The Nintendo 64 (N64) only released about 300 titles in the United States throughout its run. That’s almost 1,000 fewer than the PS1. With this smaller collection to choose from, it’s worth being a bit more selective when picking up some titles to put on display.
We’ve come up with a list of 10 N64 games that will get your collection going in the right direction. These games are some of the ones with the greatest availability, an obtainable price point, and just a hint of nostalgia.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
We all knew this game was going to appear on the list, so let’s get it out of the way early on. There are so many positive things to say about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, like the story, music, and large world. Even though “Hey, Listen!” gets annoying to hear and the controls were a little wonky, this game is still beloved by fans of the genre and the series alike.
Given that this entry sold so many copies, you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding one for sale. The average price for a loose copy makes it accessible, too. Even if you don’t appreciate the game itself, no collection is complete without it. Believe it or not, someone managed to speedrun the game by collecting all of the unique items in under three hours.
2. Donkey Kong 64
King K. Rool is back and trying to destroy Donkey Kong’s home island with his minions. Fortunately, DK and the rest of the Kong family are there to stop them with their platforming antics. Well, you have to rescue the Kong family to get them in the mix, but each of them comes with their own special skills to help you navigate the levels.
After selling over 5 million units, Donkey Kong 64 is easy to find and one of the cheaper games on this list. Knowing how finicky the N64 game market is, though, it may be wise to get your hands on this one sooner than later.
3. Banjo-Kazooie
I’ll be honest. I never played Banjo-Kazooie when I was a kid because the name sounded too goofy. Once I got a bit older and more open to things with weird names, like Cowboy Bebop, I discovered the pleasures of this platformer. The game was certainly geared toward a younger crowd with its cuteness, but it did have some legit features, like playing multiple characters and the encouraging lengthy exploration of the levels.
This game sold north of 3.5 million copies, making it easy to grab for your N64 game collection while also having a lower price if you’re getting a loose cartridge. The CIB and new versions get really expensive, really fast.
4. GoldenEye 007
Despite having the worst rescue and follower mission in the history of gaming, GoldenEye 007 succeeded in a wide variety of ways. The story mode was fun and took you through various levels that tried to follow the story from the film.
What really set this game apart was its multiplayer mode. Sure, we all had that one friend who owned the cartridge and believed that entitled them to the Golden Gun, but hunting one another down on Temple was a lot of fun. It walked so that the Halo series could run. You won’t have many problems finding this game for sale since it sold so many copies, and the price isn’t too high even for a CIB as of the time of writing.
5. Pokémon Stadium
Most kids who played Pokémon Red and Blue yearned to have battles with graphics that were more in line with what we saw on the TV show rather than sprites moving across the Game Boy screen. Pokémon Stadium gave us that opportunity, letting us take on our rivals in all the glory of N64’s 3D graphics. It came with a ton of fun minigames, gym cup challenges, and the opportunity to play the base games at up to four times normal speed.
With 5.4 million units sold, buying this title without breaking the bank is pretty easy. Remember, though, that if you plan on getting this game, you need to pick up a Transfer Pak to connect your Game Boy cartridge to the Nintendo 64.
6. Super Mario 64
Surprising absolutely nobody, Super Mario 64 is the best-selling N64 game of all time, with almost 12 million units sold. Even still, the game is middling in terms of price on this list, so it’s not the cheapest or the most expensive.
The game itself is a 3D platformer that set the standard for the genre on the system. It came with all the familiar characters and settings that we had come to know and love up to that point. Guess what? Princess Peach has been captured once again, and you need to gather Power Stars to free her and her servants. You’ll have a blast trying to collect the minimum 70, but die-hard fans can hunt down all 120 of them.
7. Mario Kart 64
Despite selling almost 10 million copies, you should be prepared to pay a somewhat high price for Mario Kart 64. The good news is that this is not just another game that will look good on your shelf. It’s one that you will definitely want to play.
If you played Super Mario Kart, then you’ll love some of the updates that have been added to this one. You’ll have 16 different courses to choose from and eight different characters. The game has 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc difficulties and a few game mode options from which to choose. The levels are well-designed and easy on the eyes, and the couch co-op made the game a major hit at sleep-overs.
8. Star Fox 64
Do a barrel roll! Ok, now that I got that out of my system, Star Fox 64 was a rail shooter game where you took on the role of Fox McCloud and fought against Andross and Fox’s rival, Wolf. The majority of the time, you fly your trusty Arwing into danger and shoot down enemies while avoiding obstacles strewn about the levels. The All-Range Mode was especially cool since it let you move in a 3D environment instead of keeping you on rails.
According to the available stats, about 4 million copies of the game were sold, so it’s not rare by any measure. Better yet, it’s really not that expensive, so it’s easy to add it to your collection.
9. Super Smash Bros.
With 5.5 million units sold, Super Smash Bros. isn’t all that hard to find. However, it’s on the higher end in price for a common, loose cartridge, so it may be one that you want to hold off on getting at first.
Super Smash Bros. was a fighting game featuring 12 characters from various Nintendo franchises, like Mario, Samus, Link, Kirby, and Pikachu. You are placed on a stage and beat each other down until you can knock them off the platform. Everyone has familiar moves to use against each other, like Pikachu’s Thunderbolt and Kirby’s ability to eat other people and learn their skills. You can also have items drop in to spice up the matches even more. While there is a single-player mode, the multiplayer option is what made the game truly great and popular enough to become a franchise of its own.
10. Wave Race 64
One of the best things about this generation of games is that developers weren’t afraid to take chances. Who would have thought that a jet-ski racer would be so much fun and get so popular? Having sold 3 million copies, Wave Race 64 secured its spot as one of the best-sellers on the system. Given that it doesn’t have a ton of nostalgia attached to it, the game is on the inexpensive side of things, so it’s easy to add to your growing collection.
The concept of the game is pretty simple. You race other players and stay within the bounds outlined by buoys. It takes a little bit to get used to the physics of not having true brakes since you’re on a watercraft, but the controls are still good. You’ll find numerous interesting game modes, including Time Trials and Stunt Mode.
What games did we miss? Which cool games are in your collection right now? Let us know in the comments. Remember, you can always browse our N64 games to fill up your shelves!