Nintendohas done an impressive job over the years to prove themselves as one of the most competent names in the video game industry. Most of Nintendo’s first-party titles turn out to be the most celebrated releases on their consoles, but for a long time, the relationship between Nintendo andRarealso led to a lot of success. Many of Rare’s contributions to Nintendo consoles turned out to be some of the best games from the era.
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Rare is now owned byMicrosoft, rather than Nintendo, but during their time together there were plenty of hits. Accordingly, here’s every Rare game on the Nintendo 64, ranked from worst to best (according to Metacritic).
10Mickey’s Speedway USA (Score: 71)
The majorNintendo 64racing contribution from Rare that everyone remembers isDiddy Kong Racing,but they also put out another racer that flew under the radar, but featured some of Disney’s most beloved characters.
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Mickey’s Speedway USAis a step down from Rare’s usual work, but this is still a surprisingly big racing game that’s a lot of fun to play. There’s even extra content that’s made available via the transfer link cable with theGameBoy Colorversion of the game, which is hardware that few games utilized.
9Jet Force Gemini (Score: 80)
Titles likeGoldeneye 007showed audiences that Rare could turn out a fantastic shooter under the right circumstances.Jet Force Geminiis a much bigger and more ambitious game that sets a brother, sister, and their dog against an invading alien species.
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The game features lovable characters, a comprehensive gameplay system, and a story that generates actual pathos. In many ways,Jet Force Geminiwas just ahead of its time and perhaps the Nintendo 64 wasn’t the best fit for it, but it still has a cult audience that’s hungry for more.
8Diddy Kong Racing (Score: 88)
The Nintendo 64’s most beloved racing game is arguablyMario Kart 64,but Rare created a viable competitor withDiddy Kong Racing. Mario Kartis a simpler experience, but Rare really tried to challenge what a racing game could be.Diddy Kong Racinghas a full story mode and open world to explore that connects the races together. It also allows players to pilot different vehicles for each course and throws options at gamers in areas where it was uncommon. It still stands as a benchmark for complex racers.
7Blast Corps (Score: 90)
Blast Corpsis one of the more unique titles to come out of Rare, and the fact that it was one of the first games to hit the console means that many audiences missed out on the unusual game.Blast Corpsutilizes a demolition and rescue concept to navigate through environments and complete challenging tasks. The diverse roster of vehicles and the deep amount of unlockable content makesBlast Corpsone of the most rewarding games on the Nintendo 64. Unfortunately, it hasn’t gained the same audience as the company’s other titles, but it’s the perfect game for a remaster.
6Donkey Kong 64 (Score: 90)
Many audiences were excited over the prospect of a newDonkey Kongadventure game on the Nintendo 64, but Rare’sDonkey Kong 64marks a definite turning point for the company and their games. There’s no denying thatDonkey Kong 64is an inventive and full experience, but that’s part of the problem. The game turns into such a “collect-a-thon” that it burnt out many players on the genre and ties the N64 game down. However, the reception also taught Rare to scale back a little and that more isn’t always a good thing.
5Banjo-Tooie (Score: 90)
Sequels are difficult, and there’s a lot of potential to not only mess things up or become derivative of the previous title, but a particularly bad sequel can even retroactively harm the original game. Rare rises to the occasion withBanjo-Tooieand while it adds a lot more to the already fullBanjo-Kazooieformula, like elaborate transformations, it never becomes too much or overwhelms the audience. There’s a lot of ambition inBanjo-Tooieand while it’s seen as a slight step down from its predecessor, that still means that it’s a top tier title.
Conker’s Bad Fur Daywas a controversial title on the typically family-friendly Nintendo console. Despite how the game features one of Rare’s signature cuddly and adorable mascots, it was an M-rated game that indulges in violence, sex, and toilet humor that was very atypical for Nintendo. Rare’s mash-up of their typicalplatformerswith adult themes is a strange success. It marks an exciting time when Nintendo took some larger risks. Conker has since shifted over to Microsoft’s stable of characters, but his time with Nintendo was memorable.
3Banjo-Kazooie (Score: 92)
Banjo-Kazooieis one of the crowning achievements of the Nintendo 64.Super Mario 64is obviously the console’s biggest adventure game, butBanjo-Kazooierefines the formula, throws in a whole bunch of crazy abilities, and gives the adventure and platformer genre a refreshing facelift. Not only isBanjo-Kazooiea lush title with a fantastic soundtrack for the N64, but it also helped turn both Banjo and Kazooie into beloved mascots who fans have consistently wanted to see put into more games. They’re a great example of the strong original characters that Rare creates.
2Goldeneye 007 (Score: 96)
It’s kind of remarkable that one of the best Rare games and titles for the Nintendo 64 is a game that’s an adaptation of an entry in the James Bond film series.Goldeneye 007shouldn’t work as well as it does, but it’s lightning in a bottle that helped redefine the first-person shooter genre as well as multiplayer. The game’s single-player campaign is lengthy and full of secrets, but this is a game that people play for its multiplayer, which is just sublime. It’s still an experience that companies have tried to replicate.
1Perfect Dark (Score: 97)
Rare broke new ground withGoldeneye 007,butPerfect Darkwas their shooter follow-up that was meant to push the genre even further.Perfect Darkcame out later in the N64’s lifespan, but those that gave it a shot saw how deep of an experience it is. Rare truly went above and beyond with the multiplayer and the addition of bots and extra players was revolutionary at the time.Perfect Darkis the perfect synthesis of gameplay, story, and innovation that Rare has become known for.
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