Mask "still matters today".
    • Csaliture, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3Goldeneye is certainly relevant enough today that it should have made the list and not just an honorable mention. That game changed the landscape of FPS games. There had never been amulti-player like what is found in Goldeneye. Any the simplicity of the game made it so great. Great storyline, simple controls. Fluid game play. You cant tell me that games like Halo didn't take something from Goldeneye in their story structure and such.
      • DeathfireD, on 06/10/2008, -0/+3I agree, I don't know why people dugg me down. Goldeneye and Perfect dark should have been on the list.
      • angito, on 06/11/2008, -0/+0Because there are superior fps out there, the article is focused on games that you can play today and still feel its great compared to the newer games out there.
    • uhhNo, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1N64 causes some serious nostalgia in me :(
    • themastersb, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1I got Sin & Punishment a couple months ago for the Virtual console because it was the only good N64 game I had never played before, yet I've gone through all the other games on that list.
    • Ben1220, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1The timesplitter series are great games. I used to play them before I discovered the superiority of PC fps games. If you haven't grown out of halo and its built in auto aim yet, then timesplitters will probably suit you fine. :)

      you cant jump though...
  • frooo, on 06/09/2008, -3/+36Conkers Bad Fur Day - heh, I found my n64 the other day while cleaning up my shed.

    Just had to play that game again, and it was still fantastic
    • Blandyman, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2I have the original (bought it at Toys 'R' Us at age 11 in 2002 for $30. Best money I ever spent) and I even pre-ordered the Live & Reloaded version for the Xbox.

      Although the new multiplayer additions (and subtractions, BOO NO RAPTOR/THIEF MODE YOU BUMS) were excellent, there was just not enough of that nostalgia to actually let me enjoy the game as much as I wanted to. It was the same problem I had playing Perfect Dark Zero. It had great graphics but there just wasn't enough nostalgic FUN to be had :/
    • sebek, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2I have both the original and the remake, and I want to know what they were playing cause I'm not sure what they were talking about when they said microsoft censored it and gave the poo song as an example. it's still there, and I didn't notice any censoring above the original censoring of the repeated use of *****, but once you beat it, they even take that away on the xbox version
      • xino, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2I noticed two things that were gone in the Xbox version. First is in the beginning before you even start, Conker cuts the N-64 logo with a chainsaw and says "stupid logo" and puts the Rareware logo in place. I always liked that, but I completely understand why it isn't in the Xbox version and so I am fine with that. The other thing gone is when you are in the rock club and Berry is dancing in that cage, on the N-64 version, if you stayed still for a while, he would actually do the worm dance and it was hilarious. The first thing I did when I got there on the Xbox version was stand there to see the same thing and he never ever did it. I think I even waited like 15 minutes once to see if he would and it didn't happen. I know it isn't a real big deal, but it was some thing that should have stayed in there. Also, it would have been cool if they put in the Xbox logo and have Conker cut that up and say "stupid logo".
  • jordansky, on 06/09/2008, -22/+45No Goldeneye?
    • racketboy, on 06/09/2008, -17/+36In the Honorable Mentions you can see my explanation. It was one of the best at the time, but this was a re-examination of the library in comparison to newer games. FPS have come a long way since then, and as mentioned in a comment below, The Timesplitters series is a great way to experience the same time of console FPS in a more modern way.
      • awtripp, on 06/09/2008, -5/+2Timesplitters is boss.
      • DiggzDE, on 06/09/2008, -4/+7GoldenEye is very applicable to todays FPS genre. Hell, it reclassed console FPS games in many people's minds, not to forget mentioning it was the first well known FPS splitscreen multi-player for any system. Buried for not including it on the list.

        Also, the original Timesplitters never came out for N64 and was only available on PS2. As it stands, it was released over 3 years AFTER GoldenEye came out. So no, it was not "the same time of console FPS", especially since it wasn't on the same damn console! Future versions (such as Timesplitters 2) were released on GameCube and the PS2, not the N64. It may be more modern but it sure doesn't come close to applying to your list. So using it as an excuse for not putting it on your list doesn't work well. Perhaps you should have played more FPS games on the N64.

        You left a lot of good games out that apply much better to various genres and types than what you have now.
      • NgrHader, on 06/09/2008, -5/+13Sin and Punishment over Goldneye? Are you ***** retarded?
        • uhhNo, on 06/10/2008, -1/+1Goldeneye 007 and mario kart 64 are the best f*ucking games ever made. I was thinking of buying a 42" plasma and getting 3 other dudes (or girls, but let's face it, i'm a digger so that's not going to happen) over to play that ***** all night long. Hell, that is even better than an orgasm.
      • darkcrystal, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3super smash bros does not belong in the honorable mentions list. there are still a lot of people that would rather play it than melee (who also dont have access to a wii). just because there are predecessors does not mean it is obsolete.
      • paidhima, on 06/09/2008, -0/+6I think Goldeneye holds up against any other console shooter today for multiplayer. There was real brilliance in its stripped-down level design. I particularly liked how the game rewarded you for being more cautious and strategic than aggressive.
        • uhhNo, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1I am in the process of making more digg accounts to digg your comment up more.
    • LogicBomB, on 06/09/2008, -6/+27I always get dugg down for my views of Goldeneye. Goldeneye was by far the most fun on a console I had at the time, when it was released. Have you tried going back to play it for nostalgia? It's a horrible game by today's standards. Controls are some of the worst I've ever used, graphics are dismal at best, firefights are clunky, frame rate issues, etc..

      It's one of those games you should look back at fondly, for sure, but it is not by any means still a go-to game like Ocarina or Mario.
      • Oktoeatfish, on 06/09/2008, -1/+4No Harvest Moon?
        • h0ly, on 06/09/2008, -1/+4Honestly, I'd rather play the SNES Harvest Moon...
      • CancerBomb, on 06/09/2008, -2/+10Having played a fair bit of GoldenEye this year, I feel I should make a few corrections on your behalf. GoldenEye controls are better than dual analog. Only mouse and keyboard and Wii controls are better for FPS games. All N64 games have dismal graphics by today's standards and a good majority had framerate issues, that's expected and irrelevant to a game's lasting impact. The game is still amazing by today's standards. Only Perfect Dark is comparable in terms of sheer quality gameplay (especially multiplayer - sorry TimeSplitters fans, those games pale in comparison), but GoldenEye is still the go-to game for 3-4 player multiplayer deathmatches due to PD's slideshow-like framerate with more than two players.
        • LogicBomB, on 06/09/2008, -2/+2Let me re-correct you, as someone who's played goldeneye extensively along with nearly every FPS from that point forward:

          1. The controls for goldeneye are inferior to dual-analog in every conceivable way. Limited freelook being the main culprit. I was one of the better players I knew and I used the freelook better than most but me at my best on the N64 could never beat me at my worst on dual-analog, drunk. Same goes for dual analog vs mouse and keyboard. It's a matter of smooth motion, accuracy, and the time it takes to properly line up a shot. Let me add another point to this - the wii sucks for FPS as well. The optics are good, even above average, but not great. A comfortable input device, very intuitive but it lacks accuracy and, well, more buttons. Better than the N64 though.

          Also, Goldeneye is not amazing by today's standards. The plot was weak, very little character development, weak level design, no interaction, etc, etc... Perfect Dark was a step in the right direction but hardly a leap. The origonal Halo spanked both these games point-for-point.

          And how is Goldeneye still the go-to game for anybody who has a new system? There are a few game types but nothing of note that other games don't have and it's even missing some important ones (capture the flag or really any attack/defend modes).

          I hope this doesn't sound ranty but I really don't see the appeal of these games *anymore*. At the time they were amazing but they are really, really outdated in every way a game can be outdated.
        • xino, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2I didn't mind the control of Goldeneye or Perfect Dark at the time I played it, but then when I got my PS2 and got used to dual analog control on FPS games, I loved it. The hard part about going back for me would be the lack of strafing, but I would still try it if I could find people to play with.
        • CancerBomb, on 06/10/2008, -1/+3I've always been better at console shooters with an N64 controller than a dual analog controller. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I've decided there are three reasons I like GE's controls better than dual analog. First, a second analog stick adds way too many degrees of freedom in your movement (which are useless because you really only use eight directions for aiming due to the octagonal mold around quality analog sticks). Theoretically this sounds good, but in practice there are way too many subtle nuances in the way you move your thumb which ends up throwing off your aim. With only eight degrees of freedom you're more limited and aiming is a bit slower (which is ok because so is everyone else's), but GE's auto aim works miracles in getting results. Also, the fact that GE's aiming controls are digital means that turning always happens at the same predictable speed, which isn't the case with dual analog. Lastly, I don't like the fact that you're always aiming at the middle of the screen in a dual analog FPS. This works just fine for PC shooters, but for some reason I don't like it on consoles.

          Additionally, as far as I'm concerned the Wii controller has made dual analog laughably obsolete. Even though it's not an FPS, I haven't played a console game with better first-person aiming than Metroid Prime 3. Extremely responsive, smooth, fast, accurate, intuitive - everything the N64 controller and a dual analog controller could never be. (I also disagree that the Wii controller lacks buttons to make an FPS work, but that's a different subject.)

          GE's plot - who cares? Stories don't make video games, gameplay does, an no one played GE for the story (that's what the movie was for). Furthermore, Rare wasn't responsible for the story, so it's not really fair to fault the game for that one. The level design is some of the best in any first-person shooter. (Complex? Facility?) Halo and Halo 2 (I haven't played the third one) had fun multiplayer modes, but definitely a step below PD's, and even GE's. (No one hit kills mode? What the *****? Way to exclude the best way to play.)

          I have systems newer than the N64 and GE is still my go-to game because I haven't found anything better on consoles (except PD). Most of my friends still like it too. It's worth noting that most FPSs I've played seem to have (against all reason) omitted a one hit kills mode which, again, is the best way to play. (Either that or I'm just retarded and could never find the option for it.)

          Anyway, that's just my opinion. I didn't want to make a big thing out of this, but I figured I'd give you the courtesy of replying to some of your points. I'd love nothing more than to find a new, great console FPS to replace GE/PD because as much as I love the multiplayer in those games they do get a bit stale after (probably) thousands of hours of play time over the past decade. That said, I'm hard to please when it comes to FPSs, so until someone make a first-person shooter with a multiplayer mode that includes a one hit kills option, bots with different personalities and difficulty settings (along with the ability to include a large number of bots in a game), a large selection of generally realistic modern-day weapons (i.e. no sci-fi guns), the ability to select what weapons I want to use in a level (by choosing individual guns, not sets of guns like in GE), a large selection of well-designed levels, online multiplayer, lots of game modes, and more for the Wii (because of the controller) I'll continue to bust out the N64 whenever I want some awesome FPS multiplayer action.
        • uhhNo, on 06/10/2008, -1/+3^^ look how long that comment is. wtf. anyway, i hope he was worshiping goldeneye 007 because, let's face it, it is in the top 3 video games ever made.
        • xino, on 06/10/2008, -1/+2@cancerbomb "Rare wasn't responsible for the story, so it's not really fair to fault the game for that one." It doesn't matter if Rare was responsible for it or not. It is still fair to criticize the story in the game. You don't blame the game itself though, but the people that wrote the story. That said, I completely agree with you about the lack of importance of story in games, but remember that you and I are in the minority in that area. Story is very important to the majority of people.
        • LogicBomB, on 06/10/2008, -3/+1Cancer - Let me get this straight. You like the GE controls better because:

          1. It *LIMITS* your degrees of freedom
          2. It *LIMITS* the speed of motion
          3. You like firing at areas you aren't looking at by having off-center aim modes?
          4. You like autoaim!

          This makes sense now. You like GE because you prefer dumbed-down games and rely on autoaim. You don't like a range of motion with a range of speed.

          No offense but if your idea of fun is not being able to spin around to look behind you before being slaughtered because of a preference for "slow, digital, predictable movement" than we aren't even talking apples to apples.

          I'm talking performance, competition and a range of tools at my disposal and you are talking about enjoying limitations.

          PS: Halo had 1-hit kill modes if you spent 30 seconds looking at the emmense range of MP options it gave you.
        • CancerBomb, on 06/10/2008, -0/+3It's not that I liked dumbed down games - as I said, I prefer mouse and keyboard and Wii controls for aiming and those both give you all the freedom you need with no auto aim. It's just that GE controls have worked better on consoles until the Wii controller came out. (Dual analog is still way too slow and clunky to work well without auto aim as far as I'm concerned.) Additionally, it's not the turning that is slow in GE - you can turn around 180° in half a second (even faster while strafing) - it's aiming at an exact pixel that's slower, but again, not a problem with auto aim. (Also it's up to the developer to determine how fast you turn in a game, not the physical thing you need to push to turn, so a shooter with GE style controls could easily have faster turning than a dual analog FPS.)
      • paidhima, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2I highly disagree. Forget graphics - of course they're going to be better now. I'm not sure where you get the idea about clunky controls though. As far as consoles go the Goldeneye controls were fantastic. They may not have been as fast as dual analog, but they were a lot more accurate if you ban auto-aim (as I always did). In terms of firefights, I always played Goldeneye more for the stalking aspect than the balls out shootfests. The level design was such that it tended to reward strategy over aggressiveness.
    • scyfer222, on 06/09/2008, -2/+3no goldeneye?....its blasphemy I say
      • synthoid, on 06/09/2008, -10/+3Goldeneye is stupid worthless *****.
        • uhhNo, on 06/10/2008, -2/+3i am in the process of making more digg account to digg your comment down because it is just f*cking stupid. you have obviously never played goldeneye 007 for N64.
        • scyfer222, on 06/10/2008, -0/+0Ahh, Synthoid... I could say that sentiment probably has comparisions to your life....but that would be just too easy, now wouldn't it?
    • ausoff2, on 06/09/2008, -4/+2its a seriously dated game. Since I never played it much back in its prime, i feel obligated to comment on whether or not is still matters today: It doesn't. LogicBomB got it right.
  • dagooh, on 06/09/2008, -7/+1I want to try Sin and Punishment but I need to buy a classic or a Gamecube controller first.
    The VC version is in Japanese, right? does anyone know if you end up missing on anything because of that?
    • kravex, on 06/09/2008, -3/+2Some of it was converted to English before release, not sure how much as I never purchased it.
    • rockyr67, on 06/09/2008, -3/+2I'm pretty sure it was localized pretty well. I don't think you have much to worry about in that respect.
      But yeah, you probably want to get a Classic or Gamecube controller.
    • eddie72, on 06/09/2008, -2/+1The VC games are the games in their entirety. So essentially you miss nothing well unless you knew Japanese.
  • lazersailer, on 06/09/2008, -11/+11Why Zelda rules:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Torg4VAtUhc
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSTTSTWlphI
    "Whoa!! Nice Graphics. I'd like to get my hands on that...... Your parents help you hook it up."
  • Froderick, on 06/09/2008, -5/+37I still think Banjo Kazooie should have gotten more than an Honourable Mention.
    • racketboy, on 06/09/2008, -6/+6I originally wanted to include it, but I really had to draw the line somewhere. I was trying not to let nostalgia get in the way of the decisions.
    • bbjaims, on 06/09/2008, -5/+0i totally hated banjoo kazooie. mostly because I was so bad at it.
    • pantone286, on 06/09/2008, -1/+9Both Banjos still rock but I think they deserve less credit than Mario because they brought nothing revolutionary to the 3d platformer. They are kind of like a rolling stones album from the 90s - totally well crafted and professional but not groundbreaking.
    • Pritchard, on 06/09/2008, -1/+7I'll disagree with saying that Banjo Kazooie had nothing to offer. It contains a quirky story line and fun atmosphere that's non-existent in most games. Being able to set such a fun game play mood is an essential part of keeping players hooked for years. After recently re-beating Super Mario 64, I have decided to stop playing the game completely. The game fails to set a permanent play mood. After solving all of the game's puzzles, I was never motivated to go back and solve them again. A nice physics engine and smooth animations alone will not keep me playing forever.

      Diddy Kong Racing is another mood setter.

      Banjo Kazooie's environments were more diverse and explorable than Super Mario's. Banjo Kazooie focused less on the platformer side of things, and more-so on the exploration and interaction side of things. To me, there's really no other game like it, especially with the mixed play between Banjo and Kazooie.

      Thinking back to some levels, I can see where you draw the line though...
      • cubed05, on 06/10/2008, -0/+6I'll never forgive myself for leaving the engine room notes last in Rusty Bucket Bay. Those fans are so unforgiving.
  • stranglethorne, on 06/09/2008, -8/+66Single-Player
    1) Zelda OoT
    2) Banjo Kazooie

    Multiplayer
    1) Golden eye
    2) Mariokart 64
    3) Diddykong racing
    4) Supersmash bros
    5) Mario Party (completey screwed your controller tho)
    • AncientWeird, on 06/09/2008, -1/+25Mario Party burned holes in my palms. Fun!
    • linksdeity, on 06/09/2008, -1/+4Single player list is way too short.
    • tidu, on 06/09/2008, -1/+5Diddy Kong Racing. YES.
    • Purin, on 06/09/2008, -5/+1I agree, Smash 64 should have been on the list.
      That game is different enough from Melee and Brawl (which are also completely different) to warrant the title.
      If you're any good at any of the smash games, you'll notice how ***** Brawl is compared to Melee and 64.
      • dezholling, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3I consider myself damn good at all the Smash Bros. games, and I don't consider Brawl *****. Maybe give some reasons for your condemnation?
      • doctornkul, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1I got smash 64 a year after release, played it until i got melee in about 2003, and played that until I got Brawl. I'd have to say that after playing 64 once again, it is too ridiculously slow compared to Melee or even Brawl. Brawl in my opinion requires less reflex and timing than melee, but it's not horrible.
    • cjacks9, on 06/09/2008, -2/+3Dugg for Diddy Kong Racing & Super Smash Brothers
    • Mokacoffay, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2The whole roll around the joystick in mario party did always seem to break it off / wear it out to the point that the color of the joystick was all over the outside of the slot but it was fun it the day I never imagined there was a such thing as joystick burn.
  • LordofthePoles, on 06/09/2008, -23/+6Oh i remember those days with with Zelda in Perfect Dark. We were doing the old Banjo Kazooie with her Goldeneye after the Mario Party. After that we went Diddykong Racing until she got a Bad Fur Day.
    • Claude1971, on 06/09/2008, -4/+7FAIL
    • tidu, on 06/09/2008, -3/+1Pseudo-dugg for Diddy Kong Racing. The Battle mode in that trumped MK64's battle by far.
  • Agenda, on 06/09/2008, -8/+3Dude, you need to get out more. With Zelda I mean.
  • VarelseSoul, on 06/09/2008, -5/+18I wholeheartedly disagree with his comments about Majora's Mask. It's one of my favorite Zelda games, right under OoT and TP. It's story is very deep.
    • racketboy, on 06/09/2008, -5/+5Well like I said, just about every Zelda from Nintendo is good, but I'd rather play the first Zelda, Twighlight Princess, Ocarina of Time, Link to the Past, Wind Waker, or any of the portable ones before Majora's Mask.

      If you really enjoy it, that's cool -- it's really a matter of personal preference, but the three-day thing kinda killed it for a lot of people.
    • rockyr67, on 06/09/2008, -7/+2I'm in the camp that would put Majora's Mask on the lower part of the Zelda list. Whether or not it should be higher up on this list, I'm not sure
    • linksdeity, on 06/09/2008, -2/+5I agree with you, except replace LoZ:TP with LoZ:LA. (I think LoZ:TP was a bit of a let down)

      Majoras Mask was a much deeper game then an average Zelda. A lot of people will get turned off at first by really superficial reasons (I suppose that's the same with LoZ:WW), but if you actually give it a shot you'll enter a living breathing world where you are constantly witness to these peoples last 3 days of life, always interacting and intervening, simply trying to make them happy. A lot of it is darker and more surreal then anything else Zelda has done before, and it combines into an unforgettable experience no gamer should miss.
    • samfishercell, on 06/09/2008, -1/+9The "three day" excuse is such a gamer cop-out as far as I'm concerned. It allowed characters in the game to live actual lives -- traveling to locations, meeting and talking with people at different times, etc. That was the real purpose, I never had any problems with completing the dungeons on time. It was about a living, breathing world far more in-depth than a handful of NPCs who say roughly 3 different lines over the course of a game. For me the weakest part of Majora was the number of dungeons, which hinders it from being ranked higher than the other Zelda's, but it also had a lot to make up for the lack of extra dungeons.

      Gamers often also complain that they "hated the masks" which is ridiculous since that's where a good portion of the side quests came from, and a good number of the masks allowed for new abilities. In Zelda games I far more enjoy side-quests that have a bit of story and don't end with some kind of unique item (ex. Biggoron Sword). As great as Twilight and Ocarina were , most of the side-quests amounted to heart piece after heart piece, or the predictable bomb bag and quiver upgrades (and maybe if you were REALLY lucky...some rupees).

      Majora is a blast (plus getting to play as a Deku, Zora, and Goron is something I wish would make an appearance again soon). I totally agree with linksdeity, it's an experience no gamer should miss. To write it off so easily should mean a forfeiture of your gamer card.
  • TomK88, on 06/09/2008, -3/+57Mario Kart 64 is still the best racing game I have ever played. Unbelievably fun with 3 friends.
    • Nameloc, on 06/09/2008, -7/+1mario kart 64 is horrible. it takes no skill to win with the slingshot ai and amazing items for everyone in last place. play the REAL mario kart for snes, and then we can talk.
      • willywong, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2That's a good thing about it although it would have been nice to turn it off sometimes. It was easy to introduce new players to mariokart as they actually had a chance of doing well.
    • uhhNo, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1male friends that is (i know this because you are on digg)
    • Shissy, on 06/10/2008, -0/+5Mario Kart 64 battle mode made my childhood. Block Fort with 4 players might be the most fun i've ever had with a video game.
    • yohnstoppable, on 06/10/2008, -0/+364 was great, but I still hate how it introduced catchup ai to the series.
  • jesushitler, on 06/09/2008, -14/+9Where's WWF No Mercy? That game still wipes the floor with all other wrestling games. The grappling and reversal system still have yet to be topped. I popped that game in a few days ago with some friends and we had a single match last close to an hour. Don't write it off just cause it's a wrestling game.
    • tims1979, on 06/10/2008, -0/+2I was disappointed that they didn't include No Mercy as well. Guess they aren't a fan of wrestling games.
  • Maverick0420, on 06/09/2008, -13/+6Majora's mask was a pain with time traveling and if u forgot to bank items you got screwed
    • pantone286, on 06/09/2008, -7/+3I agree Majora's mask is flawed. Not nearly as playable as zelda.
    • DreKor, on 06/09/2008, -2/+6I'm pretty sure you could only bank money, not items. Was the original Mario too hard because there was a time limit on the levels?
    • samfishercell, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3Forget to bank money? You mean the same money that you could get by cutting down grass or killing enemies? If you run out of money when playing a Zelda game, you're doing it wrong. :)

      I was able to progress through Majora quite smoothly, it really wasn't that big of a deal.
    • linksdeity, on 06/09/2008, -1/+5Majoras Mask let you commit "time travel bank fraud", as far as I'm concerned that's awesome.

      I do have to completely disagree with you though. Majoras Mask is, in my opinion, one of the finest examples of gaming as an art form, and is a masterpiece you should not miss for such petty reasons.
    • ausoff2, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1I have the solution to all those problems: Get better at Majoras Mask.
  • mentallyinhell, on 06/09/2008, -3/+7Jet Force Gemini and Golden eye deserve much more than just an honorable mention, but the rest of the list is pretty hard to disagree with.
  • x5pfif, on 06/09/2008, -10/+100N64 was one of the most under rated systems.
    • rockyr67, on 06/09/2008, -2/+35Not as much as the Dreamcast and Saturn, but it's up there :)
      • awtripp, on 06/09/2008, -2/+8Soul Calibur on DC --- epic.
      • phorty40, on 06/09/2008, -0/+5seriously how can anyone say the n64 was underated?
        it was one of nintendos hugest accomplishments & for gaming too.
        the dreamcast...now that was underated
      • yohnstoppable, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1I think I'm the only person who even owned a Saturn. There was some fighting game with monsters I used to play, but now I can't remember what it was. You could be medusa or frankenstein among others, and you'd have super moves you could build up. It was pretty damn good, actually. Wish I could remember it :(
    • xsquirrel378x, on 06/09/2008, -5/+4Turbo Grafx 16/CD
    • antiorblkflag9, on 06/09/2008, -2/+28No, I think its about rated where it should be. Everyone loves it.
      • armo, on 06/09/2008, -1/+10The only thing that's not to love was the analogue stick wearing out.
        • antiorblkflag9, on 06/09/2008, -1/+12And the cocaine like substance that is left
    • maxsunset, on 06/09/2008, -8/+1No it wasn't. It was one of the most disappointing systems ever. Coming from the SNES, people expected this thing to be the second coming, but its lack of optical drive made it just lame overall. Game carts just didnt have the space to accommodate the visions of many game designers at the time, so while there were some amazing games for it, it just paled to the game offerings of the PS1.
      • tidu, on 06/09/2008, -3/+3um, really? Because a lot of the games took a pretty damn long time to complete and are on par with PS1 games. It takes a good 20-30 hours to finish OoT if you're good, while I blew through FVII, a 3 disc game, in 30 hours over the past month.
    • lis880, on 06/10/2008, -0/+5Um Snowboard Kids 2?
      • 1timeuser, on 06/19/2008, -0/+1never had snow board kids 2, but the first one was great.
    • BadAshe86, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1It always seemed a challenge to find a selection of games whereever I shopped. At any given time it seemed like only one decent game was on the shelf. And don't let me get started on how quickly Nintendo abandons one project for the next.

      My biggest beef is that I'm an RPG fan and the system never really delivered.
  • trademarkhero, on 06/09/2008, -3/+35I think Pokemon Snap at least deserves a honorable mention. There really was no game like it at the time and when you were a kid, it was fun. I should pop it in right now. >_>
    • IronPwnage, on 06/09/2008, -5/+3Pokémon Snap = WIN.
    • phorty40, on 06/09/2008, -6/+1seriously? i mean i preordered it too. first 3d pokemon game and all. but cmon. how do you have a pokemon game with no battles or ash for that matter.. that makes no sense. and the blockbuster printable stickers didnt help either
      • ausoff2, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2thats part of the reason why it was so awesome. It was 3D, it had never before seen gameplay, not to mention YET to be seen gameplay. One things for sure i would put this game on my top 10 n64 games list. Bought it for VC the other day.
    • linksdeity, on 06/09/2008, -1/+4You can find Pokemon Snap for like 2 dollars at places that still sell N64 games. Worth every penny.
    • MasterGrief, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3I put probably days of play into Pokemon Snap. As weird as it was, I freakin loved that game.
    • KingGorilla, on 06/09/2008, -0/+4I hope they make a new one. I'm not updated on th additional 300+ pokemon they added
  • Stack, on 06/09/2008, -2/+4Killer Instinct....I still have my N64 around just to play that game.
    • freezerburn666, on 06/09/2008, -1/+5thats weird, i had it for snes.
      • ELCad, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1I had it for both. The SNES one came with the music CD. I liked the N64 one better. I still haven't played that CD yet.
    • jzuska, on 06/09/2008, -2/+8CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCOMBO BREAKER
    • Doomsan, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3Gold
  • BillMoocho, on 06/09/2008, -4/+51Do a Barrel Roll
  • raJeeb, on 06/09/2008, -6/+15i actually prefer Super smash bros n64 to melee and brawl. all around better gameplay, just more fun.
    • MalharP16, on 06/09/2008, -2/+8and I thought i was the only one
    • KDAY12, on 06/09/2008, -1/+6Add me to that list. SSB64 is possibly my favorite game of all time.
    • Shadic, on 06/10/2008, -0/+2I'd like Smash 64 a bit more if the characters had better third jumps (Looking at you, Link) and if they could grab the edge while facing backwards.. That is something I started to take for granted in Brawl. :(
  • VicTheKnife, on 06/09/2008, -1/+9Classics. At least once a week my friends and I plug in the 64 and play some original Smash Bros.
  • antiorblkflag9, on 06/09/2008, -12/+5Blast Corps? Really? That game sucked. How is it on the list while SSB is an honorable mention?
    • Servebot, on 06/09/2008, -3/+3screw that.. this article is dugg solely for showing love to blast corps; this author knows his n64 games
    • phorty40, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1i agree. it was fun to an extent. nowhere near goldeneye or ssb . i mean how many people actually can say they still own blastcorps as compared to Goldeneye or SSB?
    • assclown69, on 06/11/2008, -0/+0Sounds like someone's never got a Platinum before

      That was pretty much the most demanding standard of perfection in any game on any system
  • treblig, on 06/09/2008, -11/+5Burried as inaccurate for not putting Super Smash Bros at the top of the list. That's all I did last semester.

    And oh yes... I still prefer it farrr above Brawl and Melee
  • herschman321, on 06/09/2008, -11/+1do a barrell roll!
  • uiguy3, on 06/09/2008, -2/+30Mr. Bond would not approve of this list.
    • GiantDunk, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3This list was stirred, not shaken.
  • h3lx, on 06/09/2008, -1/+28For the record, Super Metroid will always matter.
    • linksdeity, on 06/09/2008, -3/+3Super Metroid was an absolute classic, though when it comes to 2D Metroids I actually like Fusion more.
      • h0ly, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2Zero Mission > Fusion, IMHO of course
        • xsquirrel378x, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2zero mission was fine but all it was was a suped up metroid from nes
        • h0ly, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1Exactly, but then again, it refined the NES playability in many ways, while maintaining the same gameplay structure. I dislike Fusion's linearity and art style.
      • BoonTobias, on 06/09/2008, -0/+4fighting words round these parts
    • nicko68, on 06/09/2008, -1/+6I agree, however that was a SNES game. :)
  • l800LEMMINGS, on 06/09/2008, -3/+12super mario 64 was pretty bad ass and the game cartridge was noticably heavier
    • phorty40, on 06/09/2008, -1/+11thats because awesomness weighs a lot.
  • freezerburn666, on 06/09/2008, -3/+2the "new" tetris gets the most screen time on my tv. i still play n64 emulated games and the "new" tetris is everyones favourite that i know, and competition gets pretty crazy sometimes :P
    • ELCad, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1The New Tetris is still my favorite puzzle game. I wish the DS version had kept the 4x4 square making from this game.
      Have built all 7 wonders yet? We are still on the last one.
  • nastronomical, on 06/09/2008, -3/+35Turok?
    • Stemnin, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3Cerebral bore!
      (Turok 2 I think)

      Playing as a raptor, the other guy, the monkey - priceless.
    • phorty40, on 06/09/2008, -1/+0the first time i got motion sickness. it was all brown and washed out and sub green. ugh..the nightmares continue
      • ExSlashdotter, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1Think that was bad? Try Forsaken 64.
    • Pritchard, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3Heck yeah. The Turok environment was very significant, now that I remember the game more clearly. Its environments were huge. Its use of environment (including Fog) made for positively beautiful game play. I think the size of Turok along with its well-hidden items and seamlessly connected puzzles really inspired a lot of future games' take on the play environment.

      Unfortunately, modern FPS shooters are of such a high quality... I went back to play Turok some time ago. It was fun for a while, but the game has its flaws.
  • Milo45, on 06/09/2008, -6/+2Orge Battle 64 :)
  • pantone286, on 06/09/2008, -4/+20Blast Corps FTW.
    One of the most underrated games of that generation.
    One of Rare's best.


    • shuckl4k, on 06/09/2008, -2/+4DOH!

      DOH!

      DOHDOHDOHDOHDOHDOHDOH!
    • Akedz, on 06/09/2008, -2/+1agreed. i just loved blowing all the stuff up in giant robots. there was also preventing the nuclear truck from exploding, but that was side quest. XD
    • DCstewieG, on 06/09/2008, -1/+4Time to get moving!
    • psykiv, on 06/09/2008, -0/+4You can stop now.
    • Hillyard, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3My little brother rented that game when we were younger and I thought wtf.... Then I ended up playing it all weekend and he was pissed..lol
    • Servebot, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2indeed... maybe some developers will read this damn article and decide to make a similar game
    • iruel, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1i was really glad to see it on this list. i hope someone makes a game with that idea for a modern console
    • yohnstoppable, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1That game seemed like such a stupid concept. Nuke on a truck that can't stop, and you have to level a city to make way. Hell, I bet you do far more damage than if you had just let the damn nuke go off.

      But it was SOOOOO fun.
  • Nasterisk, on 06/09/2008, -6/+4Ogre Battle 64!
  • Herv3, on 06/09/2008, -4/+3This is a solid list except for Wetrix. That game is trash and I don't know how the guy who wrote this wanted to put this in the same category with these other greats. Take out Wetrix, put in Mischief Makers.
    • astra05, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2Yuke! Yuke! Mischief Makers was an amazingly fun game. I miss becoming excited about gaming like during the n64 days to now.
  • galvo, on 06/09/2008, -9/+4Goldeneye sucks when you go back and play it. The action is painfully slow..
  • calhorton, on 06/09/2008, -6/+46Goldeneye, pretty much revolutionized first person shooter. honorable mentioned is bull
    • rockyr67, on 06/09/2008, -9/+7At the time? yes.
      Now? no.
    • nicko68, on 06/09/2008, -2/+1I think it's just because it hasn't aged well.
    • linksdeity, on 06/09/2008, -2/+3Goldeneye is almost completely unplayable today.
    • skyshock1, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3Really? I thought Wolfenstein, Doom, and Quake did a better job of defining the genre. Goldeneye was pretty awesome.
    • calhorton, on 06/09/2008, -2/+0of course at the time. now its all about halo
      • Tbab, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2Except that Halo didn't revolutionize one single thing about the modern FPS.
  • Swallowell, on 06/09/2008, -8/+13Pokemon Snap?
    • Zihuatanejo, on 06/09/2008, -3/+1I really can't tell if you're being sarcastic.
    • Godlesswanderer, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1Neither can I, but I really liked that game. Not as much as I liked Goldeneye or any of the Zelda games but it has a special place in my heart.
  • MetalLizard, on 06/09/2008, -2/+9If anyone is interested in playing Goldeneye 64 against others on the internet check out: http://www.goldeneyeonline.com
    • sevenalive, on 06/09/2008, -0/+3What about Goldeneye: Source its a Half-life 2 Mod.
    • MetalLizard, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1Goldeneye: Source is terrible, and an insult to GE64.
      • sevenalive, on 06/23/2008, -0/+1Hey ML whats up, haven't seen you around since we leaked the beta.
  • bigsteve, on 06/09/2008, -2/+26My closest friends and I have sworn a solemn oath to never again discuss Bomberman 64's multiplayer feature. Almost every time we played it, it nearly came to physical aggression. I feel that it far surpasses Goldeneye as the major addictive multiplayer game for the platform. It was just so easy to pick up...
    • rockyr67, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2You should try Saturn Bomberman :)
      • bigsteve, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1That's what we moved from. Then when the Gamecube Bomberman came out with the similar over head engine, it started all over again.
    • ExSlashdotter, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2I agree with you here. I know everybody likes Bomberman for xbox live arcade, but it still isnt as good as the N64 version.
  • bertsbrother, on 06/09/2008, -3/+34No Donkey Kong 64.
    • linksdeity, on 06/09/2008, -3/+1It was such a fun game, and at parts very funny. I still think it was Rare's best 64 era platformer.
    • GiantDunk, on 06/09/2008, -0/+6Probably because they already had 2 Rare Reps up and the many complaint about the game play being too much like Banjo Kazooie. I find it amazing that a game can be made with 5 main playable characters all of which had great distinction and flavor. The 5 Kong's alone made this game deserve at least an honorable mention.
      • Hillyard, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1I snagged an N64 DK bundle.
        • GiantDunk, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1Wasn't the system in that bundle banana yellow? I can't remember.
        • Hillyard, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1It's kind of a matrix green and you can see through it. I never liked that you could see through it but it is still pretty cool. It was an awesome package deal because you got DK64 + Ram Expansion + a different N64.
  • mariolosasso, on 06/09/2008, -2/+7The multiplayer on Conkers Bad Fur day is a staple of the frat house. Seriously one of the greatest college games of all time
    • nicko68, on 06/09/2008, -1/+2I heard a rumour at the time that the game was originally supposed to have a tame storyline. After being bashed by magazine previews for being too "cutesy", Rare decided to go over the top and deliver the game they did.
      • purzzzell, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1says so on Wikipedia, but does not source that section (nor does it note that the section is unsourced.....)
      • YellowSnowDemon, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1'tis true. I have a lot of pictures of it. Look up Conker's Twelve Tails
      • sup34dog, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1I believe it. I remember looking forward to the game when it was initially announced (Conker was my friend's favorite character in Diddy Kong Racing - mine was Tiptup, but that's beside the point).

        I recall visiting IGN64 (what IGN's N64 section was called at the time) and seeing the reveal of Conker's "new look" and new title for the game. There was a poll asking readers what they thought of it, and I was wondering if it was just a joke.

        It did turn out for the best, though.
  • Spartyon, on 06/09/2008, -7/+2BUNCHA BULL
  • kolop1, on 06/09/2008, -12/+2Most of these games are not relevant today.
  • acidbathfan, on 06/09/2008, -1/+7Golden Eye was my favorite for the 64, I bet me and my friends went through a dozen controls playing it so much.
    • tyman1180, on 06/10/2008, -0/+0same here i played goldeneye every chance i got it was an amazing game i will always still play.
  • VinnieDaMac, on 06/09/2008, -1/+6I'm not a wrestling fan, but the wrestling games on the N64 were awesome back in the day.
    • fish42, on 06/09/2008, -0/+2wrestlemania 2000 (or 01 it escapes me) was the only game of that genre i ever liked. The bodies were almost in proportion, it was fast flowing and amazing as a multiplayer. All games since then have paled in comparison. The smack down series still to today does not feel as responsive as the n64 version.
    • willywong, on 06/09/2008, -0/+1They were the only games to actually feel like pro wrestling. All wrestling games before and after have been ***** in comparision. I had all of them (apart from the last one). I still have two but I think I gave the second one to my nephew.
    • TupacFan07, on 06/10/2008, -0/+1No Mercy holds a special place in my heart. Me and my three friends would literally play form 7:00 in the morning until 7 or 8 at night only stopping to use the washroom, then do it again the next day.
  • macapplejobs, on 06/09/2008, -6/+0"Hey! Listen"

    Goldeneye was never a superstar game. Unique for the time, yes, but the story-line was unimaginiative, controls were wonky (using the C-buttons to look around was horrible), and the graphics were sub-par compared to OoT/Mario64. The only reason Goldeneye stood out was because it was the only multiplayer FPS shooter on a console.


    I think Tony Hawk (original one) deserves to be on that list, as it brought skating games back into the mainstream attention. The graphics, speed, gameplay, and fun factor of Tony Hawk were amazing.


    Otherwise, the list is spot on. Ocarina of Time is by far, the BEST game ever made. The only possible better game would be Super Mario 3 for the NES.
    • purzzzell, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1Tony Hawk pales in comparison to later versions though. I think 3 or 4 was probably the pinnacle of Tony Hawk - and the original was on PS1 (and dreamcast maybe?????) as well, so it's even less relevant to this list...
  • Frisbinator, on 06/09/2008, -2/+3Very nice write up. I especially liked the inclusion of Sins and Punishment. If the AVERAGE consumer really cared about quality and originality over violence and games based on movies/television shows, Treasure would have sold more games than any game developer out there, and they should have, they made the best games ever made, period.
  • wsuBobby, on 06/09/2008, -2/+42Me and my roommates at the time, spent our entire freshman year of college dedicated to Mario Kart 64. Because of this I now:
    1. Have no knowledge of Psychology 101, which was an 8 a.m. class
    2. Can power slide around the smallest corner
    3. Shoot banana peels off of ramps with a green shell
    4. Purposely not get into 1st place so you can be considered a candidate for a lightning
    5. Stay out of the middle of the track for renegade red shells
    6. Break a Nintendo 64 controller with ease and familiarity

    All very useful things in life which I use everyday.
    • Zihuatanejo, on 06/09/2008, -0/+88 a.m. class? Come on, you wouldn't have made that even if all you had was Pong.
  • Deadpixel1221, on 06/09/2008, -1/+6Dugg for Body Harvest, I played this gem when the N64 first came out and never understood why it was overlooked.
    • astra05, on 06/09/2008, -1/+3Body Harvest was a lot of fun. It had a lot depth. I kind of reminded of a hybrid of zelda adventure and a good action shooter.
  • o0joshua0o, on 06/09/2008, -9/+3These old games cannot be good. They don't have bleeding-edge graphics.
  • atavena, on 06/09/2008, -1/+11Goldeneye should definitely be considered among the greats. That and Donkey Kong Country.
  • krazykaz, on 06/09/2008, -1/+1oh do i miss my childhood...
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