Nintendo Switch players, you need to play these 10 free N64 classics
Nintendo Switch Online and Expansion Pack customers have access to a wealth of amazing retro games as part of the subscription. Whether you pay monthly or take out a yearly subscription, you’ll be able to dive into a handpicked selection of games from Nintendo’s best consoles.
Today we’re going to take a look at the selection of free games available from the N64 era of Nintendo history and showcase some great games you can download and play, right now via Nintendo Switch Online.
1080 Snowboarding
Back in the day, 1080 Snowboarding was the peak of extreme sports games. Being able to pull off massive jumps with grabs and twists, it was second to none. Exciting, fast-paced, full of personality, it’s still a solid sports title today. Of course, as with everything in this list, some of the textures will look dated. 1080 Snowboarding managed to make you feel like a true pro and its arcade feel ensured you could perform the wackiest tricks.
Yoshi’s Story
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If you’re a platformer fan, you have to try out Yoshi’s Story. Now, I will note that the graphics here haven’t held up that well considering it’s a relatively basic, cartoony game. However, because the gameplay is focused more on combining puzzles and light platforming, you’re still going to have a lot of fun. You can’t fault the joyous feeling you get plodding along, collecting fruit, exploring the delightful levels, and totalling up the high scores needed to advance.
Pokemon Stadium
What would Nintendo be without Pokemon? Well, it would still be an amazing company, to be fair, but Pokemon is a big part of the brand. Sadly, the N64 outings never reached mainline outings as we’d see on handhelds, but Pokemon Stadium is a banger. You can choose your favourite Pokemon and make them battle using deeper tactics than found in other titles, all presented in larger-than-life details. There’s no storyline here, just lots of pocket monsters doing battle and looking awesome at the same time.
Banjo-Kazooie
In the golden age of 3D platformers the N64 was stacked. Not only did they have Mario, but they had a bird and a bear who had a witch to deal with. Banjo-Kazooie was made by Rare, one of the darlings of the industry. The platforming was brilliant, combining the unique abilities of both characters allowing players to explore delightful worlds filled with humour and imagination. It might be a bold take, but this is equally as good as Mario 64 and, in some places, is more expansive as the levels are more open to exploration.
Mario Kart 64
Nobody can deny the power of Mario Kart 64. The original SNES version spawned an entirely new genre with its arcade feel and weapon-based racing. If you own a Switch, you really should own Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but this will do in its absence. The chunky graphics give it a whole different personality, with a fantastic selection of tracks and all the weapons you love to use. Because each Mario Kart game plays so similarly, you’ll be right at home in no time and blasting your opponents with green shells like a marksman sniper.
Star Fox 64 (Lylat Wars)
The level of charm in Star Fox 64 (Lylat Wars in PAL territories) is what makes it so playable, and memorable. This ‘on-rails’ space shooter was tightly controlled, beautifully realised in every scene, and had terrific dialogue between the crew. If you can remind yourself of how it felt to sit cross-legged in front of the TV on a Saturday morning, watching cartoons, that’s how it felt to play Star Fox 64. Every moment was an adventure and you’d be blasting away enemies while piloting your craft through obstacles, taking on tougher challenges as your journey veers off through the branching level system.
Goldeneye 007
The daddy of couch co-op; the master of big head mode; the game that caused fights when your mate chose Oddjob; Goldeneye is perhaps the pinnacle of N64 gaming for many. While it features no Nintendo mascots, this game managed to find its way into everyone’s house. It was, and still is, a masterpiece. The guns were great, the level design brilliant, the steps up in difficulty and the tasks were a chef’s kiss.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Is this the best Zelda game ever created? Do we ask ourselves that question with every release? As a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, this iteration improved visually, but it also recycled a lot of assets due to the shorter release schedule - it arrived two years later. There’s no doubting the greatness of the game, though. Utilising a three-day cycle, taking Link to a parallel world, Majora’s Mask really shook up the Zelda formula. Some fans prefer the darkness of this installment as it was much moodier, but it was also a surreal experience that deviated greatly from what we’d seen before and therefore became more unique. Play both and your life will be better.
Super Mario 64
Is there a better Mario game? Maybe, but Mario’s first foray into 3D is perhaps the most memorable. Not only that, but it’s still so much fun. All that hopping in and out of paintings, riding Koopa shells, spinning Bowser around by his tail, it’s all so satisfying. Of course, 3D Mario games have come a long way since this, but the beauty of Mario 64 platforming is its simplicity, which means it never really gets old and messy. Hitting a backflip or a perfect ground pound is just as good over 20 years later.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Is this the best Zelda game ever created? Do we ask ourselves that question with every release? When The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was first released it was another Nintendo franchise that took the leap into 3D. And with that leap, it became one of the best RPGs ever to grace a Nintendo console. It had everything, from interesting dungeons with ingenious gimmicks to the freedom and mystery of Hyrule by horseback. Link became more fully formed than ever, the action was engaging, and the time jump blew everyone away; it was a revolutionary game that many still call the greatest game of all time. What’s more, it feels like it hasn’t aged a day, even with the aged graphics.
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Topics: Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, Mario, The Legend Of Zelda, Pokemon, Mario Kart