Iconic N64 Titles That Changed Video Games Forever

The Nintendo 64 was the console of my childhood, pretty much the one responsible for making me fall in love with video games, and it also happens to be at the center of one of the gaming industry’s most curious stories.

That’s because it arrived during a delicate period, where a new console generation meant one of the biggest technological leaps we have ever seen: the transition from 2D to 3D, which practically marked a reset button for what we knew as the gaming world at the time.

Since its announcement in 1993, the Nintendo 64 was seen as one of the most promising consoles of its time. However, when it finally launched three years later, it faced much stiffer competition from the PlayStation 1 than anyone expected.

By being perhaps a bit too conservative with its methods, Nintendo refused to give up on cartridges, which resulted in a drift away from third-party partners and a significant increase in manufacturing costs. But that didn’t stop it from managing to be quite powerful and build a very respectable library – and one of the most passionate ever, I must add.

It was on the Nintendo 64 that we had titles that became timeless classics, even defining how we play games today. And, since we are in the year of its 30th anniversary, we have decided to lean into that nostalgia and pay a little tribute! So let’s look back at 10 N64 games that shaped modern gaming more than you might realize.

10 Wave Race 64

Too Much Water (In a Good Way)

I know that Wave Race 64 isn’t exactly the first title that pops up when we talk about the most influential Nintendo 64 titles, but it really should be!

While it might not have seemed groundbreaking at first glance upon its release, its technical achievements have been recognized over time in many games that followed, especially regarding its impressive water simulation.

It was one of the first titles to build a full 3D water simulation using GPU hardware acceleration, resulting in an ocean that “moves” in an incredibly realistic way. In fact, it still holds up today, as water is still one of the hardest things to reproduce in gaming. So, if Grand Theft Auto 6 is on its way to having the most realistic water physics ever seen, it’s because Wave Race 64 took those first steps back in the '90s.

9 Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

The Most Literal First! of the List

Dinosaur Hunter wasn't just the first game in the Turok franchise, one of the first-person shooters with the most unique atmospheres out there, but it was also the first major title of the genre on the Nintendo 64.

This means that yes, it practically pioneered the 3D FPS genre on the console before hits like GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark even arrived – so it was no easy task. But it delivered a truly remarkable experience in the end, being responsible for proving that complex, high-fidelity 3D shooters could succeed on consoles, not just PC, which was quite the heated debate at the time.

And sure, it might not be as frequently remembered as Turok 2: Seeds of Evil or other genre landmarks, but it is indisputable that its release early in the N64's lifespan established a first benchmark for graphics and gameplay mechanics that pushed the system to its limits.

8 Perfect Dark

An Ultimate Refinement

Often described by gamers as the "unofficial sequel to GoldenEye 007," Perfect Dark remains the highest-rated console FPS of all time! And it totally deserves it, since it was groundbreaking enough to influence nearly every shooter that followed it.

It basically pushed the Nintendo 64 to its absolute technical breaking point with impressive AI and realistic enemy reactions, alongside a high level of polish that included unique texture sounds depending on where you are, and a deep lore that added to the scenario as you progress. Everything just felt really, really alive and cohesive.

Not only that, but its mechanics, such as objectives that increased with difficulty, tons of unlockables, actions that affected later missions, and an unforgettable multiplayer experience, also helped it redefine and perfect the genre. No wonder most of its design philosophies are present in the “invisible rulebook” for modern first-person shooters.

7 Star Fox 64

When a Game Has the Sauce

As soon as Star Fox 64 was first launched in 1997, it became an instant smash hit for the Nintendo 64, since it improved on the original title in every way, showing off the console’s graphical fidelity with stunning 3D visuals for the time.

However, its most significant contribution was being the launch title for the Rumble Pak, the innovative feature that allowed the controller to vibrate at specific moments.

Today, haptic feedback is actually something considered mundane and expected in almost every game, but back then, it was a revolution for player immersion! So, when Star Fox 64’s memorable characters and dynamic level design were combined with the Rumble Pak’s integrated gameplay, it provided immersive kinetic feedback that reacted to everything happening to your starship, making every player obsessed with it.

6 Mario Party

Where It All Began for Parties

I always find it funny how many people constantly forget that the Mario Party franchise actually started on the Nintendo 64 in 1998, since it basically pioneered the four-player digital board game genre and kicked off one of the most beloved multiplayer franchises in history!

It won over so many players so easily by blending the charm of Nintendo characters with the structure of board games, adding high doses of competitiveness and chaotic minigames. I mean, who doesn’t love a pizza night with friends and all these elements?

Oh, and we can’t forget how it perfectly mixed skill and luck-based mechanics (which triggered the endless debate about whether it is a game of luck or skill), creating a party atmosphere that became a staple of local multiplayer gaming and breathed new life into the social gaming experience.

5 Pokémon Stadium 2

Gotta Catch ‘Em All in 3D Too

The second generation of Pokémon – Gold & Silver – was crucial in introducing the changes and innovations that established the franchise as one of the most popular in the world, and this impact was perfectly reflected in Pokémon Stadium 2.

Tasked with the complicated feat of combining two entire generations of Pokémon (resulting in 251 in total), this game was responsible for bringing the Pocket Monsters to life with 3D models and high-quality animations, which was a huge step forward for the franchise at the time.

Thankfully, it did so masterfully! The game improved virtually everything from its predecessor and expanded the universe with features like Earl’s Pokémon Academy and various minigames. Most importantly, it also served as a vital bridge between handheld and console gaming through the Transfer Pak, which allowed players to use their own teams from the Game Boy games to battle on the big screen in full 3D.

4 Banjo-Kazooie

The King of the Collectathon

Whenever I remember playing Banjo-Kazooie for the first time, I recall how amazed I felt having so much to do – and, especially, so much to find and collect in literally every corner of every map.

But it was only when I grew up that I understood the game was an absolute master of the Collectathon, being one of the purest references to this genre, which is usually 3D platformers focused on exploration and open-ended level design with the goal of earning multiple types of items.

Banjo-Kazooie managed to be a master of this by taking the foundation laid by earlier 3D titles and polishing it so hard it had a mirror shine, with interconnected worlds, vibrant visuals, and extremely fluid gameplay mechanics that made every secret worth finding. It basically introduced a pioneering, less-daunting progression system that encouraged exploration without making it feel like a chore, balancing challenge with a sense of wonder.

3 GoldenEye 007

Changing the FPS Forever

Before 1997, there was a widespread belief that first-person shooters simply couldn't work on consoles. They were seen as a PC-only genre that required a mouse and keyboard to be enjoyable, but the debate surrounding it started to gain new layers when Turok: Dinosaur Hunter arrived (as we previously mentioned in this article).

However, it was only with GoldenEye 007 that this notion was completely shattered! By proving that a high-fidelity FPS could feel natural on a controller, it opened the floodgates for the massive console shooter market we see today.

The game was revolutionary for shifting the genre away from simplistic corridor shooters like Doom and toward tactical, mission-based gameplay. It introduced realistic AI, recognizable locations from the film, and objectives that changed based on your difficulty level. So, you weren't just running to an exit; you were literally a secret agent completing complex tasks in a non-linear fashion, which was an enormous leap forward for immersive storytelling.

And of course, we can't mention GoldenEye without its legendary four-player split-screen multiplayer that popularized the idea of gathering friends on a couch for hours of competitive fun, creating a social gaming culture that defined a generation.

2 Super Mario 64

A New Dimension of Play

Playing Super Mario 64 for the first time was an experience that felt like seeing the future in real-time, especially if that happened in your childhood, like me.

That’s because we went from the flat, 2D side-scrolling of the NES and SNES to a world where you could run in any direction, and it completely changed the definition of what a video game could be! So, seeing Mario move in a fully 3D space was mind-blowing, serving as a total reinvention of play.

Super Mario 64 managed to do that by establishing the industry standard for 3D movement and camera control. Most 3D titles back then used tank controls (where you had to rotate your character before moving forward) largely because they were designed for digital D-pads. But Mario 64 used the N64’s analog stick to provide fluid and varied movement, so it was one of the first times a character felt truly weighty and responsive.

1 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The Blueprint for Adventure

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time isn't just a game, but a milestone that shaped gaming as a whole! Released in 1998, it pretty much settled the standards for 3D action-adventure titles by introducing foundational mechanics that we now take for granted.

One of the most remarkable ones is Z-targeting, the lock-on combat system that solved the problem of fighting in 3D spaces. It was so perfect that nearly every third-person action game since has used some version of it.

The game also redefined exploration by presenting a massive world that felt truly epic in scale, alongside the introduction of context-sensitive buttons (where a single button could perform different actions based on your surroundings) and deep storytelling, proving that games could deliver emotional and complex stories on par with movies.

To this day, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remains the most critically lauded game of all time, and for good reason. The title gave us the most iconic versions of Link, Princess Zelda, and Ganon, cementing their roles in pop culture history, it perfectly transitioned the series to 3D, and it delivered a masterclass in game design.