The N64 pioneered 3D console gaming with a library still celebrated today
The Nintendo 64, released in 1996, was the console that convinced a generation 3D gaming wasn’t just a gimmick. Its library is smaller than its rivals of the era, but the hit rate is unusually high, and several N64 games are still cited as genre-defining decades later.
Why the N64’s Library Punches Above Its Numbers
The N64 shipped with a genuinely small library, only around 388 unique titles worldwide, compared to the PlayStation’s vastly larger catalogue. Its 32.93 million lifetime unit sales made it the second-most successful console of its generation, well behind the PlayStation’s 102 million but comfortably ahead of the Sega Saturn’s 9 million, yet it stuck with cartridges while Sony embraced CDs, which drove several major publishers away. Square, Enix, and Konami’s flagship franchises (including Metal Gear) all moved to PlayStation instead, and the RPG genre was left notably thin as a result, with only a handful of entries like Paper Mario and Quest 64. That absence of major third-party support forced Nintendo’s own studios, and above all Rare, to carry the system, which is a large part of why its best-known titles are still held up as genre benchmarks rather than just nostalgic curiosities.
Rare: The Studio That Defined the N64
Rare alone was responsible for eleven N64 titles, including GoldenEye 007, Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, Perfect Dark, Donkey Kong 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, and Jet Force Gemini, an output remarkable for a second-party studio rather than a major publisher with dozens of internal teams. Super Mario 64 remains the console’s best-selling game at 11.91 million units, with Mario Kart 64 second at 9.87 million and Rare’s own GoldenEye 007 third at just over 8 million, a genuinely unusual result for a third-party title to outsell most first-party competition on the same platform.
Best N64 Games by Genre
Platformers
Super Mario 64 didn’t just adapt Mario to 3D, it effectively wrote the rulebook for how 3D platformers should control, and its influence is still visible in modern 3D platformers. Banjo-Kazooie followed a similar collect-a-thon formula with a strong sense of humour and level design that rewarded exploration.
Action-Adventure
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is routinely ranked among the greatest games ever made, and its innovations, targeting/lock-on combat, day-night cycles, horseback traversal, became genre standards that persist in action-adventure games today.
Shooters
GoldenEye 007 essentially proved console first-person shooters could work at all, and its split-screen multiplayer became a defining social gaming experience for a generation of players who never touched a PC shooter.
Racing and Party
Mario Kart 64 refined the kart-racing formula with genuinely chaotic four-player split-screen races, while Mario Party turned board-game-style minigame compilations into a system-selling genre of its own.
Comparison: Ways to Play N64 Games Today
| Method | Authenticity | Convenience | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original N64 + cartridges | Highest | Low | Prices for classics like Ocarina of Time have risen significantly |
| Nintendo Switch Online (Expansion Pack) | Good | Very high | Growing but incomplete library |
| Virtual Console (legacy, Wii/Wii U) | Good | Moderate | Digital storefronts have since closed |
What Made N64 Controls Distinctive
The N64 controller’s three-pronged design and analogue stick were unusual for the time but became essential to how many of its best games played, particularly the precise 3D camera control in Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time. Modern reproductions and official Switch Online controllers replicate this layout for anyone wanting the authentic feel without hunting down decades-old hardware.
Buying Secondhand: What to Check
Cartridge connectors can develop corrosion over time, and the console’s control stick is prone to wear that causes drift on well-used units. Test analogue movement carefully before buying, and inspect cartridge connectors for corrosion, since a quick clean often resolves minor connection issues but a fully worn stick may need replacement.
For more retro console guides, see our Sega Mega Drive games guide and our guide on playing PS2 games on PS3.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best N64 game to start with?
Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time are the most commonly recommended starting points, both for historical significance and because they remain genuinely enjoyable to play today.
Is the N64 backward compatible with anything?
No, the N64 is not backward compatible with any earlier Nintendo console, since it uses an entirely different cartridge format from the NES and SNES.
Why are some N64 cartridges so expensive now?
Limited print runs for certain titles, combined with rising collector demand, have pushed prices for rarer or more popular N64 games noticeably higher than many other retro consoles from the same era.
Final Thoughts
The N64’s relatively small library is arguably its greatest strength, since it concentrated first-party development into a run of genuinely genre-defining titles. Whether through original hardware or Switch Online, it’s a library still worth exploring for anyone curious where modern 3D game design actually started.
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