Released in 1996, the Nintendo 64 was a gaming system that popularized 3D video games and gave us some of the most memorable games of all time. We all remember the very best offerings the system gave us, like Super Mario 64, GoldenEye, Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, and Mario Kart 64. Each of these titles fundamentally changed gaming for the better, introducing new concepts, graphics, and formats into fan favorite franchises. GoldenEye influenced first person shooters, and Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time pioneered the three dimensional world building in console games th✃at has become such a huge part of modern video games.
We remember these games, not justꦬ because of their legacy, but because they were extremely fun to play at the time of their release. These were the games we all owned a copy of and played endlessly throughout our childhoods. But what about many of those other games for the Nintendo 64 that you undoubtedly played over the years? There are likely more than a few that were frequent rentals at Blockbuster. You may have forgotten the name of some of these games, but you’ll remember playingไ them as soon as you see the box art.
25 💃 🐻 This One Was A Bit Too Easy
If you were someone who was into Nintendo’s signature franchises, at some point you rented Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards to play at home, even if you didn’t end up owning it. The 2000 game continued many of the popular elements of the Kirby series,ജ allowing Kirby to inhale enemies and objec🌜ts and combining powers. This time, though, the game took place in a 3D rendered world.
It was criticized for its fairly easy gameplay, but received overly positive reviews from reviewers. Strangely, it was the only Kirby game made for the Nintendo 64, as the series would focus on handheld gaming for years. It took a long time to get another traditional Kirby game on a home console, so for a while ꦑthis was the series’𝓡 crowning achievement.
24 A Talking Gecko 🅘Has Never Been So Fun
In 1998, Crystal Dynamics unleashed Gex: Enter the Gecko, the 3D sequel to the side-scrolling Gex from 1995. This game wa🦋s developed on the same engine as the company’s Tomb Raider games, which set it up for success. It was released on basically every platform at the time, including PlayStation, N64, Game Boy Color, and even for PC. You know you played it at some point.
The game and the series surrounds a wisecracking talking gecko, which was actually cutting edge in terms of voice acting in video games at the time. If you were a kid in the late ‘90s, this game was probably the edgiest pie🌜ce of entertainment you were allowed to enjoy. It’s too bad the series only lasted one more game.
23 ⛄ This One Was Very Much Not Mortal Kombat
In 1994, Rare attempted to capitalize on the exploding popularity of fight games with their Super Nintendo release Killer Instinct. Did a lot of the same things Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter did for the genre, and ultimately got lost in the fight, but it had it’s own appeal. This led to an arcade sequel Killer Instinct 2, which was ported to the Nintendo 64 as Killer Instinct Gold.
Unfortunately, many felt that the port didn’t improve upon the original version, and some felt it was actually a downgrade. As a result, Killer Instinct Gold did not sell as well as the original version and the series was effectively halted. If only Rare could have gotten this sequel game right, we could still be playing Killer Instinct installments.
22 🌼 Winter Sports Were Never This Popular 🏅
1080 Snowboarding is without a doubt the best snowboarding game ever created, though it’s probably hard to find many other contenders in the category. Even if you weren’t interested in snowboarding or any winter sports at all, 1080 Snowboarding was a game that actually made racing games (non-Mario Kart division) fun to play.
It wasn’t just fun, it was well made too. The 1998 release was developed by Nintendo under the watchful eyes of Shigeru Miyamoto himself and went on to win an award. Unfortunately, the sequel to the game, released on the GameCube, didn’t do very well and the series was overshadowed by the SSX franchise. If you didn’t play this game as a kid, you missed ou💟t on what a snowboarding game could be.
21 This One Was B✃etter Off Staying An Arcade Game ღ
You probably remember playing Mace: The Dark Age in a local arcade, or at the bowling alley over its home console version. Released in 1997 by Atari and then ported to the Nintendo 64 by Midway Games, it was one of many games attempting to add something to the fighting game genre. Unfortunately, it didn’t really add all that much and everyone quietly forgo🔥t all about it.
Like any of the games hoping to capture some of the magic of Mortal Kombat, it had gory fatalities, but nothing inherently unique. None of the characters were especially memorable, except for Lord Deimos on the box art. There were, however, a few bizarre secret characters, including an actual chicken and a dwarf in a ro🍒botic fighting suit.
20 He's Much Bigg𒀰er In Japan
Not all video game series see the same success throughout the world. The Ganbare Goemon series has been a long-running success in Japan, however, only several titles made it overseas for a North American release. Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon for the Nintendo 64 was one of those games. You probably remember it because 🔯of the child-like ninja on the cover of the box.
Reaching a worldwide audience in 1998, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon combined platform gaming and action adventure to create a unique experience that proved to be popular enough. The game, and the overall franchise, is noted for its humorous elements while also making gameplay a fun and enjoyable experience. Goemon has been ad✤apted in anime and manga, which just goes to show you just how much more popular it is over in Japan.
19 It Was Just One Of Many Games In Tꦡhe Series
Remember how big the Duke Nukem series was during the 1990s? Before the series was completely ruined by Duke Nukem Forever in 2011, the franchise was remembered as an adult-themed Doom clone thanks to Duke Nukem 3D from 1996. One game that got lost in the mix, though, was Duke Nukem: Zero Hour from 1997.
This game, Duke Nukem 3D, and Duke Nukem: Critical Mass were the only games in the series to be released on a Nintendo game console. Zero Hour saw the title character travel through different time periods. The game was also noted for having a multiplayer mode. If you were a fan of the Duke Nukem seriesღ, you probably played this at some point. It’s easy to forget about after all these years, though.
18 🥃 A Good One Among The Greats
If you owned a Nintendo 64 in the 1990s, you might remember a little game called Jet Force Gemini. It was a 3D video game that combined the action-adventure and shoot ‘em up genres to create one successful product. While some felt that the controls were difficult to get a handle on, most fans looked past t💛hat🎀 and found enjoyment in the overall gameplay.
Back in 1999, when Jet Force Gemini saw release, Rare was know as one of the greatest video game developers in the industry. The company had already created Donkey Kong Country, GoldenEye 007, Banjo-Kazooie, and many other successful games by this point. Jet Force Gemini never got the same recogn𝕴i💟tion, but it has certainly been remembered fondly by those who played it.
17 Do You Think The Company Regrets This One?☂
Yes, there have been many Castlevania video games over the years, but this one is easily identifiable thanks to the big CGI werewolf on the cover of the box. Castlevania 64 was released in 1999, but just a few months later, Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness made availabl🍌e as an expanded version of the first game. It functioned as both an expansion and a remake of the first title, improving the game’s graphics and adding alternate level designs.
Despite the fact that you play as a werewolf Cornell, the game ultimately garnered average reviews. In the end, Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness was omitted from the series’ official chronol🌟ogy for several years before eventually making its way back into official continuity. It wasn’t too well regarded, but it was well-remembered.
16 ꦦ How Did This Game Get Made?
At some point, Midway decided it was a good idea to expand the Mortal Kombat franchise into genres that were outside the realm of simple fighting games. It was this line of thinking that led to the release of Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, a traditional ac♐tion-adventure game starring Sub-Zero, in 1997.
The game takes place prior to the events of the first game in the series and was met with mostly negative reviews. You would think this brush with failure would ensure that Midway would stick to making fighting games, however, the company would still try again. In 2000, Mortal Kombat: Special Forces was released, which managed to take the heat off the Sub-Zero game as the worst installment of the Mortal Kombat series of all time.