The 30 Best Nintendo 64 Games Ranked by Genre: Action, Racing, Fighting, and More

The Nintendo 64 (N64) launched in Japan on June 23, 1996. Nintendo’s 64-bit machine was a revolutionary piece of hardware that brought full-blown 3D polygon graphics to home gaming. Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64 — the N64 cranked out classic after classic, the kind of games people still call “the textbook for 3D gaming.”

In this article, I’ve pulled 30 N64 classics that are still a blast to play today from the console’s entire library and ranked them by genre. Action, racing, shooters, fighters, sports — we’re covering a lot of ground and taking a whirlwind tour through the N64’s golden age.

I’ve also listed the going used price for every single title. You’ll find everything from rare gems like Sin and Punishment and Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth to big-name hits you can grab for just a few bucks. Plenty of the games here are also playable through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

With 3D action alone, the N64 changed the direction of games worldwide. Super Mario 64’s 3D platforming design, Ocarina of Time’s Z-targeting system, Star Fox 64’s branching-path stage presentation — every one of these leads straight to modern games.

*Prices in this article are converted from Japanese yen at ¥153 = US$1 (September 2026 rate).

Best Super Nintendo (SNES) Games Ranked: 50 Classics by Genre — RPG, Action, Fighting, Shooters and More

April 21, 2026

What Kind of Console Was the Nintendo 64?

The Nintendo 64 is a home console Nintendo released in Japan on June 23, 1996, at a list price of $163. Packing a 64-bit CPU (the MIPS R4300i), it boasted the best 3D polygon performance of any home console at the time. Total shipments in Japan came to about 5.54 million units.

The N64’s biggest achievements are Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Mario 64’s “run freely around a 3D space” action design and Zelda’s Z-targeting 3D combat system became the benchmark for game design for more than 20 years afterward. The four-way split-screen multiplayer that Mario Kart 64 made standard was another invention from this era that defined how families played games at home.

🎮 Play Them Right Now on Current Hardware! Switch-Compatible Titles (2026 Edition)

A ton of N64 titles are available through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack (family plan from $4 a month). More than half of the 30 games in this article are playable on Switch.

🟢 N64 Titles Playable on Nintendo Switch Online (+ Expansion Pack)

🏃 Top 10 Action/Adventure Games | The Dawn of 3D Gaming, Defined by Mario 64 and Zelda

The N64’s action and adventure lineup is the group of games that answered the question, “What is a 3D game supposed to be?” Super Mario 64 wrote the textbook on 3D action, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time defined a new shape for adventure games. For this article, I’ve narrowed my 30 picks down to Japanese-released titles that carry on that lineage.

#1Super Mario 64 (1996 / Nintendo)

A historic masterpiece that defined 3D action game design from the ground up. Free-roaming exploration to collect 120 Power Stars, camera control that works hand in hand with character movement, and a lineup of courses with real personality like Bob-omb Battlefield — it’s still the reference point for action games today. Back in 1996, Mario 64 gave us the answer to “this is how you should make a 3D game.”

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $5–$13

#2The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998 / Nintendo)

An all-time great whose name comes up again and again as “the greatest game ever made.” 3D combat built on Z-targeting, a story that jumps back and forth through time, and puzzle-packed dungeons like the Water Temple — it set the standard for everything that followed in pretty much every aspect of game design. People still talk about it as one of the most acclaimed games of all time.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $7–$20

The 10 Best Legend of Zelda Games Ranked (2026): A Complete Guide for Newcomers and Veterans

May 25, 2026

#3The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (2000 / Nintendo)

An oddball sequel that reused Ocarina of Time’s engine while delivering a completely different experience. The “world ends in three days” time-limit system, mask-based transformations, and a dense world compressed into a short span of time have earned it a reputation as the most original entry in the series. It’s a masterpiece people are still talking about.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $10–$26

#4Animal Forest (Doubutsu no Mori) (2001 / Nintendo)

The very first game in the series, released on April 14, 2001, in the N64’s final stretch. You move into a village and live your life, trading letters with the animal residents — and that’s the whole game. There are no enemies to beat and no ending to reach. The game runs on the same clock as the real world, so if you don’t boot it up for a while, cockroaches show up in your house and weeds sprout all over the village. That idea of designing even “the time you’re not playing” into the game went on to define the entire series. Looking back now, it’s still wild that something this out-there just casually slid onto the N64 at the tail end of its life.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $10–$33

#5Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon (1997 / Konami)

Released in Japan on August 7, 1997. The Goemon series’ first 3D action game finally let you wander all around its Japanese-flavored world. You chat up townsfolk for info, fight your way through castles loaded with mechanical contraptions, and eventually leap into first-person battles piloting the giant robot Impact — and that tonal whiplash just feels amazing. Its original list price of $58 put it on the pricey end even for N64 games, but the sheer amount of stuff crammed in was worth every penny.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $10–$20

#6Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 2 – Oni Invasion! Shiren Castle! (2000 / Nintendo / Chunsoft)

Released on September 27, 2000, and developed by Chunsoft. It’s a roguelike where you dive into dungeons that change shape every time you enter, with the constant tension of losing all your gear if you go down. Unique to this entry is a building mode where you use the materials you’ve gathered to construct Shiren Castle. Even when you die in some ridiculously unfair way, it’s always your own call that got you killed — and that feeling of “yeah, that’s on me” is the real secret behind the series’ addictiveness. Honestly, I can’t even remember how many dozens of hours I sank into this one.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $5–$23

#7Sin and Punishment (2000 / Nintendo / Treasure)

A masterpiece action shooter from Treasure where you run across 3D fields blasting everything in sight. The explosive enemy counts, over-the-top presentation, and that signature Treasure difficulty — brutal yet exhilarating — are still one of a kind. Because it had a small production run late in the N64’s life, it’s a rare title that commands a premium on the used market, but you can still play it on Nintendo Switch Online.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $46–$190 (collector’s premium)

#8Paper Mario (2000 / Nintendo / Intelligent Systems)

Released in Japan on August 11, 2000. It’s an RPG where a paper-thin Mario explores a three-dimensional world, and it’s the first game in what became the Paper Mario series outside Japan. Action Commands that boost your damage when you time your button presses right, partner characters with real personality, and witty writing all click together to raise the bar for Nintendo RPGs. It was developed by Intelligent Systems, the studio behind Fire Emblem.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $7–$20

#9Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (2000 / Nintendo)

A side-scrolling action game with a fresh twist: a system that lets you combine two Copy Abilities into one. The adorable visuals, a final stage with surprising depth, and the pure fun of its four-player minigame mode still hold up today. It’s the one true masterpiece among Kirby games on the N64, and it holds a unique place in the series.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $7–$16

#10Bomberman 64: The Second Attack! (1999 / Hudson)

A staple of N64 multiplayer battles. Bomberman showdowns for up to four players, a big pile of items, and stage variety that never gets old have earned it a reputation as “the ultimate game for when your friends come over.” The single-player 3D adventure mode is meaty too, so it’s polished enough to be plenty of fun solo.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $36–$56

The 50 Best Famicom (NES) Games of All Time, Ranked by Genre

May 1, 2026

🏎 Top 6 Racing Games | The Speed and Strategy of Mario Kart 64 and F-Zero X

N64 racing has two poles: Mario Kart 64 and F-Zero X. “Rowdy item battles” and “hardcore hyper-speed racing” — those two extremes are what N64 racing is all about. The console also got a solid lineup of realistic sports racers like Wave Race 64 and 1080° Snowboarding.

#1Mario Kart 64 (1996 / Nintendo)

The turning point where the Mario Kart series evolved from the SNES’s flat tracks to fully 3D courses. Four-player simultaneous races, shortcuts on every course, and the homing AI of the Red Shell built the backbone of the series. Balloon Battle’s “tension of running for your life around wide-open arenas” is a unique kind of fun that still hasn’t been replicated.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $5–$13

#2F-Zero X (1998 / Nintendo)

The N64’s hyper-speed futuristic racer, with 30 machines on the track at once. Moving from the SNES version’s Mode 7 to true 3D, it delivers the most exhilarating ride in the series: a sense of speed topping 300 km/h, tracks that launch you into the air, and constant push-and-pull over boost management. The rush of taking first place against 29 CPU rivals is something you still can’t get from any other game. It’s remembered as the best entry in the F-Zero series.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $5–$13

#31080° Snowboarding (1998 / Nintendo)

With realistic snow rendering that leaned on the N64’s horsepower, a snowboard trick system, and fast-paced race modes, this is the game that established the “realistic sports game” genre on the N64. True to its name — a 1080-degree spin — the thrill of pulling off air tricks still holds up. The versus mode gets heated, too.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $3–$10

#4Wave Race 64 (1996 / Nintendo)

A jet ski racer from the N64’s launch window with remarkably realistic waves. Its one-of-a-kind handling, where you attack corners while accounting for the chop, and its crystal-clear water were a showcase for the N64’s technical muscle. The rules are simple but the depth is real, and nailing a great Time Trial run feels fantastic.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $3–$10

#5Choro Q 64 (Penny Racers) (1998 / Takara)

Released in Japan on July 17, 1998. This is the game where Takara’s flagship toy cars rolled onto Nintendo hardware for the first time. You swap out bodies, engines, and tires to build a machine that’s all your own, and up to four players can race at once in four-way split-screen. What it does really well is translate moves you can only pull off with a Choro Q — like pull-back dashes and wheelies — into the controls. It offers a different flavor of multiplayer from Mario Kart 64: laid-back, but seriously heated.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $5–$20

#6Excitebike 64 (2000 / Nintendo)

The N64 version that took the classic NES motocross game into 3D. Its course editor, muddy dirt rendering, and mind games over jumps and turbo make it the most polished entry in the series. Despite arriving late in the N64’s life, it earned strong reviews, and it still gets name-checked as a hidden gem.

💰 Used price (cartridge only, approx.): about $3–$10

🚀 4 Best Shooters | Star Fox 64 Blazed the Trail for 3D Dogfighting

The N64’s shooter lineup is spread out in the best way: Star Fox 64, the perfected form of the rail shooter, sits at the top, followed by WinBack, which laid the groundwork for cover-based action, and Custom Robo, which launched an entire genre of its own. This is a lineup that could only exist on hardware where 3D itself was the main weapon.

#1Star Fox 64 (1997 / Nintendo)

As the true sequel to the SNES Star Fox, it used the N64’s 3D muscle to crank Arwing dogfights up to maximum intensity. Branching stages that change depending on your route, the banter with your wingmen, and the final showdown with Andross — fans still hold it up as “the best game in the series.” The way it synced up with the Rumble Pak was a genuine shock back in the day, too.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $3–$10

#2WinBack (1999 / Koei / Omega Force)

Released on September 23, 1999, and developed by Koei’s Omega Force. Press your back against a wall to hide, then pop out just enough to shoot — it was a pioneer in bringing that now-standard “cover action” to home consoles in a serious way. That unique tension of lining up your shot with a laser sight is credited with leaving its mark on third-person shooters across the board in the years that followed. It’s also available on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, so the barrier to trying it today is refreshingly low.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $5–$20

#3Custom Robo (1999 / Nintendo / Noise)

An action shooter where you customize tiny robots and send them into arena battles. It carved out a genre all its own by fusing the strategy of mixing and matching bodies, guns, bombs, and pods with snappy combat and an RPG-style story. The right way to play this one is arguing with your friends over which custom build is the strongest.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $7–$20

#4Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth (1998 / Hudson)

Released on July 10, 1998. The fifth entry in Hudson’s Star Soldier series, the flagship of its “Caravan” shooters, and the first new game in six years since the previous installment, Soldier Blade. The headline feature is the new “Rolling” system. While you’re rolling, you’re invincible, and you can even bounce enemy bullets back. The design turns what used to be pure dodging into a chance to go on the offense, and it really works. Complete-in-box copies tend to fetch premium prices, so if you’re hunting for one, going cartridge-only is the realistic move.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $10–$20

🥊 4 Best Fighting Games | The Birth of Super Smash Bros.

The biggest story in N64 fighting games is the “birth of a new genre” that was Super Smash Bros. Rather than being a traditional Street Fighter-style fighter, Smash introduced a brand-new rule — knock your opponents off the stage — and it has since grown into a worldwide competitive game. The N64 version is where it all started.

#1Super Smash Bros. (1999 / Nintendo)

The first game in the series, built on a completely new fighting-game rule: instead of draining health, you blast opponents off the stage. A dream cast of Nintendo characters like Mario, Pikachu, Kirby, and Link all in one place, plus the chaos and sheer fun of four-player brawls — this is the origin of a series that would eventually grow to esports scale.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $7–$20

#2Dual Heroes (1997 / Hudson)

Released on December 5, 1997, this is an early-era N64 sci-fi fighter from Hudson. Its standout feature is the “AI training” element, which lets you raise a partner that learns from the way you fight. The character designs are pretty out there, too. That said, there’s no denying the controls and the mind games feel shallow for a fighter, so this one is very much an acquired taste.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $7–$26 (premium)

#3Rakugakids (1998 / Konami)

Released on July 23, 1998. Doodles drawn with a “magic crayon” duke it out in this 2D versus fighter, a rare breed on the N64. It was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Kobe. The command inputs and systems faithfully follow the Street Fighter playbook, so despite its poppy look, it’s built as a surprisingly hardcore fighter under the hood. Charging into the 3D-obsessed N64 era with hand-drawn 2D art took guts, and that spirit is exactly why people still love it.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $7–$16

#4Fighters Destiny (1998 / Imagineer)

Released in Japan as Fighting Cup on December 11, 1998, and developed by Genki. It’s a 3D fighter with a unique scoring system: instead of winning by a single knockout, throws, counters, ring-outs, and more are each worth points, and the total decides the match. Big comebacks are rare, but in exchange, the player who fights carefully and smartly reliably comes out on top. It actually launched overseas first under the name Fighters Destiny. Plenty of copies are in circulation and used prices are low, which makes it a friendly entry point, too.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $1–$7

⚽ 6 Best Sports & Other Games

The N64’s sports and miscellaneous lineup includes Mario Golf and Mario Tennis, the perfected forms of casual sports games, and it also gave birth to an entirely new genre with Pokémon Snap. Mario Party, the party game, got its start on the N64 as well.

#1Mario Golf (1999 / Nintendo / Camelot)

The origin of the series that paired Mario characters with a legit golf game. The intuitive power gauge, distinctive courses, and character-specific traits are still the backbone of the series today. Designed to be fun solo or with a group of friends, it’s the game that erased the preconception that “golf is hard.”

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $3–$10

#2Mario Tennis (2000 / Nintendo / Camelot)

The origin of the casual Mario tennis series that’s still going strong. Four-player matches, shot characteristics that differ by character, and fast-paced rallies set the standard for “what a tennis game should be.” It’s also a landmark as the game where Waluigi made his debut.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $3–$10

#3Pokémon Snap (1999 / Nintendo)

A game from a completely new genre, where you ride along a rail and snap photos of Pokémon. The puzzle-like fun of luring Pokémon out to get the perfect shot, plus its portrayal of a world where Pokémon live naturally in the wild — its fan base is so devoted that a Switch sequel, “New Pokémon Snap,” arrived more than 20 years after the original.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $3–$10

#4Pokémon Stadium Gold and Silver (2000 / Nintendo)

A game that links the Game Boy Pokémon titles with the N64 so you can battle your team in 3D. Full support for all the Gold and Silver Pokémon (251 in total), Gym Leader Castle, and a stacked lineup of minigames have earned it a reputation as “the definitive Pokémon Stadium.” If you owned an N64 back then, you almost certainly played this staple.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $3–$10

#5Mario Party (1998 / Nintendo / Hudson)

The game that built the party-game genre by combining a board game with minigames. The drama of betrayal and friendship as you fight over Stars, more than 80 minigames, and the come-from-behind twists that pure luck creates — it’s the start of a series so deeply rooted in the culture that its nickname, “Maripa,” became part of everyday Japanese.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $5–$13

#6Yoshi’s Story (1997 / Nintendo)

A side-scrolling action game known for its soft visuals, like a picture book turned into a game, and its unique design that has you switching between six Yoshis. Its bite-sized, breezy levels, adorable music, and tons of hidden secrets are still highly regarded today. It “looks like a kids’ game, but adults can sink serious time into it” — one of the N64’s hidden gems.

💰 Used market price (cartridge only, approx.): about $3–$10

Wrap-Up: 30 Best Nintendo 64 Games — The Legacy of the Console That Marked the Dawn of 3D Gaming

The reason the Nintendo 64 gets talked about as “a turning point for games” is that two titles, Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, fully established “the grammar of 3D games.” The design philosophy those two games laid out connects directly to the entire medium as we know it today. The same goes for the cover action Koei brought to the table with WinBack — an invention that still lives on in modern shooters.

It’s 2026, and you can play N64 titles right now with Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. If you’re part of the generation that “knows the names but has never actually played them,” I especially want you to pick up a controller and give them a shot. The moment you play the ocarina in Ocarina of Time’s Kokiri Forest, you’ll understand why this console is still talked about to this day.

The 30 Best GameCube Games Ranked by Genre: Action, RPGs, Fighting, and More

May 22, 2026

The 30 Best Neo Geo Games: SNK’s Greatest Fighters, Action Games, and Shooters, Plus Collector Prices

April 18, 2026