The Nintendo 64 was not a particularly popular console in Japan. Most third party developers at the time were flocking to the Sony PlayStation due to it being a cheaper alternative with better development tools. Because of the competition’s better sales most companies didn’t bother with the 64-bit system. This holds especially true in Japan. With that said there were some loyal publishers that still pushed software for the system. Unfortunately the N64 could just not compete with the PS1, or even Sega Saturn for a while when it came to releases in any region. Even despite the console selling poorly in Japan some of these are even exclusive to that region. This is why today I’ve decided to highlight the best Nintendo 64 import games. Let’s start by going over a few rules I’ve made for this list.
- I’ve decided to only highlight titles that can be played by people who don’t know the language. This means they have easy to navigate menus (or are at least manageable). In this case I’m also including fan translated titles. If you don’t speak Japanese then you should at least be able to fumble your way through these.
- PAL titles are not off limits for this list. Yes, the Nintendo 64 was unpopular in Europe but the region still has a few exclusive titles that were never released in North America.
Without wasting any more of your time these are the top 10 best Nintendo 64 import games! Let’s dive right in.
#10. – Neon Genesis Evangelion
This is one of the few titles where it’s clear why the developers didn’t bother to localize it. Neon Genesis Evangelion is a fighting game based on the groundbreaking anime series of the same name. Sure, this franchise eventually became big in the West but at the time this title was released it was almost unheard of. Either way, this is a 2D fighting game with 3D graphics. You control a mech and must do battle with various angel enemies that are attacking the city. Gameplay is a little slow and plodding, but it matches the source material well in this regard. One thing I like is how cinematic each encounter is. You can be hit and will spend several seconds flying backwards. It really makes these moments feel impactful. Traditional fighting fans won’t like this one, but fans of the anime series almost certainly will.
#9. – Last Legion UX
Hudson Soft saw that the Nintendo 64 library was lacking in mech combat titles and attempted to fill the void. Unfortunately they never managed to find a publisher in the West. It’s pretty clear that it’s directly based on Virtual On. Everything from combat to even the mech launching sequence at the start of battle will be very familiar for fans of the aforementioned title. Unfortunately it never reaches those same heights, but it’s still one of the best Nintendo 64 import games. Here you and a foe run around 3D arenas blasting the heck out of each other. What’s nice is that each of the giant humanoid robots has their own abilities. It feels like you have a lot of options here in this regard because some play quite differently from one another. Last Legion UX is fun, and really should have been localized.
#8. – Tetris 64
Come on, who doesn’t love Tetris? The Nintendo 64 was sorely lacking in good puzzle games. We had a few, including other iterations of Tetris, but the developers messed too much with the formula. Tetris 64 is just good old fashioned Tetris. Well, sort of but I’ll get to that in a bit. Basic gameplay has you lining up falling blocks of different shapes. When you line up a full row they’re eliminated, but the difficulty increases the longer you play. Included with this release was a strange peripheral that reads your heart rate. This isn’t just for show and actually changes the types of blocks that fall depending on how stressed you are. This is probably the main reason Tetris 64 was never localized to be honest, and no other game made use of this strange peripheral. This one is worth tracking down for the sheer novelty.
#7. – Bomberman 64
Yes, I realize that Bomberman 64 was in fact released worldwide. In a bizarre twist Hudson Soft released this title under the same name, but it’s in fact a different game. Bomberman 64 in Japan was a much more traditional installment in the franchise. For one thing it’s 2D, and it’s overhead. It also uses the same old fashioned cross shaped explosions. Instead of reinventing the wheel like the title we all know and love in the West, this Bomberman 64 sticks to the basics and does a great job of it. There are also other modes including the classic Panic Bomber puzzle mode. Of course there’s also multiplayer which alone makes this one of the best Nintendo 64 import games. If you want a more classic take on Bomberman then forego the 3D title and pick up this Japanese only release. It’s perfectly playable even in Japanese.
#6. – Wonder Project J2
In the early days of the console Enix threw a fair amount of support behind it. They never released a proper RPG for the platform, but that’s because they moved all resources to the Sony PlayStation. Regardless, Wonder Project J2 is a follow up to the Super Famicom release. In this title you raise a robot that’s trying to become human. It’s largely a text based game which would be unplayable were it not for the well done fan translation available online. You make various selections as per the storyline, and these change the outcome of the adventure. In some sections you can select where the humanoid robot goes, or how they interact, but I actually found this a little frustrating. This is because of the simple fact that the character doesn’t always listen. Regardless, Wonder Project J2 is one of the best Nintendo 64 import games.
#5. – Rakuga Kids
Back when Konami actually made games they were one of the most experimental third party developers around. Rakuga Kids is a prime example of this. It’s a 2D fighting game where you play as what appears to be paper cutouts of children drawings. I love the graphics, but it’s the gameplay that makes this one of the best Nintendo 64 import games. Rakuga Kids is heavily based on Street Fighter II. It uses a six button layout for weak/mid/strong attacks, and has several special moves including projectiles. The most striking aspect of Rakuga Kids is it’s graphics. Despite the strange aesthetic it looks absolutely beautiful in motion and unlike anything else available on the platform. The Nintendo 64 was sorely lacking in fighting games and it’s surprising that they left this one in PAL/Japan only.
#4. – Bakuretsu Muteki Bangai-O
Treasure was absolutely on fire during the 32-bit generation, and they threw a lot of support behind the Nintendo 64. Unfortunately their only localized title was Mischief Makers. This is a shame because Bangai-O represented a genre that was lacking on the platform; 2D shooters. This one has some very unique twists. You play as a flying mech that can move in all directions. It can also fire shots every which way as well. You control the direction of your shots with the C-buttons and while it takes some getting used to it works surprisingly well. There’s also a crazy combo system with which you can attain high scores with a lot of planning. Bangai-O is tough as nails, and eventually got a port to the Dreamcast (again, only in Japan). This title belongs in any collection because it’s easily one of the best Nintendo 64 import games.
#3. – Custom Robo
The Nintendo 64 was sorely lacking in RPGs. Developers released just about every one on the CD consoles which is unfortunate. That’s why the fact that Custom Robo was never localized is a real head scratcher. It’s an action RPG involving mecha characters battling it out in 3D arenas. It’s sort of a light version of Virtual On, but with cute story scenes, and of course heavy customization options. During battles your goal is to deplete your foe’s hit points from one thousand all the way to zero. You do so with a variety of attacks based on which weapons are equipped on to your robot. Each time you defeat a foe you gain new parts that you can plug in to power up your character. There’s even a multiplayer mode which is a lot of fun. Thankfully this one has been fan translated so fans worldwide can enjoy it.
#2. – Dobutsu no Mori
We know this title as Animal Crossing in the West, but it wasn’t localized until the Gamecube remaster hit the scene. Many fans are surprised to learn that the first installment was actually on the Nintendo 64. In Dobutso no Mori you play as a child moving to a new town. Unfortunately it’s populated by humanoid chibi animals. It’s cute and non-threatening though. There’s no actual action to speak of. Instead Dobutso no Mori is based entirely on making friends with villagers, running errands for them, and collecting furniture. You can also fish and collect bugs to sell or donate to the local museum. The title was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto as a ‘communication game’ and that’s the perfect way to describe it. It was one of the greatest releases for Gamecube, and is absolutely one of the best Nintendo 64 import games.
#1. – Sin and Punishment
This one is a real heartbreaker. The sad fact is it was planned for release worldwide but due to dwindling hardware sales it was left in Japan only. Here’s the second title by Treasure for the platform, and it’s probably the best one. Sin and Punishment is one of the most unique rail shooters of all time. It’s also a blast to play which is why it’s clearly the best Nintendo 64 import game. You view the action from behind your character and guide a shot reticule around the screen using the analog stick. Your character moves by pressing the C-buttons. It takes a whole lot of getting used to, but I wouldn’t say the controls are bad. They’re actually surprisingly complex and intuitive. The story is tough to follow, but that doesn’t matter when you’re blasting incoming foes and causing screen wide explosions. Sin and Punishment is a masterpiece.
