For Nintendo, the N64 was not their best project. Games for the system became more expensive as a result of the choice to continue with cartridges, and several companies were compelled to bring their titles to PlayStation despite knowing that the CD format was less expensive to utilize and provided more capacity. Of course, Final Fantasy VII was one of the most well-known titles to leave Nintendo because of the hardware restrictions of cartridges. The seventh entry in the JRPG series went on to become a huge hit and was largely in charge of getting Japanese players to buy the first PlayStation. As they say, the rest is history.
However, the N64 is known for more than just questionable hardware choices and an absurd controller. The console is also renowned for several fantastic games. One of the first console FPS games to be wholly adopted by the general public was GoldenEye, which was extremely significant for consoles. When discussing the greatest video games of all time, Ocarina of Time is frequently included with Final Fantasy VII because it brilliantly translated the well-known Zelda concept into three dimensions. And of course there was Mario 64, which successfully demonstrated to the world the quality of 3D platform games.
They can’t all be zingers, as any comic will point out, though. Not every game gets the attention it deserves for a variety of reasons. Some people are doomed to underappreciation. a few cult favorites. Others may be nothing more than a name that you have trouble pronouncing when you’re speaking to your buddies.
Here are the top 5 N64 games that were forgotten in light of that.
WinBack
People who played games on the first PlayStation will probably gush over a small title called Metal Gear Solid. It was among the first console stealth-action games to have a significant impression on the general public, and with the success of the first game in the Solid series, the PlayStation system’s flagship franchise. Few players are aware, though, that the N64 has its own stealth-action game called WinBack. WinBack was a fantastic game that was regrettably released at the wrong time. It had cover-based shooting that was ahead of its time and some stealth aspects that weren’t quite MGS. WinBack ranked fifth on our list of forgotten N64 games while Metal Gear Solid went on to become one of the most popular gaming series.
Tetrisphere
The game Tetris is really significant. The extremely well-liked puzzle game so effectively transcended the gaming medium that it is up there with Pac-Man and Pong in the list of games that even your Grandpa has heard of. It was one of the best-selling games of all time and a huge moneymaker for Nintendo on Game Boy. Tetrisphere is one item Gramps most likely won’t be familiar with. Tetrisphere was essentially Tetris played on a sphere, as you would have guessed from the name. Tetrisphere was one of the rare games that was able to reinvent an old classic without making everyone involved look foolish, rejecting the premise that “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”
Blast Corps
The game Blast Corps lacked any flair. There isn’t a complex plot to follow. Characters are not emotionally compelling. There are no inflated expectations. In this game, you drive trucks through towns and suburbs and seriously wreck them. That’s pretty much it. There was something tremendously satisfying about bringing a city to ruins with just one small truck, even though the vehicles never handled well and the forced repetition of levels may get tiresome.
Beetle Adventure Racing
On the surface, Beetle Adventure Racing could appear to be little more than a cash-in or an advertising masquerading as a game, but everyone who played it discovered that it was a unique delight. The player was tasked with unlocking some of the game’s features through exploration and traditional racing throughout the course of a really engaging single-player adventure. Although it wasn’t quite an open world racer like those we see now due to the emphasis on exploration as well as more conventional racing, it was unquestionably innovative for its day. What about local multiplayer? The most enjoyable game you could play on the system, right after GoldenEye, was this one.
Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber
Let’s get this over with now. Person of Lordly Caliber is a really ludicrous character in Ogre Battle 64. And it may have led to the cartridge not appearing on many Christmas lists back then, giving Ogre Battle the unfortunate distinction of being the first N64 game we forgot about. The role-playing game was underappreciated but had a massive branching plot, some decision-making, and a surprising amount of replay value because the environment would alter depending on your choices. Ogre Battle was an excellent RPG, and any self-respecting fan of vintage gaming should try it out. However, you’ll probably just receive blank stares if you attempt discussing the game with many players nowadays.
