I commonly hear that the N64 only has 5-10 good games. I couldn’t disagree more. Of course the first party titles and the Rare classics are the really heavy hitters, but there are so many hidden gems on this system.
In this article, I’ll be talking about 5 of my favorite under-the-radar games on the N64. This is just a wish list and I will be ignoring any potential copyrite issues that would prevent Nintendo from adding these games.
5. Gauntlet Legends
Gauntlet Legends is an arcade game by Midway and Atari that launched in 1998. It was ported to the N64 in 1999 and later to the Sony Playstation and Sega Dreamcast in 2000. One of the things that made the N64 great in the eyes of fans was the possibility of 4-player local multiplayer. And this game makes the most of this feature! Couch co-op is always fun, but 4-player co-op makes it even better!
Getting to choose between 4 classes, players get to be a Warrior, Archer, Wizard, or Valkyrie to recover 4 runes to banish the demon Skorne back to Hades. The gameplay is really simple, but cutting your way through enemies with 3 friends is an absolute blast. This would be a great addition to the Switch Online Service and would be perfect to play with friends online.
4. Glover
This is definitely a bit of an oddball on this list, but I remember renting this game from Hollywood Video as a kid and it has always stuck out to me. In this game you play as a personified glove named “Glover”. Through many worlds of platforming levels, you are meant to retrieve crystals and help to restore the crystal kingdom is under threat.
This is a fun game with really interesting and unique level design. The environments are all really vibrant and there is plenty to explore. The glove gimmick lends itself to really interesting gameplay. As a big fan of platformers, this is a fun and unique game. I would love to see Nintendo add this to the Switch Online service.
3. Body Harvest
This is really where things get good. Body Harvest was developed by DMA Design which is now Rockstar North (a studio of Rockstar Games). In this game you can see plenty of ideas that would find their way into the Grand Theft Auto series. You play as futuristic super solider named Adam Drake. You are tasked with defending earth from invading aliens that are here to harvest the human population.
There is much more than just an action-adventure game. There are elements of mystery and puzzle solving. One of the things I really love about Body Harvest is the atmosphere. There is a cold and lonely ambience that emanates from this game and it really adds to the experience. This game would be perfect for the Switch Online service. I would love to revisit it.
2. Rogue Squadron
Of all the games on this list, Rogue Squadron is probably the most well known. You could argue that it doesn’t even belong on an “Underrated Games List”, but I rarely see people hold this game up with the best of the system so I am including it here.
Rogue Squadron is an arcade-style flight game. It takes place in the star wars universe and follows the the story from the Star Wars X-wing: Rogue Squadron comic series. The gameplay is presented in a third person view as you pilot different crafts from Star Wars. You collect powerups and complete different objectives in each stage.
The flying in this game still feels really good and the dogfighting is super satisfying. Of all of the Star Wars games on the N64, this is my favorite. This game spawned a trilogy of games that are all really good. I wouldn’t be surprised if this game ended up on Switch in a similar manner as Star Wars Episode I: Racer, but I wouldn’t bet on in being added to the Switch Online Expansion. Lets hope I’m wrong!
1. Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue
This game first launched on N64 and Playstation in 1999 and later appeared on a number of other platforms. It follows the familiar plot of the movie with some added content (and new henchman to beat up).
There was a time when movie licensed video games weren’t consistently terrible and this game proves it. This game is such a fun mix of familiar characters, platforming, collecting, and fighting bad guys.
Similar to the ‘Army Men’ games, the level designs are fun to explore because you get to play around familiar spaces through the eyes of a toy. Boring locations like a child’s bedroom or a construction yard become massive environments to explore.
I know that we aren’t likely to see this game on the Switch Online service because of the licensing that would be required, but I can dream right?
What games would you like to see added to Nintendo Switch Online?
The Video Game Report 