Nintendo has done an impressive job over the years to prove themselves as one of the most competent names in the video game industry. Most of Nintendo’s first-party titles turn out to be the most celebrated releases on their consoles, but for a long time, the relationship between Nintendo and Rare also led to a lot of success. Many of Rare’s contributions to Nintendo consoles turned out to be some of the best games from the era.
Rare is now owned by Microsoft, rather than Nintendo, but during their time together there were plenty of hits. Accordingly, here’s every Rare game on the Nintendo 64, ranked from worst to best (according to Metacritic).
10 Mickey's Speedway USA (Score: 71)
The major Nintendo 64 racing contribution from Rare that everyone remembers is Diddy Kong Racing, but they also put out another racer that flew under the radar, but featured some of Disney’s most beloved characters.
Mickey’s Speedway USA is a step down from Rare’s usual work, but this is still a surprisingly big racing game that’s a lot of fun to play. There’s even extra content that’s made available via the transfer link cable with the GameBoy Color version of the game, which is hardware that few games utilized.
9 Jet Force Gemini (Score: 80)
Titles like Goldeneye 007 showed audiences that Rare could turn out a fantastic shooter under the right circumstances. Jet Force Gemini is a much bigger and more ambitious game that sets a brother, sister, and their dog against an invading alien species.
The game features lovable characters, a comprehensive gameplay system, and a story that generates actual pathos. In many ways, Jet Force Gemini was just ahead of its time and perhaps the Nintendo 64 wasn’t the best fit for it, but it still has a cult audience that’s hungry for more.
8 Diddy Kong Racing (Score: 88)
The Nintendo 64’s most beloved racing game is arguably Mario Kart 64, but Rare created a viable competitor with Diddy Kong Racing. Mario Kart is a simpler experience, but Rare really tried to challenge what a racing game could be. Diddy Kong Racing has a full story mode and open world to explore that connects the races together. It also allows players to pilot different vehicles for each course and throws options at gamers in areas where it was uncommon. It still stands as a benchmark for complex racers.
7 Blast Corps (Score: 90)
Blast Corps is one of the more unique titles to come out of Rare, and the fact that it was one of the first games to hit the console means that many audiences missed out on the unusual game. Blast Corps utilizes a demolition and rescue concept to navigate through environments and complete challenging tasks. The diverse roster of vehicles and the deep amount of unlockable content makes Blast Corps one of the most rewarding games on the Nintendo 64. Unfortunately, it hasn’t gained the same audience as the company’s other titles, but it’s the perfect game for a remaster.
6 Donkey Kong 64 (Score: 90)
Many audiences were excited over the prospect of a new Donkey Kong adventure game on the Nintendo 64, but Rare’s Donkey Kong 64 marks a definite turning point for the company and their games. There’s no denying that Donkey Kong 64 is an inventive and full experience, but that’s part of the problem. The game turns into such a “collect-a-thon” that it burnt out many players on the genre and ties the N64 game down. However, the reception also taught Rare to scale back a little and that more isn’t always a good thing.
5 Banjo-Tooie (Score: 90)
Sequels are difficult, and there’s a lot of potential to not only mess things up or become derivative of the previous title, but a particularly bad sequel can even retroactively harm the original game. Rare rises to the occasion with Banjo-Tooie and while it adds a lot more to the already full Banjo-Kazooie formula, like elaborate transformations, it never becomes too much or overwhelms the audience. There’s a lot of ambition in Banjo-Tooie and while it’s seen as a slight step down from its predecessor, that still means that it’s a top tier title.
4 Conker's Bad Fur Day (Score: 92)
Conker’s Bad Fur Day was a controversial title on the typically family-friendly Nintendo console. Despite how the game features one of Rare’s signature cuddly and adorable mascots, it was an M-rated game that indulges in violence, sex, and toilet humor that was very atypical for Nintendo. Rare’s mash-up of their typical platformers with adult themes is a strange success. It marks an exciting time when Nintendo took some larger risks. Conker has since shifted over to Microsoft’s stable of characters, but his time with Nintendo was memorable.
3 Banjo-Kazooie (Score: 92)
Banjo-Kazooie is one of the crowning achievements of the Nintendo 64. Super Mario 64 is obviously the console’s biggest adventure game, but Banjo-Kazooie refines the formula, throws in a whole bunch of crazy abilities, and gives the adventure and platformer genre a refreshing facelift. Not only is Banjo-Kazooie a lush title with a fantastic soundtrack for the N64, but it also helped turn both Banjo and Kazooie into beloved mascots who fans have consistently wanted to see put into more games. They’re a great example of the strong original characters that Rare creates.
2 Goldeneye 007 (Score: 96)
It’s kind of remarkable that one of the best Rare games and titles for the Nintendo 64 is a game that’s an adaptation of an entry in the James Bond film series. Goldeneye 007 shouldn’t work as well as it does, but it’s lightning in a bottle that helped redefine the first-person shooter genre as well as multiplayer. The game’s single-player campaign is lengthy and full of secrets, but this is a game that people play for its multiplayer, which is just sublime. It’s still an experience that companies have tried to replicate.
1 Perfect Dark (Score: 97)
Rare broke new ground with Goldeneye 007, but Perfect Dark was their shooter follow-up that was meant to push the genre even further. Perfect Dark came out later in the N64’s lifespan, but those that gave it a shot saw how deep of an experience it is. Rare truly went above and beyond with the multiplayer and the addition of bots and extra players was revolutionary at the time. Perfect Dark is the perfect synthesis of gameplay, story, and innovation that Rare has become known for.