Summary
The N64 saw Nintendo take the bold leap into the world of 3D gaming, with iconic franchises likeSuper MarioandThe Legend of Zeldaleaving their 2D SNES days in the past, despite the tremendous amount of success that each franchise had.
Among the many 3D games on the Nintendo 64, it was often the platformers that topped sales charts, withmascot characterslike Mario, Banjo, Donkey Kong, and Rayman being the standout stars of the console. Despite the following games being developed so early in the 3D gaming timeline, many of them are still thoroughly enjoyable to play today.
Movie tie-in gamesare looked down upon by many gamers today, as they are often disregarded as rushed cash grabs, which isn’t always an exaggeration.Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue, however, is a welcome example of a movie tie-in game that smashed expectations and is still loved today.
Like many successful movie tie-in games,Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescuedoesn’t stick too closely to the plot of the film; this gave the developers more freedom to create the best platforming stages possible, something that they excelled at withBuzz Lightyear to the Rescue.
Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue’s underwhelming Metascore of just 58 is considerably lower than the PS1 version’s 75 score - despite the fact that the games are virtually identical, barring a few minor changes that are predominantly audio-related. The PS1 version of the game had over double the amount of reviews as the N64 version, which is likely why the PS1 version’s score is more reflective of the game’s quality.
Many parents will have had quite a shock when they purchasedConker’s Bad Fury Dayfor their child, believing the fluffy protagonist and colorful world around him to be an indication that the game was suitable for children. Such people were in for an almighty shock when the game booted up, and they were greeted with a game that is a satire of mascot platformers with adult humor and bad language.
Although the gameplay falls short of the other entries on this list - and several that aren’t on it - the game still thoroughly deserves its spot for its hilarious humor that had many players in stitches and cemented the game’s legacy as one of the industry’s most beloved cult classics.
Conker’s Bad Fury Dayreceived a whopping 92 Metascore, which may make its 7th-place finish on this list seem too low. However, althoughConker’s Bad Fury Dayis still a fantastic game to play today, it has aged noticeably worse than the others above it, and satirical games aren’t as unique now as they were in 2001.
Space Station Silicon Valleywas initially released for the Nintendo 64 in October 1998. The game stood out with its inventive gameplay, as players assume the role of Evo, who can take control of various animals needed to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Each animal in the game features unique abilities, adding great variety to the platforming experience akin toSuper Mario Odyssey.
The game also stood out with its distinct and witty British humor, which made the game a joy to play for all ages.
Following the huge success ofSuper Mario 64, it was only a matter of time before Nintendo and Rare took the logical step of giving another one of gaming’s most iconic characters - Donkey Kong - his own 3D platforming game.
Donkey Kong 64was released in November 1999, which was quite late into the N64’s lifecycle. As such,Donkey Kongwasn’t considered particularly innovative, and critics docked it points for how similar it was toBanjo-Kazooie.Despite this,Donkey Kong64was a beloved platformer that offered a surprisingly long campaign. The game stands out in theDonkey Kongfranchise as it is still the series' only 3D platforming game.
Just over two years after the release of the legendaryBanjo-Kazooie, Rare and Nintendo teamed up once again to release a sequel,Banjo-Tooie. Many of the gameplay mechanics fromBanjo-Kazooieare available inBanjo-Tooie, and the game once again featured acollect-a-thon style of platform gameplay.
There were a handful of differences to its predecessor, however, such as the game’s larger emphasis on puzzles and the more interconnected level design.
Rayman’s second adventure took the limbless hero away from the bright, cheerful 2D esthetics of his first game and put him in a far gloomier 3D world that begins with a cutscene showing prisoners in tiny cages pleading for water – certainly not what most players were expecting when they loaded up the game for the first time.
Rayman 2’s darker feel certainly doesn’t mean that the game is less enjoyable, though, asRayman 2: The Great Escapeis a fantastic platformer that does an excellent job of adapting Rayman’s unique mechanics to 3D and features brilliantly designed linear levels.
Banjo-Kazooieonly narrowly misses out on this list’s top spot. The game took the 3D platforming blueprint laid out bySuper Mario 64and tried to improve on it by implementing considerably more gameplay mechanics, giving the game great variety, along with levels that were filled to the brim with things to do and collectibles to find.
Banjo-Kazooieremains one of the most beloved and esteemed platform games today. As such, it’ssurprising that the game hasn’t received a remake yet, especially after the success of theCrash Bandicoot N.Sane TrilogyandSpyro Reignited Trilogyremakes.
Super Mario 64had a huge weight of expectations on its shoulders when it was first released, as not only was it a launch title for the N64, but it was also the game that many people were looking at to judge whether 3D gaming was the future or a gimmick that would fall flat.
As is common with theSuper Marioseries, the game didn’t disappoint and even surpassed some of the highest expectations. Nintendo took to 3D gaming like a duck to water, creating a game that is still considered one of the best 3D platformers of all time on their first try. The game remains a classic and is still a delight to play today.
