In 1996, the state of video games changed forever, and all it took was a push from Nintendo. With a new millennium staring the world in the face, Nintendo made a bold step with its release of the Nintendo 64. The home console made history as it brought 3D graphics to life for gamers. From its unique analog thumbstick to its accessible multiplayer ports, the N64 was a watershed moment in gaming history, and its greatest titles make the console’s legacy clear.

From raunchy platformers to action-adventure masterpieces, the N64 gave game developers room to create like never before. What followed, in turn, was the release of some of gaming’s most important titles of all time. Below, we have singled out just 10 N64 games that are truly 10/10 releases, so you can see how our list stacks up below:

Paper Mario

Released nearly 30 years ago, Paper Mario began a new era fans didn’t know they even needed. The game quietly landed on the N64 to critical acclaim in spite of the odds stacked against it. The game was hailed for bringing the Mario franchise in step with RPG storytelling and turn-based combat. Despite the limitations of the N64 at the time, Paper Mario‘s charming art style allowed the game to push boundaries like no other game could, and it still stands the test of time.

Not only did Paper Mario impress fans with its timeline art style, but its accessible combat was as fun as it was accessible. The game’s Action Commands gave combat time sequences that dealt extra damage, and fights were paced quickly. As for its story, Paper Mario turned the Mushroom Kingdom into a complex world and gave the fandom more NPCs to love than it knew how to handle. So even after all this time, there is no denying Paper Mario is a N64 masterpiece.

Conker’s Bad Fur Day

Released in 2001, Conker’s Bad Fur Day is still revered as the go-to game for adults on the N64. Created by Rare, the M-rated platformer broke the mold with its outrageous characters and mature plot. After all, the game brings Conker to life, a near-alcoholic squirrel who must find his way back home after a long night of drinking lest their girlfriend go nuclear. As the game progresses, Conker’s Bad Day only gets more outlandish with its fourth-wall jabs and profane humor. It didn’t take long for the game to make waves, and Conker’s Bad Day is still a solid play 25 years later.

Loaded with subversive humor, there is nothing else like Conker’s Bad Day on the N64, and that isn’t because of its mature content. The game was a technical marvel with impressive animation and a fully voiced character list. Combined with a very robust multiplayer mode, Conker’s Bad Day was the ultimate game to play without your parents around, and that legacy is a proud one.

Donkey Kong 64

In 1999, Nintendo took the leap and brought Donkey Kong into 3D for the first time. Donkey Kong 64 landed on the N64 with help from Rare, and it would end its lifecycle as one of the console’s top-selling games period. With top-notch graphics and an expansive open-world setting, Donkey Kong 64 was unlike anything platformers had done before, and it satisfied an itch fans didn’t even know they had.

Not only did the N64 title hide tons of collectible goodies for gamers to find, it challenged play styles with its unique heroes. Donkey Kong is a balanced character to play as, but gamers can also try out other heroes such as Diddy Kong, Lanky Kong, Tiny Kong, and Chunky Kong. This diversity made Donkey Kong 64 unique for every player, and given the game’s popularity upon launch, it didn’t take long for its iconic DK Rap to take over the world.

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

Nintendo

These days, history likes to remember the N64 as a console made for children, but that isn’t the whole truth. While the tech supported a ton of family-friendly titles, it also catered to older gamers, and no game proves that like Turok: Dinosaur Hunter. Released in 1997, the high-performance FPS title proved the Nintendo console was cool enough for teens, giving some much-needed competition to the PlayStation.

For one, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter broke boundaries with its bloody story and violent weaponry. The game is over-the-top in the best way with its atmospheric levels, expansive levels, and iconic enemies. For kids in the ’90s, few things felt cooler than hunting dinosaurs, and Turok let them do just that. And even after 30 years, the game’s badass reputation stands firm.

Mario Kart 64

In the year 2026, it is hard to imagine what a Nintendo console would be without a kart-racing game. From the Game Boy Advance to the Wii U and Switch 2, Nintendo loves few things more than a good Mario Kart entry. The game is now a standard for Nintendo, and we have the release of Mario Kart 64 to thank for the rule. After all, the N64 turned the franchise into a household name, and Mario Kart 64 is largely considered a perfect game for its effort.

Beyond its iconic racetracks and mini-games, Mario Kart 64 made gaming a social activity with its four-player mode. The game challenged the kart-racing genre by bringing in now-classic items to boost races, and the introduction of drifting turned the field on its head. Combined with the N64’s upgraded graphics, Mario Kart 64 debuted at just the right time, and it changed the trajectory of Nintendo’s future.

Banjo-Kazooie

Crafted by the team at Rare, the studio outdid itself with Banjo-Kazooie. The game made its launch in 1998, and it didn’t take long for gamers to fall for the inventive platformer. The cheeky title took the best of Nintendo’s iconic platformers like Mario and took them further in this game, giving fans a polished adventure that’s as fun as it is challenging.

From the start of Banjo-Kazooie, the game hooks you with its infectious music, and it keeps gamers in line with some seriously dense levels. Banjo-Kazooie keeps things light with its cheeky tone, riding the line between spooky and sassy. Players are then asked to get creative with levels, using Mumbo Jumbo’s transformations or newly learned abilities to clear maps. And by the end, players will be forced to ask whether they managed to track all the game’s collectibles so they can unlock a perfect ending.

Super Smash Bros.

To say Super Smash Bros. is an important game seriously undersells the game. Not only did the title go on to expand Nintendo’s reputation and inspire some of its most popular games in history, but it created a whole new genre. Platform fighters wouldn’t exist as we know them without Super Smash Bros., so video game lovers owe the iconic title a lot.

Released in 1999, Super Smash Bros. revolutionized fighting games with its knockout mechanic. Rather than trying to kill opponents, the game wanted players to simply KO opponents, and this mission was accessible to players of all skill levels. While the game scales with strategy, Super Smash Bros. is a very simple game to pick up, and its universal inputs made that possible. From improvised items to unique combos, Nintendo created the ultimate multiplayer game with Super Smash Bros., and it is still tweaking that formula to this day.

Perfect Dark

Rare brought some of the greatest N64 video games to life, but none of them hold a candle to Perfect Dark. The title, which debuted in 2000, hit the shelves and completely changed the FPS genre for the better. Considered a spiritual successor to GoldenEye 007, yet another popular game on the N64, Perfect Dark improves on its predecessor’s success. With its customizable arsenal and an upgraded AI on hand, Perfect Dark is truly a game with zero flaws.

While the game’s progressive single-player mode is hailed to this day, Perfect Dark‘s multiplayer mode truly set it apart in the ’00s. The game put serious thought into its Combat Simulator as it features unique challenges, adjustable bot opponents, and a unique counter-operative mode to boot. Perfect Dark is a polished masterpiece that pushed FPS titles to their limit on the N64, making it an easy 10/10 title.

Super Mario 64

These days, people take 3D gaming for granted. It is hard for modern-day players to remember a time before 3D graphics, but those days did exist. It was the N64 that ushered in the industry’s greatest visual change, and the game that did it still reigns supreme. Super Mario 64 remains the definitive blueprint for 3D gaming, so we all owe the release a great big thanks.

In 1996, Super Mario 64 challenged the platforming genre with its pioneering analog movement and movable camera system. Beyond its bright levels and challenging puzzles, Super Mario 64 laid the groundwork for how 3D video games functioned. Fans spent hours upon hours testing the game’s non-linear story, exploring levels, and revisiting puzzles to complete their Power Star collection. Groundbreaking is the only word that really describes Super Mario 64, and its legacy is still shaping the industry to this day.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

It has been said there is no such thing as perfection, but there’s at least one game on the N64 that proves this saying is dead wrong. Super Mario 64 came close to the peak, but The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the ultimate victor of the N64 era. The ’98 game redefined what action-adventure games could be, and it did so by introducing features that are now seen as industry standards.

For one, Ocarina of Time streamlined 3D combat with the debut of Z-Targeting, a feature that streamlined complex fight mechanics with ease. The game also helped pioneer universal input at Nintendo, and it wrote the book on open-world exploration. When players first visited Hyrule Field in Ocarina of Time, the game’s scale became impossible to ignore, and players went on to spend countless hours exploring every nook they could find. From its complex narrative to its intuitive (and ingenious) gameplay, The Legend of Zelda made history with its first Nintendo 64 release and inspired a generation in the process.