The Nintendo 64 launched in the United States on September 29th, 1996, one full year after Sony's CD-based platform, PlayStation, was outperforming every other system on the market. This was also the year console manufacturers started discontinuing under-performing home consoles such as the Atari Jaguar, Sega CD and 32x, the Panasonic 3DO, and Phillips CD-i.
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To say Nintendo was the underdog going into 1996 with a cartridge-based system to take on the PlayStation behemoth is an understatement. In its first 11 weeks, the Nintendo 64 sold 1.5 million units, and by 1998 had shipped a whopping 7 million consoles in the United States alone. Fans were clamoring to own a Nintendo 64, and for a good reason. So, here are the best Nintendo 64 games that contributed to the console's massive global success.
Updated by Chad Thesen on December 31st, 2023: This article has been updated to bring it up to a higher level of quality. This will enhance the reader's experience and make the article more engaging thanks to the inclusion of metacritic scores, bullet point facts, and special tags under each entry that readers can make use of.
10 Pokémon Snap
Metascore: 79
- Experience the original generation of Pokemon in their natural habitat.
- Study the routes and triggers to time the perfect photo opportunities.
Part of what made the Nintendo 64 so successful was some of the more innovative games to have been released on the console. Pokémon Snap for the N64 was an absolute joy for Pokémon fans and a wonderful surprise for Nintendo owners when it launched in the US in 1999. You play as Todd Snap and are conducting a special research mission for Professor Oak. The mission is to observe Pokémon in their natural environments and take pictures of them. What more could you ask for?
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Today, this entire game is more or less a common feature in modern video games in the form of a Photo Mode. Back then, the idea of watching a Charizard chilling in a volcano next to a passed-out Voltorb was sort of mind-blowing.
9 Super Smash Bros.
Metascore: 79
- Each character hosts an array of moves tailored to what fans would expect.
- It set a new standard for platform fighters and brought the genre into the limelight.
Holding the mantle of not only the fifth best-selling Nintendo 64 game of all time but also being responsible for ushering in an entire genre, Super Smash Bros. proved Nintendo creative directors were on a roll in the late 90s.
Super Smash Bros. is a platform fighter where you play as characters from the Nintendo library, such as Mario, Pikachu, Link, and Donkey Kong. Each character has its own set of moves explicitly tied to their in-game personality. For example, Pikachu can summon a powerful lightning bolt attack onto his opponents. Super Smash Bros. has since become a massive success for Nintendo with a die-hard fan base.
8 Mario Kart 64
Metascore: 83
- Set a new golden standard for kart racers everywhere.
- Races are less about being the fastest, and more about strategy and having fun.
Nintendo has always been a company that focuses its efforts on multiplayer games just as much as it does on its single-player games. Mario Kart 64 is a kart racer featuring your favorite Mario characters and levels that were inspired by the games.
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While racing through each course, you and your friends can find random weapons and power-ups. The game featured a meaningful drift mechanic that added an extra layer of skill you could master and also just made taking every sharp turn incredibly fun. The AI in Mario Kart 64 is also well-designed, as you never feel overpowered, and because of the power-ups, you are never really safe in the first place for too long.
7 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
Metascore: 85
- Features intense fighter pilot action.
- Music and aesthetics are uniquely Star Wars.
The Battle of Hoth combat level in LucasArts' 1998 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron is one of the most iconic Star Wars moments in all Star Wars video games. Rogue Squadron on the Nintendo 64 was controlled effortlessly with the N64's innovative analog controller. This game would later be ported to the PC under the name "Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3D."
Flight combat battles feel intense, and the music and sound bring a sense of immersion hard to replicate at the time. Bullets, lasers, and towering mechanical giants all fill the surrounding ambiance, which was a real game design achievement at the time. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron has been viewed by many as the game that proved Star Wars games could be fun and innovative while remaining dedicated to the source material.
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
- Released
- December 3, 1998
- Developer
- Factor 5, Lucasfilm Games LLC
6 Super Mario 64
Metascore: 85
- Bouncy controls and physics that are reminiscent of old-school platformers.
- Brilliantly designed levels using the Super Mario World setting.
As many have said before, Super Mario 64 had not only an incredible impact on the gaming industry but also on Nintendo as a world leader in video games and console design. Taking a 2D character from a side-scrolling 8-bit platformer and transforming it into a fully rendered 3D platforming masterpiece is somehow underselling how Super Mario 64 changed the gaming landscape when it was released alongside the Nintendo 64 in 1999.
Mario controls fluidly and has many more movement options than his 2D counterpart. The environments and the world are all brilliantly stylized, and levels are smartly designed with just the right amount of challenge. Super Mario 64 reminded the industry why Nintendo was and continues to be the creator and innovator of fun.
5 WWF No Mercy
Metascore: 89
- Very fluid controls made for a great experience.
- Over 60 characters to play as.
Released in 2000, THQ and Aki Corporation's WWF No Mercy became the standard by which all subsequent wrestling games would be judged. Striking at the height of WWF's Attitude Era, WWF No Mercy was critically acclaimed as one of the best wrestling games ever, thanks to its fluid controls, licensed characters, and overall fun gameplay.
The game featured over 60 playable characters for you to choose from to unleash hell on your friends or the AI. WWF No Mercy even came with a built-in character creator mode so fans of wrestling could live out their dream of executing the Stink Face on Vince McMahon.
- Released
- November 17, 2000
- Developer
- Asmik Ace Entertainment, AKI Corporation
4 Donkey Kong 64
Metascore: 90
- Packs in many different genres to enjoy, from puzzle solving to racing and platforming elements.
- An incredibly fun co-op experience to enjoy with friends — after you unlock it.
Donkey Kong 64 hit the scene in 1999 in a BIG way and has since been known as one of the best Nintendo 64 games ever released. Developer RARE and Nintendo had a specific vision for Donkey Kong and his pals, and while there may be polarizing arguments on both sides of the debate, it can be argued that DK64 makes up for quality with its quantity.
Donkey Kong 64 is an open-world adjacent adventure game with a multitude of items and characters to collect. The game featured save slots and dozens of hours of gameplay. There are platforming levels, puzzles, racing, shooting galleries, and more on your way to one of the more iconic final boss battle locations in video game history.
3 Paper Mario
Metascore: 93
- Delightful 2D paper visuals.
- Engaging and funny storyline.
One of the biggest must-plays on this list is Paper Mario. Once again, Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach, and it's up to the two plumbing powerhouses, Mario and Luigi, to rescue her. This Mario, however, is a little different from how you may remember him.
Released in the US in 2001, Paper Mario is an important game for the industry because it was seen at the time as the perfect conduit for Western audiences who may have never experienced or played an actual RPG before. The game features a fun story and hilarious dialogue. Even when just appreciated as a turn-based adventure RPG, Paper Mario on its own is a masterful piece of video game design.
2 GoldenEye 007
Metascore: 96
- A brilliantly executed secret agent feeling of gameplay.
- A perfect game for any James Bond fan to try out.
Speaking of fun, GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64 became the best multiplayer game on the system and brought the FPS genre into a more viable form on home consoles. In GoldenEye, you take control of none other than James Bond himself and complete missions with various challenges.
Each mission plays out like a James Bond movie, complete with secret agent dialogue and drama. However, the multiplayer portion of 007 is where many have spent countless hours playing The Man With The Golden Gun! with their friends on a split-screen television.
1 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Metascore: 99
- A very lore-rich and detailed open-world environment.
- Features a very engaging and fast-paced combat experience.
If Super Mario 64 was an indication of how well 2D franchises can transfer over into 3D form on the N64, then The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time perfected it — coming in with a near-flawless Metascore of 99. Ocarina of Time is the type of video game that rarely gets to hold a video game title as prestigious as a Timeless Masterpiece.
Video games as recent as Elden Ring and Super Mario Odyssey have their DNA drenched in what made Ocarina of Time an instant classic. The dedication to the open-world detail, fun gameplay mechanics, and intelligent puzzles are clear indicators that the development team took their time and care in creating this game. Ocarina of Time shows clearly that video games are not just an entertainment medium but an amalgamation of various masterfully crafted art forms.
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