5 More Nintendo 64 Games That Need To Come To Switch
During the September 2021 Nintendo Direct, the company confirmed the rumors that fans long suspected by announcing that it will be adding Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games to the Nintendo Switch Online service in late October. The added games will be included in a higher paid tier than the normal Nintendo Switch Online service, at $49.99 per year. The list of announced games included "Super Mario 64," "Mario Kart 64," and "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time," which will be available at the launch of the service.
Nintendo also announced the second batch of games that will come to the service at a later date including "Paper Mario," "Pokemon Snap," and "Banjo-Kazooie." Some gamers suggested that Game Boy games could join the service at a later date. There have also been rumors that these titles might just be the tip of the iceberg, and that several Rare-developed titles could be coming to the service at a later date, although nothing has been officially confirmed. While the selection of N64 games coming to the service is great, there are a few more titles that need to join the roster.
Super Smash Bros.
Nintendo confirmed that the Nintendo 64 games that have multiplayer options, like "Mario Kart 64," will be playable online. There is no Nintendo 64 game more deserving of online play than the original "Super Smash Bros." While it would certainly feel poetic to have the original game on the same console as "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate," it is also the perfect type of game to have on the service. Many of the announced games are focused on shorter play sessions that inspire nostalgia, and nothing is more nostalgic than one's first encounter with "Smash."
"Super Smash Bros." is a perfect game to pick up, play a few rounds, and put down. While fans have a much bigger reverence for "Super Smash Bros. Melee," the original game is still a classic title and one of the most important games to be released for the Nintendo 64. It would certainly make newer "Super Smash Bros." fans more appreciative of "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate," and how far the series has come.
Diddy Kong Racing
Nintendo already included "Mario Kart 64" in the list of games coming to the service, but it has not mentioned one of the best kart racing games available on the Nintendo 64. Rated higher than "Mario Kart 64," "Diddy Kong Racing" has an 88 on Metacritic, making it the 20th game on the list of highest rated Nintendo 64 titles. What makes "Diddy Kong Racing" special is not only its smoother racing experience, but it also features hovercrafts and planes.
Unfortunately, "Diddy Kong Racing" is a game that might be harder to get on the service than some others. The game was developed and co-published by Rare and includes multiple Rare characters like Banjo from "Banjo-Kazooie" on the roster. This means that Nintendo would need to work with Rare (and Microsoft) to get the game on the service. On the positive side, "Banjo-Kazooie" has been confirmed to be coming to the service eventually, so Rare seems to be willing to work with Nintendo. Hopefully, this means the best kart racer can make its way to the service.
Donkey Kong 64
In case you weren't sure, Nintendo may have made some of the best Nintendo 64 games, but Rare carried that console generation on its back. One of the developer's many titles included the 3D collect-athon "Donkey Kong 64." Similar in design to "Banjo-Kazooie," "Donkey Kong 64" featured multiple members of the Kong family and had players collecting a number of different items, including bananas, throughout various 3D stages. Now, "Donkey Kong 64" has a 90 on Metacritic, placing it as the 13th highest rated Nintendo 64 game. It is important to note that the game has lost some of its prestige over time, with some gamers considering the game to be overrated.
Mostly, it's that the game is far too big and it has some frustrating elements, including certain collectibles being locked to the different characters, forcing players to replay every section multiple times. Regardless of if the game still holds up, it was a staple game of the Nintendo 64 and should be available for people to play, even if it's not a game everyone will want to sit all the way through. Plus, "Donkey Kong 64" gave the world the DK rap, and that's a piece of history that definitely needs to be preserved.
GoldenEye 007
"GoldenEye 007" is synonymous with the Nintendo 64. If anyone puts together a list of the most important or best Nintendo 64 games, "GoldenEye 007" is there alongside the greats like "Super Mario 64" and "Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time." Prior to "Halo: Combat Evolved," two games defined console first-person shooters, and one of them was "GoldenEye 007." The most important part of "GoldenEye 007" was its four-player multiplayer mode, which put friends head to head in one of the game's memorable locations. While that mode probably doesn't hold up compared to modern shooters, having it be available on the Nintendo Switch with online functionality would be a perfect way to re-experience it.
"GoldenEye 007" might be one of the more unlikely titles to come to the service. Also developed by Rare, the "James Bond" license could cause some difficulties in getting it on the service. While the owners of "James Bond" are open to video games, like a new title that claims to be different from the rest, they might want more money than Nintendo is willing to pay.
Perfect Dark
Everyone has fond memories of playing "GoldenEye 007," but for Rare, that was just the prototype. "Perfect Dark" was Rare's next first-person shooter and a completely original IP. The game featured similar gunplay and multiplayer modes to "GoldenEye 007" but was more refined. Once again, this title would be perfect to take advantage of the added online mode for the Nintendo 64 games, letting people experience this shooter in a new way.
"Perfect Dark" is one of the trickiest titles to obtain for a different reason. While Microsoft has shown a willingness to work with Nintendo, Microsoft is also developing a brand new "Perfect Dark" and may not want to put the original on Nintendo's service. The Xbox 360 remaster of "Perfect Dark" is playable on Xbox Series X via backward compatibility, so people can play this landmark shooter if they want to. It belongs on the Nintendo Switch Online service's Nintendo 64 catalog for its influence and for being one of the best games released on that console.