Like many Nintendo consoles, the Nintendo 64 is predominantly remembered for its Legend of Zelda and Mario games. With titles like Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, it's easy to see why.
Collectathon games like Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong 64 and innovative Pokémon games such as Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Snap are also at the forefront of people's memories when reminiscing about the console. Because of this, the console's FPS titles are frequently overlooked.
The Nintendo 64 didn't house many FPS games as developers were instead opting to put their titles on Sony's PlayStation, which had an older fan base. Despite the limited FPS titles, the N64 managed to provide gamers with an excellent array of games - some of which are still considered to be among the best in the genre.
Updated on October 14, 2022, by Jack Pursey: The N64 is a good example of how consoles will always be remembered for their best games. Although, as mentioned before, the N64's catalog of first-person shooters was limited, gamers fondly remember the console for its FPS titles, as games like the ones on this list still live fondly in their memories. For those in the mood for some retro fun, we've updated this list to include some key information about each game, such as the platforms that they can be played on and their main story completion time, according to the site howlongtobeat.com.
10 Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion
Release Date: September 6, 2000
Available Platforms: Nintendo 64
Main Story Completion Time: 6 Hours
Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion is considered to be the weakest of the three Turok games released on the Nintendo 64, but is still a great shooter in its own right.
Whereas most sequels try to keep gameplay fresh and interesting by adding a multitude of new features, Turok 3 simplified the formula. With secondary ammo and other of the predecessor's more complex features cut.
There were some gameplay changes, though, predominantly through the two playable characters. Instead of controlling Turok, players take the part of either Danielle or Joseph Fireseed. The siblings can use different weapons and have physical attribute differences. Danielle can jump higher than Joseph for example, like a first-person shooting Luigi.
9 Forsaken 64
Release Date: April 24, 1998
Available Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Xbox One
Main Story Completion Time: 9.5 Hours
Developed by Iguana Entertainment UK, Forsaken 64 is known for its fluid gameplay and smooth 360-degree movements. The game was primarily geared towards a multiplayer experience, with the split-screen gameplay that GoldenEye revolutionized being a prominent feature.
Forsaken 64 is also known for its Total Mayhem difficulty mode. The mode provided one of the toughest challenges that the N64 had to offer. Total Mayhem was so tricky, in fact, that a patch was released to lower the difficulty substantially.
8 Doom 64
Release Date: April 4, 1997
Available Platforms: Nintendo 64, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Stadia
Main Story Completion Time: 7 Hours
The sequel to Doom 2, Doom 64 didn't try to fix what wasn't broken. With the fast, brutal action gameplay that the series is known for still ever-present. The game suffered from being too similar to its predecessors, though, with critics pointing out that the game offered little in the way of innovation.
There were a few changes to the game's weapons, but differences like giving the chainsaw an extra blade weren't enough to entice fans. Subsequently, the game sold poorly. Doom 64's marketing also hurt sales, as many players believed the game to be an N64 port of the original Doom.
Despite this negativity, Doom 64 earns its spot on this list for being one of the best early Doom games to play retrospectively.
7 Quake
Release Date: June 22, 1996
Available Platforms: PC, Saturn, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
Main Story Completion Time: 5.5 Hours
If this list judged games based on all console/PC releases, Quake would be near the top. However, when judging the game based on the N64 version, Quake drops a few spots for being an underwhelming port. The lack of cooperative multiplayer and frustrating frame drops make the N64 port the suboptimal way to play the classic game.
Quake is still great fun to play on the console, though, with the disappointing port not being enough to deter from some of the best FPS gameplay of the era.
6 Quake 2
Release Date: December 9, 1997
Available Platforms: PC, Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1, Xbox 360, and Zeebo
Main Story Completion Time: 8 Hours
It's not often that Quake 2 finds itself above its predecessor in a ranking list. However, Quake 2 earns its spot for being a far better port than the original.
Quake 2 was originally going to be the first game in a new series. It was only late in development that id Software decided to re-brand the game, as they felt it was too similar to Quake to call it anything else. Quake 2 had a more methodical approach to FPS gameplay than its Doom-like predecessor. Players had slower movements and could also crouch, allowing for more tactical, cover-based action.
5 Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
Release Date: March 4, 1997
Available Platforms: Nintendo 64, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC
Main Story Completion Time: 7.5 Hours
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter is the first game in the Turok series. It was an adaptation of a popular comic book series of the same title.
The game had a huge impact on the Nintendo 64, with the game not just having its own great sales figures but also boosting console sales too. This historical relevance justifies the opinion of fans who believe that the original trilogy is underrated today.
4 007: The World is Not Enough (N64 Version by Eurocom)
Release Date: October 17, 2000
Available Platforms: Nintendo 64
Main Story Completion Time: 5 Hours
The World is Not Enough had the near-impossible job of following on from the previous N64 Bond game, GoldenEye 007. Publishing rights changed from Nintendo to EA, and development changed hands from Rare to Eurocom who developed the N64 version, and Black Ops Entertainment who developed the PlayStation 1 version.
Eurocom still managed to create an excellent first-person shooter with The World is Not Enough, despite it not being held anywhere near the same regard as GoldenEye 007. Unfortunately, though, the game's quality was dampened by its enemy AI, which is the worst of any game on this list.
3 Turok 2: Seeds of Evil
Release Date: December 10, 1998
Available Platforms: Nintendo 64, Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4
Main Story Completion Time: 10.5 Hours
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil's inclusion in this list completes the hattrick for the original trilogy. Developer's Iguana Entertainment delighted fans by including a multiplayer mode, something that the original game lacked. The multiplayer featured characters with differing skills. Agility, speed, health regeneration, and other abilities all varied depending on which character players chose.
2 Perfect Dark
Release Date: May 22, 2000
Available Platforms: Nintendo 64
Main Story Completion Time: 8.5 Hours
Rare didn't rest on their laurels after losing the James Bond license. They instead created Perfect Dark, a spiritual successor to their legendary GoldenEye.
Perfect Dark had an updated engine from GoldenEye and needed the N64's Expansion Pak to run many of its key features. Perfect Dark also bought back the iconic split-screen multiplayer that Rare revolutionized. Furthermore, the game had an excellent single-player campaign with innovative stealth gameplay that was a breath of fresh air from the all-action gameplay of titles like Quake and Doom 64.
1 GoldenEye 007
Release Date: August 23, 1997
Available Platforms: Nintendo 64 and Xbox One
Main Story Completion Time: 9.5 Hours
GoldenEye is not just the best FPS game on the N64; it's one of the best FPS games ever released. The game undoubtedly shows its age today, but it still deserves its top spot on this list for paving the way for titles like Call of Duty, Halo, and Battlefield. Rare revolutionized split-screen multiplayer on consoles, with excellently designed stages that made the mode endlessly replayable.
Often overlooked is the game's single-player campaign. The objective-based missions are some of the best that the FPS genre has to offer, and it is a testament to the incredible multiplayer mode that it overshadows the great single-player action.
Also overlooked is the game's soundtrack. The music provided the perfect backdrop for the exciting and enjoyable action gameplay.