N64 game recomndations ?

[Roxie / Eight !]

Hi! I've had my N64 for nearly 2 years now, but I only have 2 games for it (kirby and the crystal shards and mario tennis) and would like to know if anyone here has recommendations! I did make a list a long while ago, but I forgot to save it and want to know what you all have to say :D
I know most of the library really well, but again I just want to know what you all suggest.

I have an NTSC console and can only stick to NTSC games, but I do plan to mod it someday to play all games so I'll take any game anywhere in the world (as long as it's english or easily understandable without knowing the language it's in)

Thank you and have a great day/night!

[Horsey Chobunso]

I haven't played any of these in a while but there are a few that have stuck in my head over the years, whether that's just from childhood memories or adult replays. I was young enough when we got the N64 that I don't remember, it was just always in my house. We mostly played sports games.

Donkey Kong 64 - 3D Platformer
1080 - Snowboard Racing
Coolboarders - Snowboard Racing
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 - Skateboarding
NHL 99 - Hockey, this one has just enough of the Genesis NHL game DNA for me

[xolta]

Okay sit back and let a old man give you some hidden gems for the old n64. Going to be leaving out the obvious picks.

___Platformers____
Chameleon twist
Bomberman Hero
Goemon's Great Adventure
Mischief Makers


__RPGs________
Tatics Orge
Hybrid Heaven
Paper Mario

____Racing____
Extreme-G
San Francisco Rush 2049
Star Wars Episode I: Racer
Wave Race 64
___Rts____
Star craft 64


_Fighting____
Killer Instinct Gold
Mace The Dark ages

_Action adventure___
Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon

_Other___

Buck Bumble

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

Single:
Zelda Majoras Mask
Banjo Kazooie
Zelda OOT
Lylat Wars
SM64
Tetris Sphere
Conkers Bad Fur Day
Donkey Kong 64

Multiplayer:
Smash Brothers
Golden Eye
Mario Kart 64
Cruising USA
Mario Party

Sorted after how much I like them. Nothing exotic, but these are the ones I enjoyed most. I have also warm feelings for "Mission Impossible", but thats pure nostalgia.

@Horsey Chobunso I have fond memories about 1080 Snowboarding. Wonder how good it really was - afaik it is one of the few games that still can't be emulated.

[TheFrugalGamer]

Two of my favorites are Pilot Wings 64, which has fun challenges in different flying machines (and great music), and Super Mario 64, which is probably one of the greatest games of all time. SM64 can get pricey because it's held up so well, so when I went to re-buy it, I got the Japanese version a lot cheaper. You can remove the back of the cartridges to make them fit, since there's no software lock on other region games. There's not much text in the game, and you can probably look up what you need in order to get through it. If you have a flash cart, I recommend the Super Mario 64 Randomizer, which lets you create randomized versions of the game on the fly, with lost of customization options. It's awesome.

In terms of racers, the N64 had probably the largest selection of them that I know of, and they are so many that are good. Mario Kart 64 is the GOAT, and never gets old. Diddy Kong Racing is also great, and was unique for having a story-driven open-world mode, which could be beaten collaboratively, if I remember correctly.

Everyone talks about Goldeneye64, which was great, but its spiritual successor (made because Rare lost the 007 license and couldn't make a sequel), Perfect Dark 64, was even better. The story is over the top and fun, and there are tons of Easter eggs and extra modes to play with. The multiplayer was one of the first games I played that featured bots, with different play styles, and it blew my mind at the time.

If you're looking for reviews of even more, there's a channel on Youtube that has covered just about ever game for the system, and more. It's under the name N64 Glenn Plant

Sorry for the wall of text, lol. I could talk for a long, long time about the N64. It's my favorite console!

[Warthog]

Most of the things I'd suggest have already been covered and are a bit obvious. Since you're open to playing import games, Sin and Punishment is a great rail shooter. Was only released in Japan but has English voice acting, once you get past the menus and into the action you'll be all set.

I've only played a bit of it but Pokémon Puzzle League is fun, has a good foundation gameplay wise with Panel de Pon/Tetris Attack.

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

Diddy Kong Racing is also great

I knew I had forgotten something. Diddy Kong Racing was indeed great in its own way - not as refined as SMK64, but with many unique touches and ideas. The option to race with vastly different vehicles was damn cool.

[snufkin]

Nothing to contribute that's already been said (actually looking for recs here thank you everyone for these!!!) but I had to second

__RPGs________
Tatics Orge

THE GOAT I started playing this recently and it's been scratching a tactics itch I've had since finishing Final Fantasy Advanced Tactics[/color][/font]

[Watanabe_1994]

I personally enjoyed Doom64 (Its 40-70 USD from what I have last checked) and the last time I had it on my Wiis N64 emulator, Super mario 64 is great for the average person. Got a bit boring for me to play (I used to play that wayy wayy to much as a kid on Project64) so I end up playing rom hacks like B3313 (Its a little overrated, but pretty solid. most of the people who know about it haven't even played it, im talking to you vinesauce viewers lol)  or SM64 Ocarina of Time (Another good one).

Most Super Mario 64 romhacks can be found here, also having a filter for realhardware if you end up getting the equipment to flash a cart:

https://www.romhacking.net/games/847/
https://romhacking.com/hacks?searchAuthors=false&searchTags=false&mature=no
https://summercart64.dev/

(If you end up actually going with doing realhardware for romhacking post some screenshots of it working, I would love to see!)

[skye]

I played the N64 so much as a kid!!! Have so many good memories of it. We had a lot of weird games picked based off the box art. I personally liked Kirby 64, F-Zero X, Diddy Kong Racing and Star Fox 64 the most. I remember playing this weird game with those green army soldier toy men, too. Pokemon Stadium 1/2 was such a fun game to play with the mini-games. Such a fun console and an interesting controller design.

I'd say Pokemon Stadium 2 is my recommendation if you can get 3 other people together. We still have our N64 (the console and cartridges themselves are close to 30 years old and still work ) and pull it out during the holidays and the mini-games are still fun.

[Roxie / Eight !]

Okay sit back and let a old man give you some hidden gems for the old n64. Going to be leaving out the obvious picks.

This is an amazing list thank you so so much!!! and thank you for mentioning Buck Bumble, had a slight obsession with the game a while ago but I eventually forgot about it, defiantly picking it up when I have the chance!
Also along with Paper Mario, the Wii release in the series is one my favourite things of all time, so I'll be giving it a shot!

[demiurgeQuantified]

PLEASEEEEEE PLAY F ZERO X. in my opinion it is one of the best racing experiences on the n64! and it's by far my favorite game of the n64 library!! there's a metric ton of characters and soo many cool tracks... it's hard to master but i think that's what makes it extra good.

vouching for paper mario also, that game is great.

[TheFrugalGamer]

PLEASEEEEEE PLAY F ZERO X. in my opinion it is one of the best racing experiences on the n64! and it's by far my favorite game of the n64 library!! there's a metric ton of characters and soo many cool tracks... it's hard to master but i think that's what makes it extra good.

vouching for paper mario also, that game is great.

F Zero Z gets my respect for having a LEVEL CREATOR on a CARTRIDGE game! The amount of coding genius that must have taken is just...it boggles my mind! Also, the soundtrack is pretty good too :)

[xolta]

Nothing to contribute that's already been said (actually looking for recs here thank you everyone for these!!!) but I had to second

THE GOAT I started playing this recently and it's been scratching a tactics itch I've had since finishing Final Fantasy Advanced Tactics

Yeah rented it as a lad and remebered it begin very good. What I find interesting about the n64 is all of its rpgs are werid. Even its more normal rpgs like Quest 64 and Aidyn Chronicles are flawed in interesting ways.

Like the most "normal" rpgs on the system are pokemon stadium games, a ultra man game, super robot wars custom robo, and a Robopon game. Like the ps1 still had it beat in off beat rpgs but that's more of a case of pure volume of games.

[MediocreMetastasis]

but I do plan to mod it someday to play all games so I'll take any game anywhere in the world

Unfortunately you can only play NTSC and Japanese games. You can only switch between PAL and NTSC by physically replacing components but not have both at the same time. The only way to do this is with a N64 Passport (which is similar to a gameshark or action replay).

Anyway, I love the game F-Zero X. It doesn't feel like a N64 game at all since it can handle around 30 vehicles simultaneously racing while having anti-gravity mechanics (note mario kart only had anti-gravity in Mario kart 8 and still only has max 24 racers) all running at a smooth 60fps. You can also attack other racers and retire them out of the grand-prix.

EDIT

F Zero Z gets my respect for having a LEVEL CREATOR on a CARTRIDGE game!

The level editor is only in the Disk Drive addon unfortunetly