Summary
The transition to 3D was a key moment in the video game industry, andNintendothrew its hat in the ring with its now iconic console, theNintendo 64. Over the next few years, this revolutionary system would end up being the home of several of the most influential video games of all time.
To the surprise of most Nintendo fans, the Nintendo 64’s life was relatively short, since the company arrived late to the 3D scene in 1996, and the console was later discontinued in 2002 when everyone had already moved on to the next generation. Nevertheless, every single one of those 6 years was filled to the brim with quality titles that left a huge impression on everyone who enjoyed them.
Because of its late release, Nintendo had the difficult task of impressing players in a market where fully 3D consoles, like thePlayStation, were already available. It’s because of this that the Nintendo 64 had one of the best launch titles ever, with the absolute classic that isSuper Mario 64. Nintendo was aware that they could never go wrong with Mario.
Super Mario 64was not just positively received because of its beloved protagonist but also because it’s an amazing game that displayed the true evolution of the franchise as it jumped to the 3D world. It used every element of the Nintendo 64, from its powerful hardware to its innovative control, to give players a true glimpse ofwhat gaming was going to look like from that point on. Not to mention, it featured colorful worlds with wacky characters and beautiful music.
By its second year, the Nintendo 64’s catalog was getting better, with a lot of solid first and third-party releases. But there’s one game that immediately caught the public’s attention in 1997, and it wasStar Fox 64. After all, this was the anticipated sequel toStar Fox, a 3DSuper Nintendogame that had impacted the entire industry a few years before. How couldFox McCloud& his friends evolve on the Nintendo 64?
This ended up being one of the best sequels ever made. The graphics inStar Foxwere impressive, but lacked a lot of detail. On the other hand,Star Fox 64finally felt like a true adventure through space, with detailed models and environments. The gameplay also got a major upgrade, with more bosses, vehiclesand more dynamic combat. This is a game so good that it was never really surpassed by anything else in the franchise that came out after it.
1998 was one of the best years for the console, with amazing releases likeBanjo-KazooieorF-Zero X. But none of those games could reach the level of importance that the first 3DLegend of Zeldatitle had in the industry. After all, Mario had a smooth transition to 3D, so everybody was eager to see what was going to happen withLinkandPrincess Zelda.
As everybody knows now, the result wasOcarina of Time, which is still considered one of the best video games ever made. The advanced 3D graphics let Nintendo developers tell a more complex & emotional story with memorable characters, and it led them to create big dungeons with creative level design and epic boss battles. To top it all off, itsZ-targetingmechanic ended upinfluencing all future 3D action games in subsequent years. Because of all of this and more,Ocarina of Timedefinitely deserves its prestigious reputation.
3D collectathon platformers thrived on the Nintendo 64, with games likeSuper Mario 64,Banjo-Kazooie,Banjo-Tooieand many more. Some of these iconic titles were developed byRare, who in 1999 came back to the belovedDonkey Kongfranchise and developed one of the biggest and most complex platformers ever made.
The scope ofDonkey Kong 64is extremely impressive for the Nintendo 64,as this game has so much content in one package. There are so many playable characters, levels, bosses, and items to collect that it has hundreds of hours of play guaranteed. All of it was constructed with Rare’s signature style, with beautiful environments, catchy music, quirky characters, and a fun sense of humor.
By the turn of the millennium, most people were already focused on the new generation of consoles, like theSega Dreamcastor thePlayStation 2. But the Nintendo 64 had a few aces up its sleeve, and one of the most important ones was its brand-new entry in theLegend of Zeldafranchise. But this one was extremely different fromOcarina of Time.
Despite the fact thatMajora’s Maskrecycles a lot of assets from its predecessor, it builds an entirely different story and setting in a clever way. This time around, Link has to stop Skull Kid from ending the world by making the moon fall on the land ofTermina. This means that this is a dark narrative withmany emotional beats and mature moments for this franchise. It also has a three-day cycle mechanic that, while confusing at first, ends up feeling really refreshing, and it made this game feel like nothing that came before or after. The Nintendo 64 managed to release not one but two legendaryLegend of Zeldagames close to each other.
Even though Nintendo was ready to make the jump to the next generation, with theGameCubereleasing in late 2001, they still released some incredible games on Nintendo 64 during 2001, with one of the best ones beingPaper Mario. This was fairly significant because this wasMario’s anticipated return to the role-playing genresince the release ofSuper Mario RPGa few years prior.
This time around, Nintendo didn’t join forces with Square Enix but instead handed the keys toIntelligent Systems, who created something truly special with the IP. With its unique and charming paper aesthetic, its simple yet accessible RPG mechanics, and its huge cast of likable characters,Paper Mariois an unforgettable adventure that would end up creating a new subseries of beloved role-playing games starring an adorable paper version of Mario.
Nintendo 64 Release Date: June 13, 2025
As expected, the Nintendo 64 was discontinued in 2002, as most players had already moved to the GameCube. But one of the biggest surprises of the year wasTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, a solid game that, despite the fact that it was released on multiple platforms (including the GameCube itself), was graced with a Nintendo 64 release as well.
Luckily for Nintendo 64 users,this was a really fun sports title. As the third entry in theTony Hawk’s Pro Skaterseries, it introduced a slew of new mechanics that refined the formula, and it featured a good number of new skateboarders and levels. This was the very last game released on the console, and while it may not have been the most impressive one of the bunch, it was better than some of the final games on other Nintendo systems.
