For those with some spare time on their hands and looking for an alternative to spending big money on a next-generation console, the Nintendo 64 is a cheap alternative with a huge variety of games to choose from. Here, we take a look into the past and examine the best on offer from one of gaming's greatest platforms.
Honourable Mentions: F-Zero X, LylatWars 64, International Superstar Soccer 64, Shadow Man, Star Wars: Episode One Racer, Super Smash Brothers
10. Pokémon Stadium
Following on from the overwhelming success of the Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue GameBoy games, Pokémon Stadium gave kids (and adults young at heart) worldwide the chance to see their chosen Pokémon in glorious technicolour on the Nintendo 64.
The game provides a rich and colourful battle environment, in which players could either battle their friends using their own Pokémon - transferred from the GameBoy versions - or 'rent' Pokémon and take part in a series of tournaments against computer players.
9. Banjo Kazooie
A game where you play the part of a lazy cartoon bear, who walks around with a bird in his backpack. A seemingly bizarre concept, but one which is brilliantly executed. Every tiny action by the characters is well-crafted, and the huge game environment is engaging throughout.
8. Donkey Kong 64
The much-loved Donkey Kong franchise arrived on the Nintendo 64 in fine style with this brilliantly enjoyable adventure game, produced by the RareWare label.
With five playable Kongs (including main man, Donkey, and perennial favourite, Diddy), numerous playing environments, an engaging-yet-light-hearted storyline, and a plethora of side quests and sub-games, Donkey Kong 64 has an immense level of depth for a game based so far outside of reality.
7. Diddy Kong Racing
Diddy Kong makes another appearance in the top ten, in another RareWare title - this one came in the early days of the Nintendo 64, and was a large part of its immediate popularity.
Its cartoony style and kid-friendly characters made it appropriate for all ages, and its addictive gameplay meant coming back for more was easy, especially in the outstanding multi-player mode.
6. Perfect Dark
Another masterpiece from RareWare. A hugely playable first-person shooter with a number of features never seen before on the Nintendo 64. The use of the Expansion Pak allowed for a vast array of futuristic levels, and gameplay possibilities were almost endless.
Its fully immersive experience was rounded out by the superb multi-player mode, which allowed users to battle computer-controlled 'bots' for the first time ever in a 64-bit shoot-'em-up.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Probably one of the most difficult games of all time, and one of the most rewarding. A massively engaging single-player experience, with hundreds of potential quests, both small and large. The game features an outlandish but enjoyable storyline, and is darker in tone than many other games in the famous Zelda series.
4. Mario Kart 64
Another legendary multi-player experience from Nintendo. Almost certainly the most brilliantly-conceived racing game of all time, realistic or otherwise. An array of recognisable Mario characters, from Mario himself to arch-villain Bowser, plus a vibrant and challenging array of courses and competitions, have led many fans to addiction over the years. The four-player mode is unrivalled in its lovably chaotic nature, with power-ups galore and pitfalls everywhere.
3. Super Mario 64
One of the first two games released on the Nintendo 64, and one of the best. The traditionally colourful Mario universe is represented in 3D for the first time, as Nintendo's signature franchise is brought into the new generation in style.
A typically child-friendly storyline and familiar characters, coupled with a detailed game environment, led to a fantastically well-executed conversion of the classic Super Mario series, and a game that provided dozens of hours of entertainment for early Nintendo 64 owners.
2. GoldenEye 007
The game that redefined the first-person shooter. Without GoldenEye, there would be no Half-Life, no Halo, no Fallout. Expanding the environment and storyline of the James Bond film of the same name, the game was arguably more successful. With an array of levels to play through, including three bonus levels featuring scenarios from past James Bond films, the player never gets bored.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Perfection in a cartridge. Just as GoldenEye redefined the first-person shooter, Ocarina of Time redefined the role-playing game. A vast and convincing game universe, a mixture of new and familiar characters - headed by mythic hero, Link - a myriad of side-quests and tasks, huge and exciting dungeons and bosses, secrets to unlock, battles to fight, superb graphics and sound...literally every desirable quality in a single-player videogame is represented here in spades. In the eyes of many, the greatest videogame of all time.
Great Games, Great Memories, Great Impact
The Nintendo 64 broke new ground in many areas of gaming, and was the most popular console of the late 1990s worldwide. It produced dozens of fondly-remembered games beyond the ten mentioned above, but its most valuable legacy will undoubtedly prove to be some of the most immersive and downright enjoyable games ever made. Games as much fun as these will never go out of style, and will always prove the basis for some of the most successful games of the 2000s and beyond.
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