10. Lylat Wars
Developer/Publisher: Nintendo/Nintendo
PAL Release: 20/10/97
Shhh, we’re not allowed to call it Star Fox in Europe, but no matter what you call it, it’s in the top 10 N64 games of all time for good reason. Arguably more Star Wars than any of the ‘proper’ Star Wars games on the N64, Lylat Wars is simply one of the finest shooters around. With incredibly high production values for its time, the game really helped signal the evolution of Nintendo into the 64-bit era.
Nintendo always show third party developers how to squeeze that little bit extra out of their hardware and Lylat Wars was a prime example of that. The huge amount of voice samples, full motion animation and tons of cinematic sequences on show really proved what a marvelous technical achievement the game was in 1997.
As well as a great technical achievement, Lylat Wars was also tremendously entertaining. Every level is bursting with non-stop action as Fox McCloud barrel rolls his way through asteroid fields and lava planets both in his Arwing ship. The Landmaster tank levels and the free flying dog fight sections were also utterly exhilarating and when you factor in the huge boss fights and branching difficulty routes it’s difficult to think of what more a top quality action game can do.
It’s incredible to think that Nintendo have never improved on this installment of the Star Fox franchise since 1997, but that is once again testament to the difficulty any developer would have in trying to create a more cinematic, action-packed and dazzling game than this. This is one game that easily stands the test of time and remains one of the most playable N64 titles today.
Best moment: The various ends of the game are all spectacular. Whether dodging loads of obstacles whilst chasing a golem boss through a stone temple or fighting the giant brain form of Andross before a very ‘Star Wars’ reunion between Fox and his father, all the scenarios ensure a fitting end to a spectacular game.
Playability today (out of 5): 5
9. International Superstar Soccer 64
Developer/Publisher: Konami/Konami
PAL Release: 1/6/97
There are various older sports games that you can always go back to and play ‘for a laugh’ and never has that been truer than with ISS64. Arcade-natured sports titles, like ISS and Gretzky can remain timeless because they never relied on trying to perfectly simulate their real life counterparts, instead relying on taking the most exciting aspects of the sports and exaggerating them to produce an experience of fun above all else.
ISS64 has all the ingredients to create the perfect arcade football pie. Goal ‘em up gung-ho tactics, dribbling round the entire opposition team with your goalie, hilariously terrible commentary, 40 yard screamers, referees who think free kicks are for sissies and seemingly always enough stoppage time for that last minute equalizer.
We are not forgetting as well that, at the time, ISS64 was far and away the best quality football experience available. It was the best looking, most responsive and easily the most playable football game around with just enough of a tactical aspect that could be utilised to make sure football fans of all types could get something out of the game. And ISS64 is a title that football fans can still get something out of. It might be ridiculous, it might be over the top but it’ll always be great fun, especially in multiplayer – you simply cannot play this game without a smile on your face.
Best moment: The wonderful scenario mode is specifically designed to create unparalleled tension and excitement. It puts you in the middle of a match with not much time running out and tasks you with either holding a lead or coming back from a heavy deficit. It’s always a complete blast and the satisfaction of coming from 4-1 down with 3 minutes to go is utterly awesome. Special mention also to the ridiculously funny box art – “everyone get him, he’s German!”
Playability today (out of 5): 4
8. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Developer/Publisher: Nintendo/Nintendo
PAL Release: 17/11/00
Perhaps another surprise to see this wonderful gem of a game so far down the list (although 8th out of 387 PAL titles is actually pretty good!), Majora’s Mask doesn’t quite break the top 5 simply because it didn’t make the same impact or break as much ground that Ocarina, or indeed some of the games higher in this list, did.
Ocarina took the world by storm, being the breathtaking 3D debut of Link and topping ‘best game ever’ polls ever since. Majora’s Mask could never have lived up to that standard, but it did enough to freshen up the formula and change the tone from Ocarina’s that it will have to settle for simply being one of the greatest ‘sequels’ of all time.
The game itself is typically a masterpiece of design, with the usual whimsical characters, sprawling dungeons, beautiful music, giant boss fights and a huge map with a variety of different locations. Standard high quality Zelda fare, then, but Majora’s Mask added in several unusual elements that make it a different beast to Ocarina and one of the most unique adventure games ever created.
Majora took on a much darker tone than any other game in the Zelda canon and the story has pretty much the most awesome premise of all time - get all your shit sorted in 3 days or the moon will fall on everyone. Link could use his ocarina to adjust time and could also transform into different creatures by donning masks and these new features impressively altered the experience of the game from Ocarina.
Majora’s Mask really is a master class in how to retain everything that worked in an original game and still make a sequel feel like a completely different experience altogether. How many times are current generation sequels criticised for not changing the formula enough? No such problem for Majora’s Mask, which is the perfect alternative, darker companion to Ocarina on the N64. It’s yet another epic and enchanting Zelda classic that fully deserves to be recognised alongside its predecessor as a standard-setter for how all adventure games should be made.
Best moment: The use of the ocarina to slow time and return to the first of the three days was used to create many mind-bending puzzles and side quests and none linger in the memory more than the Kafei and Anju side quest. It’s an epic and romantic tale that makes full use all the time travelling features of the game and proves the supreme ability of Nintendo to create memorable moments that you won’t find anywhere else. And it’s not even part of the main adventure.
Playability today (out of 5): 5
7. Goldeneye 007
Developer/Publisher: Rare/Nintendo
PAL Release: 25/8/97
Goldeneye 007 is, without a doubt, one of the most groundbreaking and significant titles released on the N64. It was very much the game that persuaded many to buy the console in the first place as it showed neutrals that there was FAR more to the N64 than Mario. It has influenced so many shooters since and, at the time, did everything right.
Helped majorly by the N64’s groundbreaking analogue stick, the game had unparalleled levels of control and blended action shooting with super spy objectives to create the ultimate Bond adventure.
Shooters had never been better than Goldeneye – there were tons of weapons that you could steal from fallen enemies, difficulty specific objectives, smart (at the time) enemy AI, perfect controls and that legendary all-conquering multiplayer.
There simply was no other gaming pastime that could usurp 4 friends sitting around an N64 for some Goldeneye multiplayer – it defined some friendships. The maps were all totally awesome, mostly based on the single player, but perfectly fitting the multiplayer mayhem and there were also tons of weapon sets, customisable scenarios and characters to top it all off.
If you went back 10 years, Goldeneye would easily be at the top of a lot of all time charts, but nowadays the game hasn’t held up as well as memory serves, but its status as a classic is undeniable.
But memories of Goldeneye are something that everyone has. Wherever you went and whomever you played it with, it was always different. Everybody had their own playing style, their own favourite maps, weapons, characters and rules (no Oddjobs anyone?). It may not hold up today, but it can still be felt in modern FPS titles – you can play many games today and say, “Goldeneye started that”. In today’s anonymous online world, multiplayer shooters will simply never be the same and that’s not necessarily a good thing.
Best moment: Dropping in on the guy on the toilet in Facility? Driving the tank through the streets of Moscow? Chasing Trevelyan through the Cradle? Using a watch laser to escape from a soon to be destroyed train? Or simply 4-player license to kill with power weapons on Temple? Everyone has their own favourite moments and that is what makes Goldeneye an indisputable classic.
Playability today (out of 5): 3
6. F-Zero X
Developer/Publisher: Nintendo/Nintendo
PAL Release: 6/11/98
F-Zero X rocks. Literally, it rocks so hard. It’s the fastest, craziest, most heavy metal video game ever made. Back in 1998, F-Zero X was the first racing game to run at 60 frames per second and featured 30 vehicles (with some of the greatest names of all time – Crazy Bear! Wonder Wasp! Genius!) on screen at the same time and, for want of a better phrase, it was awesome.
Races were absolute carnage at up to 1500km/h across tracks littered with sky-high jumps, cylinders, half pipes, boosts, ice patches and even sand paper. It was a high-octane thrill ride that was utterly relentless with the action never letting up for a second.
As well as a blistering single player mode, F-Zero X had several other excellent features. The multiplayer was always an absolute riot, and this was further exaggerated by the ‘VS Slot’, which was a slot machine that allowed players who had retired from the race to exact brutal revenge on those still competing by draining all their health with three matching symbols. Being a virtual spectator to a video game has never been so much fun.
There was also the death race was a timed challenge for how quickly you could ruin the shit of every other vehicle on the track by smashing the hell out of everything moving. It was brutal and brilliant fun and the kind of experience leaderboards were made for.
F-Zero X definitely still holds up today. It might not be the prettiest game ever, but the sense of speed still remains and the unpredictability and sense that anything can happen makes it unquestionably ridiculous entertainment. Oh, and the soundtrack is amazing!
Best moment: The ‘X’ cup, which randomly generated a different track with each play. Sometimes the random tracks could throw up a turn so utterly heinous that it would be almost impossible to negotiate and would annihilate every vehicle on the track in an instant. This could sometimes happen so quickly that N64 magazine used to run a segment where readers attempted to send in the shortest time it took for everyone to be destroyed. Genius.
Playability today (out of 5): 5
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