N64 Games Everyone Needs to Play
Wayne Gretzky 3D Hockey
Originally released as an arcade game developed and published by Atari Games, Wayne Gretzky’s 3D Hockey was released on November 15, 1996. Wayne Gretzky’s 3D Hockey features arcade-style gameplay rather than the realistic hockey games that came out for Nintendo 64. Players can use different abilities such as speed boosts and power ups to help them on the ice. 3D Hockey was the first game released for the Nintendo 64 that had four-person multiplayer. This licensed NHL game includes every team at the time and has a limited number of players for players to compete against each other. In addition to multiplayer this game offers Season Mode where the player chooses a team and tries to win the Stanley Cup.
WCW vs NWO Revenge!
Keeping up with arcade style sports games WCW vs NWO: Revenge was released in 1998. This game was developed by both Asmik Ace Entertainment and AKI Corporation and published by THQ. Revenge is the sequel to the 1997 title WCW vs NWO: World Tour. Similar to its predecessor, this game features the same controls but improves on its graphics, story mode and roster of characters. Revenge was the best-selling game of 1999 and was the top selling third-party Nintendo game. In this fighting game up to four players can battle each other as their favorite WCW wrestlers, like Sting, Rey Mysterio jr, and Brett “The Hitman Heart.” This game offers many different match types as well as man outfit variations.
Mystical Ninja: Starring Goemon
Mystical Nina Starring Goemon released in Japan during the summer of 1997 and North America the following Spring. This 3D action-adventure single player was both developed and published by Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka. The Goemon series first title released was the 1986 arcade game, Mr. Goemon and was followed up with Ganbare Goemon! Karakur Dochu for the Famicon which was released later that same year. Mystical Ninja is the third title in the Goemon series that was released in North America and the first one to be released as a 3-d Platformer. The story follows Goemon battle against Peach Mountain Shogun gang who wishes to transform Japan into a Western fine arts theater. The player controls Goemon on his friends; Yae, Sasuke, and Princess Yuki, on their journey through forests, fields, dungeons, and other feudal Japanese themed places. The player can control each one of the four characters and can switch between them with a click of a button. Each character has their own special abilities that can be used in battle. Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon sold nearly 200,000 copies worldwide and is a must play. The only thing that holds this game back is the virtual camera which can be quite annoying at times.
Banjo-Kazooie/Banjo-Tooie
3-D platformers were all the rage on the Nintendo 64. Nintendo was able to develop many, some that were excellent, but one of the most successful 3-D platformers on the Nintendo 64 was not developed by Nintendo. Banjo-Kazooie was released in 1998 and its sequel Banjo-Tooie, released in 2000, both were developed by Rare Studios and instantly became a success. The story follows a brown Malayan Sun bear named Banjo and his sidekick a Red-Crested Breegal named Kazooie, in attempts to save Banjo’s sister from the evil witch Gruntilda.
In Banjo-Kazooie the player travels through nine nonlinear worlds saving characters, defeating enemies, and collecting items like Jiggies (jigsaw pieces) and music notes. Each level is filled with challenges that the player must beat in order to receive Jiggies which grants Banjo access to proceed deeper through Gruntilda’s Lair. Banjo-Tooie takes the mechanics that it prior game brought to the table and expands upon them. The worlds that Banjo visits are bigger in size and are intertwined with each other as well as additional abilities and power-ups for Banjo and Kazooie. Both games are packed with secrets and cheats that can be used to modify your playing experience. Banjo Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie’s story offers action, puzzles, and great dialogue that expresses fear, humor, love and more.
Perfect Dark
Rare developed many popular games for the Nintendo 64 but first-person shooters were where they were able to shine. After developing 007 Goldeneye Rare released Perfect Dark in 2000. Rare did not develop the sequel the 007 sequel “The World is Not Enough”, so Perfect Dark has been deemed the spiritual successor to Goldeneye. Perfect Dark and Goldeneye share many features and runs on an upgraded version of the engine. This game follows an agent of the Carrington Institute research center, Joanna Dark, as she attempts to stop an extraterrestrial conspiracy by a rival corporation. Perfect Dark features a great campaign as well as a variety of multiplayer options such as cooperative mode and deathmatch. One thing that makes Perfect Dark stand out is the availability of computer-controlled bots in multiplayer.
Star Fox 64
Star Fox 64 is a 3-D rail shooter game developed by Nintendo. It was released in the Spring of 1997 in Japan and the Summer in North America. Star Fox 64 is a reboot of the 1993 Super Nintendo game, Star Fox. In Star fox 64 the player controls Fox McCloud’s aircraft, the Arwing, alongside his crew Falco, Peppy, and Slippy. Most of the levels in the game takes place in “Corridor Mode”, which forces the Arwing straight through the level. The player can maneuver the vehicle around the screen to defeat enemies, dodge obstacles, and perform aerial tricks. In addition to “Corridor Mode” the game offers “All Range Mode”. This mode allows the player to move freely in three-dimensional space within the confines of a larger arena. “All-Range Mode” is used in multiplayer and most boss fights.
Most of the levels in Star Fox 64 have different endings. For example, in the first level “Corneria” if the player flies under the stone fixtures along the water, Falco will open a new route. This new route will lead to a different boss and new route after completion. Many levels offer secret routes like these, and it is a lot of fun trying to discover them by seeing where it takes you.
Paper Mario
Releasing in Japan in the Summer of 2000 and Winter of 2001 in North America, Paper Mario is a turn based Role-playing Game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. This is the first entry in the widely popular Paper Mario franchise that is still running strong today with its newest release “The Origami King” on July 17, 2020. Paper Mario is set in the Mushroom Kingdom where we see Mario tries to rescue Princess Peach once again from Bowser. The player controls Mario and a number of other characters that are in his party like Goombas, Koopa-Troopas, and Boos, to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Each character has different weapons and abilities to be used in turn-based battles.
Pokemon Stadiums
Pokémon Stadium was released on April 20, 1999, in Japan and April 7, 2000, in North America. This game uses a 3D turn based battle system which includes all 151 Pokémon from the Kanto region. The single player portion of this game differs from the mainline Pokémon titles because this game is not a Role-playing Game, instead the game has the player battle in tournaments at the stadium. There are four different cups that total 80 battles. Also, the trainer can play through the Gym Leader Castle, where you must defeat the Kanto gym leaders, elite four, and the champion.
Pokémon Stadium offers multiplayer, where the players can battle another player in Pokémon battles. Here the players can pick up to six Pokémon where they will battle in the stadium. A new feature that has been added that was not featured in Pokémon Stadium is online multiplayer. In addition to battling, Pokémon Stadium also offers a minigame mode. There are nine featured minigame where up to four players can compete.
Pokémon Stadium 2 was released the following year and it has many similarities that its predecessor has, except the sequel has additional Pokémon and new minigames. Pokémon Stadium 2 offers all 151 Pokémon from the Kanto Region as well as the new 100 Pokémon that were featured in the Indigo region.
Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64 was released as a launch title for Nintendo 64. This platformer is Mario’s first adventure to feature 3D gameplay. Here Bowser invades Princess Peaches castle and scatters the Power Stars within the paintings of the castle. There are 15 different stages in Mario 64 that are all differently themed. For example, there are, sand, lava, mountain themed levels, just to name a few. Each world contains 10 stars that Mario must collect in order to reach Bowser and rescue the Princess. These stars are obtained by discovering them, completing tasks, and collecting coins.
