Our Top 23 Nintendo 64 Classic Game Predictions
Written by: Joseph Yaden
With: Jake Beatrice, Richie Holsinger, and Stephen Marro
After the roaring success of the NES Classic and the SNES Classic, it’s safe to assume that Nintendo will continue in chronological order and release the N64 Classic. Unless they venture into handheld territory, Nintendo will no doubt be releasing the N64 Classic this year. While it’s impossible to please everyone, Nintendo could have another hit on their hands if they get the game lineup right. Given the superb list of Nintendo 64 games, that shouldn’t be too difficult, right? We have compiled a list of the top 23 games we think will be included when the inevitable N64 Classic drops this year. Keep in mind this just our take and we are only speculating on what will be included.
23
GoldenEye 007
"The titular four-player shooter has perhaps the slimmest chance for revival of any game on our list, due to licensing issues. However, as the game is extraordinarily popular for competitive couch multiplayer action, the potential negative reaction to its absence can absolutely not be understated. While the MTF crew is largely uninterested in the retro FPS, we would all be very disappointed on behalf of the game’s hardcore fans to be denied slappers only mode in 1080p."
- Jake Beatrice
22
Mario Tennis
"One of Mario’s first sports outings was surprisingly deep for its time. More importantly, it holds up in 2018 as both a somewhat realistic tennis simulator and a wacky four-player party game. But the single most important and notable feature is the first appearance of everyone’s favorite Nintendo anomaly - Waluigi. Check out his walking animation in this one. It’s...unconventional."
- Jake Beatrice
21
Harvest Moon 64
"As popular as farming games are these days, it seems likely that Nintendo will include Harvest Moon 64, especially given the success of Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley. Unlike a lot of games on this list, Harvest Moon is a relaxing game that doesn’t push back much. You can plant crops, take care of animals, and even cook food. This is one of the earlier examples of the genre where many popular titles of today have drawn inspiration from."
- Joseph Yaden
20
Dr. Mario 64
"What’s better than Tetris? What about Mario Tetris? While that’s the gist of Dr. Mario 64, the description doesn’t entirely do it justice. As the name suggests, you play as Mario, but this time he has his PhD (I thought he was a plumber!) and must save patients by matching tiles, or in this case, pills. It’s an accessible puzzle game, and since there aren’t any other games of that genre on this list, we definitely think it will be included."
- Joseph Yaden
19
Cruis'n USA
"The game follows the formula of tracks that were linear but had shortcuts to take, which conveyed a sense of discovery that was exciting and memorable. The graphics were colorful, the music varied, and the gameplay tight and responsive. The game was one of the first to allow the player to change the music that was playing on the fly with a button, and there were plenty of different colors and cars to unlock. The amount of secrets to find, new content to unlock, and difficult tracks to master created an experience that had surprising depth and would go on to create enough demand for console versions of the sequels Cruis'N World and Cruis'N Exotica."
- Richie Holsinger
18
Snowboard Kids
"Snowboard Kids was an imaginative racing game that combined the look and accessibility of Mario Kart with the thrill of snowboarding. Featuring a diverse range of tracks (my favorite of which being a theme park with dinosaurs) and awesome characters, the game is full of charm! Plus, fighting with other snowboarders to be the first to enter the chairlift and slamming face-first into the power-up shops is guaranteed hilarity! A title like this on the N64 classic would certainly help round out the library."
- Stephen Marro
17
Mischief Makers
"Mischief Makers is a ridiculously underrated N64 exclusive that has now become quite the cult classic. This heavily anime-inspired side-scrolling platformer sees players controlling Marina, a robotic maid seeking to save the world from an evil emperor from another planet. The game showcased unique mechanics such as the ability to grab and throw enemies, items, and oneself as the main form of attack as well as the ability to combine items in a pot to craft weapons and tools for your quest. (Marina shakes the pot with a notoriously catchy "Shake, Shake!" sound bite too!) GamesRadar even referred to Mischief Makers as "possibly the most underrated and widely ignored game on the N64". Reissuing this cult classic on the N64 classic could prove to be that "special sauce" surprise that the lineup needs."
- Stephen Marro
16
Donkey Kong 64
"I don’t care what anyone says; This game is incredible. Cheesy opening rap theme? Eeyup. One game split among five characters? Sure. Collectathon? Absolutely, and I love every goddammed second of it. But, I digress. Point is, the game is very likely to make an N64 Classic appearance. We’ve recently had a DK64 re-release on the Wii-U’s virtual console, so we know licensing can’t be much of an issue. On top of that, both of the previous Nintendo Classic consoles included Donkey Kong games, so another inclusion from the franchise would be expected. An HD, lag-free version would be a dream come true! Well, for me, anyway."
- Jake Beatrice
15
Doom 64
"The Doom franchise is now fresh on everyone’s minds thanks to 2016’s bloody masterpiece. Especially if Goldeneye doesn’t make the cut, the N64 Classic is gonna need a healthy serving of quality shooters. Looking for more Doom action, but not willing to play Doom 1 or 2 for the eightieth time? Might I suggest Doom 64 - a complete re-imagining and remodeling of classic Doom from the ground-up. It’ll be a perfect time-killer once you’ve refined your Mario 64 speedrunning abilities."
- Jake Beatrice
14
Paper Mario
"One of the most memorable, alluring, and balanced turn-based RPGs I’ve ever played, Paper Mario is absolutely stunning even on its fourth, fifth, and sixth playthrough. I know because I’m planning on making my seventh on the new N64 Classic. With the newest entries in the franchise failing to recapture the magic of the first two, a revisit to the original would serve as a nice time capsule from better times."
- Jake Beatrice
13
Star Fox 64
"Despite the somewhat recent 3DS remake, a N64 Classic version is very likely. The popular arcade-style score-attack adventure can be dangerously addictive, and is still looked back upon very fondly to this day. After the bad taste left in our mouths from Star Fox 1 and 2 on the SNES classic, a Star Fox 64 breath mint would be lovely."
- Jake Beatrice
12
Mario Golf
"While the subject matter isn’t the most exciting, throw in a little splash of Nintendo and you’ve got yourself a compelling game, even if it is based on golf. There’s something to be said about being able to get excited about an otherwise mundane sports game, and Mario Golf is a clear example of it done right. The various characters, quirky menus, and vibrant color palette make this one of the best pick up and play sports games on the system."
- Joseph Yaden
11
Pokemon Snap
"This is a beloved title that fans have been wanting a sequel to for years. This on-rails shooter (stick with me) focuses on taking pictures of Pokemon around various environments. In typical Pokemon fashion, the idea is to catch or snap pictures of them all. It doesn’t sound like it would be as fun as it is, but looking around trying to get as many pictures of Pokemon as you can is dumb fun that the N64 Classic needs."
- Joseph Yaden
10
Pokemon Stadium 2
"This is a fun little battle game with a unique twist. The idea of transferring Pokemon from the Game Boy games onto the big screen was insane for the time. While the turn-based battling is essentially the same as the Game Boy titles, seeing your very own Pokemon battle it out in 3D is a novel idea. Pokemon Stadium 2 allows for you to play through the Game Boy versions of Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, and Crystal all on the big screen."
- Joseph Yaden
9
Mario Kart 64
"One of the defining features of the N64 is how it popularized local multiplayer. Just as Smash Bros focused on competitive fighting, Mario Kart 64 put up to four players against one another in this arcade kart racer. Aside from the fantastic roster of characters, the stages are some of the most memorable, like the infamous Rainbow Road or Toad’s Turnpike. This game is fantastic because it’s accessible, making it easy for players of all skill levels to enjoy."
- Joseph Yaden
8
Yoshi's Story
"Revisiting this endearing side-scrolling platformer brings one back to the days of babyhood. The plump, colorful character models against bright, saturated, bubbly environments would be a perfect fit for an HD update. It may not be the most challenging or entertaining game of its era, but the radiant charm in this overlooked gem is reason enough for a playthrough in 2018."
- Jake Beatrice
7
F-Zero X
"Ah, perhaps one of Nintendo’s most neglected series; Contrary to Mario Kart, F-Zero allowed players to square off in races against 29 other competitors. That’s right, 30 racers! Along with the fantastic track design and smooth frame rate, F-Zero X has an awesome soundtrack. Hopefully Nintendo will show us they still care about Captain Falcon and throw this on the N64 Classic."
-Joseph Yaden
6
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
"Kirby’s expansive N64 outing is perhaps his best. For the first time, players were able to mesh the seven basic elements with one another, for a total of thirty-five unique abilities. (Our favorite was the refrigerator!) Beyond the addictive gimmick lies a challenging platformer with memorable levels and music. As the only N64 Kirby game, this one is bound to see a re-release on the new box."
- Jake Beatrice
5
Mario Party 3
"It’s hard to choose between the three Mario Party games on N64. The deciding factor? Waluigi of course! This is his debut to the series, and seeing as how Nintendo will probably only include one (who knows), it has to be this one. All joking aside, Mario Party 3 is the most balanced and improved upon the first two iterations. With the inclusion of a story mode and the new duel mode, this one takes the cake. (Also, go Waluigi!)"
- Joseph Yaden
4
Super Smash Bros.
"The iconic crossover fighting game that started it all; This was one of the early examples of a proper mashup, even if it had players beating each other to a pulp. Smash was also famous for bringing local multiplayer to the forefront, creating a competitive scene and a massive community of players. Even in 2018 there are still tournaments for this game which just proves how important this is."
- Joseph Yaden
3
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
"Majora’s Mask is the less-appreciated of the two N64 greats, but the younger twin isn’t without its fans. Both in its tone and wildly inventive gimmick, this entry in the prestigious franchise took bold risks within the established formula; receiving great praise over the years for doing so. With the 3DS remake being a recent affair, we were first inclined to believe Nintendo would avoid a re-release. Upon further discussion, we agreed that any N64 collection would be incomplete without the “dark horse” of the family-friendly game library."
- Jake Beatrice
2
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
"This list is full of revolutionary games. In 1998 we hadn’t seen anything like Ocarina of Time. This is the game that paved the way for open world adventure games and we owe a lot to it. As primitive as this sounds, being able to just ride a horse across Hyrule Field was absolutely groundbreaking for the time. The smart dungeons, the open world, the unique items, and the memorable songs; all of these make up not only a fan favorite Zelda game, but a fan favorite game of all time."
- Joseph Yaden
1
Super Mario 64
"Not the most shocking of inclusions, of course, but the most adored 3D platformer ever made is a no-brainer for the miniature N64. We’ve all played this thing dozens of times, but what’s exciting about another re-release is the potential for, at last, a definitive version of the timeless classic. HD graphics and sound with the pinpoint precision of an improved analog stick could make for the single most compelling reason to own an N64 Classic."
- Jake Beatrice
Many of these titles are obvious, but with the weird licensing issues and the fact that Microsoft owns Rare now, we had to put our heads together to make this a believable list. As much as we’d love to see Perfect Dark and Banjo on here, it doesn’t seem likely. The N64 is one of the most nostalgic and beloved consoles, and we’re crossing our fingers for a new line in the Classic systems.
Which games do you think are most likely to appear on the alleged N64 Classic? Share your top picks in the comments below!
