In the various polls conducted over the years that have attempted to determine the greatest video game console of all time, the Nintendo 64 always tends to rank highly. Boasting a suite of highly impressive and vibrant titles in its library, no load times thanks to its reliance on cartridges rather than discs, and four controller ports as standard, the N64 was truly a force to be reckoned with when it was released in 1996. While its library would eventually grow to become truly impressive though, its launch titles were few, particularly in North America where several titles ended up being delayed.
The N64 first launched in Japan in June 1996. Super Mario 64, Pilotwings 64, and Saikyo Habu Shogi, a virtual board game exclusive to Japan, released alongside the console. A little over three months later, in September 1996, the console arrived in North America. Unfortunately, a number of planned launch titles were not ready in time for the console's release, meaning only Super Mario 64 and Pilotwings 64 were available at first. By the time the console reached Europe in March 1997, the remainder of the launch titles were released, consisting of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, and a couple of sports titles: FIFA Soccer 64 and Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey.
The Nintendo 64's Launch Titles
The console's flagship launch title, Super Mario 64, is regarded as one of Nintendo's most genre-defining video games ever. Mario's first foray into the world of 3D video games offered players a glimpse of what the future would look like, and his platforming exploits saw him scouring the depths of Peach's castle in order to rescue her from the evil Bowser. The plucky plumber has a plethora of moves up his sleeve to aid his journey, and the game received widespread critical acclaim on release. It went on to become the best-selling N64 game ever, shipping almost 12 million units to date.
Pilotwings 64 is a sequel to Pilotwings, a 1991 SNES game. It puts players in control of one of six different pilots using either a jetpack, a hang glider, or an autogyro, as they try to conquer a variety of aviation courses in order to obtain licenses. The game was able to showcase the power of the N64, presenting a diverse group of settings and environments, and used impressive flight mechanics that allowed players to freely explore its environments. It received positive reviews from critics and went on to sell over a million copies, and perhaps surprisingly, fans can currently enjoy Pilotwings 64 via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire is a third-person shooter, taking place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and puts players in control of the mercenary Dash Rendar as he aids Luke Skywalker in a quest to rescue Princess Leia. The game visits famous Star Wars locales such as Hoth and Coruscant, with a little variety of gameplay sprinkled in. Despite garnering mixed reviews, it has gone on to become a cult classic and is generally seen as one of the better Star Wars video games on the market.
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter is a first-person shooter that tasks the player character with protecting Earth from various creatures such as dinosaurs and aliens. As a base of comparison, the game combines Doom-style shooting mechanics with Tomb Raider exploration elements. It received unanimous critical acclaim with particular praise for its visuals and was seen as a natural evolution of the FPS genre.
The two sports titles accompanying the console's European release looked to cater to fans of ice hockey and soccer specifically. Wayne Gretsky's 3D Hockey was a port of the arcade game of the same name, and FIFA Soccer 64 brought the FIFA franchise to the console for the first time, offering over 160 international teams to choose from as well as customizable matches.