N64 NSO Games Ranked
Image: Nintendo Life

Kirby 64 has finally arrived on the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, and then it's the perfect time to revisit this dynamic, real-time ranking of every announced game for the service and add (or possibly even reevaluate) your User Ratings for every one you've played. Savor!


The library of N64 games available with the 'Expansion Pack' for the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service boasts some of the system's heaviest hitters and it's a proficient first pass at getting a varied catalogue of quality 64-bit games in the easily of Switch owners.

But which of the N64 games coming the Nintendo Switch Online are the very best? Well, we can reply that question with the help of Nintendo Life readers who have rated the titles on our Games Database.

The following list is compiled using the User Ratings (out of ten) given to each N64 game scheduled to arrive on Switch in the Due west. It should be noted that this ranking is not gear up in stone and volition automatically fluctuate over time depending on assigned User Ratings (and new additions to the NSO library, of form).

Retrieve a game below deserves to exist college up on the list? Simply click on the 'star' button and score information technology yourself — your personal rating could heave its placement in the overall ranking.

So, sit back and enjoy the best N64 games coming to Nintendo Switch soon...

16. WinBack: Covert Operations (N64)

WinBack: Covert Operations (N64) WinBack: Covert Operations (N64)

Publisher: Koei / Programmer: Omega Force

Release Date: 20th October 1999 (Usa) / seventh Jul 2000 (Uk/EU)

We don't know about you, just games like Performance: WinBack (equally this was known in Europe and Australia) and Konami's Hybrid Heaven occupied a the B-tier on our 'to get' lists back in the day — they looked interesting, simply they were way down the listing behind the first-political party purchases and many of us but never got around to catching upwardly with them one time the 64-bit generation came to an end.

While Koei'south third-person shooter wouldn't go downwards in the annals of covert ops gaming equally a classic, its cover system felt fresh back in 1999 and the ability to check out the game on Switch and place it in its historical context is near welcome.

14. Yoshi'due south Story (N64)

Yoshi's Story (N64) Yoshi's Story (N64)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo EAD

Release Appointment: 10th Mar 1998 (USA) / tenth May 1998 (United kingdom/EU)

Coming after the incredible (and incredibly cute) Yoshi's Isle on SNES, it's no surprise that Yoshi's Story rubbed some people the wrong style with its accessible, storybook arroyo and cutesiness. It's certainly non the strongest or most complex 2d platformer you'll ever play, but it'due south chock with the Yoshi serial' trademark charm and we'd say it'southward worthy of reassessment if y'all've dismissed information technology in the past.

The N64 wasn't blessed with an abundance of side-on platformers, but armed with the knowledge that this isn't a 64-bit Yoshi's Island, this is a great little game starring everyone's favourite fruit-munching dino.

xiii. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64)

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64) Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: HAL Laboratory

Release Date: 26th Jun 2000 (USA) / 22nd Jun 2001 (Uk/EU)

In Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, HAL Laboratory managed to go on the core structure many knew and loved virtually the Kirby serial while glossing information technology up with a shiny glaze of polygonal paint for the new panel generation.

Kirby'due south 64-bit foray into the third dimension (well, kinda — information technology's 2.5D, or on-rail 3D, if you lot prefer) stands out as one of the more unique entries in the series, feeling somewhat fresh in comparison to the many, many 2d Kirby platformers and still pleasurable to play to this mean solar day.

12. Pokémon Snap (N64)

Pokémon Snap (N64) Pokémon Snap (N64)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: HAL Laboratory

Release Date: 30th Jun 1999 (Usa) / 15th Sep 2000 (UK/European union)

The whole concept of communicable Pokémon and making them battle each other doesn't bear thinking too deeply about, simply the thought of going out on a safari and shooting the critters was never going to wash. Switch a gun for a photographic camera, though, and you've got yourself a fun little 'monday-filled rail-shooter.

Pokémon Snap might have only had 63 Pocket Monsters available, but the outpouring of love shown for the original game when the long awaited sequel came to Switch in 2021 is attestation to its charm. The act of hunting down Pokémon arguably wouldn't be bettered until years later when Niantic caught the world's attention with Pokémon Become.

xi. Mario Golf (N64)

Mario Golf (N64) Mario Golf (N64)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Camelot

Release Date: 26th Jul 1999 (USA) / 14th Sep 1999 (Britain/EU)

Camelot brought Mario and his golfing pals onto the 3D fairways in this excellent entry in his catalogue of sports games. This game too linked upwards with the tiptop Mario Golf for Game Male child Color. They're very different games, and the handheld version is probably even better thanks to its brilliant RPG elements, simply together they make an unbeatable pair. When we're disappointed that later games like Mario Golf: Super Blitz don't match the quality of older entries, it's Mario Golf that we're remembering with a faraway contemplative look in our optics.

ten. Sin and Penalisation (N64)

Sin and Punishment (N64) Sin and Punishment (N64)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Treasure

Release Appointment: 1st October 2007 (USA) / 28th Sep 2007 (UK/EU) / 21st Nov 2000 (JPN)

Gamers in the W wouldn't be able to get their hands on Treasure'due south hectic N64 on-track shooter (not easily, that is — there was always the option to import) until it came to the Wii U Virtual Console.

On original release it rapidly became a cult archetype cheers to its developer's heritage and its Japan-only status, and while it'southward probably non worth importing a Japanese console to enjoy this game solitary (we did, simply nosotros're a chip obsessive), and its sequel Sin and Penalization: Star Successor for Wii arguably improves on this foundation in every way, this is still a very fine shooter from a very fine developer.

Swell box art, also.

9. Mario Lawn tennis (N64)

Mario Tennis (N64) Mario Tennis (N64)

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Camelot

Release Date: 28th Aug 2000 (The states) / 3rd Nov 2000 (UK/EU)

The first in the Mario Tennis series (second, if you count Mario's Tennis for the Virtual Male child) was one of a winning doubles team in the Mushroom Kingdom sports section from Camelot — the studio also released the vivid Mario Golf for N64, as well every bit Game Boy Colour versions of each game that linked up with their domicile panel cousins via the Transfer Pak.

Mario'south played a lot of lawn tennis over the years, but this remains one of his finest on-court showings.