Nintendo, known for its focus on creating clever and family-friendly titles, has recently revitalized its Donkey Kong franchise with the release of Donkey Kong: Bananza, a game that has captured the attention of both children and adults. This new title has been highlighted at The Game Awards 2025, where it has received the award for Best Family Game and is competing for Game of the Year, reflecting its success and popularity in the gaming community. Weapons in Nintendo is not something you can do Shigeru Miyamoto, the renowned creator of […]
Nintendo, known for its focus on creating clever and family-friendly titles, has recently revitalized its Donkey Kong franchise with the release of Donkey Kong: Bananza, a game that has captured the attention of both children and adults. This new title has been highlighted at The Game Awards 2025, where it has received the award for Best Family Game and is competing for Game of the Year, reflecting its success and popularity in the gaming community.
Weapons in Nintendo is not something you can do
Shigeru Miyamoto, the renowned creator of Super Mario and project supervisor at Nintendo, has been instrumental in the development of the company’s major franchises. A notable anecdote from his career dates back to the development of Donkey Kong 64, where he was surprised to discover a realistic firearm in the game. In response to this situation, Miyamoto did not hesitate to redesign it, resulting in the iconic ‘Coconut Gun’, a weapon that shoots coconuts, thus aligning with the light-hearted and friendly tone that characterizes the series. This intervention is a testament to Miyamoto’s ingenuity and his commitment to maintaining the family-friendly essence in Nintendo games.
The link between Donkey Kong and family games has remained strong over the years, and the latest installment is no exception. Donkey Kong: Bananza offers colorful settings, destructible platforms, and entertaining challenges, with a narrative featuring DK and Pauline as humorous protagonists. The combination of these elements has not only proven appealing to new generations but has also resonated with long-time fans of the franchise, securing its place as a standout title in the world of video games.
The Bio Sensor, a device launched by Nintendo in Japan in late 1998, marked a milestone at the intersection of technology and video games by allowing the player’s heart rate to modify the difficulty of the famous Tetris 64. This innovative peripheral, designed to connect to the Nintendo 64 controller, included a clip that was placed on the player’s ear, analyzing their heart rate in real time and adjusting the gaming experience in a mode called Bio Tetris. Although it was a bold attempt to integrate the player’s physiology into gameplay, the device never made it out of […]
The Bio Sensor, a device launched by Nintendo in Japan in late 1998, marked a milestone at the intersection of technology and video games, allowing the player’s heart rate to modify the difficulty of the renowned Tetris 64. This innovative peripheral, designed to connect to the Nintendo 64 controller, included a clip that was placed on the player’s ear, analyzing their heart rate in real time and adjusting the gaming experience in a mode called Bio Tetris. Although it was a bold attempt to integrate the player’s physiology into gameplay, the device never left Japan and was only applied to this particular title.
A useless device that only serves to play Tetris
The Bio Sensor was offered both independently and in a package alongside Tetris 64. Its unique functionality allowed for two game modes, contributing to a more immersive experience, especially in its multiplayer version. However, despite its originality, the Bio Sensor is part of an extensive culture of unusual peripherals that spans the history of video games, where innovative ideas have been both acclaimed and considered complete failures.
Almost a decade later, Nintendo introduced the Wii Vitality Sensor, a similar device intended to capture heartbeats during the gaming experience in various Wii titles. However, the company eventually abandoned the product, although it did not give up on the idea of using players’ emotions and reactions as an integral part of the game dynamics.
Meanwhile, Tetris has continued to evolve over time, presenting new variants that have expanded the boundaries of the classic game. Titles like Tetris Effect, which offers stunning sensory experiences, especially in virtual reality, demonstrate that the franchise continues to explore new ways to connect with its players, highlighting the lasting relevance of the series within digital entertainment culture.
The gaming community is on edge ahead of the imminent arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2. Expectations are high, particularly regarding new exclusive games and the technical capabilities of the console. However, one aspect that has gone unnoticed is the crucial role that the subscription service, Nintendo Switch Online, will play alongside its Expansion Pack. Significantly improved emulation, although only on Switch 2 Recently, Nintendo announced significant improvements for classic Nintendo 64 games, accessible exclusively to subscribers of Switch Online + Expansion Pack. One of these features is the […]
The gaming community is on edge with the imminent arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2. Expectations are high, particularly regarding the new exclusive games and the technical capabilities of the console. However, one aspect that has gone unnoticed is the crucial role that the subscription service, Nintendo Switch Online, will play alongside its Expansion Pack.
Greatly improved emulation, but only on Switch 2
Recently, Nintendo announced significant improvements for classic Nintendo 64 games, available exclusively to Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. One of these features is control customization, which will allow players to reassign buttons at will, making it easier to adapt to modern controllers. This adjustment is especially relevant for those seeking a more comfortable and personalized control during their gaming sessions.
Additionally, a CRT filter will be introduced that recreates the appearance of old tube televisions, evoking the nostalgia of the 90s. This filter can be activated at any time, adding a retro touch to the gaming experience. Another exclusive improvement of the Switch 2 will be the rewind function, which will allow players to rewind a few seconds in the game to correct mistakes, an invaluable tool in those moments of difficulty.
The Expansion Pack already includes titles from Game Boy Advance and Sega Genesis, but as part of its evolution, classic Gamecube games are expected to be added starting June 5. More than a dozen iconic titles such as F-Zero GX and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker will be available at the launch of the Switch 2, which enhances the appeal of this platform.
With more content on the way and improved features, players are eager to explore what the next generation of Nintendo consoles has to offer.
Reiko Nagase has confirmed the return of Ridge Racer 64 for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers and its Expansion Pack. This title, released in the year 2000, marked the debut of the renowned franchise on Nintendo consoles and has remained in collective memory thanks to its innovative gameplay and impressive use of the Nintendo 64 hardware. Ridge Racer 64 stood out for combining arcade sensations with a smooth game design, offering players a unique racing experience. It featured eight tracks and 32 vehicles, each designed to maximize the […]
Reiko Nagase has confirmed the return of Ridge Racer 64 for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers and its Expansion Pack. This title, released in the year 2000, marked the debut of the famous franchise on Nintendo consoles and has remained in the collective memory thanks to its innovative gameplay and impressive use of the Nintendo 64 hardware.
Ridge Racer 64 stood out for combining arcade sensations with a smooth game design, offering players a unique racing experience. It featured eight tracks and 32 vehicles, each designed to maximize enjoyment on the asphalt and circuits. Among its game modes are Quick Play, Grand Prix, Car Attack, and Time Attack, in addition to a multiplayer mode that allowed up to four players to compete at the same time, an appeal that remains in its adaptation to Switch.
The reason for its triumph: the incredible atmosphere
However, what truly elevated Ridge Racer 64 were its visual aspects and its soundtrack, composed by Keith Arem, which added to the techno atmosphere characteristic of the turn of the millennium. The music not only complemented the gameplay but also enhanced the sense of speed, a distinctive hallmark that has remained in the franchise.
With the franchise currently under the wing of Bandai Namco, there are hopes within the community that a new Ridge Racer will be developed to compete with the iconic Mario Kart on future consoles. However, to offer an innovative and enticing experience that attracts both new players and veterans, they will need to demonstrate the power of the new hardware. The return of Ridge Racer 64 is an exciting gift for driving enthusiasts, reaffirming its legacy in the history of video games.
Nintendo 64 has always been the ugly duckling of Nintendo consoles. Unjustly so. It is a console with some titles that defined how 3D video games would be made, with authentic classics from the company, but also with excellent third-party games. It may not have the infinite catalog of the first PlayStation or the incredible catalog of cult classics to discover from the Sega Saturn, but it is a great console to reclaim. As demonstrated by Nintendo with the announcement of its two new games for Nintendo Switch Online. Nintendo has confirmed that the next two games that […]
Nintendo 64 has always been the ugly duckling of Nintendo consoles. Unjustly so. It is a console with some titles that defined how 3D video games would be made, with authentic classics from the company, but also with excellent third-party games. It may not have the endless catalog of the first PlayStation or the incredible catalog of cult classics to discover from Sega Saturn, but it is a great console to be vindicated. As demonstrated by Nintendo with the announcement of its two new games for Nintendo Switch Online.
Nintendo has confirmed that the next two games coming to the service are two of the most acclaimed games from Akklaim’s catalog. Because Shadow Man and Turok 2: Seeds of Evil are coming to the service.
Shadow Man is the adaptation of a comic of the same name, from Valiant Comics, that puts us in the shoes of a man who lives between the world of the living and the dead and has to use this peculiarity to maintain peace between both realms. This becomes necessary when a group of serial killers, led by Jack the Ripper, are trying to break the separation between both worlds. Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, on the other hand, is the sequel to Turok that improves practically everything from the original, where, in a first-person shooter, we will have to face dinosaurs and aliens in a wild environment in the only possible way: with shotguns.
Both games are an excellent showcase of the diversity of the Nintendo 64’s game catalog, which was far from being the exclusively family-friendly console that is sometimes portrayed. That said, it’s a peculiar selection of titles when both can currently be played in remastered versions by Nightdive Studios that are not only tremendously faithful to the original but also improve them in many aspects. This should not prevent us, in any case, from enjoying their original versions for what they are.
That’s why, whether it’s nostalgia or because they pique your interest, you can play these two Nintendo 64 titles right now on your Switch. As long as you have an active Nintendo Switch online subscription and, even more importantly, the spirit to defeat the dangerous threats they represent.
Nintendo Switch Online is an essential app if you want to fully enjoy Nintendo Switch multiplayer games like Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, ARMS, or Pokkén Tournament DX. Its main advantage: it helps you coordinate strategies with your friends through its voice chat.
Although the Nintendo 64 has never been the most popular console, that might change thanks to this project that will allow its games to be played on PC.
Despite being almost 30 years old, the emulation of the Nintendo 64 is still not perfect. It is a console with a very particular structure and, due to its relatively low popularity, progress has been slow. In addition, many people have trouble adjusting everything to achieve the best possible emulation experience. This makes it a less remembered console than it should be.
But that may change soon. A developer named Wiseguy has created a tool called N64: Recompiled, which allows recompiling Nintendo 64 binaries into C code. This means that it would be possible to convert a Nintendo 64 ROM into a piece of software that can run on any computer, without the need for any technical knowledge.
What is the advantage of doing recompilations instead of using an emulator? It allows all the things that, through emulation, would be much more expensive. For example, this way, it would be possible to improve the frame rate, play in 4K or higher resolutions, add ray tracing to games, or include support for different screen resolutions.
Although this is hypothetically possible with all Nintendo 64 games, at the moment only one game has been made available: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. This version of the game allows us to play it natively on the computer, with all the improvements we mentioned before. In addition, Wiseguy has already managed to make ports of three other Nintendo 64 games: Banjo-Kazooie, Rocket: Robot on Wheels, and Superman 64. This opens up the possibility that, in the future, we will have versions of all the games in the catalog on PC.
This would allow rediscovering a machine that has been somewhat forgotten. With great games, including some of the best in Nintendo and Rare’s history, this is news that has the potential to revolutionize the world of retro gaming. Something we can’t wait to see how it evolves.
A priori everything is fine, everyone spends their time as they want and can, but the studio has prohibited him from continuing in a kind of “If it’s not because of us, really, we’re already doing well, but the others…”.
Okay, I have to be honest before we start: ‘Portal’ is my favorite video game series of all time. The dark humor, the strategy, the perfectly designed puzzles, a unique and irreplaceable style… It’s Valve at its best. And, of course, it has spawned as many fan games as you can imagine. At least until Nintendo got involved, the devourer of fan projects.
It all starts on James Lambert’s computer, the developer of ‘Portal 64’. And what is this? Well, it’s a version of the famous Valve game but developed for Nintendo 64. At first glance, everything is fine, everyone spends their time on what they want and can, but the studio has forbidden him to continue in a kind of “If it weren’t for us, really, if we’re already doing well, but the others…“
And the thing is that ‘Portal 64’ used development libraries owned by Nintendothat, although any developer can easily have, the company has not officially made them public. Yes, after so many years. You know how Nintendo is. Faced with rejection, the boy decided to remake the game with open source alternatives, but Valve, unable to take a look, has stuck to its guns.
So Lambert, with what he has learned, has decided to make another fan game on Nintendo 64, which has nothing to do with ‘Portal’: a kind of action platformer with magic, runes and spells. In other words, and according to YouTube commentators, like ‘Magicka’, that video game from 2011 that Arrowhead came up with before the success of ‘Helldivers 2’.
At least we have the consolation that ‘Portal 64’ hasn’t died in vain. Now we just need Valve not to close it again for good.
The next Nintendo Switch Online game is a cult classic from the extinct Rare, which even if it is not so remembered today, in its day it was a bomb
Nintendo works slowly, but it never stops working. The catalog of games offered by Nintendo Switch Online has been steadily growing month by month, albeit at a very slow pace, yet it has never stopped doing so. There are better ways to do it. They could make a more impactful move by choosing to do so. But we can’t deny that, in its own way, it hasn’t abandoned the idea it presented us with this particular service.
Today, Nintendo has announced that the next title coming to the Nintendo 64 app will be none other than Jet Force Gemini. A third-person shooter developed and published by Rare in 1999, which not only received excellent reviews but was also considered one of the best video games of the console at that time.
In Jet Force Gemini, players controlled the eponymous team of heroes who traveled through space to confront the invading hordes of Mizar, an insectoid who enslaved an entire alien race. With a blend of third-person shooter, shoot ’em up elements, and action-adventure in 3D environments heavily influenced by arcade games, Super Metroid, and Super Mario 64, the game was revolutionary for its time and the console. This uniqueness endeared it to many players, partly due to the ability to play cooperatively and competitively with up to four players—a rarity back then, outside a few titles.
Jet Force Gemini will arrive with the upcoming Expansion Pack for Nintendo Switch Online in December. Meanwhile, in Japan, they’ll have to wait a little less, as it’s set to be released on November 30th alongside Goldeneye 007, a game that’s already available in the rest of the world on the service.
Hook up your old N64 to your HD TV with this adapter!
Soon, we will be flying Arwings and battling the evil Gruntilda on our HD TVs!
If you grew up during the mid-’90s/early 2000s, you know better than anyone how awesome the Nintendo 64 was. Just look at how psyched this kid was when he got one for Christmas!
Sadly, as technology advanced, many of our favorite video game consoles became less and less playable on our new television sets. Gone are the days of having to be on Channel 3, or nearly having an asthma attack as you blow your lungs out into a cartridge. However, fans of the N64 have been working to bring the revolutionary console to the modern age. This hard work has resulted in something truly spectacular, an HDMI adapter.
This new adapter from EON Gaming will finally allow us to play the N64 on HD TVs. As you might remember, the N64 had the classic red, white, and yellow RCA chords. Unfortunately, these are not found on most new HD TVs anymore. If you want to play your old N64, you either need to figure out what you need to hook it up, buy the necessary third-party adapters, and pray that they work. This new adapter is tested and true and will work for your system.
As cool as it would be, you will not be playing in HD.
You will be playing in 480p with zero lag. Given that the adapter costs about $150, you might think that this isn’t worth the price. However, the games will look better than they do normally. The adapter has a new feature called “Slick Mode.” In Slick Mode, the adapter will polish the rough, pixelated edges and smooth them out.
Is it worth the price?
If you want to play N64 games on the big screen, there are other options. For example, you can download the Project 64 emulator, and then hook your computer up to your TV so you can play on there.
Even if you don’t have a necessary cable, they are very cheap. The one we just linked to is 15-feet long and costs about $9. That’s a far cry from $150.
That said, your games on Project 64 probably won’t look nearly as good on the big screen as they do through the adapter. Also, you will only be able to use your N64 and N64 controller when playing with the adapter.
If the price tag doesn’t throw you off, then this is a solid option. If $150 is too steep for you, remember that there are other options!
When it comes to the N64, video games don’t get much better. However, which ones are the best?
Man, does this system even need an introduction?
The Nintendo 64 is one of the greatest systems of all time. While so many systems were struggling with the jump to 3D, Nintendo charged to the top creating games that set the industry standards.
Just look at how happy this kid was when he got an N64:
If you don’t feel like digging through boxes of your old Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers in your parent’s basement to find your N64, you can play these on your computer! We’ll tell you more about that later.
With so many amazing titles to choose from, some sadly could not make the list. If your fav didn’t make the cut, let us know in the comments below!
Top 10 Nintendo 64 games
10. Perfect Dark
Oh yeah, you can expect to see a bunch of Rare games on this list.
This game has a guided rocket launcher and a sniper rifle that can shoot through walls. Do we really need to say more?
Coming out three years after Goldeneye, Perfect Dark felt like the successor it deserved. This spy-shooter thriller had the player use futuristic weapons and technology to stop an alien conspiracy being played out by a rival agency.
Your unique arsenal of weapons mixed with the thrilling spy adventure made for a thrilling experience. There is a Perfect Dark game on Steam, so if you’re looking to dive into the franchise, this is a good starting point.
Before kids lied to their parents saying that Grand Theft Auto was a fun racing game, we were telling them that Conker’s Bad Fur Day was a game about an innocent, little squirrel. What we didn’t tell them was that this innocent little squirrel was a drunk, foul-mouthed womanizer who fights a hangover the entire game.
The game was filled to the brim with hilarious pop-culture references as well as a ton of original humor.
And, of course, there was also the Great Mighty Poo:
The game had all of the same great components of other Rare 3D platformers like Donkey Kong 64 and Banjo Kazooie, but it was also so non-Nintendo. Nintendo had a reputation of being very innocent and typically deviated from adult content in games, and they still do. Conker’s Bad Fur Day wasn’t a step out of their comfort zone, it was a flying leap. And honestly, it’s a jump they need to take more often.
8. Diddy Kong Racing
While making this list, Mario Kart 64 was occupying this spot. However, the more we thought about it, there’s nothing about that game that makes it better than Diddy Kong Racing.
In this game, the levels just feel so much more alive as you maneuver through the jungle and around dinosaurs. You can also take to the skies for the trademark plane races.
In this game, you could also race as some of the characters from other Rare titles including Conker and Banjo.
Sure, Mario Kart 64 is a phenomenal game, but we struggle to find an area where the Italian plumber bests Diddy.
7. Banjo Kazooie
See what we meant? Lots of Rare games.
First off, let’s watch one of the greatest openings in video game history:
It killed us to not put Banjo Kazooie higher on this list. However, there are just too many other great games more worthwhile. That should be a testament to how amazing the N64 was.
There isn’t another 3D platformer like Banjo Kazooie. You control a bird and bear duo who traverse through different levels collecting jigsaw puzzle pieces until they can finally face down a witch. That might sound weird, but think of it as Super Mario 64 meets a Grimm fairy tale.
The game had so many amazing power-ups. You could use the bird, Kazooie like a Swiss Army knife. She can be used to shoot eggs like a machine gun, acts as your own personal airplane, or use her beak as a battering ram.
Banjo Kazooie was a weird fantasy story mixed in with incredible and unique mechanics. If you’re looking for something that feels totally fresh, you can’t go wrong with the bird and bear.
6. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
“You’ve met with a terrible fate, haven’t you?”
There’s no game that has the same feel as The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.
Majora’s Mask follows Link on his quest to stop the moon from falling to the Earth, thus obliterating the world of Termina. However, even with their impending doom, the people of Termina just seem damaged beyond repair.
You come across tragic story after tragic story. When you finally find a moment with even a shred of joy you hold onto it as one of the few things that make Link’s mission worthwhile.
Who didn’t cry at this part?
Majora’s Mask has one of the most unique mechanics in any game. Termina is alive. The people all have schedules that they maintain. You can always expect the Goron with your name to arrive at the hotel at a precise hour. You can expect aliens to invade a farm on a certain day. And you can always expect a beautiful wedding to nearly fall apart just minutes before the moon destroys everything. This feature encourages you to want to save Termina even more. You want the wedding to happen. You want the Zora to get to raise her babies. Finally, you want the Skull Kid to atone, and find a way to live in a world without chaos.
If you can play through Majora’s Mask without feeling some sort of emotion pass over you, check your pulse because you might’ve met with a terrible fate yourself.
5. Star Fox 64
Back in the days of the NES, space shooters were everywhere and they all felt the same.
It’s not like they weren’t all fun, it’s just that the market was saturated with them, so they just felt like the same. When Star Fox 64 was released, it knocked us all on our butts and completely annihilated the space shooter genre. In certain levels, you can pilot your ship across the entire map, shooting down enemies as you fly like Luke Skywalker on Hoth.
The boss fights?
Phenomenal.
You can beat the game in about an hour, but you’ll need to be an expert of the game to figure out how to play each and every stage so that you can get to the true ending.
You play the game alongside fellow pilots Falco, Peppy, and Slippy. Rather than just hearing the pew-pew-pews of your laser, the game is filled with their banter as well as that of your enemies. Slippy is constantly getting into binds and asks you to save him. Falco is cocky is talks like he’s the best pilot in the galaxy. Peppy is the veteran pilot who is teaching you as your journey continues.
Plug this one in, and go show Andross who’s boss.
4. Goldeneye
While the Call of Duty franchise is trying to act like the standard for first-person shooters, Goldeneye is just running circles around it.
Nintendo somehow made a 3D first-person shooter where you run and aim all with the same control stick. You know what, it works incredibly well.
Goldeneye was a game that you could break out and play with all of your friends and family. Multiplayer with three other people was a wild time unless some jerk picked Oddjob.
Although we love this game, we have to admit that it plays so much better on mouse and keyboard. If only there was a convenient link you could click on to play this game online…
If you’ve never played it before, it might take a while to get used to the unique control scheme. However, once you do, you’re in for a treat.
3. Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. seems like one of the most obvious ideas for a game: take the beloved characters from various titles and put them in a tournament fighter.
Often duplicated, never replicated, Super Smash Bros. was THE staple multiplayer game for the N64. You and your friends could settle debates like, “Who would win in a fight between Mario and Link?”
Also, it had one of the greatest commercials ever made:
Although Smash has gone on to bigger and better things since this title, we can still pick this one up any day of the week.
Even at nearly 25 years old, Super Mario 64 is tapdancing around modern platformers. The game is all about control. Mario seems like he can move however you need him too.
Need to get on top of a steep ledge? Mario, can triple-jump into a wall-jump and then dive to make his way up there. The controls are so crisp and clean, that it is one of the most popular games to speedrun out there.
Mario 64 has so many memorable moments. How many of us dropped the baby penguin off the ledge after getting the Star from its mom? Who else, spent hours surfing around levels on a Koopa shell? Who else swore like a trucker at the screen as you failed to catch the bunny after your 20th attempt?
So many video games want you to play the game how the developers made it. They don’t encourage you to play the game like how you want, but how they want you to play it. Mario takes the concept and throws it out the window. You can complete the levels in whatever order you want, and collect Stars in whatever creative ways you can concoct.
Mario 64 is a phenomenal game. However, there is one clear winner that can even surpass this titan.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Look, there are a lot of game reviewers that will tell you that Ocarina of Time is actually overrated and that putting it at the top of the list is a pleb’s point of you.
They’re all wrong.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time deserves all the praise it gets. Calling something “the greatest game of all time” seems stupid given the sheer amount of games on the market, and different types of video games out there. However, saying it about Ocarina of Time just makes sense.
It’s one of the most incredible stories in all of video games. It has one of the best adventures in all of gaming, with some of the coolest weapons, and best combat. Even the soundtrack is one of the best in all of video games:
Call us basic or bandwagon for making this our number 1; we’ll wear that badge with honor. There just isn’t another game on the console that even comes close.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time turns 20. Here’s how it changed gaming forever
A bunch of games that didn’t make this list that really hurt us to exclude. Donkey Kong 64, Mischief Makers, Wave Race 64, and All-Star Baseball 2001 are just a few of them. However, you can play all of these games and more through Project 64.
Click the link below to download the emulator. Finally, all of your favorite N64 games will be at your fingertips.
Even at nearly 25 years old, Super Mario 64 is tapdancing around modern platformers. The game is all about control. Mario seems like he can move however you need him too.