Previously posted on mithos.1up.com and awarded "Blog of the Day 4-10-06"

Recently I have been thinking about one of my favorite consoles ever to be released - The Nintendo 64. I remember being very excited for its release back when it was being called the Nintendo Ultra 64. What a horrendous name! I am glad they changed it. This was the system that really got me into playing video games. I grew up with the NES but my gaming had waned since then. But along came the N64 and changed my life forever. Here is a look at my top 10 Nintendo 64 games, excluding Mario Kart 64, Super Mario 64, Goldeneye 007, and The Legend of Zelda Ocania of Time. In my eyes, the aforementioned titles make up the core of N64's canon, so I have decided to omit them in favor of looking at some of my lesser-known favorites.

10 Doom 64 - My first exposure to first person shooters was the original Doom that I played on my PC. In fact, my first online gaming experience was with Doom. Anyways, Doom 64 was a new game in and of itself. With brand new levels and refined graphics this game proved the Doom license was still alive and kicking. The graphics were dark, almost too dark at times but a little brightness adjust fixed that problem.

9 Mischief Makers - 2D gaming at its finest… and weirdest. A quirky title released by Treasure that took 2D gaming to all new heights. I never actually owned this game but my friend did and I also rented it several times. My memories are vague but I clearly remember the shake attacks! Unique game play, lots of levels, and cool anime inspired graphics equal a win in my book.

8 Snowboard Kids - Without Mario Kart 64 there would be no Snowboard Kids but this game has its worth as well. Choosing between the colorful cast of suspiciously big nosed characters, the player could race down the slopes or hit the freestyle course to pull of tricks. The game could be devilishly cheap at times but all of the rewards, cool levels, and crafty weapons made this game a favorite of mine.

7 Bomberman 64 - I never owned this game but my friend did and we constantly played it. The single player mode was average but the multiplayer produced some of the most intense gaming nights in my life. The main objective blow: up the opposing player with bombs. Each map consisted of small multi layer environments full of hazards and power ups. The game was fast paced and hectic and quickly turned my friends and I against each other… at least for a little while.

6 Tetrisphere - I believe this was the first game to take the Tetris name and do something completely different with it. Tetrisphere took the basic system of Tetris and transformed it into the world of 3 dimensions. In this game, the player layered blocks over a 3D sphere. This game was truly a masterpiece.

5 Diddy Kong Racing - Another game in the vein of Mario Kart. This time featuring 3D world where the player could drive, sail, or fly across. The voice acting was incredible as well. There was so much to do in this game and so many secrets for the player to unlock. This game kept me busy for months.

4 Banjo Kazooie - A bear and bird team up in Rare’s 3D action adventure masterpiece. To me this game represents the pinnacle of Rare’s gaming legacy on the Nintendo 64. There were work on the N64 revolutionized the gaming industry; it is a shame that they have fallen so far. The graphics for this game were incredible and the sound score was brilliant. Everything about this game worked perfectly.

3 Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon - Anotherquirky title, this game was my first introduction into the Goemon series. This game allowed the player to control 4 different main characters: Goemon, the over-weight ninja Ebisumaru, the katana wielding Yae, and the battery powered Sasuke. One really weird feature about this game is that included a laugh track but not all of the jokes translated into English very well. Many of the jokes left me scratching my head in confusion, but it added to this games charm. And best of all you were able to take control of a giant Kabuki robot!

2 WCW vs. NWO Revenge - The best multiplayer game ever in my opinion. This game was simple to use, the control scheme was perfect and allowed for fast paced action. Featuring over 40 characters plus some secret ones this game had it all. You could grab weapons from the crowd and beat your enemy senseless. You could perform special moves, and the 4-man battle royal produced some of the best multiplayer action ever to have been had on a console video game. The subsequent titles improved upon the basic system introduced in this game and improved on them.

1 Turok: Dinosaur Hunter - … Excuse me I get choked up just thinking about this game… Okay I think I am better now. Wow, there is so much I want to say about this game I don’t even know where to begin. This is my favorite first person shooter ever! Turok introduced mission based game play over the course of around 10 well-designed and individualized levels. As you progressed through the game you collected weapon pieces that, when combined gave rise to the Chronoscepter. The architecture was unique, the enemies were vicious, and the graphics blew me away. The vast jungle expanses, although limited by fogging techniques, were truly a site to behold back in 1997. There were a plethora of entertaining codes you could implement if you so desired and the gore in your face. You could choose between red and green blood. I played this game to death, even winning an award for a contest in Nintendo Power.

Turok, I tip my hat to you sir.

Honorable Mentions

Dishonorable Mentions