Summary
Competition between home console manufacturers got intense during the mid to late 90s, as Sony’s brand-new PlayStation was giving Nintendo a rough time. As a result,the company released the legendaryNintendo 64during this time. This great console could play some of the best, most impressive, and most revolutionary video games ever made, likeSuper Mario 64,The Legend of Zelda:Ocarina of Time,Banjo-Kazooieand more.
Regardless of whether it could beat the PS1 in the console wars or not, the Nintendo 64 eventually became one of Nintendo’s most beloved systems. Most of its games were later ported to other hardware, via apps like the Virtual Console or Nintendo Switch Online. However, there’s a fair share of solid Nintendo 64 exclusives that are still stuck on the console, and deserve a true second chance.
Turokis a series of first-person shooters in which players have to take down dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures with a vast arsenal of weapons. The main trilogy of games in the franchise (Dinosaur Hunter,Seeds of Evil,andShadow of Oblivion)are synonymous with the Nintendo 64. They were so beloved that Nightdive Studios recently ported them to modern systems. However, there’s another game released between the second and third entriesthat is still stuck on the Nintendo 64:Turok: Rage Wars.
This title had a bigger focus on multiplayer, while still retaining the unique weapons that made theTurokIP so special. A re-release or a remaster with online functionality would work wonderfully.Rage Warsalso features a simple but exciting single-player campaign, soTurokfans who are not interested in a multiplayer mode will appreciate that.
The undeniable impact and rise in popularity of games likeSuper Mario 64inspired many other developers to make their own 3D platformers, with bizarre characters and unique gameplay twists.Japan System Supply was one of these studios. They releasedChameleon Twistin 1997, a surreal 3D platformer starring a bunch of colorful chameleon characters.
Chameleon Twistis not as polished or technically impressive as other games in the genre released around that time. However, the ability to use the chameleon’s tongues for platforming resulted in fun and creative gameplay that made it very memorable. Not to mention, it featured great levels with solid design and charming music. A sequel,Chameleon Twist 2,was released a year later, but it got a poorer reception than its predecessor.
A few forgotten platforming mascots likeTombaandCrochave been getting revivals in the past few years. It would be great to see these wacky chameleons in a modern remaster.
When compared to its main competitor, the PlayStation, the Nintendo 64 lacked good JRPGs, withPaper Mariobeing one of the few exceptions. But this was not due to a lack of trying.Japanese developer Imagineer released a fun little RPG titledQuest 64in 1998. Of course, it couldn’t compete with the likes ofFinal FantasyorDragon Quest, but it is still a solid little adventure that has gained a sizable cult following.
Quest 64is the perfect introductory JRPG for players who want to get into this popular but intimidating genre. It has accessible mechanics, a simple but effective combat system, a beautiful world, and great character and monster designs. Since it never received any subsequent ports, JRPG fans around the world can only experienceQuest 64by booting up their old N64 systems. It’s time for that to change.
5Mario Artist Collection
The Long-Awaited Sequel To Mario Paint Was Relegated To The 64DD
TheNintendo 64DDwas a disk drive peripheral for the console that, while ambitious for its time, never resonated with audiences. It was a commercial failure and was never released outside of Japan. Nevertheless,the 64DD was still responsible for some fantastic video games, like its flagship title, theMario Artistseries.This was not a single game, but a collection of four pieces of creative software that players could connect to each other:Paint Studio,Talent Studio,Polygon Studio, andCommunication Kit.
Mario Artistwas the spiritual successor to the SNES gameMario Paint.It allowed players to draw, color, create 3D models, develop minigames and upload everything to the internet via the now defunct dial-up service Randnet.Mario Artistwas not just a game, but a tool for gamers to create whatever they could imagine on their N64. That’s why it was never ported to any other console: itwas meant to be software that would attract potential 64DD buyers. And nowadays, there are many free apps that can do the exact same things.
The Nintendo 64 was home to countless bizarre video games that could not be played on any other system.Buck Bumblewas one of the most notorious examples. The fact that it has been forgotten by many is quite shocking, considering that it was developed by Argonaut Software (the studio behind the originalStar FoxandCroc: Legend of the Gobbos) and published by Ubisoft.
Buck Bumbleis a third-person shooter/shoot ‘em up with clearStar FoxDNA. Players control the titular bee, which can fly around beautiful 3D environments and take down enemies with some surprisingly precise controls and weapons like lasers, rocket launchers, and more. However, much to the player’s surprise, the most memorable aspect ofBuck Bumbleis its weirdly charming theme song. Ubisoft must still own the IP to this hidden gem, so the European gaming giant could re-release it on modern consoles at some point in the near future.
It’s mind-blowing to think that Rockstar’s massiveGrand Theft Autofranchise would likely not exist if it wasn’t foran ambitious video game exclusive to the Nintendo 64, known asBody Harvest. This game was released back when the studio was named DMA Design, not long after the launch of the first 2DGTAgame.
This thrilling third-person shooter is all about hunting hidden aliens. But since it has a big focus on vehicles and a nonlinear open world that was very impressive for its time, most people considerBody Harvestto be the precursor of the 3DGTAentries, which the studio would later develop in the early 2000s. However, despite its undeniable importance to the history of gaming, it can still only be played on a Nintendo 64.
Unlike RPGs, fighting games did a little bit better on the Nintendo 64 (mainly due to Rare’sKiller Instinctgames).Konami’sRakugakidsis one of the most prominent examples. Sadly, American gamers missed out on this unique title, as it was only released in Japan and Europe. This is one of the main reasons it should be ported to modern systems, so more people get to experience this brilliant experience.
Rakugakidsfeatures a fascinating and endlessly charming art style (similar toParappa The Rapper), with characters that are intentionally designed to look like a child’s doodles. As a result, no other fighting game has a roster that looks like this. On top of that,Rakugakids’combat system has some fun, engaging and accessible mechanics that are reminiscent ofStreet Fighter’siconic gameplay, so it’s very easy to pick up.
The Nintendo 64 was all about 3D graphics, which were brand-new and technically impressive back then. However,a wonderful side-scrolling adventure titledMischief Makersgot lost in a sea of 3D collect-a-thon platformers likeSuper Mario 64andBanjo-Kazooie. Fortunately, it did gain a cult following a few years later, especially with the rise of the internet during the 2000s.
Developed by Treasure (the studio behindGunstar HeroesandAlien Soldier),Mischief Makersis a charming 2D platformer. The game features a unique “shaking” mechanic, a lovable protagonist named Marina, catchy background music and some of the most colorful and detailed sprites on the console. Unfortunately, this hidden gem is still only available on the Nintendo 64, even though fans have been asking for a port or a remaster for more than two decades.
