Nintendo Switch Online is a service that's getting better with each passing month. Online play has improved, and we now have some pretty robust cloud-based retro libraries including that of the NES, SNES, Sega Genesis / Mega Drive and the N64.
The aforementioned NES and SNES libraries are quite rich at this point, offering up several classic titles alongside more obscure hits. Nintendo Switch Online subscribers also have free access to the excellent Tetris 99 and Pac-Man 99 online multiplayer games.
But Nintendo Switch Online is on the cusp of getting much better. During the September 23, 2021 Nintendo Direct presentation, the company announced that Nintendo 64 (as well as Sega Genesis / Mega Drive) games will be coming to the service via a higher tier known as ‘Expansion Pack’.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of exploring some of the best games from Nintendo’s 3D breakout console, though, you’re in luck. We’ve put together a guide below, acting as a brief introduction to every N64 game currently announced for Nintendo Switch Online, and we’ll be updating the list as future updates roll out.
Nintendo Switch Online's N64 library has only grown since, with one title being added to the service each month. And more are on the way throughout 2023, too. Read on to learn about all the games you can play right now.
A bizarre, inventive, British-developed 3D platformer
This quirky 3D platformer starring a dysfunctional bear and bird pair is just one of many excellent titles developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64. Not only is Banjo-Kazooie a superb collect-a-thon style platformer, it’s filled to the brim with a delightfully juvenile sense of humor, superbly creative level design and some Metroidvania elements where finding new power-ups is essential to progress.
Seeing Banjo-Kazooie come to Nintendo Switch Online was a bit of a surprise. Despite the titular pair featuring as DLC characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Rare and its IP are owned by Microsoft. That said, Nintendo and Microsoft seem to have an amicable relationship, so we’d love to see even more Rare titles like Perfect Dark and Conker’s Bad Fur Day come to NSO somewhere down the line.
Should I play it? While we favor the excellent upscaled Xbox 360 port of Banjo-Kazooie (that’s available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One through the Rare Replay collection), being able to play one of the N64’s best platformers on the go is a novelty you shouldn’t pass up.
A basic, if inoffensive puzzle game
Probably the most unremarkable addition at launch, Dr. Mario 64 is a revision of the NES original. A puzzle game where players have to line up pills with evil viruses of the same color, Dr. Mario 64 is a block-based puzzler where, unfortunately, the novelty can wear thin after just a few rounds. Especially as it doesn’t feel quite as fluid or straightforward as genre stalwarts like Tetris or Puyo Puyo.
Dr. Mario 64 does at least introduce some brand new modes, and obviously ups the presentation when compared to the NES original. But if you’re not a diehard puzzler, you’ll likely only be able to squeeze a few minutes of fun here before moving on to other - better - games available on Nintendo Switch Online.
Should I play it? Probably not, unless puzzle games are your go-to genre. Even in that case, there’s not much here that you can’t experience in the NES original. Hopefully, more compelling N64 puzzlers like Wetrix and Tetrisphere make the NSO cut down the line.
Blindingly fast racing at 60fps
Speaking of better games, F-Zero X is simply one of the best on the N64, and a must-play if you’re looking to check out a futuristic racing game that’s aged shockingly well. While the visuals are lacking, even for an N64 game (everything looks like it’s been made from cereal boxes), F-Zero X picks up the slack with a buttery smooth 60fps performance - a rarity on the N64.
There’s a good chunk of replay value available in F-Zero X, too, with tons of racers to unlock, as well as cups with new tracks across several difficulty levels. Pack in one of the best soundtracks on the system and F-Zero X is well worth anyone’s time, even decades after its original release.
Should I play it? Absolutely. F-Zero X shouldn’t be missed, especially if you’ve never played an entry in the series before and are looking to see what all the fuss is about. Ultimately, though, F-Zero X is still a brilliantly playable game despite its age.
One of the Kirbster’s best outings, period
You could make the argument that most Kirby games are somewhat homogeneous, and there’s some truth to that. Most feature the series’ iconic ‘copy’ ability that allows Kirby to take on the powers of his enemies, and most of them are also side-scrolling platformers to boot.
Kirby 64 doesn’t break this trend, it just does it much better than most other titles in the series. Featuring wildly imaginative levels and boss fights (including a particularly creepy final boss), Kirby 64 takes the established series formula and just makes the best possible game it can with it.
The ace up Kirby 64’s sleeve is Power Combos, a system which combines the powers Kirby absorbs into something entirely new. It’s a fresh take on the formula, even to this day, and leads to some very fun and creative outcomes that help extend the game’s replay value.
Should I play it? Much like Yoshi’s Story below, Kirby 64 is an easygoing, accessible platformer that’s good for players of all ages. If you’re not in the mood for something more intense like Super Mario 64 or Banjo-Kazooie, then Kirby 64 is a great fallback if you’re after something cheerfully easy to play.