If you look at sales figures, then the Nintendo 64 was the clear runner-up in the sixth generation of consoles. While the PlayStation sold around 103 million copies, the Nintendo 64 only managed to sell about 33 million copies. However, the N64 is still near and dear to the hearts of legions of gamers and tons of those games players are so bizarre and off the wall.
Nowadays it feels that games are afraid to take a lot of risks, but in this era, anything and everything was on the table for better or worse. Sometimes it pays off and it results in a classic that is remembered fondly to this day. Other times it creates a weird monstrosity that makes you shake your head in disbelief as in; “why was this made?” On the count of weirdness, it’s not just third-party developers who are to blame here. Nintendo themselves have several entries on this list as they tried to look for any possible edge over their competitor Sony. Many Mario spin-off franchises, for example, got their start on this very console.
Other times games are weird because of external circumstances surrounding it. The actual games themselves might be standard fare, but their rarity, odd bonus features or troubled histories make for good stories to tell that I just can’t ignore. There’s tons of reason why a game might be on here, but they all have their own unique weirdness. So let’s finally jump into the 25 weirdest Nintendo 64 games ever.
25 Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes
Having a game about soldiers shooting at each other on a war-torn battlefield isn’t rare. Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes, however, does something completely different with this premise and has their game be about the tiny green army men most kids have as toys.
Where did the pieces of plastic that keep their feet together go!?
The game is of average quality but it’s just a bizarre sight to see green and tan toy soldiers engage in actual warfare. Just to throw you off even more, there’s a female character in the game that is rendered as a real person but is still a part of the green army. Just couldn’t have a woman look un-pretty could you game?
24 Clayfighter: Sculptor’s Cut
Clayfighter is a lesser-known fighting game from the 16-bit era that has a devoted fan following but never caught on like other games from its time like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. Well if you can’t beat them, you might as well parody their ideas!
Despite sounding like a cutesy game on the surface, Clayfighter 63 1/3 includes finishing moves a la Mortal Kombat with “claytalities,” But the main reason why this is included because there exists a special version of the game called Clayfighter: Sculptor’s Cut which was a rental only game at Blockbuster Video (look that up, younger readers) that added more characters and features to the game. Copies of that version now go for hundreds of $$$.
23 Pokémon: Hey You, Pikachu!
For years, fans kept on wondering to themselves why Nintendo never released a true Pokémon game for any of their home consoles. Well, the answer is obvious, isn’t it? They needed to make way for the game everybody wanted to truly play: Hey You, Pikachu!
This was one of the last games Nintendo released for the N64 in North America.
Bundled with a microphone that lets you speak to the electric mouse himself, this is a bizarre title that sees Pikachu doing remedial tasks like… sleeping. And fishing. And interacting with other Pokémon. Keep in mind I didn’t say battle with other Pokémon, but just… interacting with them. The box says this game is recommended for 12 and under, but I would only recommend this to freaks who find this fun.
22 Conker’s Bad Fur Day
If this game was released under its original design, it wouldn’t have sniffed this list. Originally meant to be another cutesy 3D platformer, fans and gaming journalists weren’t impressed so developer Rare decided to take a new direction and make one of the craziest N64 games ever.
Conker’s Bad Fur Day stars a messed up squirrel who after a night of fun tries to go home to his girlfriend but along the way meets some bizarre folk. Like a large flower, weird teddy bears, and a giant monster made of #2, who must be destroyed with what else but toilet paper. Oh, the villain of the game is a panther who wants to make you his table leg. It’s weird, man.
21 Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
LOZ: Ocarina of Time is only one of two classic Zelda games on the Nintendo 64. But compared to its sequel, Ocarina of Time is child’s play compared to the madness that takes place in LOZ: Majora’s Mask.
This game is weird enough without even talking about its Creepypastas.
Talking about Majora’s Mask means that we’re talking about perhaps the most out there Zelda game in existence. If the horrifying mask cutscenes don’t creep you out enough, then there are all the little interactions with NPCs that will. There’s an old man who hits on you if you have a Great Fairy mask, the woman who thanks Link by getting real close, and, oh yeah, the giant moon with a face.
20 Golden Nugget 64
After all of the incredible adventures, bouts of foot and fist and first-person shooters on the Nintendo 64, you may be looking for something a bit different. Well, how about a game multiplayer title on the N64 that comprises all the casino games you could ever want to play on one cartridge? If that’s what you’re hankering for, here’s Golden Nugget 64.
Based on the Golden Nugget casino in Las Vegas, this is bizarre for a few reasons. For one, this isn’t exactly a top tier casino on the Vegas strip. Also, the main thrill of going to the casino comes from the risk of it, but if you’re playing a video game, what thrill is there from a slot machine? Nada.
19 Pokémon Puzzle League
If you really think about it, there aren’t many Pokémon video games that tie-in with the classic anime series. Well, feast your eyes on the only game to ever tie into that show… Pokémon Puzzle League?
We need more games with Team Rocket as playable characters.
Just from the title alone, you can tell that this isn’t going to be a regular Pokémon game. Released only in North America and Europe, this game is a one vs. one battle where players have to clear rows of blocks and last longer than their opponent. It’s actually quite fun, but just what this has to do with Pokémon is beyond anyone’s guess.
18 Rugrats: Scavenger Hunt
So video game board game hybrids aren’t exactly rare with Nintendo themselves now on their 10th mainline Mario Party game but I don’t see how Rugrats makes sense with a style like this.
But alas, here is Rugrats: Scavenger Hunt. Unlike in Mario Party where mini-games are thrown in to spice things up, this game is literally just a board game with only three different maps. It’s amazing how a game intended for younger audiences ends up being so slow. This game was originally going to be an adventure game and for whatever reason was changed drastically during development. So instead of a simple 3D platformer, they went for a puzzle board game. Odd.
17 South Park: Chef’s Luv Shack
I admit that I don’t know too much South Park, but I do know that the characters in it are all about causing as much mayhem and insanity as possible while getting in some biting humor. So that just makes the choice of genre for South Park: Chef’s Luv Shack so baffling to me.
At least the previous FPS game seemed like something the crew would do.
Designed to be a mini-game collection mixed with a game show, players spend much of their time throughout the game answering questions like “What is the hottest month of the year?” and “why do cats #1 on things?” Such thrilling excitement, my heart cannot bear this!
16 Superman 64
It’s an opinion as common as cat pictures on the internet; Superman 64 is the worst game on the console and one of the worst in gaming history. But putting aside just how bad it is, it’s also one of the weirdest games to star the Man of Steel.
Right off the bat, the game doesn’t even take place in Metropolis or outer space. Instead, you control Superman inside a virtual reality version of Metropolis designed by Lex Luthor. When in there, you will do such amazing things like… flying through rings several times. This is actually the first level which sets the tone for this bizarre and awful adventure.
15 Super Smash Bros.
Nowadays, we take for granted that anything with Super Smash Bros in the title will immediately be a massive deal and sell millions of copies. But back in 1999, the idea of Nintendo’s characters all crossing over for a fighting game seemed so bizarre and crazy but damn it did it work.
I dare you to look into the lore of Smash Bros.
But that’s just the premise of it. When you get into the “lore” of the game is when things get really weird. First of all, the final boss of the game is a freaking gloved hand. Wha wha what? What’s even weirder is that it seems Master Hand is the hand of a child who is pitting all of these characters against each other in his play room… because they’re toys.
14 WCW Backstage Assault
Question for ya: professional wrestling matches take place where? If you said a ring, then you would be correct! Even non-fans of the “sport” would understand that so leave it to WCW Backstage Assault to throw that basic concept out the window in favor of this.
Despite being held backstage, there are no bystanders around ever.
In this wrestling game, all of the matches take place in backstage areas. Now, while this was a popular trend at the time in wrestling, it’s still bizarre that there’s not even an option of just having a regular match. This means that you can wrestle in a bathroom, a loading dock, a media center, and a parking lot. With all of that said, could this even be considered a wrestling game?
13 Worms 64
For those who don’t know, the Worms series is a tactical artillery game where worms are equipped with all manner of weapons like bazookas, grenades, machine guns, etc. And of course with all that weaponry, the goal is to absolutely obliterate the opposing team with them.
The first Worms game to be released on consoles, there isn’t much else I can add to the absurdity of this game with my words. You wouldn’t think that such an absurd premise would result in such a deep game but sure enough, this a turn-based strategy game where you really have to think about where you position your characters to best attack and defend. Who would have thought?
12 40 Winks
I’m going to take a guess and assume that nobody has ever heard of this game. 40 Winks is an adventure game starring a brother and sister who have to stop a bitter old man from kidnapping creatures responsible for making good dreams happen. Sound weird? It’s about to get nuts.
The world confuses me with games like this.
Originally this game was released for the PlayStation and didn’t see a Nintendo 64 release… until this year. That’s right, after a Kickstarter campaign started by Piko Interactive raised enough money, 40 Winks’ canceled N64 port from 2000 will finally see an official cartridge release in September 2018. You can learn more about it right here.
11 Paper Mario
To this day, people are still clamoring for a real sequel to Super Mario RPG all the way back on the Super Nintendo. With Square Enix deciding to partner with Sony in the 32-64 bit era though instead of Nintendo, Nintendo had to make a Mario RPG themselves. And what a bizarre game they did make.
The final single player N64 Mario ensures the plumber goes out with a bang.
In an age where everybody was striving to make the next 3-D breakthrough, Paper Mario decided to go with a flat 2-D art style that makes the game look like a child’s picture book. Also despite the E for Everyone rating, there are tons of subtle jokes that make you wonder how Nintendo let this game release in its state.
10 Pokémon Snap
So back in the 32-64 bit era, gamers were absolutely craving a traditional Pokémon game in 3D but instead, Nintendo kept making side games on the N64 which weren’t necessarily bad, just not what we wanted. So make way for Pokémon Snap… a photography game?
Yup. How this game works is that you travel on rails throughout the stages and take photographs of the various Pokémon who occupy the surroundings… and that’s it. You’re basically a research assistant for Professor Oak. An extra tidbit about this game though was that players could bring their game to their local Blockbuster and print out their pictures taken in-game on real-life stickers. Pokémon Snap, you are a bizarre little nugget.
9 WCW Nitro
Judging from the screenshot above, you wouldn’t think there’s anything off about this 1999 N64 port of a year old PS1 title. I mean, don’t all wrestling games include literal aliens and skeletons wrestling each other? What do you mean no?
Yes while the gameplay in this wrestling game is awful and has gotten worse over time, WCW Nitro has a ton of unlockable wrestlers that run the gamut from Frankenstein, aliens, bears, snowmen and a ghost. How is a ghost even going to wrestle, his opponents would pass right through him! Another weird oddity about this game is that its PS1 sequel had been released by this point but instead THQ decided to port the older title instead. Bizarre choices all around.
8 Magical Tetris Challenge
Mickey Mouse and his group of friends are some of the most recognizable characters in the world and during a time where 3D platformers were the dominant genre, it only makes sense that they would be given their own 3D collect-a-thon. But instead, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy were put into racing games (ok I’m with you so far Disney) and… a puzzle game?
Yup, just slap the Disney originals onto a typical Tetris game and call it a day. The graphics also look like a Super Nintendo game despite being on the N64 and being released in 1999. While the game is a ho-hum affair, the pairing of this genre and this license is just bizarre.
7 Beetle Adventure Racing
Games where you drive a car are common but it’s rare that you’ll play a game where a specific car brand is advertised right in the title. But leave it to EA (no shocker there) to sell out and make Beetle Adventure Racing.
Hard to see a game like this being made nowadays.
Despite being based off a very real car, but the game throws a bunch of stuff at you that have you doing double takes. You fall from great heights, race in exotic locations but with an actual real-life car, the Volkswagen New Beetle. The oddest thing about this game is that it’s actually… good? Yeah, critics at the time were handing out 8s and 9s out of 10 for this title. Who would have thought eh?
6 Space Station Sillicon Valley
Before Take-Two Interactive struck gold with the Grand Theft Auto series and a slew of other great franchises, they were floundering with a bunch of unknown titles but none of them were quite as weird as Space Station Silicon Valley.
Taking place in the year 3000, you take control of several different animals in a giant zoo ON THE MOON!!!! Using the different characteristics of each animal you eventually grow back your robot body. The humor of the game also goes for a deadpan British style and the art style is something you didn’t see often in this era.
