I love the Nintendo 64, that whole generation was a great time to be a gamer and I have already talked about my top 5 Nintendo 64 wrestling games. However, the Nintendo 64 and the PlayStation were fighting for my hard earned meager money that I had back then as there were so many great games. I should have just focused on one system, but there was so much stuff on both sides I wanted to play.
I had a hard time narrowing this list down and I nearly did a top ten as there were so many other games I wanted to give a shout out to. I will say that WWF No Mercy would have been on this list and it would have actually been number one, but I am kind of cheating as I put that in my N64 wrestling games list so I felt I could leave it off here and get another game on there.
Number 5
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil
I loved the first game, but Turok 2: Seeds of Evil was a huge part of my monster holiday 98 gaming session. This felt far bigger and more cinematic and I know it could be a “where the hell am I supposed to go?” kind of game. The action was brutal, remember the cerebral bore weapon? It told a fun sci-fi story and it looked incredible. I remember the box being weird too having a kind of scale/leather effect on it. I know that most people see Goldeneye as the best FPS on N64 (get ready to rage, I actually prefer The World is Not Enough!) however, for me Turok 2 is the best first-person game on the Nintendo 64, this was such an immersive experience for me.
Number 4:
Mortal Kombat 4
I am sure this is a shocker for some people, but I played the hell out of Mortal Kombat 4! I think this is a superior version to the PlayStation, but the Dreamcast Mortal Kombat Gold does enhance things. Anyway, this took Mortal Kombat into the world of 3D, but it still played like classic MK. It had a fun roster and I loved how it went back to basics with just fatalities and got rid of some of the goofier stuff that Mortal Kombat added. This was such a fun multiplayer game for me, I remember having a few all nighters at my house during my teenage years and this was always a fiercely competitive game that we had a blast with. When it comes to fighting games on the Nintendo 64, this is by far my favorite!
Number 3
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
I talked about my gaming Christmas of 98 with Turok, Ocarina of Time, WCW/NWO Revenge and International Superstar Soccer 98 were the other games that made that one my all time favorite gaming Christmas breaks! What can I say about Ocarina of Time that has not already been said? It felt like forever ago since A Link to the Past was the hot thing so I was so excited to get my hands on this and I can honestly say that it did not disappoint. This was a truly epic adventure that made me feel like I was Link. The world felt huge at the time and it was one of the most thrilling adventures I had been on. Also, I have to say, that The Water Temple was nowhere near as brutal as many people make out.
Number 2
Super Mario 64
Another predictable one here, but like most other people, Super Mario 64 was the first game I played on the Nintendo 64. This was the gold standard for how to take a 2D game and put it into a 3D world. Mario controlled really well and the whole thing was this big whimsical adventure that felt so much more epic. It scaled back the power-ups from what we had in the 2D games, but I felt that worked here. This is one of those games that I have played through multiple times and it is always a safe, go to game when you need something fun, quality, and addictive. I know the graphics have aged considerably, but the gameplay here is truly timeless.
Number 1
Diddy Kong Racing
Diddy Kong Racing is 100000 times better than Mario Kart 64 and I will die on that hill, honestly, it is not even close. I like Mario Kart 64, but Diddy King Racing beats it in every regard. It has a fantastic single-player campaign that is fun and challenging, seriously, some of those boss battles put me right over the edge. Not only does Diddy Kong Racing completely eclipse Mario Kart 64 in the single-player department. The multiplayer here is far better. People praise the hell out of Mario Kart 64, but most people seem to have forgotten that you could not play a four-player Grand Prix in Mario Kart 64. You can do that in Diddy Kong Racing and it has other modes too! You can race in hovercrafts and planes and it just looks and feels so awesome! Plus, this game has some of the best music on the system with Frosty Village being my all time favorite Christmas music in a game.
I know that there are a few predictable entries on my list, but I am sure I have a few that are surprises too. Let me know what your top 5 Nintendo 64 games are and more importantly than that. Be sure to chime in on the Mario Kart 64 and Diddy Kong Racing debate and let me know why you also feel that Diddy Kong Racing is a far superior game!