40. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64)

In Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, HAL Laboratory managed to keep the core structure many knew and loved about the Kirby series while glossing it up with a shiny coat of polygonal paint for the new console generation.

Kirby's 64-bit foray into the third dimension (well, kinda — it's 2.5D, or on-rails 3D, if you prefer) stands out as one of the more unique entries in the series, feeling somewhat fresh in comparison to the many, many 2D Kirby platformers and still pleasurable to play to this day.

39. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (N64)

Edge of Reality's port of Neversoft's first Tony Hawk game arrived around six months after the PlayStation version. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (or Tony Hawk's Skateboarding as it was known in Europe) stands up very well gameplay-wise on Nintendo 64, although the reduced storage space on a cartridge versus Sony's discs means texture quality and, more importantly, audio both take a hit. It's still a fine way to play the first game, though.

38. Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber (N64)

The N64 was notoriously underserved in a handful of genres — RPGs and fighters among them — but Ogre Battle 64 was a stellar strategy game. Following on from the series' previous appearance on SNES, it doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it's a fantastic example of the genre, a real all-timer. It also features possibly the finest post-colon subtitle in gaming.

37. Turok 2: Seeds of Evil (N64)

Turok 2: Seeds of Evil was a technical showcase for the system which took the baton from the immensely popular first game and upped the ante in every possible way. Highlights include the Expansion Pak-powered 640x480 resolution visuals and the iconic Cerebral Bore, a gun that fired a brain-drilling bullet once you locked on to an enemy's melon. Acclaim's game is now available on Switch in remastered form courtesy of Night Dive Studios, although that version doesn't come on a kickass black cartridge.

36. WCW/nWo Revenge (N64)

From the makers of the excellent WWF No Mercy, this was the last WCW game AKI worked on before publisher THQ got its hands on the WWF licence. WCW/nWo Revenge was lightyears ahead of Acclaim's efforts in the genre elsewhere at the time, and there are those that would argue that it remains one of the best, if not the best, wrestling game of all time.

35. Blast Corps (N64)

Blast Corps involves clearing a path for a slow-moving truck carrying a malfunctioning nuclear missile to a safe detonation zone — a zone which is blocked by buildings and other structures ripe for destruction. As with many 64-bit titles, its early polygonal visuals are arguably looking a little dogged these days, but don't let its looks put you off. This incredibly silly concept makes for a Rare gem and one of the most fun games on the N64.

34. Donkey Kong 64 (N64)

There are some who blame the collapse of the collectathon 3D platforming craze on Donkey Kong 64, and while it's hard to argue that Rare perhaps went a little too far with the huge number of inconsequential collectible doohickeys, it's a game which turns everything up to eleven and there's something admirable about its unapologetic 'more is more' approach. With five playable Kongs (you know them well), huge worlds, and an abundance of minigames (including emulated versions of the original arcade Donkey Kong and Ultimate Play the Game's Jetpac), DK64 was one hell of a value proposition back in 1999 and we think it probably deserves re-evaluation after decades of bashing. C'mon Cranky, take it to the fridge.

33. Mario Party (N64)

The game that started it all! The series got off to a raucous start with Mario Party, and without it, we wouldn't be able to keep holding the most almighty of Nintendo parties at NL Towers. Conspiracy theories that Nintendo created this game solely to force the purchase of additional controllers after Aunt Susan and Uncle Stan destroyed your analogue sticks are spurious, and feuds that have lasted a lifetime may have spawned from this very day in 1998. It's an all-timer for those things alone.

But Mario Party's slate of minigames truly shines, with Bumper Ball, Face Lift, and Mushroom Mix-Up helping to cement a legacy. No one knows how to party like Mario, and they never have done, as proven right here.

32. Mischief Makers (N64)

A side-scrolling platformer on a system with very few of those to its name, and one from the makers of Gunstar Heroes, no less! Treasure's Mischief Makers is a brilliant little 2.5D platformer that has gained a cult following over the years, but made little impact at the time. Back in the late '90s, anything that wasn't 3D was largely dismissed by the mainstream as old hat. Do yourself a favour and track this one down if it passed you by.

31. Pilotwings 64 (N64)

Pilotwings 64 was a brilliant launch title for the system which showcased its features and provided players with a lovely flight sim adventure — something worthy of playing alongside the mighty Super Mario 64. It proved to be a diverting companion piece for early adopters which built on the Super NES original with gameplay equal parts tense and relaxing. Cracking game.