The Nintendo 64 was an interesting console. It is home to some of the most legendary and historically relevant games ever made like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, but it had a lot of problems attracting third-party attention. Certain genres also had a lack of great titles for the N64. Fighting games in particular had a hard time on the console, mostly due to the unconventional controller.
Yet, numerous fighting games still made their mark on the console. The games below are at least worth playing today as a curiosity, but the top of the pack will still provide a great time for players interested in some retro goodness. The N64 might not have beaten Sony's PlayStation in the console wars, but it still made a respectable mark on the era.
8 Dark Rift
Dark Rift came out first on Nintendo 64 before any other console. It is not even a port of an arcade game. Additionally, it only received a Windows release, and never made its way to the PlayStation.
In fact, the game was developed mostly for the Sega Saturn before switching over to Nintendo's console. Reviews highlighted the graphics and the fact that it was a decent fighter for the console, but admitted it would not compare favorably to all-time greats. These days, it is more interesting to play than it is a great fighter.
7 Mace: The Dark Age
Mace: The Dark Age feels a lot like Dark Rift. It is not a particularly great fighting game, but Nintendo 64 owners should take anything they can get when it comes to the genre. The graphics are notably impressive, however.
Even though visuals age in video games, it is still easy to appreciate the work and ingenuity that went into making Mace: The Dark Age. Unlike Dark Rift, this game came out in Arcades first before moving to the Nintendo 64 a few months later. There is no PlayStation or PC release, so finding a copy might prove difficult for anyone interested in playing today.
6 Fighting Force 64
Fighting Force is a brawler, almost like a 3D Streets of Rage. As per the naming tradition, the Nintendo 64 port is named Fighting Force 64. It features graphical enhancements and retains the cooperative multiplayer.
While everything is better with a friend, the game itself is still sorely lacking in substance and interesting levels. With newer brawlers like Streets of Rage 4 bringing the genre back to its glory, there is little reason to come back to this one.
5 Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat 4 came out on almost every available popular console at the time of its release. Looking at all the versions side-by-side, there are obvious visual differences. The N64 version manages to look better than almost all of them, only beaten out by the Dreamcast version.
Still, some might not like the controls. Mortal Kombat 4 was the first 3D entry in the franchise, though the gameplay remained 2D. With the recent entries also utilizing 2D gameplay and better balance in the gameplay, Mortal Kombat 4 is better played as a historical relic rather than a serious fighting game.
4 Killer Instinct 2
Rare's fighting game franchise was beloved for its unique aesthetic and great graphics. This was best experienced in the arcade, however. Nevertheless, Killer Instinct 2 on the Nintendo 64 is a decent port of the arcade game, even if it does use downgraded visuals.
The lack of multiple endings for each character is also a notable absence. It is such a unique feature for the genre, so seeing it cut from the console version is disappointing. Yet, it still remains one of the finer one-on-one fighting games for the N64.
3 Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Before heading into the land of 3D gaming, Mortal Kombat Trilogy brought everything the series had done up to that point and put it into one package. There are some exclusions, but then there are also some new additions to make up for it.
The Nintendo 64 addition even includes some exclusives, such as the Khameleon character. Some characters are missing from this version, but the lack of load times makes for a smoother experience.
2 WWF No Mercy
The last two games on this list are not one-on-one fighters, which works to their advantage. WWF No Mercy still stands as one of the most celebrated wrestling titles ever made. The depth of the move set is still more complex than modern wrestling games.
Despite its legacy, WWF No Mercy has not been re-released. Licensing issues are most likely at fault for this. The closest thing anywhere near the modern age players got was the Def Jam games, which came from one of the same developers.
1 Super Smash Bros.
There have been numerous Super Smash Bros. since the seminal debut entry on the N64, but the original still holds up surprisingly well. Even though there are significantly fewer characters and the combat is slower, there is an irresistible charm to the debut.
It is ultimately what makes the whole series so special in the first place. Because it feels so different from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, it is interesting for fans of the game to go back to and compare how the series has grown.