The N64 is the console that holds a place in many a gamer’s heart with some of the best games of all time featuring in its line up.
While not exactly having the sheer number of titles available compared to the likes of the PS1, the library of games to pick from is still quite dense, potentially making it a difficult choice as what to play if you’re getting in for the first time.
That’s where we come in. Being retro enthusiasts, playing a plethora of games across different eras, we have the N64 knowledge to provide you with the top picks.
Here are the best N64 games that we think are must-plays in 2024 and beyond.
The best N64 games that are still great to play today
10. Mario Kart 64
Up first, we have the classic N64 racing experience in Mario Kart 64.
This entry in the series was the first to see fully 3D tracks, albeit with some clever 2D sprite kart trickery to keep it looking smooth on the console.
It featured some of the best twists and turns of all Mario Kart games, with some even being reprised in later entries, as well as being the first appearance for the infamous Blue Shell.
The multiplayer was just as good as the single player elements too, making for some seriously competitive races time and time again.
9. Paper Mario
The first foray into paper form for Mario is one that should be played no matter what year it is.
It’s a stark difference to the likes of Super Mario 64, and quite jarring if you’re switching between the two, but the turn-based gameplay coupled with the art-style more than stands the test of time.
It’s almost the spiritual successor to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars that launched on the SNES, and takes elements built there, forming a fun and charming new experience.
If you haven’t played a game in the Paper Mario series yet, the initial N64 adventure is a fantastic jumping off point before getting into Thousand Year Door on GameCube for example.
8. Diddy Kong Racing
Mario Kart is obviously the bigger and better franchise as a whole, Diddy Kong Racing on the N64 was just the superior of the two entries on the system in our opinion.
Instead of just being a Mario Kart 64 copycat, it has some serious depth to the game, adding complex courses created for the varying types of vehicles available.
Moreover, the added bosses to race, a fully-fledged story mode, and hidden characters that you need to unlock trump any other karting experience on the N64.
It’s pretty difficult too, especially when you’re pitted against those bosses, so even if you think you’re a karting god, there will be some challenging moments to overcome.
7. Goldeneye 007
When you mention Goldeneye 007 to anyone who was around in the N64 era you’ll get one response and one response only – it was pure, unadulterated fun.
The multiplayer element of the James Bond movie tie-in was the core of why this game is so iconic, bringing action-packed FPS split-screen battling for all.
Getting a four player deathmatch going with your friends was just the best. Each picking a character from the Bond franchise and battling it out on the well crafted maps, making up your own rules as you go to make sure it was fair. We’re looking at you, Oddjob players…
Let’s not forget about the single player mode though which took you through various areas from the movie, allowing you to use classic guns and gadgets along the way.
Yes, aiming was a little funky with that singular joystick but this just adds to the charm of the game.
6. Starfox 64 (Lylat Wars)
Starfox 64, also known as Lylat Wars in European regions, is one of those iconic N64 games that you just have to play.
The space warfare mixed with the intense dialogue from the various animalistic characters make for a pretty enthralling affair no matter if you’re at the start or end of the game.
It was also one of the first games to feature the Rumble Pak which enhanced the immersion massively at the time, really putting your in the cockpit with Fox and his team.
5. Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark is a franchise that has been absent for some time now but with the reimagining of the series potentially on the way in 2025, now is a fantastic time to experience where it all began on the N64.
Again similar to that of Goldeneye 007, Rare was at the helm creating this one, and you can see many learnings from its predecessor, creating a game that takes N64 first-person shooters to a new level.
It has plenty of wild and wacky weapons that make the experience fresh and interesting as you progress, and if you are someone looking for a challenge, the increased difficulty settings add more objectives to levels.
The above combined with even more refined multiplayer akin to that of Goldeneye, makes Perfect Dark a must play on the N64.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
One of the more darker entries in The Legend of Zelda franchise, Majora’s Mask had incredibly large boots to fill releasing after one of the world’s greatest in Ocarina of Time.
It was vastly different to that of its predecessor with completely changed gameplay that focused on a timed three day cycle and masks that had varying effects.
This was certainly jarring for those coming from OoT but the core of the mechanics were still very apparent with brilliant combat and sometimes even better puzzles.
If you gelled with the new formula, you may even have this game higher in your list than Ocarina but for most fans out there, it’s just a really great sequel that should definitely be regarded as one of the best N64 games.
3. Banjo Kazooie
We haven’t touched on Super Mario 64 yet (spoiler, it is coming up next) but essentially, Banjo Kazooie took the formula Nintendo created and made a different type of 3D adventure for the ages.
The humorous text-based dialogue coupled with the variety of characters you meet along the way keep the game entertaining throughout, before even thinking about the different levels.
The collecting of Jiggies, Jingos, and musical notes doesn’t get tedious even deep into the experience and coupled with the various new abilities that you gain along the way, everything just feels fresh right up until the credits roll.
There’s a reason why so many want Banjo to come back and that’s because it is such an incredible Rare franchise that is also exactly that – a rare find.
2. Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64 is the game that changed it all for the franchise, taking the already well-established 2D plumber into full, 3D playable spaces.
Being a launch game for the N64, you might have thought the jump from the SNES to this new tech would have been an awkward one but SM 64 just excels right out of the gate.
The variety in the different levels paired with a star collection system that hadn’t been seen before in Mario games brought about a way of playing that wasn’t just an A to B scenario.
It was only single-player, contrary to that of previous Mario games, but it just didn’t matter. The sheer amount of fun that could be had on your own, progressing all the way up to Bowser, made you not want to put the janky controller down.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
And finally, we’ve made it to the crème de la crème of N64 games – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Regarded by most as one of the best games of all time, never mind just for the N64, OoT should be experienced in 2024 – even if the much bigger and more refined Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom exist.
It walked so all the subsequent 3D Zelda games could run, introducing a plethora of mechanics still used to this day.
The combat, the dungeons, the puzzles, the innovative time jumping, are all stellar inclusions that are still being emulated, whether that’s in the series itself or other franchises paying homage.
The music/soundtrack just tops things off, truly putting the cherry on top for most with even the start screen being one of the most legendary in all of video games.
If you only play one N64 game in your lifetime, make it this, because boy are you missing out on potentially the best 3D adventure of all time.
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