Seeing that everyone is fighting to get a pre-order of a SNES Classic, I decided to look into next year and the possible release of an N64 Classic. It makes sense for Nintendo to make a Nintendo 64 Classic seeing as that was a very popular console back in the day. We all know that Super Mario 64, both Legend of Zelda titles‘, Mario Party, and Paper Mario will be on the system, so I’m not adding them; I’m adding the weirder or harder to find titles that should be on the system. Of course, we also have to consider that Nintendo could face a few problems getting some of the best Rare games on this console, as Microsoft owns Rare and a majority of their IPs (poor Banjo and Conker games). Hopefully Microsoft will allow Nintendo to have these amazing titles on the N64 Classic, but for the purposes of this list, I will be leaving the Rare games off.
5) DaiKatana
At first we all thought that John Romero could do no wrong, but then he got a bit ambitious and we ended up with DaiKatana. The game tried to be ahead of its time, but, with an antiquated A.I. system, the main selling point of the game was faulty. As you played through the 18 levels on the N64, you were accompanied by Mikiko Ebihara and Superfly Johnson who were to help you with puzzles throughout the level; however, if they died, you lost the level. This criticism helped tank the game along with the constant delays. Romero began development of the game with Ion Storm in 1997; he estimated he could finish the game in 6 months to make the holiday release date window, he was wrong. The game did not release until 2000 and unfortunately was panned by critics and did not sell well. The time traveling title was the brainchild of John Romero, and seeing as he is a very important figure in the history of gaming, everyone should be given the chance to play his opus. It’s hard to find on the N64, and I want to see what the brainchild of Doom and Quake had in store for us.
4) Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness
Castlevania has had a hard time in the 3D era, nothing has successfully captured the perfection that was Symphony of the Night. The n64 Castlevania games didn’t even come close to touching the PlayStation gem, but Legacy of Darkness tried to fix what was wrong with the first release. Not only was the game a prequel, it contained an updated version of the original title. Once you beat the prequel portion of the game, the updated original would be unlocked so that you’d be subjected to more difficult platforming and one-hit kill missions. The game has been taken out of the official Castlevania timeline–that makes me want to play it, that much more. I was never really good with the 2D games in the series, maybe my luck will fair better playing the first 3D incarnations of the series. Or maybe I’ll play it for a little bit and then get frustrated like many of the people who purchased it when it first came out.
3) Harvest Moon 64
Natsume’s Harvest Moon is one of the best simulators ever created and one of the better ones released on the Nintendo 64. This is the third entry in the series and has the same premise as its predecessors: you must care for your grandfather’s abandoned farm. You are given a set of tools and begin your journey to be the best farmer there ever was. However, there are many side-quests for you in case you grow weary of farming; you can sell corn, train and race horses, get married, and so on. Basically, you can live a life outside of your life that most likely will be better than your current life, go figure. Unlike its predecessor, this game features a limited time in the day to do things and a limited amount of stamina with which you can do things. You are no longer a Super Farmer with unlimited time, you are a lowly normal farmer who has to get this stuff done, and done fast. I’ve pumped days into Animal Crossing;, I would love to pump days into this soon.
2) WWF: No Mercy
Hailed by many as the best wrestling game that ever was, I see no reason why this game should not be added to the Classic. Everyone that I talk to has fond memories of the Attitude Era, and while this kid-friendly era is fun, it doesn’t hold a candle to the greatness of the late ’90s-early 2000s. If they do the mini console right and have 4 ports for controllers, it would be so amazing to relive my college days with some buddies of mine, or perhaps my father. Many gamers and WWE fans have never experienced the near-perfection that was No Mercy. Yes, the graphics hold up pretty poorly when compared to today’s standards, but man, this game has the best lineup of wrestlers and an unmatched nostalgia factor that would give even WWE fans a reason to pick it up. I would love to see this game get a new lease on life.
1) Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
This game is a quirky action platformer released by Konami in 1998, one that was met with critical and financial success. What is weird is that we didn’t see any additional games in the series in the States, for some reason, but it’s Konami, so they’re probably just making Pachinko games with the license. You play as a hot-headed ninja who gets his life changed quite a bit while out shopping with his friends. This game is out there, you fight kabuki robots, have blue hair, and must stop the villains from turning Japan into a huge stage only for their talents. Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon spawned a sequel that was also released on the N64, and, personally, I would like to see both released on the Classic; go big or go home, Nintendo.
What do you think? Did I miss any hidden gem games for our inevitable N64 Classic? If so, please let me know in the comments.
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