Nintendo Switch Online Classics - N64 Game Tier List

Nintendo Switch Online’s library of classic Nintendo 64 games available as part of its Expansion Pack is very diverse, containing some of the system’s most beloved titles. From thoughtful single-player experiences to frantic multiplayer party games, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers with the Expansion Pack have many options available for any occasion.

Like with any console, though, some games stand out above the rest. Most of the Nintendo 64 games selected for Nintendo Switch Online are fan favorites for the console, but others are viewed by some as the best games of all time, which can now be enhanced further with exclusive Switch 2 features. Below are some of the console’s masterpieces and hidden gems, as well as a few that haven’t aged as gracefully.

S Tier N64 Games on Nintendo Switch Online Classics

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Rated as one of the best games of all time, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time easily finds a spot in the S-tier of the N64 Switch Online Classics catalog. Its world and storytelling have stayed with players for decades, and its influential game design is still used in modern Zelda titles.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask follows Ocarina of Time’s story with an experience that is just high quality. Instead of the lighthearted adventure of its predecessor, Majora’s Mask takes on a darker tone, giving more attention to how its side characters in a doomed Termina.

Super Mario 64

As a pioneer of the 3D platforming genre, Super Mario 64 still holds up as one of the best. Mario is extremely fun to control, turning every level into a playground. This game is constantly referenced by newer installments, making it a must-play for fans of the series.

Mario Party 2

The spot for best Nintendo 64 Mario Party game is hotly contested, as each offers something more than the others. Mario Party 2 only just triumphs because of its themed boards and selection of minigames.

Banjo-Kazooie

While Super Mario 64 revolutionized the 3D platformer, Banjo-Kazooie was the first Nintendo 64 title to perfect the formula. Each world feels expansive but never outstays its welcome. The many collectibles available give players a reason to explore every nook and cranny.

Banjo-Tooie

Banjo-Tooie is a similar experience to the original, but handled very differently. Rather than Banjo-Kazooie straightforward, self-contained levels, the sequel focuses on interconnected worlds and backtracking, more in line with a Metroidvania. The original is a charming, smaller experience, but Banjo-Tooie makes the world feel more expansive.

A Tier N64 Games on Nintendo Switch Online Classics

Paper Mario

Paper Mario laid the foundation for the future of the series, and is a contender for one of the best RPGs on the Nintendo 64. The stylized graphics are still fantastic multiple console generations later, and it laid the foundation for the series moving forward.

Pokemon Snap

Pokemon Snap is essentially a slow-paced rail shooter that tasks players with capturing the perfect images of the game’s Pokemon. It’s a relatively short game, but figuring out different interactions and navigating onto different paths makes the experience memorable. Players who enjoy the game can then move onto the Switch sequel, New Pokemon Snap.

Perfect Dark

Perfect Dark is everything that players love about GoldenEye 007 and more. Not weighed down by an existing IP, Perfect Dark is given full creative freedom to offer one of the best first-person shooter experiences on the Nintendo 64.

Wave Race 64

Instead of a standard track, Wave Race 64 has players racing on open water, with physics that still feels great today. It’s one of the console’s best racing experiences, with online features that Nintendo Switch Online subscribers should take advantage of.

Sin and Punishment

One of the platform’s underrated gems, Sin and Punishment is one of the best shooters on the platform. It offers an interesting story and great visuals, and while it is often overlooked, it is well worth players’ time.

Mario Party 3

Mario Party 3 is the favorite of many fans, and with good reason. It takes most of the ideas of the previous games and makes it more expansive. However, when comparing mini-games and strategy, it takes a step back from Mario Party 2, but only narrowly. It remains one of the best games the franchise has to offer.

F-Zero X

The exhilarating racing gameplay of F-Zero X is some of the best in the series, rivaled only by its GameCube sequel F-Zero GX. The high-speed gameplay is very challenging, which some players might not enjoy, but is a thrilling experience for those that do.

Star Fox 64

Arguably the best game in the series, Star Fox 64’s branching pathways make the rail shooter feel like an arcade experience to play at home. Now with the added online multiplayer capabilities, the Nintendo Switch Online version may the definitive way to play.

Mario Tennis

Looking back, Mario Tennis can seem simpler than its modern iterations, but this is what makes it great. It’s a great game to pick up and play with friends at any skill level online, with enough depth to allow for competitive gameplay.

B Tier N64 Games on Nintendo Switch Online Classics

Mario Kart 64

Mario Kart 64 feels like a standard Mario Kart game, but everything is done to perfection. Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 owners may get more out of Mario Kart World and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but Mario Kart 64 perfects the core elements of the series.

Pokemon Puzzle League

Straying away from turn-based RPG combat, Pokemon Puzzle League’s puzzles offer players a lot of variety. It features multiple different game modes, but with Nintendo Switch Online, intense online multiplayer sessions give the game more life.

Mario Party

While it may be the origin of the series, Mario Party sits just below its sequels. This entry is still worth playing, but the additional features and lack of injuries sustained in the later entries make them much more approachable.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is one of the most unique games in the series, allowing players to combine abilities. The gameplay does feel slow at times, but for Kirby fans, this game can’t be skipped.

Mario Golf

Mario Golf holds up really well, feeling very close to the experience of the modern Mario sports titles. While Mario Tennis takes a simulator-like approach, Mario Golf leans into the more cartoonish aspects of the series.

Yoshi’s Story

Despite having high expectations to live up to from its predecessor, Yoshi’s Island, Yoshi’s Story manages to hold its own. It’s not very challenging, but it makes for a very cozy experience with a great aesthetic.

Extreme-G

Another hidden gem, Extreme-G combines combat and racing really well. Its high-speed gameplay is comparable to F-Zero, but its weapons give players the chance to tip the scales in their favor.

Pilotwings 64

As one of the Nintendo 64’s launch games, Pilotwings 64 is still a great experience and a definite step up from the SNES version. It’s full of personality and Easter eggs, making a great addition to the Nintendo Switch Online collection.

Excitebike 64

Excitebike 64 plays how players would expect a 3D version of the NES original to feel. Players looking for an alternative racing experience should try this out, but it can be difficult to get used to at first.

1080 Snowboarding

Another unconventional racing game, 1080 Snowboarding is a very smooth gameplay experience. Though it is light on content, if offers a lot of replayability with its Time Trials and its score-based modes make players reconsider their approach to each course.

GoldenEye 007

First-person shooters wouldn’t be what they are today without GoldenEye 007. Unfortunately, it has started to show its age. The level design is the high quality players can expect from Rare, and the multiplayer mode is great with online functionality, but the game’s controls are not the best without changing some settings.

Custom Robo 2

The toy-like nature of Custom Robo 2’s customization features are unparalleled, making for intense battles without losing its sense of fun and creativity. This game is currently only available with a Japanese Nintendo Switch account, though.

Blast Corps

Blast Corps is one of Rare’s more overlooked titles on the Nintendo 64, but is no less enjoyable. There are plenty of destruction-based puzzles for players to solve, with enough variety to keep the game feeling fresh.

Killer Instinct Gold

As one of the few fighting game experiences on the Nintendo Switch Online, Killer Instinct Gold is a great experience. It is an enhanced version of Killer Instinct 2, and is arguably one of the best fighting games on the Nintendo 64.

C Tier N64 Games on Nintendo Switch Online Classics

Custom Robo

Though Custom Robo has fewer gameplay features than its sequel, it has a much better plot. However, being restricted to Japanese accounts, there is no official translation, restricting who would benefit from the story.

Ridge Racer 64

While it is a solid racing game experience, Ridge Racer 64 is overshadowed by the many other racing games on the system, and other games in the franchise. Like the rest of the Ridge Racer series, its soundtrack is a highlight, but isn’t as bold as other games in the genre.

Iggy’s Reckin’ Balls

Iggy’s Reckin’ Balls is by no means a bad game, offering a unique racing game experience that can’t easily be compared to the rest of the Nintendo 64’s library. However, its short bursts of fun don’t give it much staying power for longer play sessions.

Pokemon Stadium

Hindered by the missing Transfer Pak functionality, Pokemon Stadium on Nintendo Switch Online doesn’t feel the same as its release on the Nintendo 64. It includes some great Mario Party-esque mini-games, but being restricted to Rental Pokemon makes the game more difficult to enjoy.

Harvest Moon 64

Harvest Moon 64 was a great game for its time, but modernizations made to the formula make this entry feel more dated. Its visuals still look great, but the experience feels quite slow and limited.

Shadow Man

Shadow Man is a hidden gem in Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo 64 collection, but it feels a little rough to play in the modern era. For a slightly better experience, the Shadow Man remaster has some modern improvements and includes content missing from the original.

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

With a similar problem to Shadow Man, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter received a remaster on Nintendo Switch which is a major improvement. The Nintendo Switch Online version can give players a hint of what the game is like, but feels like a downgrade in comparison to the rereleases.

Turok 2: Seeds of Evil

Like the original, Turok 2: Seeds of Evil has a more enjoyable remaster. Regardless, which of the two is better comes down to personal preference. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter is a much more streamlined experience, but the sequel’s expansive levels give the player more freedom to explore.

Jet Force Gemini

Another Rare game that suffers the same fate as GoldenEye 007, Jet Force Gemini is another game brought down by its controls, even at the time of its release. It’s a great collectathon in concept, but high difficulty and awkward controls can make this a difficult game to recommend.

Pokemon Stadium 2

On its original console, Pokemon Stadium 2 was a clear step up because of the addition of Generation 2 Pokemon. On Nintendo Switch Online, with the exception of the minigames, Pokemon Stadium 2 is a step-down from the original because of its worse Rental system.

WinBack

Considered one of the first third-person shooters with cover mechanics, WinBack is an enjoyable and innovative experience. However, it offers very little challenge, with a fairly flat difficulty curve throughout.

Dr. Mario 64

The Nintendo 64 installment of the Dr. Mario series sadly has little to offer the original. At best, it’s more Dr. Mario for fans that enjoy the game, but at worst, it feels like one of the more sluggish versions to play.