Best Sports Games On N64, Ranked

Summary

• N64 excelled in sports titles, offering a mix of arcade and realistic games for all types of fans.
• Classic titles like 1080 Snowboarding and NFL Quarterback Club '98 showcased the console's capabilities.
• Underrated gems like International Superstar Soccer '98 and Snowboard Kids 2 added variety to the N64 library.

The N64 was considered the best console of its generation for sports titles. Its graphical capabilities and four-player support made it an ideal platform for developers to create or port sports and racing games.

10 Best FPS Games On N64

The N64 is commonly associated with Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time, but it was a powerhouse for FPS games.

A wide variety of sports and racing titles were launched for the N64, ranging from incredibly niche to the most popular sports globally. The console offered a good balance between unrealistic, arcade-like games for casual sports fans and more realistic titles that catered to sports enthusiasts.

10 1080 Snowboarding

• 1080° Avalanche the sequel which was exclusive to Gamecube.
• It was ported to the Nintendo Switch Online in 2003.

Snowboarding was a niche sport, but 1080 Snowboarding was enjoyed by gamers of all backgrounds. The game offered a lot of depth that still makes it one of the best snowboarding games of all time.

1080 Snowboarding takes time to master, but once you get the hang of the controls, it becomes one of the best sports games on the N64. Few things are as rewarding as landing a 1080 after extensive practice.

9 NFL Quarterback Club 98

• Madden NFL has exclusive rights to produce NFL games.
• The last Quarterback Club game came out in 2001.

During the N64 generation, the NFL Madden games were constrained by the need to support multiple hardware platforms like the PlayStation and Super Nintendo. NFL Quarterback Club '98, however, was exclusive to the N64 and made excellent use of the console's capabilities.

In terms of realistic football games, Madden couldn't compete with NFL Quarterback Club '98. The game featured smooth movement, deeper strategy, and smarter AI. Additionally, NFL Quarterback Club '98 introduced a mode that allowed players to relive historic NFL moments.

8 International Superstar Soccer 98

• An unlicensed game rebranded as Ronaldinho's Soccer 64 1998 has remerged as a meme.
• Pro Evolution Soccer is another soccer series made by Koonami.

One of the most beloved sports games of all time, International Superstar Soccer '98 raised the bar for soccer games. Despite not having licensing rights to the major sports clubs of its time, the game featured many popular soccer players.

The controls are arcade-like, but the gameplay remains grounded in reality, providing a pick-up-and-play experience that still appeals to soccer fanatics. International Superstar Soccer '98 keeps players engaged with its tournament play and intelligent AI.

7 Snowboard Kids 2

• The latest Snowboard Kids is called SBK: Snowboard Kids for the Nintendo DS.
• Snowboards have 14 different colors to choose from.

Looking at the title, you might expect Snowboard Kids 2 to be similar to a Tony Hawk-style extreme sports game. However, Snowboard Kids 2 is actually a kart racer with a snowboard theme. Despite this, it is one of the best hidden gems on the N64.

9 Best Sports Games Released In The Last Decade

From Rocket League to Assetto Corsa, here are the best sports games released in the last decade!

Snowboard Kids 2 captures speed effectively and features the unpredictability typical of kart games. The last major turn at the end of every level is often the most challenging, potentially changing the outcome of the races.

6 Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr.

• Ken Griffey Jr earned $172 million dollars from his baseball career.
• The N64 sequel, Ken Griffey Jr. Slugfest was the last game in the series.

A way for a sports game to age well on an old console is to disregard realism. MLB Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. strikes the perfect balance between arcade and realism. It offers the enjoyment of playing a full baseball game with your favorite MLB team without getting bogged down by complex technical mechanics.

The visuals for MLB Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. are far from realistic, even for its era. However, the game has a snappiness to its gameplay, and hitting the ball feels incredibly satisfying.

5 Virtual Pro Wrestling 2: Odo Keisho

• The first video game to feature MMA promotions.
• Does not feature cage matches as it isn't a common match type in Japanese wrestling.

One of the more obscure N64 sports titles is also one of the best. Developed by the same team behind the WCW and WWE wrestling games of the 90s, Virtual Pro Wrestling 64 is designed for Japanese pro wrestling.

For wrestling purists, this game features a fantastic roster of wrestlers from several of Japan’s major wrestling promotions, as well as prominent stars from MMA organizations. Launched in the same year as WWE No Mercy, it shares similar mechanics but offers a more unique roster.

4 NBA Hangtime

• Had a trivia mode.
• Changed its name from NBA Jam to NBA Hangtime because Midway's rights to the name had expired and were acquired by Acclaim.

If you’re a fan of the NBA Jam series, you’ll love NBA Hangtime. It’s essentially a sequel to the NBA Jam games, offering the same cartoony, two-on-two fun you’d expect.

10 Best Basketball Games

If you love this sport, these are the most fun and interesting video games that take it to new heights.

While NBA Hangtime may not be as memorable or impactful as NBA Jam, it is a more polished game. It’s popular for its extravagant slam dunks, but even playing defense, such as blocking shots, feels rewarding.

3 Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3

• Tony Hawk was the first person to do a 900.
• Darth Maul and Wolverine are secret characters.

Skateboarding was a niche sport in the '90s, but it has since become an Olympic event largely due to the influence of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 is the last numbered entry in the series and was also the final licensed game launched for the N64.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater prioritizes fun over realism, allowing players to perform incredible stunts. The game is flashy and visually impressive but also offers significant depth. Mastering the controls and executing tricks to achieve high scores is what keeps players coming back to this classic series.

2 Mario Kart 64

• Magikoopa was an intended character for the game.
• The feather item from the previous Mario Kart was cut from Mario Kart 64.

The Mario Kart series began on the SNES, but the N64 elevated it to legendary status among millennials. Mario Kart 64 is often considered the best kart racer of all time and helped establish a subgenre of item-oriented arcade racers.

Mario Kart 64 features improved depth perception and graphics compared to its SNES predecessor. Its enduring appeal can be attributed to the fluidity of its simple controls. Additionally, the simplicity of Mario Kart 64 contributes to what many consider the best battle mode in the Mario Kart series.

1 NFL Blitz 2000

• Midway's NFL Blitz games have not been ported.
• Blitz games were still made after they lost the NFL license in 2005, using original players and teams.

Before Madden monopolized the professional football market, there were many licensed football games available. NFL Blitz 2000 abandoned realism for pick-up-and-play action making it one of the best football games of all time.

What makes NFL Blitz 2000 so much fun is its mindless, over-the-top violence. With no complex plays or rules to slow the game down, you simply make daring passes before the opposition can tackle or suplex you.

N64 Football Games, Ranked

The 3D graphics and innovations at the time made some of these football titles stand out, while others continued to struggle.