Best Nintendo 64 games of all time, ranked

Nintendo

When the Nintendo 64 launched in 1996, it didn’t just introduce a new console — it defined how we would play 3D games for decades to come. At a time when the industry was shifting from 2D sprites to full polygonal worlds, Nintendo doubled down on innovation. The N64’s analog stick, four-player controller ports, and bold first-party lineup made it the birthplace of modern 3D platforming and local multiplayer.

Games like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time set new standards for movement, camera control, and open-world adventure. Meanwhile, GoldenEye 007, Mario Kart 64, and Super Smash Bros turned living rooms into instant multiplayer arenas. Even today, many of the console’s biggest hits are still cited among the greatest games ever made.

From genre-defining classics to cult favorites that pushed creativity in new directions, the Nintendo 64’s library remains one of the most influential in gaming history.

With that legacy in mind, here’s our ranking of the best Nintendo 64 games.

Rayman 2: The Great Escape

What it's about: With its enchanted storybook look beautifully translated into 3D, lush, vibrant colors, funny enemy designs, and clever jumping puzzles, Rayman 2 is platforming perfection. No arms, no legs, no problem for the little French creation that could.28

Pilotwings 64

What it's about: Forget about those other flying games. This is the ultimate flight experience! Pilotwings 64 carries you off into a vast three-dimensional environment. Pilot several different vehicles and take in breathtaking sights. Successfully complete flight tests to earn your flight badge. Get a high enough score, and you’ll get a chance at bonus games such as Cannonball and Sky Diving! Soar into a wild blue yonder with Pilotwings 64!27

WWF No Mercy

What it's about: WWF No Mercy allows players to compete for seven different WWF titles, with each belt getting its own unique story. Stories can be replayed, allowing players to defend their title in a storyline. Upon successful completion of a story mode, players will unlock the title they were competing for in the Exhibition mode, where titles can be won and defended as the players see fit. A maximum of four players can compete in a range of modes, including caged and ladder contests and pay-per-view events. The player can also create an own event and compete for WWF titles unlocked in Championship mode. Certain matches are held outside the ring, in four different backstage locations.26

1080 Snowboarding 2

What it's about: A sequel to 1080° Snowboarding was confirmed to be in development by Left Field in 1999, but it was later confirmed that development had moved to the GameCube. Left Field left Nintendo shortly after in order to work on multi-format titles. Nintendo Software Technology took over development and released 1080° Avalanche in 2003.25

Star Wars: Episode I - Racer

What it's about: Star Wars: Episode 1 - Racer lets you participate in the famous pod race sequence that was the critical highlight of the film Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace back in 1999. Take the controls as Jedi-to-be Anakin Skywalker or any one of over 20 pod racers. These lightning-quick vehicles are capable of reaching simulated speeds of up to 600 miles per hour while skimming a mere 4 feet above the ground. Feel the full-force blast while avoiding hazards such as methane lakes, meteor showers, and the notorious Tusken Raiders. You can race alone or against a friend in split-screen mode on more than 21 courses that span over 8 different worlds. This level of customization adds excellent replay value.24

Mario Party 2

What it's about: Mario and the gang are back for another round of Bowser-bashin' party action! Watch as your favorite Nintendo characters don different duds for each of the five all-new Adventure Boards! A slew of new tricks and devices bring new levels of challenge and excitement to board game play. New board maps, new Mini-Games, new action and new surprises means a whole new batch of fun! Get ready to unleash your best Hip Drops, hammer swings and high-flying high junks for another round of frenzied multi-player action!23

Pokémon Stadium

What it's about: In the game's Stadium Mode, one player competes in 80 different battles, divided into four tournaments. Beat the Stadium Mode and you're in for a bonus battle against the ultimate Pokémon warrior, Mewtwo, as well as a secret mode that gives you 80 brand-new, and devilishly tough battles. There is virtually no way you can beat the secret mode without having trained your own, elite Pokémon. One to four players compete against each other or the computer in a no-holds-barred battle with customizable rules. You can select rental Pokémon for these battles -- but that makes them much too predictable since their selection of techniques isn't determined by the trainer. You can also select quick and easy versus and random battles.22

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron

What it's about: It is a time of great rejoicing in the galaxy. Luke Skywalker, with the help of Wedge Antilles, has blown up the Death Star. But there is little time to celebrate. The mighty Empire is gathering strength for a determined, all-out assault on the Rebel forces. To save the Rebel Alliance from this Imperial onslaught, Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles have assembled the Rogue Squadron, a group of twelve of the most skilled battle-tested starfighter pilots. You will fly into battle as Luke Skywalker, to engage in intense, fast-paced planetary air-to-ground and air-to-air missions ‒ dogfights, search and destroy, reconnaissance, bombing runs, rescue assignments, and more.21

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

What it's about: A world where time has no meaning - and evil knows no bounds. Torn from a world long gone, the time traveling warrior Turok has found himself thrust into a savage land torn by conflict.20

F-Zero X

What it's about: It's you against 29 other machines competing for the title of F-Zero X Champion. You're racing at speeds of over 1,000 km/h high above the atmosphere. Your competition comes from every corner of the galaxy and won't shed a tear at the thought of smashing you off the track. With four-player simultaneous gameplay and the Rumble Pak accessory, you have the fastest racing game on the N64 system!19

Excitebike 64

What it's about: Experience extreme MX! You grind your way through the hairpin turn, a wall of mud exploding in your wake. Your next jump launches you into the air - you pull off a spectacular double no-footed can-can and become an instant legend! In Excitebike 64, you'll find all the high-flying action, heart-stopping stunts and bone-jarring crashes of the extreme sport of motocross. It'll set the daredevil inside you free. 20 stadium tracks and awesome outdoor courses - plus six different riders with six unique styles!18

Blast Corps

Release date :March 21, 1997

5(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo 64

What it's about: Blast Corps is a 1997 video game for the Nintendo 64 developed by Rare and published by Nintendo. Destroy a series of buildings or objects using a variety of unique demolition vehicles, in order to mainly clear a path for trucks carrying defective nuclear missiles.17

Diddy Kong Racing

Release date :November 21, 1997

3(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo 64

What it's about: Diddy Kong Racing is set on Timber's Island and revolves around Diddy Kong and his friends' attempt to defeat the intergalactic antagonist, a wizarding pig named Wizpig, through winning a series of races. The player can take control of any of the featured characters throughout the game. Diddy Kong Racing features five worlds with four racetracks each, and the ability to drive a car, hovercraft, or pilot an aeroplane.16

Star Fox 64

What it's about: The update to the 16-bit Super NES title continues the original's on-rails 3D shooting action on the Nintendo 64. Starring Fox McCloud, Peppy Hare, Falco Lombardi, and Slippy Toad, this new 64-bit version contains 15 plus levels, easy, medium, and difficult paths, forward-scrolling levels as well as full 3D realms, and a three-part multiplayer mode using a four-player split screen. In addition to plenty of Arwing action, the game introduces a new hover tank and even features a submarine level. The 8-megabyte cartridge also boasts voice samples from 23 different characters instead of the original's animal noises. Star Fox 64 was the first game to feature Rumble Pak support. A Rumble Pak bundle and standalone version of the game were sold. Released in Europe under the name Lylat Wars.15

Mario Tennis

What it's about: All of your favorite characters hit the court in a wild and wacky multiplayer tennis game from the makers of Mario Golf. Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Peach, Toad, and Donkey Kong lead off the all-star, 14-player line-up. The fast-paced action will have you unleashing vicious volleys, life-saving lobs, ballistic backhands and electrifying super-charged smashes!14

Conker's Bad Fur Day

What it's about: Humorous action-platformer that does away with the tedious item collection found in most games in the genre. Instead, BFD employs a combination of standard jump, run and explore mechanics and context-sensitive gags and actions. For instance, in the beginning of the game, by pressing the B button on the first pad he encounters, Conker drinks some Alka-Seltzer to wipe out his hangover, at which point players can proceed forward. Later on these pads are used to activate a slingshot and throwing knives; to turn Conker into an anvil and drop downward; to shoot automatic, double-handed guns; to activate a The Matrix-inspired slow-motion effect and flip through the air shooting enemies; and much, much more.13

Wave Race 64

What it's about: Wave Race 64 is sure to provide some of the most exciting racing you've ever experienced. Feel the pounding and crashing of the waves as you accelerate into straight-aways, whip around the marker buoys and go airborne on the jump ramps. Don't race alone - challenge a friend! Take control in three different modes of play - Championship, Time Trials and Stunt Mode. Nine challenging courses set in exotic locales - race conditions change and the wave action responds to the way both you and your opponents race!12

Banjo-Tooie

What it's about: Grunty returns-and that's bad news for Banjo and Kazooie! In this all-new adventure, combine everything you learned in the award-winning prequel, Banjo-Kazooie, with dozens of brand-new moves and abilities. Explore eight original worlds-like a monstrous factory and a dilapidated amusement park. Solve incredible puzzles that link those worlds together-sometimes you'll have to complete tasks in several worlds to solve a single puzzle!11

Super Smash Bros.

What it's about: Super Smash Bros. is a crossover fighting video game between several different Nintendo franchises, and the first installment in the Super Smash Bros. series. Players must defeat their opponents multiple times in a fighting frenzy of items and power-ups. Super Smash Bros. is a departure from the general genre of fighting games: instead of depleting an opponent's life bar, the players seek to knock opposing characters off a stage. Each player has a damage total, represented by a percentage, which rises as the damage is taken.10

Paper Mario

What it's about: Paper Mario, a turn-based JRPG entry in the Mario franchise with a paper-based aesthetic and platforming elements, sees the titular character working his way through the Mushroom Kingdom's diverse locales and biomes, meeting its inhabitants, fighthing unruly enemies and recruiting an array of companions in order to once again save Princess Peach from the clutches of the evil Koopa King Bowser.9

Donkey Kong 64

What it's about: K. Rool has kidnapped the Kongs! Can Donkey Kong rescue his friends, reclaim the Golden Bananas and save his homeland from certain doom? Take out some Kremlings with Chunky's Pineapple Launcher or Lanky's Trombone. Float through the air using Tiny's Ponytail Twirl. Even rocket to the sky with Diddy's Jetbarrel!8

Resident Evil 2

What it's about: Resident Evil 2 is a sequel to the first Resident Evil title. Like the previous game in the series, Resident Evil 2 is a 3D action-adventure using three-dimensional polygon characters over two-dimensional pre-rendered backgrounds, with the action viewed through a variety of cinematic fixed camera angles in each room. Players can choose to play as one of two possible characters, each goes through the same initial scenario but with differences in the type of weaponry they find and the people they meet along the way.7

Banjo-Kazooie

Release date :January 1, 1998

4(0 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo 64

What it's about: In this 3D platformer, the heroic but naive bear Banjo enlists his smart-mouthed bird buddy Kazooie to help rescue his younger sister from a vain, beauty-stealing witch. The player is tasked with exploring the witch's lair and the nine large, open levels within it, looking for tasks and challenges to complete. Along the way they meet a variety of characters who teach them new moves and transform them into different animals. Modeled after Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie is distinguished by its cheeky and sarcastic sense of humor and by a large, varied, and novel moveset.6

Mario Kart 64

What it's about: Mario Kart 64 is the second main installment of the Mario Kart series. It is the first game in the series to use three-dimensional graphics, however, the characters and items in this game are still two-dimensional, pre-rendered sprites. The game offers two camera angles and three engine sizes: 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. Each kart has distinctive handling, acceleration and top speed capabilities. Shells that you fire at rival racers, Bananas that make them skid out and Lightning Bolts that make them small and very slow are just a few of the game's unique power-ups.5

Perfect Dark

Release date :January 1, 2000

4(0 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo 64

What it's about: Perfect Dark is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It is considered the spiritual successor to Rare's earlier first-person shooter GoldenEye 007, with which it shares many gameplay features. Perfect Dark was first released in North America on 22 May 2000; PAL and NTSC-J releases followed soon afterwards. A separate Game Boy Color game, also titled Perfect Dark, was released in August 2000 as a supplement to the game and allows certain features within the Nintendo 64 game to alternatively be unlocked via a Transfer Pak. The game features a single-player mode consisting of 17 main missions in which the player assumes the role of Carrington Institute agent Joanna Dark as she attempts to stop a conspiracy by rival corporation dataDyne. It also features a range of multiplayer options, including a co-operative mode and traditional deathmatch settings. Technically, it is one of the most advanced games developed for the Nintendo 64, with an optional high resolution graphics mode and Dolby Surround Sound. A Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak is required to access the game's campaign and most of the multiplayer features.4

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

What it's about: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, it utilizes the same engine and visual style as its predecessor. The game retains the traditional elements of Zelda games as well as those introduced in Ocarina of Time, such as active blocking with a shield, various throwing items, and the usage of melodies played on the ocarina to solve puzzles. Compared to the previous Zelda games, this installment is more oriented towards interaction with NPCs and has a larger variety of items, optional quests, and mini-games. It also includes a time system that spans three days, and this cycle must be reset periodically to progress through the game.3

GoldenEye 007

Release date :January 1, 1997

4(0 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo 64

What it's about: GoldenEye 007 is a first-person shooter based on the 1995 James Bond film. The game features a single-player campaign with 20 missions across multiple difficulty levels, emphasizing stealth, varied objectives and mission-based progression. Players can use a range of weapons and gadgets while navigating diverse environments inspired by the movie. The local split-screen multiplayer mode supports up to four players and offers competitive scenarios such as deathmatch, team modes and character selection from the James Bond universe. The multiplayer component became widely recognized for its influence on console FPS design and is considered a landmark feature of the game.2

Super Mario 64

What it's about: Mario is super in a whole new way! Combining the finest 3-D graphics ever developed for a video game and an explosive soundtrack, Super Mario 64 becomes a new standard for video games. It's packed with bruising battles, daunting obstacle courses, and underwater adventures. Retrieve the Power Stars from their hidden locations and confront your arch-nemesis- Bowser, King of the Koopas! • Run freely in a grassy meadow, tip-toe through a gloomy dungeon, climb to the top of a mountain, or take a swim in the moat! • Leap headfirst into a watery painting and soon you'll be searching for the surface in an underwater realm! • On-the-fly, 3-D rendered gameplay delivers the action of ruthless enemy attacks from every angle! • Find the Caps that give Mario super powers and ponder the mysteries of the pyramid; you can even race Koopas for fabulous prizes! • With the Nintendo 64 Controller and its analog Control Stick, Mario can crawl, kick down obstacles, swim, do reverse flips, and even stick the landing on his backwards somersault! • Saved game information is stored for up to four players in memory.1

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

What it's about: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the fifth main installment of The Legend of Zelda series and the first to be released for the Nintendo 64. It was one of the most highly anticipated games of its age, and is listed among the greatest video games ever created by numerous websites and magazines. The gameplay of Ocarina of Time was revolutionary for its time, it has arguably made more of an impact on later games in the series than any of its predecessors even though they had the same cores of exploration, dungeons, puzzles and item usage. Among the gameplay mechanics, one of the most noteworthy is the time-traveling system. The game begins with the player controlling the child Link, but later on an adult Link becomes a playable character as well and each of them has certain unique abilities. Ocarina of Time also introduces the use of music to solve puzzles: as new songs are learned, they can be used to solve puzzles, gain access to new areas and warp to different locations. Dungeon exploration is somewhat more puzzle-oriented than in earlier games but they are not too complex.