The Nintendo 64 did not have the same success as the Super Nintendo. Because it stuck to the expensive cartridge format, and was difficult to develop for most companies passed on it in favor of the Sony PlayStation. The Nintendo 64 has a very limited library overall. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some undiscovered hits for it however. It sold as well as it did because of Nintendo’s own games. Honestly none of those are hidden gems because everyone owned them. It was the few third parties that stuck around that had the overlooked hits. Today I’ve decided to highlight the Nintendo 64 hidden gems. I’ll be upfront and tell you that all of these are from third party developers. Let’s take a look at the best Nintendo 64 hidden gems, but first we have to go over some rules I established when coming up with this list.
- I’ve decided to skip out on import games here. I’ve already done a list of the best Nintendo 64 import games so if that’s what you’re after check that one out instead. This also isn’t a best N64 games list. This is strictly for hidden gems.
- I’m also trying to focus on games that are still hidden gems. Some got huge cult followings after. That’s fine and dandy but the purpose of this list is to help people find games they probably haven’t heard of yet.
- That means licensed games are mostly out. Honestly these tended to be the most advertised so everyone has heard of them by now.
With that out of the way let’s check out my list of the top 15 best Nintendo 64 hidden gems. I’m presenting it in alphabetical order so placement is no determination of quality here. Let’s dive right in.
Beetle Adventure Racing
Okay I admit that this one is a hard sell. It’s an arcade style racer, but all vehicles are Volkswagen bugs. I mean who wants to drive one of those things in a rally style racer? It just doesn’t make sense. Somehow Paradigm entertainment made it work. The game doesn’t take itself seriously by any means. Honestly that’s what makes it so great.
I always laugh at the fact that the color of car affects things like handling and top speed. Who knew all these things needed was a paint job instead of new tires? The racing is surprisingly tight but the high point is in shortcuts. You’ll want to take advantage of these because it’s the best edge you’ll get in any race. There are a lot of them too with many being quite creative in execution. Before this game no one could imagine racing in a bug, but now here we are.
Body Harvest
It honestly feels like Body Harvest slipped under the radar when it released. I remember seeing previews and just not understanding what the developers were going for. Since then it has gone on to become one of the most commonly referenced hidden gems for the platform. It was developed by DMA design (who also made the Grand Theft Auto games). This makes a lot of sense. It’s a sandbox title wherein you steal vehicles and shoot enemies after all. The title comes from the bloodthirsty aliens invading Earth per the storyline.
What makes this one unique is the fact that you can go almost anywhere (within the game’s boundaries) right from the start. Thanks to the third person perspective and ability to drive numerous vehicles this one feels like the beginnings of 3D GTA. Body Harvest is a little rough by modern standards but it’s a hidden gem through and through.
Bomberman 64
I got this one on a whim. I had enough money for a new Nintendo 64 game but didn’t know what was available. There wasn’t much on the shelf. That was par for the course with the Nintendo 64. I knew the Bomberman franchise and figured it was a safe bet. Thankfully I chose correctly. Bomberman 64 ushered the franchise into the 3D realm with a few hiccups. Overall the package is solid.
The adventure mode was above and beyond what the franchise would usually push. You could explore huge environments within the confines of the traditional gameplay. It was frustrating but fun. The real high point was in the multiplayer. Due to the focus on multiplayer on the N64 this one went overlooked. The best part is that you can customize your character in multiplayer with costumes you’d find in the main game. This isn’t your traditional Bomberman, but that might be it’s biggest strength.
Chameleon Twist
Even with the limited library of the Nintendo 64 I rarely hear this one ever mentioned. Chameleon Twist is a non-traditional platformer title. This is because of the main gimmick which involves shooting out the main character’s tongue. This allows you to grapple on to elements in the environment to pull yourself forward.
This mechanic isn’t entirely linear. You can guide the tongue in all directions using the analog stick on the Nintendo 64 controller. This was a pretty impressive use of the analogue stick back in the day. In addition you can also walk and jump, and will need to do so frequently to get past obstacles. Initially the tongue grab felt like a cheap gimmick. As I played more I came to love the freedom behind it and the way levels are designed to take advantage of it. Chameleon Twist is surprisingly inventive with this mechanic.
Goemon’s Great Adventure
Goemon is far from a household name even among hardcore gamers. This was true even back when it was an active franchise. Goemon’s first outing on the Nintendo 64 was a fully 3D adventure. Goemon’s Great Adventure is its sequel, and is more traditional fare for this franchise. It’s a 2.5D platformer in an era of fully 3D gameplay. That’s part of the reason this one was ignored.
You play through a series of linear levels fighting your way through an army of very Japanese inspired foes. Things take a turn for the bizarre when you reach the boss characters in each stage. These occur on a 3D battlefield with a first person viewpoint from cockpit of a giant skateboarding mecha. Honestly that’s the majority of the appeal here. Thankfully multiplayer makes a triumphant return here and it’s just as fun as ever. Goemon’s Great Adventure is a true hidden gem through and through.
Harvest Moon 64
Even at its most popular the Harvest Moon has been mostly unknown. It’s a series of farming simulation games with trappings of action adventure like the Legend of Zelda. With that said Harvest Moon 64 is the best in the franchise. It expanded on the premise in numerous ways with a significantly higher number of crops you can grow, animals to be raised, and more overall activities in which to participate.
The reason I love this one so much is that it was the best Harvest Moon title in regards to creating a living breathing world. I felt like my time spent here was in a whole other dimension. Here I grew to love the characters and wanted to see what would happen next. All the while doing chores and raising up my farm. It’s still a farming sim at heart, and the slow paced nature won’t appeal to everyone. Those willing to give it a chance are in for a treat however.
Hybrid Heaven
At one point Hybrid Heaven was touted as the console’s answer to Metal Gear Solid. It came from the same developer, Konami, and had a story focused on political intrigue. There’s also voice acting which was rare for the Nintendo 64. While there was some hype pre-release Hybrid Heaven was quickly forgotten about after release. Staying true to it’s name this is a ‘hybrid’ of genres. In one sense it’s an action adventure title. Exploration reminded me a little of Tomb Raider. It’s okay.
The high point is the battle system. I would classify these fights as RPG wrestling matches. It’s interesting to say the least. The battle system as a whole is overly complicated and intimidating at first. Once you get the hang of it however it’s decently fun. This game is the perfect symbol for 90s Konami. It’s strange, upbeat, but somehow everything comes together into an unforgettable package. Anyone talking about N64 hidden gems would be remiss to leave this one out.
Iggy’s Reckin Balls
Speaking of weird let’s talk about Iggy’s Reckin Balls. There’s nothing out there quite like it. The game is best described as a 2D racing game with platforming elements. Here you play as a ball that bounces left or right, but can grab on to elements of the environment. This serves two purposes. First of all you can grab on to elements of the environment to pull yourself around. Secondly you can lay your hands on enemies to impede their progress.
Gameplay is strictly two dimensional but environments are designed with 3D elements in them. In a lot of cases they wind around like a tower. It’s a pretty neat game but a little difficult to understand when starting out. Why we needed a racing game where you play as rubber balls I’ll never know. I’m still glad Acclaim made it though.
Mischief Makers
Up to this point Treasure was best known as a Sega developer. With the jump to 3D they branched out on to Nintendo platforms. Mischief Makers was their first partnership. It’s a shame this one was so widely overlooked (for the simple fact of being a 2D title) because it’s easily one of the best Nintendo 64 hidden gems. Here you play as an android named Marina on the Planet Clancer. The natives kidnap the professor who invented her. She sets out to shake shake and make things go boom on her path to save him.
The level designs are simply incredible. Treasure came up with some amazing and diverse ideas for them and it feels like there’s something new around every turn. The real high point however is in the boss encounters. Few games are as insane or push boundaries as hard as Mischief Makers in this regard. Mischief Makers is both insane, and insanely good.
Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
Legend of the Mystical Ninja on the SNES was a big sleeper hit. It was low key one of the best games for the platform. Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon was the next console game in the franchise localized outside of Japan. It was a unique blend of platforming and action adventure gameplay. The Nintendo 64 lacked long and involving games so this filled the void. Many considered this as a hold over of sorts until the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was released.
Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon brought over that insane sense of humor the franchise is known for. If you aren’t laughing here then you don’t have a sense of humor The only issue with this release is that multiplayer was completely dropped. Konami probably couldn’t figure out how to push the hardware enough for split screen play back then so Mystical Ninja 64 is purely a solo affair. That’s not a deal breaker by any means when gameplay is this good.
Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber
The Nintendo 64 was sorely lacking when it came to role playing games. The cartridge format just couldn’t compete with CDs in regards to storage space. These huge adventures needed a lot of data behind them, and the console wasn’t a good choice for that. Ogre Battle 64 is one of the few great RPGs on the platform. It’s a strategy role playing title that is a follow up to Ogre Battle on the SNES. Gameplay and graphics have been nicely refined since the previous outing.
The most interesting thing about the Ogre Battle franchise is the fact that you don’t directly control your parties of characters. The CPU performs all attacks on their own. You do however move units around across the map by selecting their destinations. It’s a very interesting system with fun mechanics and addictive gameplay. Ogre Battle 64 is easily the best strategy RPG for the platform. It’s also the only one.
Rocket Robot on Wheels
Developer Sucker Punch eventually migrated over to Sony’s camp where they became famous for their Sly and Cooper franchise. Before doing so they released their absolute best game with Rocket Robot on Wheels. Seriously, this one is ridiculously good. This is a platformer with a very unique mascot behind it with Rocket. Robot on Wheels is the perfect way to describe him. This little guy wheels around and many of the puzzles are based on physics and momentum. In terms of gameplay this sets Rocket Robot on Wheels apart from the others.
I also really like the colorful and huge world that Rocket lets players explore. Level designs are absolutely on point and by far this is the most inventive release from the developer. Honestly Sucker Punch should have made a sequel because to put it bluntly this one knocks the socks off of everything else they’ve made. Rocket Robot on Wheels is better than the majority of N64 platformers that were more popular.
Snowboard Kids
Have you ever been playing Mario Kart and suddenly thought ‘I sure wish this was snowboarding instead?’ Well Snowboard Kids has you covered. This is as close to the fast and frantic action of Nintendo’s seminal racer that you’ll find in a winter sport. Snowboard Kids has you sliding down the slopes racing others to the bottom. The race doesn’t end here however. You have to get on a ski lift because that’s only one lap. It’s an ingenious idea that works super well.
Like in Mario Kart you can pick up items and shoot them back at your foes. It’s highly arcade based in nature. While solo play is entertaining the real focus is on multiplayer action. You simply can’t beat the feeling of tackling the slopes here with three buddies. I really love the cute style of this one. The character designs are unique with a sort of fusion between Western cartoons and anime.
Space Station Silicon Valley
This is the second game from DMA Design to make the list. It’s hard to believe the future developers of Grand Theft Auto threw so much support behind the Nintendo 64. Space Station Silicon Valley is a unique 3D platformer which focuses on taking control of enemies. Each has their own abilities and control characteristics. In hindsight this was very forward thinking. May modern games have used similar mechanics but few with the same level of finesse as this.
Bear in mind this is not one of the prettiest games on the platform. This is an early Nintendo 64 game after all. Space Station suffers a few glitches that can make it tough to play in modern times. Unfortunately it’s not available on any other platform even all these years later. Space Station Silicon Valley is still a Nintendo 64 exclusive to this day. Despite being an early release for the system it’s definitely one of the more unique platformers of the generation. If you want something a little different then it’s a good choice. It’s a shame it’s left as a mere hidden gem.
Tonic Trouble
It was always strange to me that Ubisoft tried their hand at yet another original 3D platformer when Rayman was already so popular. Tonic Trouble is a bit of a head scratcher in this regard, but it’s fun nonetheless. What I love about Tonic Trouble is how over the top this one is. Here you play as an alien janitor in an action adventure platforming game spanning across huge 3D environments. Rather than hopping and bopping on enemies’ heads the focus here is instead on shooting foes.
The protagonist is armed with a peashooter (which fires from the first person perspective) and has a host of different gadgets used to reach new areas. It’s absolutely unique, and well worth playing even today. Just keep in mind that Tonic Trouble hasn’t aged particularly well. This one is rough around the edges. Honestly if you’re still playing the Nintendo 64 in this day and age you have probably come to expect this.
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