At this point, it is all but confirmed that Nintendo will be
launching the Nintendo 64 Classic Edition sometime in 2018. Following 2
consecutive years of releasing classic editions of their first two home
consoles, Nintendo seems poised to do it once again. Pair the fact that this
move would be a no brainer with a suspicious and sudden renewal of the patent
on the Nintendo 64 controller, and it seems that fans will be fighting over
another mini console next fall. Due to the facts that the console is not
confirmed and the SNES Classic hasn’t even been released yet, it is far too
early to be discussing the N64 Classic. However, this hasn’t stopped many other
fans from doing so, and it certainly won’t stop me. Let’s jump into a list of
ten must have games on the Nintendo 64 Classic Edition!
·
Golden Eye: 007
o
I acknowledge that this one is going to be
unlikely do to licensing issues that would have to be overcome, on account of
this being a game based on a movie. However, there is no denying that Golden
Eye on the Nintendo 64 revolutionized 4-player multiplayer as well as set the
standard for first-person shooters on consoles. Golden Eye was one of the
greatest multiplayer games on the N64 and would be sorely missed on the
Nintendo 64 Classic.
·
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
o
“The first level from Kirby 64 is still one of
my favorite video game levels till this day.” These are the words of one of my
closest friends when talking about why Kirby 64 is his favorite Kirby game.
While not widely considered among Kirby’s best titles, Kirby 64 still offers
plenty of influence and innovation for the rest of the series. Allowing players
to combine copy abilities was a first for the series and proved to be a fun
hook for the game. This game would likely be one of the weakest on the N64
Mini, but what is a Nintendo console without a Kirby title?
·
Resident Evil 2
o
This is a game that had a difficult journey of making
it onto Nintendo’s 64-bit console. Citing difficulties with cartridges, similar
to Square’s reasoning for choosing the PlayStation as Final Fantasy 7’s home,
Resident Evil 2 almost never made it to the N64. Thankfully, though, it did.
Becoming one of the system’s best third party games, Resident Evil 2 is not
only one of the N64’s best, but is arguably the greatest survival horror game
of all time. The original version of the game has aged pretty terribly, and
there have been much better versions made since, but Capcom’s hit absolutely
deserves a place on this Classic Edition.
·
Donkey Kong 64
o
Who doesn’t love a good collectathon? Hopefully
anyone who tries out Donkey Kong 64 does, because that seems to be the game’s
primary hook and what adds all of its replay value. While Donkey Kong 64 is
certainly not the greatest Donkey Kong game or among Rare’s best work, it is
still a fantastic foray for the beloved ape into 3D-platforming! Though it may
rely too heavily on dozens of collectible bananas to keep players coming back,
Donkey Kong 64 should not be overlooked as a classic Nintendo 64 title.
·
Rayman 2: The Great Escape
o
Many consider the Nintendo 64 to have been the beginning
of Nintendo’s third-party developer problem. Choosing cartridges over discs for
their games meant several difficult hurdles for developers to overcome, such as
limited storage and higher prices. However, Ubisoft chose to stick by Nintendo’s
side and launched Rayman 2 on the Nintendo 64. At the time, Rayman 2 looked
great, played great, and felt perfectly at home alongside other 3D-platforming
juggernauts like Super Mario 64. To this day, Ubisoft is still one of Nintendo’s
biggest supporters, still bringing modern Rayman games to Nintendo consoles.
For this, along with genuinely great gameplay, Rayman 2 absolutely needs a spot
on the Nintendo 64 Mini!
·
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
o
Directly following up one of the greatest video
games of all time is no small feat. It would have been so easy for Majora’s
Mask to fold under the weight of having to act as a sequel to the revolutionary
title that was Ocarina of Time. However, instead of acting as a simple sequel,
Majora’s Mask carved its own path through history giving Nintendo fans the
darkest and most unique Zelda game yet. Critically acclaimed and beloved by
fans, it would be an absolute crime if Link’s adventure through Termina didn’t
make it onto the N64 Classic.
·
Super Smash Bros.
o
Okay, so Super Smash Bros. for the N64 is very
likely the weakest of the now legendary series. However, there would be no
Smash Bros. series if it were not for the success of the Nintendo 64 iteration.
Originally just a generic fighter until it was suggested that the roster should
include Nintendo characters, the original game took fans by storm when it
released. While the games have expanded dramatically and grown since their
first entry, this title still holds its own as a fantastic 4-player local
multiplayer title.
·
Mario Kart 64
o
Super Mario Kart for the SNES was the game that
introduced fans to the basic concept of the now beloved game series. However,
the second entry in the series, Mario Kart 64, is the title that set the
standard for all other Mario Karts and kart racers. Unlike some of the other
games on this list, Mario Kart 64’s gameplay actually still holds up nearly as
well today as it did when it launched. Offering local multiplayer in the form
of races and battles, the second entry in the Mario Kart series is still
beloved by fans and is often a go to at parties and get togethers, making it
the perfect title for the N64 Mini!
·
Super Mario 64
o
If Nintendo knows how to do one thing, it is how
to create a killer launch title for their consoles, specifically with their
Mario games. The NES had Super Mario Bros. The SNES had Super Mario World, and
the Nintendo 64 had Super Mario 64. Serving as the mustachioed plumbers first foray
into 3D, Super Mario 64 revolutionized many gaming concepts, such as: joy-stick
controls, 3D gameplay on consoles, hub-world to level gameplay, and of course,
the Mario series itself. While the graphics have aged poorly and many other
games have improved upon the formula that Mario 64 created, the game is still
just as fun to pick up and play today as it was at launch!
·
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
o
What can be said about this game that hasn’t already
been said a million times before? Ocarina of Time was Link’s first adventure
through a 3D space, but it was also so much more than that. Between the story,
the world and level design, character creation, the soundtrack, 3D gameplay,
pacing, and so much more, this game revolutionized what an adventure game could
be. Still often regarded as the greatest video game of all time, Ocarina of
Time will absolutely have a home on the Nintendo 64 Classic Edition.
There it is. My list of the ten games that should be
considered must haves on the Nintendo 64 Classic Edition. It is likely that the
console will include many more titles than ten, and that is a sigh of relief. Offering
some of the greatest games of all times, including many firsts for the industry,
the N64 had so many games that absolutely deserve a place on the mini iteration
of the classic console. For now, though, these are the ten that I hope will be
found on the Nintendo 64 Mini come 2018. Look forward to more lists, including
even more on the Nintendo 64 Classic, coming soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment