With that in thoughts, right here we current you with an inventory of each 3D platformer on Nintendo 64, as ranked by you. Sure, the order beneath is dictated by every sport’s general Consumer Ranking in our video games database and it’s subsequently topic to real-time change even now, as you are studying this. We have excluded Japan-only releases from the working — in any other case, the checklist beneath represents each N64 3D platformer that noticed the sunshine of day within the years straddling the millennium.
Will any of the pretenders have what it takes to knock Mario off the 3D throne? Learn on to search out out…
Writer: Titus Software program / Developer: Participant 1
Launch Date: seventeenth Nov 2000 (USA) /
thirteenth Oct 2000 (UK/EU)
Yep, John Landis and Dan Akroyd’s Blues Brothers 2000 movie has a online game adaptation. Blues Brothers 2000 has its followers, however all in all, this imitation of Tremendous Mario 64 can not dwell as much as its inspirations. Maybe we must always’ve anticipated so from the developer of Superman 64 and Carmageddon 64, nevertheless it not less than manages to surpass these with strong controls, vibrant visuals, and good music. However at simply an hour lengthy and really clearly by-product of a few of the finest 3D platformers on the system, that is one you could go away in jail.
Writer: Activision / Developer: Travellers Tales
Launch Date: thirtieth Apr 1999 (USA) /
1st Jan 1999 (UK/EU)
Unsurprisingly, A Bug’s Life follows lots of the identical story beats because the 1998 Pixar movie of the identical identify, however the expertise of taking part in the sport is nothing like as enjoyable as watching the film. The controls are sluggish, the fight system (throwing berries) is needlessly difficult and it lacks a lot of the attraction of what made its supply materials tick. What can we are saying? It is a film tie-in sport.
Writer: Rockstar Video games / Developer: VIS
Launch Date: thirty first Oct 1999 (USA) /
seventeenth Dec 1999 (UK/EU)
Ohh Earthworm Jim, what occurred to you? With Shiny Leisure not on the helm, Earthworm Jim 3D fell into the palms of VIS Leisure, and alongside the way in which, it looks as if this third entry within the sequence misplaced all of its attraction and humour. A irritating digicam, unimaginative ranges, and half-baked collectathon components are a results of what appears to be a protracted, messy growth interval. The music remains to be good, and Jim’s talents switch effectively to 3D, however there’s absolutely a motive we have not seen a lot of him since this sport.
Writer: Infogrames / Developer: Zed Two
Launch Date: 1st Aug 2000 (UK/EU)
Whereas not an outright catastrophe, the PAL-only Taz Specific featured a core gameplay mechanic that proved frustratingly boring: delivering crates by levels intact. That mentioned, the flexibility to spin by literal terrain and tackle an enormous UFO makes this N64 title a novel curiosity that manages to face out from the group, even when it isn’t probably the most polished expertise on the system.
Writer: Infogrames / Developer: Paradigm Leisure
Launch Date: sixteenth Sep 2000 (USA) /
twenty seventh Oct 2000 (UK/EU)
Paradigm Leisure introduced us Duck Dodgers Starring Daffy Duck late within the N64’s life, which completely emulates the Looney Tunes cartoon of the identical identify. However like many different licensed platformers on the system, it suffers from wonky controls, blurry visuals, and less-than-imaginative ranges and gameplay. It is such a disgrace because the animations and artwork model are good in any other case, nevertheless it all quantities to a mean expertise throughout.
Writer: Sunsoft / Developer: Japan System Provide
Launch Date: 14th Apr 1999 (USA) /
1999 (UK/EU)
Sunsoft’s sequel to Chameleon Twist makes quite a lot of key adjustments from its predecessor however finally is unable to copy the success demonstrated by different, way more achieved platformers. You might fairly simply beat this factor in simply a few quick hours, and with platforming mechanics that clearly take inspiration from Tremendous Mario 64, it is simple to see precisely the place this one falls quick.
Writer: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft
Launch Date: thirty first Aug 1999 (USA)
A 3D platformer from the creator of Rayman impressed by Day of the Tentacle and The Legend of Zelda: A Hyperlink to the Previous appears like a dream, proper? And for probably the most half, Tonic Bother is not unhealthy, with assorted gameplay components and strong controls. Sadly, the sport is visually a little bit of a multitude and the extent design is hampered and uninspired in consequence. We have seen Michel Ancel and Ubisoft do significantly better on the exact same system, so whereas Tonic Bother actually is not the worst, it is also removed from one of the best.
Writer: Infogrames / Developer: Infogrames
Launch Date: thirtieth Jun 1999 (USA) /
4th Dec 1998 (UK/EU)
Starshot: Area Circus Fever might be most well-known for being one of many solely widescreen video games on the N64, however other than that, it is a largely forgettable platformer, even with the distinctive premise. Enjoying as an area circus juggler sounds fairly enjoyable on paper, and the visuals and music go a protracted method to promoting that fantasy. Releasing with little fanfare again within the day, Starshot was plagued with bugs, technical points, and a scarcity of polish that sullied an in any other case promising sport.
Writer: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Casablanca
Launch Date: twentieth Dec 2000 (USA) /
eighth Dec 2000 (UK/EU)
Ubisoft’s Donald Duck: Goin’ Quackers (or Quack Assault in Europe) is stuffed with character and character, with vibrant ranges and enjoyable nods to Disney’s duck, however in comparison with different variations of the sport, the N64 port has some flaws. Regardless of utilizing Rayman 2’s engine, lots of the animations and cartoony sections are muddied by the visuals, and the music is bugged. That is positively one for the children, besides, you may in all probability discover a higher model elsewhere.