The Best Nintendo 64 Games Ever Made

Following up the SNES was no easy task, but Nintendo tried its hardest with the Nintendo 64. The company went all-in on 3D gaming, converting many of its treasured franchises into 3D experiences — some very gracefully, and some not so much.

The N64 doesn't have a gigantic library, but that doesn't mean it's lacking in incredible games. Whether it be from Nintendo itself or from third-party developers, the console was blessed with a host of amazing games. We've gone through the entire library of N64 games and picked out eight of the best N64 games ever made, presented in no particular order.

Super Mario 64

Super Mario 64 was the first big 3D platformer, and Nintendo was basically the only developer to handle the transition from 2D gracefully. Super Mario 64 has such spectacular vibes, with bright, colorful graphics, music that absolutely slaps, and level design that, while basic, is more than good enough to get the job done.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Zelda's transition to 3D wasn't quite as graceful as Mario's, but that doesn't mean the resulting game wasn't incredible. Ocarina of Time is wildly impressive for its time, with huge, open spaces in an interconnected world that even changes somewhat between two different time periods. To this day, plenty of people argue that Ocarina of Time is the best Zelda game ever made, and it's hard to argue with that — it's pretty dang good.

Banjo Kazooie

A screenshot from Banjo Kazooie on the Nintendo Switch Online service. Banjo Kazooie was developed by legendary game developer Rare. Nintendo

Hot off the heels of a successful trio of Donkey Kong Country games – and a few N64 games you'll see later in this list – Rare struck out with an absolute banger of a 3D collectathon platformer. Banjo Kazooie can be a bit clunky at times, but it's hard to play it and not have a huge smile on your face. The music, the writing, the visuals — it's all just absolutely wonderful.

Mario Party 3

There are three Mario Party games on the N64, and any of them could be included in this list. These multiplayer party games are an absolute blast with friends and family, provided you don't mind not talking to them for a few hours after you steal all of their stars. Mario Party 3 just barely beats out the other two games thanks to its story campaign, which is the first of its kind in the series and is well-loved by many.

Pokémon Stadium 2

Both Pokémon Stadium games are worthy of being on this list, so take your pick, really. We went with Pokémon Stadium 2 because it offers more connectivity, as you're able to connect with Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, and Crystal to store, trade, and battle with your Pokémon from those games. Stadium also has a story mode of sorts, where you can battle against a series of trainers using either your own Pokémon or rentals, a bunch of multiplayer minigames, and even the option to play your Game Boy Pokémon games with extra features like the ability to fast forward. They're both fantastic games for any Pokémon fan.

1080 Snowboarding

It feels like nobody really makes arcade-y snowboarding games anymore, and that's a real shame because 1080 Snowboarding was an absolute banger. The premise is simple enough — you snowboard, you perform tricks, you race. There are unlockable boarders and boards, a bunch of different modes, and even a multiplayer mode. If Nintendo is looking for its next franchise to resurrect, it should look no further than 1080 Snowboarding.

Diddy Kong Racing

When people think of bright and colorful racing games from Nintendo, they usually think of the Mario Kart series, but that's not the only party racing game from Nintendo on the N64 — there was Diddy Kong Racing, too. This kart racing game took some big swings, with the ability to drive a car, hovercraft, or airplane, a story mode, and some fantastic multiplayer modes.

GoldenEye 007

GoldenEye 007 needs no introduction — but just in case, it's a licensed James Bond shooter game with a fantastic campaign, plenty of multiplayer fun, and lots of great, nostalgic memories attached to it. If you don't have those memories attached to it, you might struggle to get into it, but for those that do, it remains one of the best games on the console.