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Established 1997
GT 64 is surprisingly good. I mean
really good.
Clayfighter 63 1/3 has a sense
of humour we are unlikely to ever see in
video games again.
Asteroids Hyper 64. It’s
good, but, and as with the Atari 2600
version, wireframe free version of
Asteroids.
F-Zero X. A real favourite among
fans of futuristic racing games and
Nintendo fans but to my WipeOut
jaundiced eyes, feels a bit lack lustre and
spacious.
Autombili Lamborghini.
delivers a decent arcade racing
experience with vibrant visuals and
smooth gameplay, but lacks depth and
variety compared to other titles of its era
Bomberman Arcade
Edition offers classic multiplayer chaos
and addictive gameplay, but its simplistic
design and lack of innovation may
leave fans wanting more
Castlevania 64. Some bright
spark decided that 2D was not good
enough for them…
Command and Conquer
works surprising well using the N64 game
pad.
Crusin’ Exotica. The Crusin’
USA franchise always look appealing to
me, suggesting it was Need for Speed
with superior graphics. It was not Need
for Speed and while very pretty, not my
cup of tea really.
Diddy Kong Racing is
probably a fantastic multiplayer game,
but as a single player game it leaves me a
bit cold. That said, there some nice
effects, like the Dinosaur (seen here)
strolling across the track during game
play.
Excitebike 64 is probably my
favourite game now on the N64, and I’m
not really much of Bike game fan. It’s
really well balanced and looks fantastic.
Destruction Derby 64
There’s something weird about games
ported or rather transplanted from the
PlayStation to the N64. They never feel
quite right. Case in point Destruction
Derby 64 feels like a cross between
Ridge Racer and Destruction Derby and
somewhere along the line, lost the
excitement of both.
F-1 Pole Position 64
attempts to bring Formula 1 racing to the
N64 but is hindered by clunky controls,
subpar graphics, and limited realism,
making it a disappointing entry in the
genre
Hexen is very popular among lovers
of the genre. However, I can get away
from the feeling my character is
scampering around on all-fours,
punching enemies in the nuts.
Resident Evil 2
Given Nintendo’s family friendly
approach and it’s insistence on
cartridges, Resident Evil 2 comes as
something of a surprise. Also, if you have
the RAM Pack, the graphics are very very
good considering the compression that
they must have used to fit this CD game
on.
Namco Museum plays host to
some classics from the back catelogue.
Pac-Man (Shown left), Ms Pac-Man,
Galaga, Galaxian, Pole Position and Dig
Dug.
Mortal Kombat 4
I did play Mortal Kombat quite a bit in the
arcade, usually when the Street Fighter 2
machine was occupied. But this version,
Mortal Kombat 4 on the N64, is actually
pretty good I thought.
Rayman 2: The great escape.
Another game that forced into the third
dimension. I liked the original game on
the Jaguar, the graphics were quite
hypnotising, but here in 3D they’re pretty
‘meh’.
Ridge Racer 64. Another
transplant from the PlayStation. It looks
a bit like Ridge Racer Type 4, but
somewhere, somehow, something was
lost.
Wipeout 64.
Looks like Wipeout, but doesn’t feel
right.
Quake II, the controls take a bit of
getting used too, but this plays and looks
pretty good.
The Nintendo 64, the three-pronged
wonder of the late '90s, promised to
outshine the PlayStation with its bold
leap into 3D gaming and futuristic
cartridges, only to leave players
wondering why their favorite games
were stuck on CDs elsewhere. While
Mario and Zelda redefined gaming, the
N64’s limited library and blurry graphics
meant it often played second fiddle to
Sony's disc-spinning juggernaut. Still, it
ruled living rooms where GoldenEye
duels and Mario Kart mayhem reigned
supreme, even if the PlayStation kids
secretly laughed at its tiny cartridges.
Nintendo 64
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Manufacturer: Nintendo
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Launch Date: 1996
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CPU: 64-bit NEC VR4300
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Original RRP: £250
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Rarity: Medium
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