8 N64 Games That Feel Unplayable Today

In 2026, the Nintendo 64 will celebrate its 30th anniversary. Remarkably, many of its most popular games still hold up today. Titles like Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Smash Bros., and GoldenEye 007 were critically praised when they came out and remain influential, solidifying the Nintendo 64’s place as one of Nintendo’s most important consoles.

Not every Nintendo 64 game has held up well over time. Some haven’t aged gracefully, either because they were based on fleeting 90s trends or because their gameplay just feels clunky and outdated now. In fact, many classic N64 titles are almost impossible to enjoy today, and we’ve picked out eight of the worst offenders.

I’m going to be talking about games that you can still technically play, but honestly, they haven’t aged well and it’s tough to really enjoy them now. They’re more interesting as pieces of history than fun experiences.

Body Harvest

The Precursor To The Open-World Sandbox Genre

Rockstar Games is widely considered a pioneer of open-world games, especially after the release of Grand Theft Auto 3 in 2001, which revolutionized the genre. But before that success, while operating as DMA Design in the 1990s, they experimented with similar concepts. While these earlier games helped them develop the technology and scale of open worlds, they haven’t held up as well over time.

Many N64 fans consider Body Harvest a standout title, as it plays somewhat like an early version of GTA 3, but on less powerful hardware. However, beyond that initial appeal, the game shows its age. It suffers from awkward controls, an empty world, and a frustratingly limited view distance. While historically significant, it’s probably not worth playing now.

Space Station Silicon Valley

A Unique Platformer With Unfortunate Technical Issues

DMA Design, the team that would eventually become Rockstar North, created two ambitious but ultimately flawed open-world games for the Nintendo 64. One of these was Space Station Silicon Valley. Released during the height of the 3D platformer craze, it still managed to be memorable thanks to its unique and creative idea.

In Space Station Silicon Valley, you control Evo, a robot shrunk down to a microchip who can inhabit different mechanical creatures. While the game offers enjoyable gameplay, smart puzzles, and well-designed levels, the Nintendo 64 version is unfortunately plagued with bugs and glitches. These issues, including one that stops you from obtaining a necessary item, make it a frustrating experience now. Adding to the problems, the game’s graphics were already unimpressive when it was released, and they haven’t aged well.

Glover

An Interesting, Albeit Frustrating, Idea For A 3D Platformer

3D platformer games became incredibly popular in the late 1990s, largely thanks to groundbreaking titles like Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie. This surge in popularity inspired many smaller game development teams to try their hand at the genre, experimenting with unique characters and gameplay ideas. While many of these experiments haven’t stood the test of time – like the game Glover – they were a product of this creative boom.

Okay, so the idea behind this game is actually pretty cool – you play as a glove that rolls around and throws balls at goals, navigating obstacles. But honestly? It’s super frustrating to play. The controls are just awful, things don’t really feel right with the physics, and sometimes the obstacles feel like they’re just there to annoy you. There are so many better platformers on the N64, you really don’t need to bother with this one. It’s a pass from me.

South Park

The Most “90s” Game Ever Made (That Should Remain In The 90s)

Though seemingly aimed at very different audiences, both the Nintendo 64 and the TV show South Park captured a sense of coolness and rebellion that defined the mid-to-late 1990s. It’s not surprising that the famously edgy show was eventually turned into a Nintendo 64 game, simply called South Park, which fans still talk about today.

The South Park video game is a first-person shooter where you run around the town and shoot strange enemies with different weapons. However, the fun doesn’t last long. The game quickly becomes frustrating due to its simple gameplay, repeated dialogue, and confusing levels. While exploring a digital South Park was a cool idea when the game first came out, today there are much better and more refined options available, such as The Stick of Truth or The Fractured But Whole.

Castlevania 64

The N64 Got The Short End Of The Stick When It Came To Castlevania

March 20, 1997, marked a turning point for the Castlevania series with the release of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night on the PlayStation. It quickly became a hugely popular game and essentially set the standard for 2D action-adventure games – it’s largely responsible for the “-Vania” part of the term “Metroidvania.” While the Nintendo 64 did get its own Castlevania game later on, it didn’t compare to the impact and quality of Symphony of the Night.

Known to fans as Castlevania 64, this game represents Konami’s early attempt to bring the series into 3D, a move that came while the 2D Castlevania on PlayStation was hugely successful. While it had some interesting concepts, Castlevania 64 isn’t much fun to play due to clunky controls, frustrating platforming, and a boring story with unmemorable characters. Though the idea of a 3D Castlevania was exciting at the time, this game was ultimately surpassed by later installments on the PlayStation 2 and 3.

Mario Party

A Game So Outdated It Can Literally Hurt Your Hands

The Nintendo 64 saw the beginning of many beloved game series, including Mario Party. While it’s interesting to play the original that started it all, it can be a bit difficult compared to later versions, which have benefited from many improvements over the years.

The original Mario Party is a significant game for the Mario franchise, but it hasn’t aged well. The gameplay is extremely unbalanced and feels more chaotic than fun. While some of the mini-games are good, many are either uninspired compared to later installments or become frustratingly repetitive. Notably, the first Mario Party includes mini-games that require rapid twisting of the Nintendo 64 controller’s analog stick, which could actually hurt players’ hands. This led to those types of mini-games being removed from Mario Party 2 and all subsequent games.

Jet Force Gemini

One Of Rare’s Weirdest (And Most Outdated) N64 Titles

During the late 90s and early 2000s, Rare was a major force on the Nintendo 64, arguably even more so than Nintendo itself. They consistently released excellent and innovative exclusive games. From vibrant 3D platformers like Banjo-Kazooie and Conker’s Bad Fur Day to pioneering first-person shooters such as GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, nearly everything Rare released for the console was a guaranteed success, with just one well-known exception.

Despite being a sci-fi third-person shooter, Jet Force Gemini offers some simple, lighthearted entertainment. However, it received poor reviews when it was first released because of its awkward controls, making it difficult to play now, especially compared to more modern games like Resident Evil 4 that redefined the genre. The game also features frustrating elements, such as ‘tribals’ – characters you’re meant to rescue who can be unexpectedly killed by enemies, a mechanic that players generally dislike.

Special Mention: Completing Donkey Kong 64

You Can Have Too Much Of A Good Thing After All

Released in 2025, Donkey Kong Bananza marked the first time the Donkey Kong series had a fully 3D game in over 26 years, following Donkey Kong 64. Nintendo waited a long time to revisit the 3D format because, while DK64 is a good game, it hasn’t held up well over time and tends to divide players.

This game really showcases what Rare was aiming for at the time – it was their biggest and most ambitious 3D platformer focused on collecting items. However, that ambition ultimately hurt the game. Donkey Kong 64 has way too many collectibles, spread across five different characters, and lacks the helpful features you’d find in newer games. Constantly switching between Kongs just to find small items is draining, and it’s a big reason why finishing – or even completing all of – DK64 feels daunting and repetitive.

2026-04-08 11:36