The Nintendo 64 marked a significant change in the gaming industry as Nintendo's flagship franchises transitioned into the world of 3D gaming. The transition didn't seem to phase Nintendo's development team in the slightest, as they were able to create wonderfully well-designed 3D adventures for numerous franchises. Nintendo's mascot characters Mario and Link exemplify this point the best, as Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time were instantly considered by many to be the best entries in their respective series, despite being their first voyage into 3D.

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Unfortunately, the success of Nintendo's flagship franchises on the Nintendo 64 has meant that many great games have fallen through the cracks and been forgotten in time. To give such games their due recognition, this list will look at some thoroughly enjoyable games that many people have forgotten about today.

Updated April 22, 2022, by Jack Pursey: Considering that the Nintendo 64 was Nintendo's first 3D console, it's impressive how so many of its games hold up well today. While games from the Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon franchises steal most of the limelight, there were numerous other excellent games on the system that are often overlooked today. To jog people's memory about great games from the era, we've updated this list to include some more forgotten Nintendo 64 games.

15 Excitebike 64

Biker doing a tricky next to the Excitebike 64 logo

Excitebike 64 was released in April 2000 and was the sequel to the original Excitebike on the Nintendo Entertainment System, a game that mastered the art of simple but addictive gameplay. This put the development team of Excitebike 64, Left Field Productions, in a tough spot, as they had to try and match the original's near-perfection in the unprecedented world of 3D.

Though Excitebike 64 couldn't match near-perfection, it did offer a stellar 3D racing experience that was fully deserving of its impressive 88 Metascore.

14 Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

Player aiming a gun at a dinosaur

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter was developed by Iguana Entertainment and originally released on the Nintendo 64 in March 1997 before arriving on PC a few months later. Unfortunately, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter isn't alone in being forgotten, as the entire Turok series seems to have drifted far away from the gaming industry's attention.

Consequently, it may surprise some people today to learn that the original Turok trilogy was considered by some to be the strongest trilogy of FPS games released up until that point. The franchise made a comeback in 2008 with Turok, though it struggled to impress, and there hasn't been another game in the series since.

13 1080° Snowboarding

1080 snowboarding title with two snowboarders on snowy slopes

Though snowboarding video games have never reached the heights that skateboarding games have with the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater releases, there have still been some excellent games over the decades, such as Steep and the SSX series.

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1080° Snowboarding is another one of the best snowboarding releases, particularly due to the game's excellent trick mechanics and sense of speed in races that made it one of the N64's most enjoyable releases from the sports genre.

12 Diddy Kong Racing

diddy kong racing title screen scrapped gamecube sequel

As the name suggests, Diddy Kong Racing is a kart racing game. It was released on the N64 in November 1997 before being remade for the Nintendo DS almost ten years later in February 2007.

Diddy Kong Racing is considered by many who played it to be just as good as Mario Kart 64, but because it featured a less recognizable cast of characters and didn't go on to be a long-running series like Mario Kart, it's often forgotten about.

11 Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine

Indiana Jones in the desert

Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine was developed by LucasArts on PC, while Factor 5 handled the Nintendo 64 port, which was released just over one year later in December 2000.

Infernal Machine was the first Indiana Jones video game to release in 3D. It took players back to 1947, where the iconic archeologist is racing to secure a mythological Babylonian power. The game featured a nice blend of combat and puzzle-solving and earned a respectable critic score of 75 and a user score of 8.0 from Metacritic.

10 Quest 64

Player fighting a monster in Quest 64

Quest 64 may have the blandest title in gaming history, though the role-playing game provided a memorable gameplay experience to compensate for it. Imagineer's Quest 64 (known as Holy Magic Century in Europe) takes players to a fantasy land that seemed to have been inspired by Ireland and tasks players with finding their father and collecting elemental gems.

Quest 64 takes inspiration from classic RPGs like Dragon Quest and the Final Fantasy series, though it also throws a few interesting curveballs into the mix, such as its complete lack of in-game money.

9 Goemon’s Great Adventure

Goemon’s Great Adventure - side scrolling platforming

Due to the Nintendo 64's 3D capabilities, side-scrolling platformers for the console were few and far between, as the concept seemed outdated at the time. Konami, however, decided to go against the grain with their third entry into the Goemon series, Goemon’s Great Adventure.

The game featured side-scrolling platforming, which was especially surprising as the game's predecessor, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, opted for the more modern 3D approach. The bold decision paid off, and Goemon’s Great Adventure became recognized as one of the console's best side-scrollers.

8 Wetrix

pouring water into surface

Goemon’s Great Adventure isn't the only game on the Nintendo 64 that went against the grain, as Zed Two's Wetrix offered a 3D puzzle experience unlike almost anything else seen up until that point. The 1998 game puts players in control of a stretch of land, which they need to manipulate with various mechanics known as Pieces to earn points and prevent the Drain meter from filling.

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The game's unique gameplay was well-received, and a sequel was released two years later on the PlayStation 2 titled Aqua Aqua.

7 Chameleon Twist

protagonist balancing on their tounge

1997's Chameleon Twist was developed by Japan System Supply, who had the difficult task of making their 3D platformer stand out from the many other similar games already released on the console.

The studio accomplished this by giving their mascot character a tongue that could elongate and act as a fundamental gameplay mechanic. The tongue is controlled with the analog stick and can be used to fight enemies or leap onto previously unreachable platforms.

6 Rocket: Robot on Wheels

enemies closing in on protagonist

1999's Rocket: Robot on Wheels is another 3D platformer that had the tough task of standing out from an already overcrowded genre. Rocket: Robot on Wheels differentiated itself with its realistic physics engine, which gave the game puzzle-solving and platforming mechanics unlike anything else at the time.

Rocket: Robot on Wheels was the first game to be developed by Sucker Punch Productions, who have gone on to develop the Sly Cooper and Infamous series, along with the recently released Ghost of Tsushima.

5 Gauntlet Legends

protagonist surounded by chests and enemies

Gauntlet Legends is a fantasy-themed hack and slash game that allows up to four players to join the action simultaneously. The 1998 game expanded on its predecessor, Gauntlet II, by allowing players to level up key attributes like strength, magic, and speed through gaining experience points, a common element of RPGs today.

Gauntlet Legends received a sequel titled Gauntlet Dark Legacy, which was released for arcades in 1999 before coming to PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, and Game Boy Advance in the years that followed.

4 Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo

navigating Naboo in a vehichle

It may seem odd to call a Star Wars game forgotten, given that the brand has become one of the most recognizable and commercially successful media franchises in the world. Still, Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo has often been pushed aside when N64 Star Wars titles are mentioned, with Star Wars: Rogue Squadron and the recently remastered Star Wars Episode I: Racer taking most of the limelight.

The arcade flight game features 15 levels and impressed fans and critics with its tight flying controls and engrossing combat.

3 LEGO Racers

LEGO Racers front cover

Much like Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo, it may seem surprising to see a LEGO game on this list, given how iconic the brand is. However, the release of LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game in 2005 saw many previous LEGO games like Rock Raiders and LEGO Island be forgotten about, as Traveller's Tales' style of movie tie-in puzzle-platformers began to thrive.

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LEGO Racers has been largely forgotten about, which is a shame as it offers an excellent take on the kart racing formula for fans of the Danish toy. The game featured common kart racing elements like power-ups and shortcuts but stood out with its excellent character and vehicle customization modes, which were a smart way to incorporate the toy's building themes.

2 Mischief Makers

Mischief Makers - side scrolling platforming

Much like the aforementioned Goemon’s Great Adventure, Treasure's Mischief Makers differentiated itself from the majority of platformers on the Nintendo 64 by sticking with side-scrolling platforming rather than making the leap to 3D.

Consequently, audiences largely ignored the game, and it received a lackluster reception from critics, exemplified by its 70 Metascore. However, Mischief Makers is appreciated today by die-hard platforming fans, who revisited the game and loved its action and puzzle mechanics, along with its memorable boss fights.

1 Body Harvest

Playable character facing large insects

As the name suggests, Body Harvest opted against the family-friendly themes that helped make many of the N64's best-selling titles so successful. In fact, Nintendo was originally going to publish the game but dropped it due to its violence, with Midway Games and Gremlin Interactive taking over publishing duties for the North American and Europe releases, respectively. The game was developed by DMA Design, who are better known by their current name Rockstar North, a company that is no stranger to controversial releases.

By today's standards, the game's violence is cartoony and inoffensive. However, it was seen as excessive by some in the '90s, which likely led to the game's lack of deserved attention.

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