TheNintendo 64was home to a plethora of amazing games pioneering 3D design and gameplay. Coming during a formative time for video games making the transition to three-dimensional graphical fidelity, Nintendo’s last cartridge-based home console was home to many fantastic games. Some games pioneered franchises, some games pioneered genres altogether, but the N64’s catalog had a huge variety of games for all fans.
With all the recent re-imaginings of games likeResident Evil 2 RemakeandFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, plenty of early 3D titles are starting to become retro history. Plenty of games from several console generations previous have been receiving definitive editions, HD remasters, and even full-on remakes. In the case of theNintendo 64, there are tons of beloved games that could be considered archaic by today’s standards in a lot of ways. Whether it’s from a long gone franchise or the series still live on today, there’s several N64 games that could use the remake treatment for the Switch.
Super Mario 64
Practically every 3DMariogame is based onSuper Mario 64, the pioneer game that brought the plumber into the third dimension. While several 3DMariogames have come out since the N64, Mario’s first outing into the 3D world was pivotal inestablishing some of the best 3D platforming mechanics in gamessince.Super Mario 64also served to flesh out the basis of theMariouniverse and the Mushroom Kingdom for the series as well, which has become the foundation of the franchise ever since. Even the latest 3DMariogameSuper Mario Odysseyharkens back to the original game in its final kingdom. SeeingSuper Mario 64remade would celebrate what makes theMariogames so special in the first place, bringing the Mushroom Kingdom back to life in greater detail.
GoldenEye 007
Many 007 games have come out thanks to the efforts made by the blocky Pierce Brosnan inGoldenEye 007. Whenever there’s talk of games that need to be remade, oftentimesGoldenEyecan be the cop out answer, but there’s reason for that. Widely considered one of the best shooters of all time in general, but almost certainly for the N64,GoldenEyeinnovated first-person-shooters in a lot of ways. The freedom of movement and aiming players were capable of with the N64 forever changed the way FPS games were developed fundamentally. Games likePerfect Darkwould’ve never existed withoutGoldenEye. Even though now the game is relatively rudimentary and hard to play compared to modern twin-stick shooters and PC, it’d be interesting to see what the remake treatment could provide to the classic Bond shooter.
Star Fox 64
Unfortunately, it’s been too long since a properStar Foxgame has come out. Whether it be a sequel, a reboot, or simply something new in the franchise, there just hasn’t been much to go on. During a time where lots of iconic Nintendo franchises are seeing great success in games likeMarioandZelda, theStar Foxfranchisecontinues to lie dormant. It’s a common story amongst other lesser known franchises in Nintendo’s backlog, butStar Foxcould use the redemption afterStar Fox Zerodisappointed fans on the Wii U. Even if another entry in the series isn’t coming any time soon, what better way to reignite the franchise with the game that cemented its popularity in the first place.Star Fox64was and still is the best game in the franchise by far, cementing the popularity of the series and everything fans love aboutStar Fox. The series deserves a triumphant return, and if a remake can accomplish that, then that’s more than enough.
Jet Force Gemini
This particular Rare title falls under the selection offranchises that are almost certainly long gone.Jet Force Geminiwas a unique game packed full of features that many often key as “ahead of its time,” which in some cases may be true. In a lot of waysJet Force Geminiinnovated to mixed results, in ways both inspiring and warning developers of the game’s ambition. There was tons of variety in the way the game was played, with levels offering multiple different ways to play like platforming and shooting. Players had the choice of three separate protagonists, each with their own separate skills and equipment that was unique to that character. In a sense,Jet Force Geminiessentially tried everything to make the game varied without entirely focusing on what the game did best. It’s a mish-mash of ideas that’s genuinely interesting to play through, if a bit confusing. A remake could potentially hone and refine areas where the game is jarring or obtuse.
Wave Race
And of course can’t forgetWave Race 64, the arcade watersports racer that was just plain fun. Not many games nowadays let’s you race jet skis, other thanGrand Theft Auto 5perhaps, but Nintendo started a whole franchise based around that very idea. One of the first 3D games to properly simulate water physics,Wave Race64was a unique racer far from the traditional car racers at the same time likeCruis’n USAandWipeout.Waves and currents inWave Racewere incredibly innovative at the time, showing not only how good simulation of water could be, but how far mechanically physics in games could go. Obviously nowadays watersports racers aren’t exactly mainstream games, butgames likeWave Breakare showing there is potentialin that sub-genre of racing games.
