Waypoint Wishlist: N64 Edition

The Nintendo 64 is a console many of us know and hold dear to our hearts, and that’s why it’s the subject of this edition of Waypoint Wishlist. The countless burns on our palms from playing Mario Party. A sense of joy and whimsy exploring the world of Banjo-Kazooie for the first time. It was a glorious and wonderful system. As a first jump into the world of 3D graphics, Nintendo sure did knock it out of the park. But so many games are trapped on the console, deserving extra love and attention.

Welcome to Waypoint Wishlist

Anthony Franklin II – contributor

The N64 is, at worst, my second favorite console ever. And depending on the day, I’d say it’s my favorite. I still remember the Christmas I got this and had Mario Kart 64 and the very generic Madden Football 64 (quietly a very good Madden game) But there’s one game I later acquired that stood above them all: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

This is the game I consider my GOAT. It’s the one that made me realize I love gaming. I’d played many Zelda games before this, so I was familiar with the franchise even at 8. But this was different. The graphics, the story, and the gameplay all came together in this insane mix that moved the entire medium forward. I wouldn’t be writing here if not for this game. It’s an all-timer and deserves every accolade. 

(Sure, the 3DS got a version of Ocarina of Time, but we need a full console re-release ASAP.)

Matt Vatankhah – Contributor

Marina Shake, Shake’d so Taylor Swift could Shake it Off. So Andre 3000 could shake it like a Polaroid picture. So Metro Station could Shake Shake, Shake Shake, uh-Shake it. For myself, there’s no Nintendo 64 game more memorable, more entertaining, and more weirdly satisfying than Mischief Makers by Treasure (the Japanese developers who would go on to create Ikaruga, funny enough). You’re playing a robotic maid on a journey to rescue your creator from the Planet Clancer, armed with nothing but your titanium fists and the insatiable urge to grip and shake anything and anyone in your path.

It was the N64’s first-ever 2D side-scrolling platformer, and its bizarre, almost psychedelic world and unorthodox gameplay mechanics made it one of my all-time favorites as a kid. There’s something cathartic about grabbing ahold of your enemies and blissfully shouting “Shake, Shake!” before yeeting them back at their friends. Plus, with today’s technology like haptic feedback and motion controls? Come on, a Mischief Makers reboot is a no-brainer. Hey, Treasure, shake, shake some hands together at the next meeting, and let’s make this happen.

Dwayne Jenkins – Managing Editor

The 3D Bomberman games are some of the most underrated adventure games of all time! Everyone who disliked Bomberman 64 back in the day was wrong. Everybody was so busy screaming about the perfectly okay multiplayer mode that Bomberman 64‘s bomb (haha) single-player adventure mode was completely dragged to the depths by association!

Give this the runback it wholeheartedly deserves! Update the puzzles, make it a visual treat, and for the love of God, just refine the multiplayer mode. Whatever! As long as Bomberman 64 doesn’t get disrespected again, I’ll take it! Top-to-bottom remake, no whammy, all-in! Seriously, this is one of those times in game journalism history where one aspect of the game should’ve been entirely ignored. (I jest, please don’t revoke my games journalism license.)

SHaun Cichacki – COntributor

Sure, my childhood may have been domineered by one green gecko. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t have a love for an iguana on the side. Iggy’s Reckin’ Balls is one of those types of games that feels like a fever dream. A 2D racing game that had players zipping, racing, and bouncing toward the finish line. It’s a crazy amalgamation of many different ideas, and it slapped so hard.

Now that it’s on Nintendo Switch Online, I can at least revisit one of my favorites from my younger years. But, I would pay just about anything for a full remaster of this one. Keep it just as zany and as ’90s as the original, and you’ve got yourself at least one buyer.

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There are so many classics on the system that deserve to see a new life, but there isn’t enough space on a digital page to give them all the time of day. Until the next time and the next episode of Waypoint Wishlist, be sure that you’re keeping up with the classics and always play what you love.