The 20 best N64 games ever

You just can’t argue with what Mario Part has achieved since its inception. A collection of minigames to play with friends? The concept is so simple, and decades later, it’s still a staple of parties with friends.

19. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

A minor FPS classic. The original Turok takes a few cues from Doom and Quake to make its own thing entirely, complete with slightly dodgy platforming and loads of dinosaurs to shoot.

18. Diddy Kong Racing

Yes, Mario Kart 64 is great, but Diddy Kong Racing’s story mode made it a fan favorite.

17. Mario Golf

The first Mario Golf game, and some say still the best.

16. Donkey Kong 64

Too many collectibles, but all-in-all another great platformer for the console.

15. Banjo-Tooie

Fewer collectibles than DK64, but still far too big. Still a much more enjoyable time than a lot of modern imitators.

14. Conker’s Bad Fur Day

The game so controversial that Nintendo refused to publish it. This just might’ve been what pushed Nintendo executives to sell their shares in Rareware to Microsoft. A product of its time now in more ways than one, Conker’s BFD is still seen by many as a classic, and it has some of the most ambitious audio and setpieces of any N64 title.

13. Star Fox 64

The definitive 3D rail shooter, Star Fox 64 has hidden paths, optional objectives, and your in-game performance is the only thing that separates you from the true ending.

12. Perfect Dark

Joanna Dark’s debut is a spiritual successor to GoldenEye 007, and is one of the best N64 games that requires an expansion pak to actually play most of the game.

11. Pokémon Snap

It’s a game about taking pictures, and that sounds silly and simple, but there’s a reason that this game has been a firm fan favorite ever since. Nintendo Switch fans shouldn’t skip over New Pokémon Snap, either!

10. Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber

One of the N64’s only RPGs, Ogre Battle 64 is the tactical strategy game the console deserved after missing out on getting a Fire Emblem game. 

9. F-Zero X

F-Zero X is a fantastic racing game, only beaten by its eventual GameCube successor. But that doesn’t mean that you should skip over this gem.

8. Pokémon Stadium 2

Throw in Pokémon battles, a great lesson system, and some Mario Party-style minigames, and Pokémon Stadium 2 is a smash hit, even better than the original.

7. Super Smash Bros.

Super Smash Bros. wasn’t actually beloved by critics on release, but a long line of hardcore fans keep it alive even today. A great game, and a humble origin story for one of Nintendo’s biggest franchises.

6. GoldenEye 007

The original multiplayer console FPS. This game’s last-minute multiplayer mode changed the industry.

5. Paper Mario

Paper Mario is one of the N64’s few RPGs, and it’s a great spiritual successor to the original Super Mario RPG, while starting a beloved Mario spin-off series.

4. Banjo-Kazooie

The best N64 game not made by Nintendo, Banjo-Kazooie is the only 3D platformer on the console that competes with Super Mario 64 head-to-head. Banjo’s soundtrack, stages, and world are still beloved, even if we’ll probably never get a new Banjo game.

3. Super Mario 64

This is it. This is the game that changed the course of the games industry, and wrote the book on 3D camera control. It needed some tweaks still, no doubt, but it’s hard to put into words how revolutionary Super Mario 64 really was at the time. The worlds, Peach’s castle, the abilities – it was truly incredible and filled with secrets. An all-time classic, even by modern standards.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

It doesn’t get much better than this. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time took the template laid out by A Link to the Past, and transformed it into a 3D adventure, one that truly feels like a tour of an entire world. The simple but smart mechanics and puzzles combine for a truly memorable adventure, and the Water Temple really isn’t as bad as you remember. There’s only one N64 game that could possibly outdo this masterpiece.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is the first time the Zelda series got truly experimental, and it was a monumental triumph. Getting to know the cast of Termina and Clock Town as their lives literally tick away is harrowing, but you can save them all, while getting to know the the people of each area intimately. A genuine banger, and the best Nintendo 64 game of all time.