The N64 was an interesting machine in an interesting time. Through it and the Playstation, we began to see the world of gaming change from 2D to 3D. Games were made to test these new limits. Some were colossal failures while others became much loved classics. The N64’s library of titles holds some of gaming's benchmarks, like Mario 64 and Legends of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Still, with so many well known titles, there are a few that haven’t been so well known. These titles faded away from the public eye. For me, I think it’s time to bring some of them back.
10 Superman 64
Now hear me out. Superman 64 is legendarily awful. On top worst games list this one always makes an appearance. So why does it deserve a reboot? Because we can do it better now. Much like Superman, Batman never had a really solid game until Rocksteady got their hands on it and we were given Arkham Asylum. It’s time to take that same kind of mentality and apply it to the Man of Steel. Imagine an open world where you can fly as high and as far as you want, with appearances by some of Superman’s greatest allies and battles with his most harrowing villains. Who doesn’t want to play the life threatening clash with Doomsday or make their stand against Darkseid and his armies? Superman is known for being incredibly powerful, and getting a chance to play those powers for ourselves would be amazing.
9 Hey You Pikachu
Much like Superman 64, Hey You Pikachu was pretty bad. The voice commands were wonky at best and the game had little in ways of actual gameplay. But the concept was excellent. Who doesn’t want their own pokemon to pal around with, take on adventures, and talk to. Now is the time to return to that dream. With the 3DS, Nintendo is in a perfect spot to bring back a Hey You Pikachu type of game. If it let us import pokemon from our previous games like X and Y or Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, than we could have a portable way to interact with our favorite pokemon whenever we want. The 3DS already has a built in microphone. Pair that with the touch screen and we’re ready for full on pokemon friendship immersion. Add in some more actually involved minigames, and we’re set for a fun pokemon life sim.
8 Blast Corps.
There’s always something cathartic about using big tools to build and destroy. Blast Corps grabbed on to this catharsis and while it met limited success in it’s day, it has become a kind of cult classic. It might seem like a one off kind of game, but there’s a lot of potential still in the series. Blast Corps is basically a fast paced puzzle game built around clearing routes for the transportation truck. It offers different ways to play with the different vehicles as well as bonus challenges and unlocks. By expanding the concept, the developers could find a lot of new and unique ways to use destruction in their puzzle solving. Add in a level editor and user created content, and a game like that could have a very long life. It would work well as a mobile or downloadable title. Most of the missions in the N64 game can be finished quickly, a great model for gaming on the go.
7 Buck Bumble
Here’s on a lot of people might not know about. Buck Bumble was a third person shooter about a bee defending London’s gardens. It played like both a dogfighting game, with most of the enemies and Buck himself, flying through the level shooting and dodging. A combination of Star Fox and Unreal Tournament, this game’s open arena levels would make for unique gameplay opportunities and exciting combat. While the controls could be a bit dodgy at time, with a modern twist, Buck Bumble would be an excellent new experience. Pair it with a multiplayer mode, split-screen and online, and a rebooted Buzz Bumble has all the pieces to be a charming and exciting shooter for a younger audience.
6 Star Wars Episode 1: Racer
All right, I think we all know that Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace was a bit...disappointing. That said, that movie opened the door for one of the coolest Star Wars experiences, pod racing. Screaming through high cliffs and desert wastes while dodging gunfire, slamming into other racers, and scraping along hairpin turns, pod racing was awesome. Despite its tie-in to the movie and painful voice-overs, the sense of speed and danger you got from racing was infectious. With Star Wars again in the limelight, it would be great to see some of the other aspects of the Star Wars universe highlighted. With a new game engine and some of Star Wars’ excellent art design, a new pod racing game would be amazing.
5 Chameleon Twist
When we think of N64 platformers, we think of Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, and Conker’s Bad Fur Day. These are the famous ones, but some excellent platformers were came out that had less acclaim. Chameleon Twist is one of those. As a chameleon, the platforming made excellent use of the long tongue. It worked as a grappling hook, a pole vault, a pendulum, and more. It gave unique challenges that embrace the nature of the main character. Despite the short length, the levels were tightly designed. Chameleon Twist had a great art style and character that would look great with modern HD design. It would be a platformer offering something new from what we’ve come to expect out of a Mario game or indie title.
4 Vigilante 8
Car combat games are basically a dead genre at this point. There was a new Twisted Metal a few years back, but beyond that, nothing. That’s why I want to see Vigilante 8 make a return. Vigilante 8 was a lot more light-hearted than others at the time. The story involved wacky time travel, aliens, and cyborgs. Levels took you all over the United States and famous landmarks. With the crazy cast like the robot cowboy, disco cop, and space monkey, Vigilante 8 had a tongue in cheek humor that is still entertaining. Combined with the excellent driving and level design, and a return of the series could breath some life into the genre. With updated cars, shiny worlds, and a similarly awesome sounds, a return to Vigilante 8 would be a lot of fun.
3 Pokemon Snap
I don’t know how they managed to do it, but when the first game about taking pictures of pokemon while riding on rails came out, Nintendo made something awesome. It was our first chance to interact with pokemon in what seemed like such a realistic way. As a kid, I always wanted to be in the pokemon world, and this was a small chance for me. Now, with pokemon as the mega franchise that it is, a new generation, as well as the old, is looking to connect with pokemon again. Nintendo is in the perfect position for this one. The 3DS has a built in camera that could allow players to take pictures of pokemon anywhere in the world. And the Wii U’s gamepad allows much the same freedom at home, backed by the HD power in the system. Even if you kept the on-rails system, it is a game beggin for motion control. All this, and the fact that pokemon has well over 700 pokemon now means the game would have hours of content and near endless replay value. To be able to investigate the pokemon world on your own terms, that is the dream.
2 Mischief Makers
In its time, it was easy to overlook Mischief Makers. The N64 was new and powerful, and the fans wanted three dimensions now, not two. So Mischief Makers was lost during the change, never really getting its share of the spotlight. But those who did find it, found a gem. It was a quirky, off-the-wall game about a robot girl trying to save a professor, and her main ability was shaking things to change them into other things. Flowers, weapons, people, she shook them all. The game offered numerous challenges from platforming to racing to puzzle solving boss battles. Mischief Makers was incredibly interesting and still one of the more unique games I’ve played. It crammed personality into levels and characters. Two dimensional side scrollers are still popular and the odd charm of the game would make it a success today.
1 Snowboard Kids
During a time when wacky kart racers were common and Mario Kart and Diddy Kong Racing were vying for dominance, one game slipped in under the radar as one of the most unique racers on the N64. Snowboard Kids was a racing game set on mountain slopes. You controlled one of a number of kids with different styles and boards to change how you race. One of the most interesting additions was the ski lift. To get to the next lap you nad to slide into the little entrance of the lift and ride it back to the top. The small entrance to the lift and the timing of the gate created tense moments at the end of each lap that shaped how the next would start. Fun characters and levels, with amazing music made Snowboard Kids was one of the best racing games on the N64. Now with whimsical racers a rare breed, with Mario Kart still the only leader in the genre, bringing Snowboard Kids back would be great. The unique levels and gameplay, crazy items and characters, and infectious music combined with modern graphics would let this game shred into many gamers favorites list.
