Most impressive 3D-Games for the N64

Jet Force Gemini is easily one of the prettiest N64 games!

55.png

hqdefault.jpg


jfg4.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Yes, the N64 was named Fog64 for a reason. But for its time and limitations it made an impression.

Why though? Most N64 games didn't even have fog. It was mostly an earlier games problem and the Turok series in particular that gave this image because Iguana couldn't figure it out.

And it's not like similar games to Turok didn't have fog/pop-up on other systems, even on PC. Name one FPS with huge outdoor areas and full 3D models and environments that didn't have fog in 1997. Early Playstation FPS at the time like Alien Trilogy, Disruptor and Krazy Ivan also had fog. And Alien Trilogy doesn't even have outdoor areas or 3D models. Just generic looking corridors ans sprites. Yet nobody cared about the fog in that game or the others and only the N64 got blamed for it as if it's the system's fault. That's a "system wars" double standard alright.




Pseudo 3D/2D but I was impressed with it more than the PC equivalent at the time.


DOOM 64 is the best aged N64 game IMO. It's the most advanced DOOM engine game and looks and runs better than any other console DOOM port or even the PC original.
 
Last edited:
Why though? Most N64 games didn't even have fog. It was mostly an earlier games problem and the Turok series in particular that gave this image because Iguana couldn't figure it out.

And it's not like similar games to Turok didn't have fog/pop-up on other systems, even on PC. Name one FPS with huge outdoor areas and full 3D models and environments that didn't have fog in 1997. Early Playstation FPS at the time like Alien Trilogy, Disruptor and Krazy Ivan also had fog. And Alien Trilogy doesn't even have outdoor areas or 3D models. Just generic looking corridors ans sprites. Yet nobody cared about the fog in that game or the others and only the N64 got blamed for it as if it's the system's fault. That's a "system wars" double standard alright.
Just repeating what video game magazines in the 90s claimed. Turok is one example, Rogue Squadron, Lylatwars, South Park ..
Once you had that stamp on you, it´s hard to get rid of it. Like "Nintendo is for kids".

But to add something to your list: What did you think about Forsaken 64?
 
From the games I've played, here goes my list:

  • Super Mario 64;
  • The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask;
  • Star Wars Shadows of the Empire;
  • Conker Bad Fur Day;
  • Rayman 2 The Great Escape;
  • Banjo Kazooie.
 
How about Wetrix? Not the greatest game, but it had nice water and the N64 original didn't look much worse than the later Dreamcast port or the PS2 remake Aqua Aqua. Which means it's either a fine achievement on N64 or just a pretty ugly PS2/DC game.

 
An example of "impressive 3D" on N64 that's not immediately apparent is how Ocarina of Time was one of the very first console game to introduce inverse kinematics (the earliest example I can think of is Virtua Fighter 2 in the arcades):

potakuikfi.png
Okay that's pretty cool.
 
Just repeating what video game magazines in the 90s claimed. Turok is one example, Rogue Squadron, Lylatwars, South Park ..
Once you had that stamp on you, it´s hard to get rid of it. Like "Nintendo is for kids".

But to add something to your list: What did you think about Forsaken 64?

It's fine. But the Playstation version is better i think.
 
When did this turn into a masterderico is not impressed with N64 3D thread? GTFO. Why did you EVER post here in this thread?
 
Maybe the n64 caught me at the wrong time when it released. I was 20, getting real serious with the girl that's now my wife. BUT, everything always looked like shit on the n64 even at the time
 
The soft N64 look was so much better than the trash PS1 output.

Fight me
A lot of ps1 games used prerendered backgrounds and only 3d characters and the result was nicer than n64 full 3d for my personal taste.

I take a ff8 or 9 or re2-3 over anything full 3d on n64.

I know it was not a merit of ps hardware but just how devs worked back in the days, but the result was more pleasant than just raw 3d.
 
Last edited:
Jet Force Gemini is easily one of the prettiest N64 games!
The "bumpy" effect on the walls in the tunnel with the lights on the ceiling is very impressive.
I don't know if it is simply drawn on the texture (lighted correctly) or if there is layered on top some other trick...

 
A lot of ps1 games used prerendered backgrounds and only 3d characters and the result was nicer than n64 full 3d for my personal taste.

I take a ff8 or 9 or re2-3 over anything full 3d on n64.

I know it was not a merit of ps hardware but just how devs worked back in the days, but the result was more pleasant than just raw 3d.
As big as some of the games/series that used them are, it was a tiny % of its games that used them and not what people clamored for or why it beat competitors like Saturn. Obviously all systems could have nice looking pre-rendered bgs (N64 got RE2, Saturn RE1) but it limits gameplay. So of course you can prefer it over raw 3D but it's not something against the other systems that also could have had those and if they didn't it's because the devs opted for gameplay that wasn't suitable for, you couldn't have OoT (which had a couple areas), Gungriffon or MGS with pre-rendered bgs.
 
Last edited:
The soft N64 look was so much better than the trash PS1 output.

Fight me

Nah, I agree with you.

We first had a PSX in the house and while it certainly had some impressive games early on (I still remember being amazed by Battle Arena Toshinden) the constantly floaty flickering and warping graphics (not sure how to explain in English but yeah, whatever) became a huge nuisance and by 1998, we sold the PSX and got an N64. And while I can understand some of the criticism of the N64 graphics, to me they are leagues better than anything the PSX could produce in 3D.
 
The "bumpy" effect on the walls in the tunnel with the lights on the ceiling is very impressive.
I don't know if it is simply drawn on the texture (lighted correctly) or if there is layered on top some other trick...


Overall I think Jet Force just wasn't played by enough people to be fully recognized as the technical marvel that it was. It's Rare at the top of their N64 game! And yeah, I'm not sure how they achieved that effect, but it is impressive for the hardware!
 
Just a heads up:



There are more visual improvements in the latest patch, not shown in the video. This is already in the top 5 most impressive N64 games IMO.
 
Top Bottom