Summary
WhileNintendoconsoles are generally associated with platformers and youth-oriented series such as Mario, Kirby, and Donkey Kong, the N64 was a powerhouse when it came to first-person shooters. At one point, the N64 was the only mainstream console on the market with a four-player port, making it the go-to choice for local multiplayer action in the 90s.
Many great developers created FPS games based on popular licensed properties or adapted already successful FPS games for the N64. To understand what made the N64 special in the 90s, you had to experience its many high-quality FPS games.
10Quake 2
The speed of the Quake series is what makes it special and why some of the original Quake games still hold up today. Quake 2 was a port of the PC title that did its best to capture the essence of Quake 2 on a limited platform.
The controls of the N64 version naturally limit Quake 2’s speed and skill cap, which are the two aspects that make the game worth playing. Advanced techniques to increase agility, such as “bunny-hopping,” are not practical on the N64 version, but it remains a good shooter by virtue of being a port of a fantastic game.
9Duke Nukem 64
A bit of a satire of American culture, Duke Nukem indulges in alcohol, guns, and lust in a way that few FPS games from that time did. Duke Nukem 64 provided plenty of aliens to blast, like other FPS games of the era, but you got to shoot them while embodying the legendary Duke Nukem.
While Duke Nukem’s gameplay is nothing special by today’s standards, it still has a lot of overtly assertive charm. Duke Nukem is acommentary on American culture, but it isn’t trying to be a deep one. It’s a good game to play if you just want to have a laugh while shooting things.
8The World Is Not Enough
Goldeneye 007 was a landmark in console gaming, so The World is Not Enough had very high expectations when it came out. While The World is Not Enough did not live up to those expectations, it was more so because it was a different game from Goldeneye 007 rather than inferior.
The World is Not Enough has better controls, graphics, more weapons, and more customization over bots than Goldeneye 007. However, The World is Not Enough doesn’t quite nail the elements of stealth and espionage in the same way. The World is Not Enough is a solid shooter, but it lacks individuality.
7Forsaken
Forsaken was a critically acclaimed game but didn’t achieve huge sales. It pushed boundaries with its weapons and vehicles. Before Halo, you could use automobiles to deal damage in Forsaken.
Forsaken utilized a wide variety of colors and featured some of the finest graphics on the N64. The game offered both an interesting single-player mode and a dynamic four-player mode.
6Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
One of the most imaginative first-person shooters, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter was a staple in serious N64 owners' collections. You control a character named Turok, who is surrounded by fictional Native American pulp lore and travels to the Lost Land—a place where time has no meaning. Turok must fight an army of aliens and dinosaurs to essentially save time.
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter’s creativity extends beyond its narrative, premise, and art design to include a lot of gameplay variety. The game features 13 different guns as well as several power-ups.
5Turok 2: Seeds Of Evil
A successful sequel to the surprise hit Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Turok 2: Seeds of Evil didn’t innovate a lot but aimed to make the Turok series bigger and better. Turok 2: Seeds of Evil made it seem like the Turok series would become a mainstay in the video game world.
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil’s single-player mode thrusts you into six gigantic levels and establishes a story that continues into a third sequel. The game features even more guns, enemies, and power-ups than its predecessor but lacks the overall originality of the original.
4Goldeneye 007
In the 1990s, console gaming and PC gaming were relatively isolated, so many gamers were not familiar with shooters. Goldeneye 007 was the game that introduced most FPS to console gamers. Based on the popular film of the same title, Goldeneye 007 took full advantage of the four-player capability and offered fun death matches across a wide variety of maps with different weapon settings.
While the gameplay of Goldeneye 007 hasn’t aged well due to odd damage scaling, graphics, and controls, its single-player campaign has a surprising amount of depth. Goldeneye 007’s single-player missions are diverse, and it still gives you the feeling of being 007 despite the blocky graphics.
3Pokemon Snap
Probably not the first game you think of when it comes to shooting games, but Pokemon Snap is technically a first-person shooter. The main difference between Pokémon Snap and other shooting games is that you’re shooting photos instead of bullets.
Pokémon Snap is a rail shooter akin to Star Fox and Panzer Dragoon but with a first-person perspective. For those looking to scratch a shooting itch, Pokémon Snap may be a title you would enjoy but might have overlooked due to its classification.
2Perfect Dark
Seen as an unofficial sequel to Goldeneye, Rare took the elements that made Goldeneye work and made them bigger and more refined with Perfect Dark. It is one of the best games on the N64 and is notable for being one of the few titles thatmade use of the Expansion Pakfor enhanced graphics and additional content.
Perfect Dark is significantly more balanced than Goldeneye and doesn’t rely on licensing for its narrative and art style, offering an original storyline and a futuristic setting that stands out in its genre.
1Doom 64
In terms of controls and gameplay, Doom and Doom 2 were lightyears ahead of games like Goldeneye despite being older. However, many console gamers were not aware of FPS shooters or had the platforms to play them. The N64 tried to address this issue by releasing its own original entry to the series: Doom 64.
Doom 64 used to be a hidden gem, but it has gained a renaissance from fans over the decades who recognize it as a high-quality game. Doom 64 is the closest FPS on the N64 that captures the immaculate speed of manyarena shooters from the 90s.
