Favorite N64 Lesser Known Titles

[NathanDunsmore]

Glad to see Roadsters mentioned. That is Titus's best N64 game, in my opinion.

One of my favorites is Disney's Tarzan. I seem to enjoy that more and more each time I play through it. Tigger's Honey Hunt is great too. Only weighed down by lack of voice acting.

[Beak]

I don't know if it's a lesser known title, but it warrants mention. This game is a freaking blast to play with a friend. Half the fun, if you don't know Japanese, is picking set ups and having no clue what they'll do.

[ElkinFencer10]

Buck Bumble, Beetle Adventure Racing, and Knife Edge Nose Gunner are all among my favorite N64 games. They're so quirky and unique - the kind of thing that never gets made today with any sizable budget or release.

Lego Racers is another (in my opinion) AMAZING N64 game that doesn't get the credit or recognition that it deserves. Same with Off Road Challenge and Starcraft 64.

[retrosportsgamer]

I like this thread a good bit and have been really refining my N64 collection of late - focusing in on first party titles and series I enjoy but also making sure the best of the system is represented. I've been on a racing kick (note: no sims, arcade/kart only for me) - grabbing, F-Zero X (finally), Ridge Racer 64, and Rush 2 (I was a big fan of the orig on N64 back when it was released).

I also just grabbed Mickey's Speedway USA - a mint, possibly never played cart, just in great shape. I, like I guess a lot of people, cut my teeth on cart racing on the N64. I've had Mario Kart 64 and Diddy Kong, but this was one I needed. I only got in about 10 minutes with it yesterday but I LOVED it (admission: my two year old watches a good bit of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse so I'm brainwashed). You can really tell that Rare just built on Diddy Kong and made it better.

[retrosportsgamer]

So when I focus in on sports collecting/playing for the N64 the first thing I cull out is any multi-platform regular series titles and go purely for games designed for the N64. The 64 wasn't a sports gaming system, my experience with EA games there was considerably worse than on my mainstay PSX. Arcade-wise, I like the 64, but if we're talking simulation, I always steered away. So your Triple Play '99, Madden 2000s, NFL Quarterback Club = no thanks.

There are some exceptions to multi-plats:

NFL Blitz - the initial home release is best on the 64. 2000 and 2001, which I do own, as well as the special rental store only blitz (obv that is 64 exclusive) but 00 and 01 are arcade perfect on the Dreamcast.

NBA Hang Time - best version of this game sits on the 64. They put out Showtime: NBA on NBC but the Dreamcast (obv) has the best version there.

Wayne Gretzky Hockey and Hockey '98 (TBD) - I have never played this series and have them for both the 64 and PSX. Again it's Midway so I always leaned to 64 being better.

Exclusives:

Waialae Country Club: True Golf Classics - already brought up in the thread. A must for N64 sports collecting.

NBA Courtside 2 Featuring Kobe Bryant - again, I'm focusing in on N64-centric games that were just developed for the console here. You'll find the first one in every bargain bin, but these are not bad games. The GameCube successor (and last in the series) is actually quite good.

Ken Griffey MLB titles - I only have the first, which is a gap in my 64 collecting.

All-Star Baseball 2001 - The ASB series was ONLY made for the 64, and in turn were better than what EA ported over. Both 2000 and 2001 reviewed extremely well at the time. I've held onto both.

Nintendo essentials - Mario Golf and Mario Tennis were locks for my sports musts (have them from orig release) but don't really fall under lesser known titles as the thread purports.

[retrosportsgamer]

Buck Bumble, Beetle Adventure Racing, and Knife Edge Nose Gunner are all among my favorite N64 games. They're so quirky and unique - the kind of thing that never gets made today with any sizable budget or release.

Lego Racers is another (in my opinion) AMAZING N64 game that doesn't get the credit or recognition that it deserves. Same with Off Road Challenge and Starcraft 64.

Beetle Adventure Racing and Lego Racers are both on my 64 wishlist. I've played Lego racers on the PSX originally.

I've been on the fence with Buck Bumble. I'd like to get unique (and good) 3D platformers to fill out my collection. I also have Earthworm Jim 3D on my list. Are these still fun to play in 2016 (note: I cut Castlevania from my collection even being a well-known series as I'm really trying to get playable games).

[Tanooki]

Beetle Adventure Racing is solid, I've owned it a few times off and on over the years. I can't hold onto racers for long anymore, permanent burnout. That said, it's based upon the NFS3 engine and it shows. You get these very long and well detailed tracks with lots of outlets to go offroad for little bonuses and turbo boosts, shortcuts too. Sure there are only randomly colored and earned Beetles in the game, but unless you're anti-VW/Beetle everything that game gives beats most racers if not all on the system.

[ElkinFencer10]

Knife Edge: Nose Gunner is a pretty mediocre rail shooter, but it's not very well known (at least as far as I know), and it's not bad for a playthrough every now and then. It's also DIRT cheap (like, around $2).

[Soldier Blue]

Ogre Battle 64, the best game on the system hands down. More people should check it out as I don't often hear too many talking about it.

[Spidrmnky]

Not sure if all of these have been mentioned and some are probably well known amongst the N64 gamers, but I still feel these don't get the recognition they deserve.

Rocket Robot-Unique platformer from Sucker Punch.
Space Station Silicon Valley-Quirky action platformer from DMA Design (now Rockstar North)
Body Harvest-Another game from DMA Design it's kind of like a very early Sci Fi GTA.
Robotron 64-Fun Arcade shooter.