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It\u2019s been four years since Nintendo brought the first batch of Nintendo 64 games to its Nintendo Switch Online service, now redubbed Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics. For someone who started his games media career covering N64 games, this modern take on Nintendo\u2019s legendary Virtual Console era was a very welcome addition. I ended up playing through a few of the games over the months that followed and was surprised how well some of them aged (special shoutout to Rare\u2019s Banjo games)!<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not all sunshine, of course. The games aren\u2019t running natively and may not feel as snappy as you remember them. Some early emulation challenges, like Ocarina of Time\u2019s fog rendering, were addressed pretty quickly, even if some others still linger (F-Zero X is still not as we remember it). And while there are many all-time classics to be found in the emulated library, I would\u2019ve honestly expected a bigger lineup by now with a few more first-party hits as well as some third-party gems that have firmly entered the forgotten gems realm. Which means, Nintendo Classics is a convenient and cost-effective solution to relive the N64 age, but not a perfect one. <\/p>\n\n\nAlready on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2<\/h2>\n <\/p>\n<\/output><\/p>\n
Nintendo\u2019s official site for the service lists the full 35 games so far, not including the five M-rated games \u2013 Turok, Turok 2, Perfect Dark, Shadow Man, and Forsaken 64 \u2013 released via the awkwardly-separated Nintendo Classics: Mature 17+ app. That\u2019s 0.8 games released per month of the service \u2013 so almost a game per month \u2013 but the cadence was far more irregular since Nintendo launched the service with a set of nine games. <\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n
Enter the Analogue 3D, a modern \u2013 but costly \u2013 take on the Nintendo 64 hardware. See Seth\u2019s review for more:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nIf you\u2019re not familiar with the company, it\u2019s known for making extremely capable high-end solutions to play classic games on modern screens, such as the Analogue Duo (PC Engine\/TurboGrafx), the Super NT (SNES), Mega NT ( Genesis\/Mega Drive), the Analogue Pocket (all Game Boy systems \u2013 with adapters for Game Gear, NGPC, Lynx, and more), and now, the $270 Analogue 3D, capable of bringing both NTSC and PAL games to 4K screens, lag-free, and with additional bells and whistles, like CRT-style display options, overclocking, and VFR. It\u2019s not a replacement for the Switch consoles\u2019 ability to emulate Nintendo 64 on the go, but for purists who have or are willing to build a sizable N64 cartridge collection and want the games to feel and look as good (or better) as they remember, it\u2019s surely the best way to play them on modern screens. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\nMy Analogue 3D in white (it also comes in black for a more classic look.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/output><\/p>\n
I preordered one day one, mostly because I anticipated some major N64 games that I still own to never come to the Switch service \u2013 though I\u2019ll concede that Nintendo has surprised me before. For starters, I did not have the Japan-only Custom Robo and Custom Robo V2 on my Switch Online bingo card. Perhaps there\u2019s more where that came from? <\/p>\n
People interested in game preservation usually know their way around a classic gaming library and if you\u2019re part of the Analogue 3D club, you likely have some N64 carts at home already. But as someone who reviewed Nintendo 64 games for a living some three decades ago, I humbly present this non-exhaustive list of personal favorites that are worth going back to and AREN\u2019T yet \u2013 and in some cases never will be \u2013 on Nintendo\u2019s service. <\/p>\n
Let\u2019s kick it off with 10 must-plays, in alphabetical order. I’ve included IGN’s Top 25 N64 games at the bottom of this article — but these picks and other picks in this column are specifically games you can’t get yet play on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. <\/p>\n\n\nIf you want to keep track of the games mentioned in this article, hit the “…” button on the right side of the game cards that accompany every pick and use the “add to a playlist” option to create yourself your very own “Want to Play on Analogue 3D List”. You can even number-rank your list, score the games, and more. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\nKeep track of the games you own or want to play with IGN Playlist (look for it in the site nav). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/output><\/aside>\n<\/section>\n
Beetle Adventure Racing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>I wrote a whole column about this one as well, but EA\u2019s Battle Adventure Racing is more than just a \u2013 now \u2013 obscure entry in the Need for Speed series. It\u2019s a genuinely good racer in which the hunt for its imaginative shortcuts is as entertaining as the actual racing action. Given that the VW Beetle car license comes with strings attached (VW isn\u2019t making Beetles anymore and may not be motivated to rubberstamp an emulated re-release), the Analogue 3D is surely the best way to play it today! <\/p>\n
<\/p>\nBeetle Adventure Racing for N64 (1999)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/output><\/p>\n
Read my column, Raising the BAR, for more on the history of Beetle Adventure Racing — and its canceled sequel.<\/p>\n
Conker\u2019s Bad Fur Day<\/h2>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>Conker\u2019s Bad Fur Day didn\u2019t age as well as Rare\u2019s best platformers, Banjo Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie, partially because of its dated humor and references, but it\u2019s still a great time. I actually played the original saccharine Conker\u2019s game before it was retooled into the M-rated adventure we all know and love today, and historic significance of that \u201cdesign 180\u201d aside, there still isn\u2019t anything as outrageously funny as the Great Mighty Poo boss battle. Even without the context of Conker\u2019s roots. Perhaps replaying it will finally purge the Ugas\u2019 chant from my brain, too. Note also that the Conker: Live and Reloaded remake is playable on modern Xbox consoles via backwards compatibility. <\/p>\n
Diddy Kong Racing<\/h2>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>It\u2019s very strange Nintendo added Rare\u2019s much worse Jet Force Gemini to Nintendo Switch Online before adding Diddy Kong Racing, but perhaps the combination of Microsoft-owned game code with Nintendo characters made it a much trickier title to negotiate a re-release contract for. Or maybe it\u2019s still coming. Regardless, Diddy Kong Racing merged the stylings of Mario Kart and Mario 64 into a racing game with multiple vehicle types and an explorable overworld hub \u2013 decades before Mario Kart World. The Analogue 3D even smoothes out some of DKR\u2019s framerate issues thanks to its ability to overclock. Given how long it takes Nintendo to make a new Mario Kart, I\u2019m still hoping we\u2019ll eventually get a true remake or a sequel \u2013 but lest you want to risk waiting until you approach Cranky Kong\u2019s age you may want to just revisit the original. <\/p>\n
Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon<\/h2>\n Bonus Pick: Goemon’s Great Adventure<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>Konami\u2019s been issuing classic game collections left and right, which is why we haven\u2019t seen some of its best classics, like the Castlevania GBA games, on Nintendo’s service. Goemon games may be more likely additions, since Konami hasn\u2019t revisited them in a long time, but the fact that the only Mystical Ninja game playable on modern hardware today is the obscure arcade original should tell you something. Though they\u2019re not as good as Goemon\u2019s best outings on SNES, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon is a surprisingly daring Ocarina of Time-style 3D action adventure \u2013 and it came out before Nintendo\u2019s mega hit. Plus, with overclocking, it\u2019s actually much more playable than ever. Great Adventure, on the other hand, is a return to the 2D side-scrolling co-op action that may not be as original, but aged much better. Both are still fun to play. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\nGoemon and Ebisumaru. (Credit: Konami JP 2005)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/output><\/p>\n
See my column, Life and Death of the Mystical Ninja for more.<\/p>\n
Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber<\/h2>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>I wrote an entire column about this true gem of strategy RPG and its predecessor, but at the risk of repeating myself: Ogre Battle 64 still rocks. Unfortunately, it\u2019s also exceedingly rare and will cost more than a hundred bucks (without box or manual). If you don\u2019t own it yet, always keep a weather eye out for a copy at the next neighborhood garage sale. See: Forgotten Gems: The Legendary Ogre Battle for more.<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n<\/output><\/p>\n
Ogre Battle 64 hit the Virtual Console on Wii in 2010 and saw a late release on Wii U in the US in 2017, as well. Neither title has seen multi-platform or compilation releases nor an announcement for Nintendo Switch Online. Given that Square titles have been entirely absent from Nintendo\u2019s subscription service, it\u2019s unlikely we\u2019ll see them added anytime soon.<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n
Rocket: Robot on Wheels<\/h2>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>You\u2019ve probably never heard of Rocket, but its developer\u2019s pedigree has improved a thousand fold since its debut back in 1999. I\u2019ve always had a soft sport for developer Sucker Punch\u2019s inaugural game, but those curious what the people behind Ghost of Yotei, Infamous, and Sly Cooper did before they were famous will find a slower-paced, physics-based puzzle platformer featuring a long-forgotten unicycle robot mascot. Given that Sony owns Sucker Punch and publisher Ubisoft likely let the license lapse, here\u2019s probably your one chance to play it again or for the first time. Criminally underplayed when it first came out, Rocket is worth another look.<\/p>\n
Space Station Silicon Valley<\/h2>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>I\u2019m convinced that DMA\u2019s Space Station Silicon Valley will eventually join the Nintendo Classics lineup \u2013 after all, both its publisher, Take Two, and the developer \u2013 known now as Rockstar \u2013 are still alive and well. But until then, this obscure platform puzzle game is best played on original N64 hardware or the Analogue 3D. Silicon Valley has you switch between a variety of robotic animals to solve increasingly complicated puzzles. It\u2019s odd, funny, and endlessly creative. <\/p>\n
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron<\/h2>\n Bonus Pick: Star Wars: Battle for Naboo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>It\u2019s surprising this graphical showcase hasn\u2019t returned to a Nintendo platform given that you can buy the PC port for a few bucks on Steam. Until it does, you could do worse than play the Expansion Pak-enhanced shooter on an Analogue 3D or original hardware today. A technical achievement for its time, Rogue Squadron is still a very playable and fun experience today. I was actually surprised how good it looks compared to pretty much every other N64 game when I plugged it into my Analogue 3D. The Analogue, of course, also supports the high resolution display mode that requires the 4MB Expansion Pak on original hardware. Bonus: try Star Wars: Episode I Battle for Naboo. It may not have the benefit of the more memorable battles from the original trilogy, but it\u2019s a quality shooter in its own right.<\/p>\n
Super Smash Bros.<\/h2>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>Yes, I know. It\u2019s insane the original Smash Bros. has not been released on Nintendo 64 Classics. Whatever the reasons, it still feels great and is a wonderful reminder as to how even the biggest hits started small. It\u2019s the weakest game in the series with its limited roster of just 12 characters, but the genius of the series is already on full display here. <\/p>\n
WWF No Mercy<\/h2>\n Bonus Picks: WWF Wrestlemania 2000, WCW\/NWO: Revenge, WCW vs. NWO: World Tour<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>I\u2019m not a wrestling guy, but even I could tell that developer Aki\u2019s run of Nintendo 64 wrestlers was something special. WWF No Mercy was always our internal top pick at IGN64 (we played it for many late, late hours), but any of the four Aki-made games are still worth playing. And given the complications with character and league licenses, the chances of them ever coming to Nintendo\u2019s service are very slim.<\/p>\n
Those 10 picks should be enough to get you started. <\/p>\n
And here are a few more games worth checking out, based either on gameplay quality or historical significance, as noted:<\/p>\n
Bakuretsu Muteki Bangai-O<\/h3>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>Inferior to the Dreamcast version, but still a great example of what made Treasure\u2019s games such rare delights, Bangai-O has you steer a tiny flying mech through a maze filled with enemies and relentlessly blast the opposition. Only released in Japan in limited numbers, it\u2019s so ridiculously expensive to buy for N64, it would be really nice to get a digital rerelease.<\/p>\n
BattleTanx and BattleTanx: Global Assault<\/h3>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>Nintendo 64 was the<\/strong> multiplayer console of the \u201890s \u2013 but some of us kept playing four-player split-screen years afterwards, too. Stemming from failed console-maker 3DO, the two BattleTanx games were lesser known, but managed to serve up such addictive tank PVP gameplay, we ended up playing it almost as much as GoldenEye. Sadly, 3DO went under before they managed to pull off a hat trick. Prism Entertainment snapped up the license and maintains the trademarks for BattleTanx, but hasn\u2019t done anything with them. Might as well grab the carts for cheap at a garage sale.<\/p>\nBody Harvest<\/h3>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>Body Harvest is not a great game \u2013 and its visuals definitely didn\u2019t age well. But it\u2019s an experiment so ahead of its time, it deserves to be played again. From the makers of Grand Theft Auto comes a fully polygonal alien invasion action adventure that lets you command any vehicle you see. If you\u2019re intrigued, please see my column for more: Body Harvest: The Game Nintendo Walked Away From. Killer soundtrack, too.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nBody Harvest’s toy box of commandable vehicles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/output><\/p>\n
Bomberman X4<\/h3>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>Nintendo 64 is home to four Bomberman games. Let me break them all down so you know which one’s which. The first, Bomberman 64, known as Baku Bomberman in Japan, is notable mostly for bringing Bomberman into polygonal 3D. It\u2019s not as snappy as its 2D predecessors, but it\u2019s still fun to revisit. It was followed by the single-player Bomberman Hero. The lack of multiplayer was confounding and the action is decent enough, but it’s at the bottom of the Bomberman list for me. It was followed by Bomberman 64: Second Attack. This underrated sequel to the inaugural 64 outing ffeatures more multiplayer options, including two-player co-op and a four-player splitscreen mode. Not all of them hit, but it\u2019s still a quality game to revisit. <\/p>\n
Now, things get confusing. There\u2019s also: Bomberman 64<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>No, you\u2019re not seeing double. This Racjin-developed game takes everything back to 2D. Which much better results. Only released in Japan, it\u2019s a shame the real Bomberman 64 from the makers of Snowbo Kids is more obscure than the inferior earlier title. <\/p>\n
Castlevania: Legacy Of Darkness<\/h3>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>Konami tried really hard \u2013 and struggled \u2013 to bring all its classic 2D series into the third dimension. It gave up on Contra 64 outright and canceled the project, while Goemon fared slightly better and saw two N64 releases, covered above. But you have to laud Konami for not giving up. Legacy of Darkness is basically a redo of Castlevania [64]. Its foggy, blurry visuals won\u2019t dazzle you, but it\u2019s a flawed and forgotten gem worth remembering. I still love that oversized \u201cHome Depot Skeleton\u201d battle. <\/p>\n
Cruis\u2019n USA and Cruis\u2019n World<\/h3>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>Take a deep breath. I don\u2019t love these games. Actually, I don\u2019t even like<\/strong> these games. I had some fun with Cruis\u2019n USA in the arcades, but only when there weren\u2019t better racers around to play \u2013 which was rare, because contemporaries like Daytona USA were always near. The N64 version isn\u2019t a great conversion, but I know many older arcade fans are nostalgic for both Cruis\u2019n games, so it feels right to include them with a special callout.. I do appreciate Williams\/Midway’s early attempts to recreate arcade game on Nintendo 64 — a key reason why Nintendo of America included them in their much-publicized Dream Team. <\/p>\nDonkey Kong 64<\/h3>\n\n
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Rate this game<\/button>While I\u2019m making you angry, I have very mixed feelings about DK 64 as well. The two Banjo games are definitely superior in every way, which is no doubt why both were prioritized for release on Switch. But for all the collection bloat, Donkey Kong 64 still has some memorable moments — and music — that make it worth revisiting. Plus, that yellow cartridge looks mighty good in either the white or the black Analogue 3D. Overclocking helps with its erratic framerate, but the drop in quality from Banjo-Kazooie is palpable when you play them back to back. I know, I know, many of you love it. <\/p>\n
Doubutsu no Mori (Animal Crossing)<\/h3>\n