What lies below is a listing of my Nintendo 64 collection along with some history behind the system's purchase. One thing to keep in mind is that these are all the games I currently own. I've actually had other games throughout the years. But I got rid of some of them for whatever reason. Please also note that all of the games listed below are actual cartridges. I am neither into getting emulators for the classics nor am I into pirating the latest games.
No system will ever be as near or dear to my heart as the N64. Let's face it, when it's all said and done, I will have spent over five years of my life covering the system on the Internet and in magazines. And you can bet that during those years I spent tons of time writing about it, talking about it, and playing it. Hours and hours used to be spent each day searching for information about it. Weeks and weeks were spent writing about it for magazines and books. Months and months of time was lost with friends. And an incomprehensible amount of time that should have been spent on schoolwork was spent on the system and its corresponding sites (N64 HQ and Guide 64) instead. Do I regret it? Not at all. Everything I learned while covering the N64 and maintaining the sites gave me invaluable lessons in life, business, education, and more.
Another item of significance that makes the N64 special is that it was my first foray into importing. I had never purchased anything directly from Japan until I got a Japanese N64 a few months before it hit the U.S. My N64 with Super Mario 64 arrived via special Saturday delivery on June 29, 1996 from Vizon Play. This is one of the receipts I actually lost, but I think I did that so I won't remember how much I foolishly paid for the package. (I estimate that the system, Super Mario 64, Pilotwings 64, and special shipping ended up costing me around $700 or $800.) I have since evenly traded my first three Japanese games (Super Mario 64, Pilotwings 64, and Wave Race 64) for their English counterparts. And although I will never import a whole video game system again, I wouldn't mind occasionally importing a few games. Well, that is, games that are easy enough for me to figure out, games that won't make it to the U.S., or games that have unnecessary delays. The first American game I bought, by the way, was Killer Instinct Gold. I got it for $69.99 at Toys "R" Us.
[Click here for a brief history (before 2000) of the N64]
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Overall, I found it most difficult to choose my favorite game for N64. In the end, though, I chose GoldenEye 007 as my all-time favorite. Several reasons why include (the original) stealth-based gameplay, great use of the Bond license, and a four-player mode. Between the one-player missions and the four-player deathmatch, I probably played it more than any other N64 game. |
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2. Super Mario 64 A close second to GoldenEye 007 is Super Mario 64. Just like Super Mario Bros. brought gaming to a whole new level back in 1985, Super Mario 64 ushered us into a new era—the third dimension. Furthermore, because the Nintendo 64 controller was designed around this game, it has some of the best and most responsive play control ever found. A ton of fun. |
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A masterpiece in its very definition. In total, one could argue that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the greatest game ever designed, with innovative control, a near-perfect camera, fantastic graphics, movie-like sound, unbelievable immersion, and a wonderful story. You truly feel like a part of the game. Once again, close to being number one. |
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4. Perfect Dark From the team that brought you GoldenEye 007 comes a semi-sequel in the same vein—but with new everything. On every level, Perfect Dark supersedes its predecessor. It also has the most incredible multi-player mode ever put into a home console. I played tons and tons of the Combat Simulator in college. Yet it's hard to top an original… |
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Maybe the best N64 game you never played—that is, if you play three- and four-player matches regularly. Snowboard Kids is molded more like the original Super Mario Kart in that the game isn't as cheap as Mario Kart 64 and features tighter, better level design and subtle strategic touches (e.g., the lift). Every race is fast, frantic, and unsuspecting. Tremendous fun! |
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6. Madden NFL 2000 I never played Madden NFL 2001 or 2002 on N64, but I can tell you that Madden NFL 2000 is far better than Madden Football 64 or Madden NFL 99. Compared to the predecessors, Madden NFL 2000 features better sound and improved graphics that run at a solid, fast frame rate. The running and passing games and the defense had the best balance of all games at this point, too. |
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Let's make this clear: The New Tetris is, without question, the best version of Tetris ever released. It adds a few things to the Tetris formula without ruining it. For instance, special blocks can be created for bonus lines. Or you can save a piece for later use. What sets the game apart, though, is the incredible four-player mode that includes "garbage." |
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8. Mario Kart 64 Is Mario Kart 64 as good as the original? No, because the slide technique changed, the game is too cheap, and the levels are too wide. Does that mean it's bad? Absolutely not. My friends and I played a ton of this. Like the original, the two-player Grand Prix mode is my favorite here. But four-player Mario Kart in Versus and Battle Mode races are quite good, too. |
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Hexen has been reserved a special place on my list, just because I had a ton of fun with it and played it so much. My friend and I played through the entire game in a split-screen, cooperative mode. You know how I love cooperative games. Then I also played a ton of deathmatch with my brother and brother-in-law, because it was simple, fast, and frantic. |
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10. NHL 99 NHL 99 is one of those rare games that I played more and more over time rather than less and less. Amazingly, this is the only NHL game EA Sports released on the N64. Thankfully, it's an incredible port from the PlayStation, with even better graphics, surprisingly good sound, all of the same great gameplay and control, and a bonus multi-player mode! |
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I never got a chance to play Mario Party 2 or Mario Party 3, so I'm not sure how they compare to the original. But I do know that the first game was a very unique, downright fun game. During my college years, it was the perfect game to play leisurely while everyone socialized and drank, uh, soda. I'm not sure, but I think I have many fond memories of this game… |
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12. Super Smash Bros. What a concept! It's mind-boggling to think that all of Nintendo's most popular characters are fighting each other in one awesome game! In all honesty, if I had the opportunity to play this game more with other people, then it probably would rate higher on my list. As such, I mostly played this with my older brother and brother-in-law on certain occasions. |
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I absolutely love the gameplay in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. I think it's one of the most addictive video games released in the 32/64-bit generation. The control is simple to learn yet complex to master. The camera follows the action perfectly. And having the ability to skate and grind wherever you want is a dream come true. Two-player rocks! |
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14. Blast Corps On a system where multi-player reigns king, it's still nice to have a long, challenging, and rewarding one-player game. Blast Corps can be considered one of the N64's best, because it has original and technique-filled gameplay, control that needs to be mastered, and very good audio and video—all of which make you realize this is an N64 game. Awesome. |
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I immensely enjoyed Banjo-Kazooie. The game almost makes you collect too many items, but it makes up for it with a witty story, great character and level design, a ton of moves to master, and impressive graphics and sound. If you enjoy 3D action/adventure games, then this is one of the best of the 32/64-bit generation. |
Honorable Mention: Wave Race 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Top Gear Overdrive, Vigilante 8, Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness
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Note: Please see the Wii section to see the N64 games I downloaded through Nintendo’s Virtual Console service. The games listed on this page are physical copies.
The following bulleted points are some random notes and thoughts about the Nintendo 64. In the list, you will find information about the system and games that I could not place anywhere else.
Currently, I own 56 games for the Nintendo 64.
I want to make these games part of my permanent collection: Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness, Extreme-G, and Iggy's Reckin' Balls.
If you like non-realistic racing games, then no other system can touch N64. Here is a sampling of the classics: Wave Race 64, Mario Kart 64, San Francisco Rush, Diddy Kong Racing, 1080° Snowboarding, Top Gear Overdrive, Snowboard Kids, F-Zero X, and Vigilante 8.
Just think: The N64 is the last cartridge-based home console you will ever play.
1. GoldenEye 007
3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of
Time
5. Snowboard Kids
7. The New Tetris
9. Hexen
11. Mario Party
13. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
15. Banjo-Kazooie