The console wars have shifted over the past couple of generations, but in the mid-90s until the new millennium it was all about the fierce competition between the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. While Sony's first console ultimately sold better in both the United States and Japan, the N64 revolutionized 3D game design with classics like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Another factor has to be considered when comparing the two consoles as well; multiplatform releases. The ten games below came out for both systems, but which one ran them better? In many cases the answer is clear, while in others it comes down to personal tastes.
10 Shadowman: N64 Is Better
This action-adventure game came out on almost every contemporary system under the sun. The N64 is not the best way to play it, but it was definitely serviceable. The PS1 version, however, is barely playable. the graphics are toned down significantly and the frame rate often drops to below ten frames per second. Fortunately, Nightdive Studios recently remastered the game and it looks better than anyone could have imagined in 1999.
9 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater: PS1 Is Better
When this classic skateboarding title was brought to the N64, it made several improvements to the visuals and frame rate. It also plays surprisingly smoothly for an N64 game ported from the PS1. However, it makes several concessions that compromise a faithful Tony Hawk's Pro Skater experience.
Most notably, all FMV movies are removed and the soundtrack is significantly cut up. This was done due to space concerns, but Tony Hawk without a full licensed soundtrack is like a Call of Duty game without guns.
8 Mission: Impossible: N64 Is Better
Unfortunately, the Mission: Impossible game is not particularly great regardless of the console one plays it on. On the N64 the graphics are smoother and the pre-rendered cutscenes on the PS1 are done in-engine and actually look quite nice. Even though the PS1 version came out later and includes voice acting and some graphical tweaks, the N64 graphics look better overall.
7 Spider-Man: PS1 Is Better
More than a decade before Insomniac made one of the finest superhero games ever made, Neversoft developed a brawler for the PS1 starring the web-slinger. The game was eventually ported to the N64, but it took out all of the cutscenes. Given the narrative-heavy campaign, missing these is notable and not worth any improvements the N64 brought to the table. Metacritic also reflects this, with the PS1 version edging out the N64 port.
6 Rayman 2: N64 Is Better
The first Rayman is a classic and brutally difficult 2D platformer. The sequel turned into a full 3D platformer and first came out on the N64. It came to the PS1 only a little while afterwards with notably toned-down visuals. The PS1 version also has only 800 Lums to collect instead of 1,000. Sony fans were not left entirely in the dust, however, since the PS2 received Rayman 2: Revolution, which took full advantage of the new console.
5 Resident Evil 2: N64 Is Better
Whether Resident Evil 2 is better on the PS1 or N64 comes down to what one values in the game. The N64 port contains extra files, cleaner 3D character models, and a randomizer for Resident Evil 2 veterans. However, the FMV scenes are significantly compressed and the 2D backgrounds lose a lot of detail. The N64 might just have the edge for including content no other version has.
4 Forsaken: PS1 Is Better
Forsaken on the PS1 more closely resembles the original PC version, with a more fleshed-out campaign. The N64 version is actually a different game entirely with different levels. The core gameplay is similar, but missions are changed entirely. It is still a great shooter, but if one wants the original Forsaken on a console they are better served going to the PS1.
3 The World Is Not Enough: N64 Is Better
Everybody feels the best video game adaptation of James Bond is 1997's GoldenEye on the N64. However, The World is not Enough is a perfectly decent FPS on the N64. The PS1 version is a vastly changed game and lacks multiplayer. When it comes to FPS games, in general the N64 always took the cake. However, the PS1 still had some exclusive FPS games that are worth playing.
2 Mega Man Legends: PS1 Is Better
Mega Man Legends is a classic action-adventure game on the PS1. When it came to the N64 as Mega Man Legends 64 several improvements were made to the graphics.
While the classic warping textures of the PS1 are gone, they are also of a lower quality. In a lot of ways, the warping and pixelation lends to a more unique cartoonish aesthetic. The sequel, Mega Man Legends 2, only came out on the PS1.
1 South Park: N64 Is Better
After South Park: The Stick of Truth, there is no reason to go back to earlier South Park games as anything other than a curiosity. If anyone does want to play the South Park game from 1998, it is better to go with the N64 version. The graphics are vastly superior on the N64, and the controls work better with the console's controller. Unlike the RPG that came out later on the PS3 and Xbox 360, this game is a first-person shooter.