While Nintendo’s first major forays into the world of 3D graphics occurred on the SNES, the Nintendo 64 was their first console that utilized 3D graphics inalmost every game. This was a weird, heavily transitional time when game developers were still “figuring it out”. Three-dimensional games from this time period were clunky, ugly, and in some cases,bizarre.
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Thankfully, this was also the time of therental store. Renting video games was an absolute cinch, so getting saddled with a weird or bad game was more of a novelty than anything else. Looking back on this nostalgic time, we at Dualshockers wanted to celebrate our favorite weird N64 titles that ever graced us for a weekend rental period.
10Tetrisphere
What if Tetris gameplay took place on a spherical surface? This question, which had never been asked by a single person, was roundly answered on July 29, 2025 with the release ofTetrisphere.
Tetrisphere was originally conceived as an entirely separate game from Tetris, just called “Phear”.
It’s likely Nintendo was the one to push the Tetris branding onto the game. Despite its peculiar concept, the gameplay of Tetrisphere is surprisingly pretty great. It really is a funspinon the classic formula, with a gripping techno soundtrack and a satisfying multiplayer mode. Still, most players will likelyprefer regular Tetris, which doesn’t require quite as much brainpower.
9Hey You, Pikachu!
In Hey You, Pikachu!, players simply hang out with the iconic mascot of thePokémonseries. The game is somewhere in the casual / life simulation genre. It’s also one of only two titles in the history of the console to use its microphone peripheral. The other is Densha de Go, a train simulation game that wouldalmost definitely be on this list as wellwere it not exclusive to Japan.
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Years before gamers were telling their Nintendogs to sit, they were frantically barking orders at an unreceptive Pikachu. The N64 microphone attachment ispure garbage, holding back what’s otherwise a cute game. We recommend playing Pokémon Channel instead.
8Jet Force Gemini
Jet Force Gemini is a third-person shooter developed and published by Rare at the height of its popularity. For those who don’t know, Rare is the legendary developer of Banjo Kazooie and Goldeneye, among other things.
Despite its promising origins, Jet Force Gemini failed to really catch on.
Maybe that’s because its third-person gameplay, with only a single control stick, felt too awkward. Maybe players felt shooting alien bugs alongside a weird robot dog was just too odd of a concept. Whatever the reason, to this day, Jet Force Gemini remains an interesting game. Rare’s presentation is as charming as ever here, not to mention Grant Kirkhope’s absolutelyphenomenalsoundtrack.
7BattleTanx
BattleTanx takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where most of the world’s female population has died out. This has left a huge number of men fighting over women, who are now described as a “resource”. For some indiscernible reason, these wars over resources are fought intricked-out tanks.
Forgetting its questionable sexism, Battletanx is a surprisingly great multiplayer shooter. The single-player story mode is present, but most will want to grab some friends for this one. Gameplay is the obvious focus here, and it’s genuinely fast-paced and exciting. We also love the designs of the various tank crews, although the actual3D graphics leave a bit to be desired.
6Beetle Adventure Racing
When the words “Volkswagen Beetle Racing Game” are uttered, it can be difficult to imagine anything other than a soulless tie-in game. Games like M&M’s Kart Racing come to mind. As it turns out, Beetle Adventure Racing is arguably the best racing game on the Nintendo 64.
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Although it suffers from thebizarrepremise ofbeing a racing game with only Volkswagen Beetles, Beetle Adventure Racing weirdly pushed the technical limits of the N64. It features interesting tracks and environments, with graphics almost on par with early PS2 games. Considering it had to be stuffed onto an N64 cartridge, the game is a technological marvel. We highly recommend checking it out as a curiosity, if nothing else.
5Chameleon Twist
This unique 3D platformer puts players in the shoes of a chameleon. One might expect Chameleon Twist to have some sort ofcamouflagemechanic, but actually, the game is based around the chameleon’s longprehensile tongue. The tongue works like Yoshi’s, and it can also be used as a sort of grappling hook.
Chameleon Twist is far from the best 3D platformer on the N64, but it’s still a solid game. It’s only weird because its gameplay is so unique. Not bad—just unique. We recommend Chameleon Twist 2, which has better graphics, dreamier music, and more refined mechanics than its predecessor.
Most readers are likely already familiar with Conker’s Bad Fur Day. Toward the end of the N64’s life cycle, Rare decided to change things up by marketing a game specifically toward adults. There was a bit of a controversy around Conker’s at the time of its release, with parents fearing their children would be “tricked” by the apparently cute game.
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Those who haven’t should Conker’s should consider checking it out. It suffers from the same jank as other old-school 3D platformers, and its crass humor can be cringe-inducing, but it remains a beloved part of video game history. These days, the best way to play it is by grabbing the Rare Replay collection for Xbox One, which also includes Jet Force Gemini.
Wetrix is a largely forgotten N64 title with a fascinatingly unique concept. It’s at the weird intersection of puzzle games and god games. The player is in charge of a small plot of “land”, and directs various pieces as they fall onto the land to form a “landscape”. This part is sort of like a 3D version of Tetris. The challenge comes in withwater.
The player crafts their landscape to form rivers, canyons, and lakes. If any water falls off the side of the stage, it’s game over. This is not a simple challenge. The water flows somewhat realistically, and unless it’s perfectly channeled, itwill spill. Wetrix is notoriously tough for beginners to pick up thanks to its quick pace and completely unique mechanics.
In the late 90s, countless studios were shoving ill-fated attempts at mascots into hackneyed 3D platformers. At one point, someone got the idea that a glove would make a good mascot. Well, that person was wrong. Glover isthe worstmascot. Imagine trying to argue that Glover is cooler than Mario. Mario wouldwearGlover.
We could live with a weird premise if the gameplay were interesting, but it’s not, really. Everything is just fine, and that’s the problem. Glover failed to breathe much new life into a genre that, at the time, was oversaturated. Still, it’s not all bad—fans of 3D platformers will likely still find something to enjoy here.
1Space Station Silicon Valley
Amidst a sea of samey platformers, SSSV dared to bedifferent. It was developed by DMA Design, who also made the beloved Lemmings series. Funny enough, DMA went on to develop Grand Theft Auto 3 and eventually became the acclaimed studioRockstar North.
Players take on the role of Evo, a microchip-sized robot that can enter and control the bodies of animals. Evo is attempting to recover after the crash of the titular space station, and discovers that animals have somehow fused with the technology on board. There are plenty of odd animals to control, from jetskiing walruses to steam-powered hippos to a fox on wheels. With decent platforming and a bunch of mini-games, it’s a fantastic, criminally underrated game for its time.
