The Nintendo 64 was the console I grew up with, and it’s what first got me hooked on video games. It’s also connected to one of the most interesting and unusual stories in gaming history.
It launched at a pivotal moment in gaming history. The industry was making a huge jump from 2D to 3D graphics – a change so significant it essentially redefined everything gamers knew at the time.
When the Nintendo 64 was first revealed in 1993, it was considered a highly anticipated gaming console. But by the time it actually released three years later, it had to compete with the unexpectedly popular PlayStation 1, making the challenge much tougher than originally predicted.
Nintendo stuck with its traditional game cartridges for too long, even as other companies moved to newer formats. This caused some third-party developers to stop working with them, and it also made producing games more expensive. Despite these challenges, Nintendo still created a strong and impressive collection of games, and fostered one of the most dedicated fan bases in gaming history.
Man, the N64 was such a special console! So many of the games we played back then are still amazing, and honestly, they really set the stage for how games are made today. It’s the N64’s 30th anniversary, and I’ve been feeling super nostalgic, so I wanted to highlight 10 games that I think had a huge impact on modern gaming – maybe more than people even realize!
10. Wave Race 64
Too Much Water (In a Good Way)
Wave Race 64 doesn’t always come to mind when people discuss the most important Nintendo 64 games, but it absolutely deserves to be considered one of them!
Although it didn’t immediately stand out when it was first released, its technical innovations – particularly its realistic water effects – have become influential in many later games.
This game was a pioneer in creating realistic water effects by using the power of graphics cards. The ocean it created felt incredibly lifelike, and surprisingly, it still looks impressive today – water remains one of the most challenging things to accurately simulate in video games. If Grand Theft Auto 6 features incredibly realistic water, it will be building on the groundwork laid by Wave Race 64 back in the 1990s.
9. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
The Most Literal First! of the List
Dinosaur Hunter wasn’t just the original Turok game – a first-person shooter known for its distinctive environments – it also marked a significant milestone as one of the first big games of its kind on the Nintendo 64.
Before popular console shooters like GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, this game was a trailblazer in the 3D first-person shooter genre – and that was a significant achievement. It proved that complex and visually impressive 3D shooting games could work on consoles, which was a big question at the time when many believed they were better suited for PCs. Ultimately, it delivered a fantastic gaming experience.
While it’s not as famous as games like Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, this game was incredibly important. When it came out early in the Nintendo 64’s life, it set a new standard for graphics and gameplay, really showing players what the console was capable of.
8. Perfect Dark
An Ultimate Refinement
Many gamers consider Perfect Dark to be the spiritual successor to GoldenEye 007, and it’s still the top-rated first-person shooter on consoles! It earned that reputation by being incredibly innovative and setting the stage for countless shooters that came after it.
The game truly maximized the Nintendo 64’s capabilities, featuring smart AI, believable enemy behavior, and a remarkable level of detail – even down to unique sounds for different textures. Its rich story unfolded as you played, making the world feel incredibly immersive and connected.
Beyond all that, the game’s design – things like increasingly challenging goals, lots of rewards to unlock, choices that impacted future missions, and a truly memorable multiplayer mode – really set a new standard for the genre. It’s no surprise that many of its core ideas are still used as guidelines for creating first-person shooters today.
7. Star Fox 64
When a Game Has the Sauce
When Star Fox 64 came out in 1997, it was immediately popular on the Nintendo 64. It was a big improvement over the first Star Fox game, and its impressive 3D graphics really showcased what the console could do.
But its biggest impact was as the first game to use the Rumble Pak, a groundbreaking accessory that let players feel vibrations in the controller during gameplay.
Haptic feedback is common in games now, but it was groundbreaking when Star Fox 64 came out! The game’s great characters and exciting levels, combined with the Rumble Pak, created a uniquely immersive experience. The Rumble Pak made you feel everything happening to your ship, and players quickly became hooked.
6. Mario Party
Where It All Began for Parties
It’s always amusing to me how often people forget that the original Mario Party came out on the Nintendo 64 back in 1998. It really started the whole idea of four-player digital board games and launched one of the most popular multiplayer series ever!
The game quickly became popular by combining beloved Nintendo characters with the fun of board games, and then throwing in exciting competition and unpredictable challenges. It’s the perfect recipe for a fun night with friends – who doesn’t enjoy that?
Man, one of the best things about this game was how it blended skill and luck. It always sparked arguments about which mattered more, but it totally created this awesome, energetic vibe. It really brought back that classic local multiplayer feeling and made gaming with friends a blast again.
5. Pokémon Stadium 2
Gotta Catch ‘Em All in 3D Too
Pokémon Gold and Silver, the second generation of games, were incredibly important in shaping the Pokémon franchise into the global phenomenon it is today, and Pokémon Stadium 2 beautifully showcased those new features and improvements.
This game had the ambitious job of uniting Pokémon from two full generations – a total of 251 creatures! It was a major leap for the series, bringing the monsters to life with 3D graphics and smooth animations for the first time.
Fortunately, the game was a huge success! It significantly improved upon the original and broadened the game world with additions like Earl’s Pokémon Academy and a variety of fun minigames. Crucially, it also connected handheld and console gaming thanks to the Transfer Pak, letting players bring their Pokémon teams from Game Boy games to battle in full 3D on a TV.
4. Banjo-Kazooie
The King of the Collectathon
Man, thinking back to when I first played Banjo-Kazooie, I just remember being blown away by how much there was to do. But even more than that, it was the collecting! Seriously, every single nook and cranny of those levels had something hidden in it, and I loved finding it all.
I didn’t fully appreciate it until I was older, but this game is a perfect example of the ‘Collectathon’ genre. These games, often 3D platformers, emphasize exploring large, open levels and collecting many different items.
Banjo-Kazooie perfected the formula established by early 3D games, refining everything to a brilliant shine. It featured interconnected worlds, bright and colorful graphics, and incredibly smooth controls that made discovering every hidden item a joy. The game’s clever design encouraged players to explore without feeling overwhelmed, striking a perfect balance between challenging gameplay and a sense of magical discovery.
3. GoldenEye 007
Changing the FPS Forever
Before 1997, most people thought first-person shooter games couldn’t be fun on consoles. The idea was that this type of game needed a mouse and keyboard, and was best suited for computers. However, the release of Turok: Dinosaur Hunter – as we discussed earlier – began to challenge that belief.
But it was GoldenEye 007 that really changed everything! It showed that a fast-paced, realistic shooter could actually work well with a controller, paving the way for the huge console shooter market we have now.
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This game changed the first-person shooter landscape. Unlike earlier games like Doom, which focused on running through straightforward levels, it emphasized strategy and completing specific missions. It featured smart enemy AI, environments based on the movie, and missions that adapted to your skill level. Instead of simply finding the exit, you played as a true secret agent tackling complicated objectives in a way that felt open-ended and incredibly immersive – a huge step forward for storytelling in games.
GoldenEye is famous for its incredible four-player split-screen mode, which really brought people together to play video games on the couch. It sparked a social gaming trend that many remember fondly and helped define a generation of gamers.
2. Super Mario 64
A New Dimension of Play
The first time I played Super Mario 64 felt like witnessing the future, and it was especially magical as a child.
Before Super Mario 64, most games were viewed from the side, like on older consoles. This game completely changed everything by letting players move freely in any direction within a 3D world. Seeing Mario explore in this way was revolutionary and redefined what video games could offer.
Super Mario 64 revolutionized 3D gaming by setting the standard for how characters move and how the camera follows them. Before this game, many 3D titles used clunky “tank controls” – where you turned the character before moving – because they were built for digital directional pads. Mario 64, however, took advantage of the Nintendo 64’s analog stick to create smooth, natural movement, making Mario feel realistically weighty and responsive – a first for many players.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Blueprint for Adventure
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, released in 1998, is more than just a game – it’s a landmark title that profoundly influenced the world of gaming. It essentially established the core principles for 3D action-adventure games, introducing many features that are now standard in the genre.
Man, Z-targeting was a total game-changer for me. Before that, fighting in 3D felt clunky and awkward, but it let you lock onto enemies and actually fight properly. It was so good, honestly, that I’ve seen versions of it pop up in almost every 3D action game I’ve played since!
The game revolutionized how players experience worlds by offering a vast and immersive environment. It also innovated gameplay with buttons that changed function depending on the situation, and demonstrated that video games could tell stories as moving and intricate as those found in films.
Even now, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is widely considered the greatest game ever made, and it’s easy to see why. It established the most recognizable versions of Link, Zelda, and Ganon, solidifying their place in popular culture, flawlessly brought the series into 3D, and stands as a prime example of excellent game design.
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2026-02-23 21:42