10 Dream N64 Games We Need On Nintendo Switch
Cartridge classics for the new generation.
The news that Nintendo Switch was finally bringing N64 games to its online service was music to retro fans’ ears, and while there are reasons to be churlish - the drip feed of releases, the price hike (amount unconfirmed at time of writing), the fact that this is finally happening is something to celebrate.
Playing the likes of Zelda and Banjo-Kazooie without having to dust off our scart cables and three pronged controllers (though a wireless version will soon be on sale) - yes please. The initial selection includes Starfox 64 and Ocarina Of Time, with Majora’s Mask and more to follow in due course.
But, assuming this isn’t the end of the line for Nintendo’s dip into its storied path, what other games do we want to see grace the hybrid console? As kids, we could only dream of playing our favourite 64 bit titles on the bus, in the airport, on the beach (for the risk takers). Now, it could all come true.
Here are the cartridges we want to see digitised above all others. Bonafide classics, hidden gems, and curios we want to revisit to see if they’re as weird as we recall: please, Nintendo, get these online as soon as you can.
10. Jet Force Gemini
One of the less well remembered Rare releases on N64 is the surprisingly gory, fiendishly challenging third person shooter Jet Force Gemini. With so many incredible classics under their banner it’s no surprise a few fall by the wayside, but this game deserves more time in the spotlight.
Unlike a lot of Nintendo shooters, it’s aged gracefully - the graphics are slick and not too ambitious for its platform, and the insectoid enemies are still satisfying to shoot to bits (literally) even today.
There are multiple worlds to explore and a great selection of characters and weaponry - it’s hard not to fall in love with a game that allows you to play as a heavily armed, jet powered dog. While it’s more adult than some of Rare’s similarly colourful output, the game is nonetheless laden with the developer’s trademark humour and oddities, like the helpful king of a local tribe whose name is “Jeff”.
It’s surprising Rare never did anything else with this particular property, but the 1999 release would still play plenty well today.