I've already covered my top 5 FPS games for SEGA Dreamcast last month, so I decided to make another top 5 FPS list on other platform such as Nintendo 64 which is one of my 4th favourite list of my top 5 video game consoles that I've made the blog back in 2019.
Back in my days of mid-90s where gaming had introduced the 3D-era of consoles like the SONY Playstation, SEGA Saturn, and then of course the Nintendo 64 had entered the console wars competition.
The N64 was being well-known for its own types of libraries based off the genres such as mostly 3D platformers, action-adventures, racing, wrestling, and of course the FPS had made people talk about a lot.
The outside of the FPS, this system had games like Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Paper Mario, Starfox 64, F-Zero X, Mario Kart 64, WCW vs NWO Revenge, Banjo-Kazooie, and Conker's Bad Fur Day that had people mostly remembered the Nintendo's own 3D console, but what about the shooters games that made the N64 quite recognisable for its own single-player action and split-screen multiplayer which is the reason why I am going to list my own 5 favourite shooters that I highly recommended to those who owns the N64 on their collection and interested in playing an FPS should considered checking it out.
So without go further do, here is my top 5 N64 FPS Games.
5 - Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six
Like I've previously listed Rogue Spear as number 4 on my Top 5 SEGA Dreamcast FPS Games last month, I just wanted to include another great Tom Clancy's game for N64 which is Rainbow Six.
It is a tactical FPS title where you play as group of squads on the mission to take down the terrorists and rescuing hostages on single player campaign.
The gameplay is heavily focused on more stealthy approach and squad-based system where you must work with the team to give command such as take cover, give orders, and avoiding being contacted nearby.
You have an options to customising your kits such as weapons and armoury, adding squad members on teams, and creating blueprints for maps which allowing you and your team to easily track around the levels, but as the N64 conversion I find the preparations menus are lot more quicker and easier to setup makes the navigation feel less complicated and simple to use which is the reason why I much preferred the N64 version over the PC and Dreamcast counterpart.
As the game being ported to the N64 which got me curious to give the game a try and see how it plays well on the Nintendo's 3D machine, the answer is yes it's better than I've expected because unlike the PS1 version are absolute piece of trash are nowhere near good as the PC and Dreamcast counterpart, the N64 version did a decent job of capturing the PC original nicely with all single-player missions and 2-player co-op being intact that made this conversion worth playing.
The controls takes sometime to practice once you get used with the N64 controller, but with the auto-aiming function did help the player being able to automatically target and shoot at enemy with no issues whatsoever. The A.I on the N64 are cleverly smart that allows the team members or enemies to react, shoot, and take cover works pretty well during the single-player mission.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six is not the only decent N64 conversion of the great PC originals, but also being one of the best entries on the franchise which the owners of the N64 are likely not to be disappointing with the result.
4 - Quake 2
As I loved the first Quake game for both PC and N64 in mid-90s, I was looking forward to play a next installiment that was released a year after the first 1996's original, so that is Quake 2 which is a 1997's FPS game originally released for PC, which was developed by Id Software and published by Activision, where as the PS1 ported by HammerHead, and N64 ported by Raster Productions in 2 years later.
So unlike the PC and PS1 counterpart, the N64 version are done completely done something else with different single-player levels and multiplayer maps that weren't present on the original game, so does it mean it's anything bad about the N64 counterpart? absolutely not because it's what made the N64 so different from the other platforms which is the reason I own the N64 copy in my childhood days.
The game takes place in Sci-Fi universe where the earth is under attack from the Alien-race known as Strogg, so your mission is to fight through the stages with series of objectives and numerous of enemies to deal with to prevent them from continuously ongoing invasion.
What I liked about the N64 version is that entire single-player levels are so much different from the PC original starting from Communications Center to Cargo Bay, Storage Facility to Research Lab, and Bio-Waste Treatment to Command Core with different environments and designs which I like how the game looks and feel like it's sort of a new single-player experience that I didn't see on the PC and PS1 version.
With linear approach levels and fast-paced gameplay, it plays really well throughout the campaign with numerous of weapons and armours to grab stuff, the each levels has good amount of platforming and easy to traverse things, finding the hidden secrets, and blasting the f**k out of enemies is what made single-player so good on N64.
Speaking of N64, you can participate with your friends at split-screen multiplayer up to 4-player deathmatch and capture the flag makes the best multiplayer for N64 owners can able to enjoy blasting each others with many frags as possible.
Quake 2 is an solid console port of the original PC that deserves an remaster treatment if Bethesda Softworks lets Nightdive Studio do a thing just like they did with the first Quake remastered last year.
3 - Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
A game that involve badass native American warrior, collecting missing keys, accessing to hub world, and shooting down dinosaurs, yes you heard me it's Turok: Dinosaur Hunter for N64.
It was all started when the 64-bit system was released a year of 1996 before Starfox 64, Diddy Kong Racing, WCW vs NWO Revenge, and of course Goldeneye 007 became the N64's best year of gaming in 1997, but let's not forget the groundbreaking action game that pushes the new genre of FPS forward which is different from games like Doom and Quake are basically just simple corridor shooter where as Turok are just totally something else which is great to have different kinds of FPS games.
You take control of native American warrior named Turok set his quest to stop the evil campaigner from conquering the universe with an ancient and powerful weapon, so your main goal is to collect many missing keys that grant you access to next hub world.
The game itself is heavily focused on non-linear aspects with open-world hub levels that allow you to explore throughout the game filled with platforming, puzzle solving, finding hidden secrets, and battling with numerous of enemies and bosses is what made the game so unique for the FPS standards.
Despite the N64 cart's restricted memory size, it's one of the N64 game that the developers had managed to push the regular 8 megs of cartridge into limits making it the most technically achieved for N64 library filled with bigger open-world environments, lighting effects, and particle system, as well as CD quality alike soundtrack and atmospheric sound design did showed off the N64's technical showcase proving the game was capable of handling the visuals and sounds pulled off nicely running on N64 system.
The game had multiple of enemy's death animations depending on what body the player had shot are absolute gruesome which is kinda sounds crazy to have a mature rated games being on Nintendo console are being advertised as family-friendly platform, so who gives a shit it's f***ing Turok everyone, that's the best whole part of the game.
I also loved the aggressive jungle-themed soundtrack with heavy use of drum percussion and hearing the background noises throughout the levels really fits the overall presentation and action perfectly which adds the realism of the game's sound design.
Along with the graphics and sounds, the gameplay feels tight and responsive are good for the play mechanics such as being able to jump on platforms, climbing walls, and swimming underwater. The combat had great selection of weapons such as bow and arrow, pistols, shotguns, rifles, rocket launcher, and lasers works effectively against depending on enemy's weaknesses. The open-world environments filled with large exploration to discover, solving puzzles in various areas, and fighting with enemies and bosses that what made the game quite amazing to play.
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter is an incredible FPS title was a critical and commercial success had gained rave praise from video game magazines and becoming the N64's most popular title in the months following its release.
The game's success had led the series creating numerous of sequels such as Turok 2 and 3 for N64, and of course the remastered version being produced by Nightdive Studios for PC, PS4, XBONE, and Switch was released in between 2015 and 2021 with additional features such as better controls, clean visuals, and polished performances are perfect for the newcomers to try on instead, where as the N64 original is only recommended for those who own the console for nostalgic purposes that made Turok: Dinosaur Hunter so special on the Nintendo's own 64-bit machine that was looking so incredible back in mid-90s.
2 - Perfect Dark
After the success of Goldeneye 007 which was heavily regarded as being one of the revolutionary FPS game ever released for N64, the developer team Rareware went into creating an follow-up to 1997's successful game, but unfortunately the James Bond's licenses for game was outbid by Electronic Arts to create Tomorrow Never Dies for PS1 which led the team behind the Goldeneye 007 went into creating an alternative as spiritual successor called Perfect Dark for N64 making the Rareware's first FPS game without 007 licenses.
It's one of the Rareware's first N64 game to fully require with the expansion pak in order to access and play single-player campaign, as well as additional features for multiplayer and graphical enhancements been added to the game's content.
The game follows an Carrington Institute research centre's agent Joanna Dark went into mission to stop an extra-terrestrial conspiracy by rival corperation dataDyne.
What makes the game quite interesting is that unlike Goldeneye 007, they added the cinematic cutscene before beginning and after finishing the mission which delivers the game's actual storylines to know what was going on the game's event had took place.
I also liked the overall presentation of sci-fi universe with futuristic settings and environments which took inspiration from the likes of Blade Runner, The X-Files, and Ghost in the Shell that fits the dystopian themes of the game itself.
Joanna Dark is basically an combination of Dana Scully (The X-Files) and James Bond (007) fuse together which is why I liked her in the game because it's one of the most underrated video game character that could have deserve the same credit as any other female protagonist in video games. Sadly it was being let down by that damn Perfect Dark Zero on X360 just left the franchise into dust for very long time till they finally made a comeback for upcoming title on XSX/S in the future.
What makes this game so amazing is like Goldeneye 007, the single-player campaign filled with many great objectives to deal with, complex level design with large environments, and has numerous of weapons and gadgets mostly for missions adding the new elements of the game.
The game also had the best split-screen multiplayer for N64 libraries range with split-screen multiplayer options such as co-op mode and traditional deathmatch with computer-controlled bots adding the game's significant replay values.
Perfect Dark is a fantastic follow-up to legendary 1997's Goldeneye 007 which I highly recommended to those who owns the N64 system should play it, and yes it also has the remastered releases are available on Xbox platforms such as X360 for 2010's digital-only release (via Xbox Store) and XBONE as part of the video game compilation under 2015's Rare Replay featuring better frame-rates and supports online multiplayer are also an welcoming addition.
1 - Goldeneye 007
Everybody knows what are the greatest FPS game of all-time that changed the FPS gaming, so that is Goldeneye 007 for N64 created by Rareware, which is based on the 1995's James Bond film of the same title.
The game pioneered the features such as single-player missions filled with objectives to complete, newer gameplay mechanics such as ability to aim controls and stealth elements, and a console multiplayer deathmatch mode that made Goldeneye 007 commercially successful in 1997 as being one of the best FPS game on N64 system and the third best-selling N64 game that sold over 8 million copies worldwide.
It also being credited as the most influential that has inspired many game developers to create their later own successful FPS franchises such as Bungie's Halo, EA's Medal of Honor and Battlefield, and Activision's Call of Duty which is the reason why many had labelled Goldeneye 007 as one of the most important game for FPS genre.
The game's follows the similar plot as the 1995's film, where you take control of British agent James Bond set out his mission to prevent a criminal syndicate from using satellite weapon against London to cause a global financial meltdown.
The single-player campaign focuses on more realistic FPS style than the standard Doom-like approach is different from any of typical corridor shooters, so instead of collecting keys and head to the exit like Id's Software Doom and Quake, you had to follow the to-do's list objectives to complete the mission which in fact I like the idea of having a different playstyle of FPS game from bungee jump to destroying gas tanks and escaping from archives to rode on military tank is what made Goldeneye 007 so recognisable.
This multiplayer features several of playable characters from Bond universe, selectable weapons and playable stages to choose from, and it allows up to 2-4 player to complete against each other through 5 types of split-screen deathmatch modes such as normal which is a basic deathmatch can be played as free for all or working in teams, You Only Live Twice is where the players has only 2 lives left to survive, Licence to Kill is where the players can die by one hit with any weapons, The Man With the Golden Gun is where the golden gun are capable of killing opponents with only one shot can be picked by one of the player, and The Living Daylights is a flag-tag match where the flag is placed in the fixed location on the map and the player who holds it longer wins the match.
The multiplayer mode plays really well because it has fantastic map levels design, amazing weapons to use, and excellent matches which are perfect for 4-players battle and it is by far one of my favourite multiplayer modes for FPS gaming.
Goldeneye 007 is not the only being one of my favourite shooters of N64 library, but as being one of my all-time top favourite FPS games that is definite must play for N64 owners to look for the fun action-packed FPS title.
I was hoping for the future remaster of the N64 original likely come soon to the Xbox platform or maybe getting an re-release for Switch under the Nintendo Switch Online Subscription Service if Microsoft and Nintendo are being able to make licensing agreements with MGM Productions.
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This is Zeeshan Mirza's Blog and I'll see you next time, happy blogging everyone.
