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Best Nintendo 64 games of 1996

The 8 best Nintendo 64 games released in 1996, ranked from 3,917 critic and player ratings.

The best Nintendo 64 game of 1996 is Super Mario 64, with a critic score of 89/100 — updated October 2026.

How this ranking is built
  • Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
  • A game only enters the ranking with at least 30 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
  • Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
  • Release window covered: 1996.
  • 8 games are listed on this page, carrying 3,917 ratings between them.
  • Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 12 October 2026.

Top 8

01 Super Mario 64 S Super Mario 64 1996 · 2,085 ratings · 1 Tier vote Mario is super in a whole new way! Combining the finest 3-D graphics ever developed for a video game and an explosive soundtrack, Super Mario 64 becomes a new standard for video games. It's packed with bruising battles, daunting obstacle courses, and underwater adventures. Retrieve the Power Stars from their hidden locations and confront your arch-nemesis— Bowser, King of the Koopas! • Run freely in a grassy meadow, tip-toe through a gloomy dungeon, climb to the top of a mountain, or take a swim in the moat! • Leap headfirst into a watery painting and soon you'll be searching for the surface in an underwater realm! • On-the-fly, 3-D rendered gameplay delivers the action of ruthless enemy attacks from every angle! • Find the Caps that give Mario super powers and ponder the mysteries of the pyramid; you can even race Koopas for fabulous prizes! • With the Nintendo 64 Controller and its analog Control Stick, Mario can crawl, kick down obstacles, swim, do reverse flips, and even stick the landing on his backwards somersault! • Saved game information is stored for up to four players in memory. 89 /100
02 Tomb Raider (1996) Tomb Raider (1996) 1996 · 484 ratings Tomb Raider is a 3D action game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. The game follows the exploits of Lara Croft, a British female archaeologist in search of ancient treasures. The objective of Tomb Raider is to guide Lara through a series of tombs and other locations in search of treasures and artifacts. On the way, she must kill dangerous animals and other creatures, while collecting objects and solving puzzles to gain access to an ultimate prize, usually a powerful artifact. The game was critically acclaimed and widely influential, it spawned a number of sequels and a franchise of related media. 85 /100
03 Quake Quake 1996 · 401 ratings Quake is a first-person shooter video game, developed by id Software and published by GT Interactive in 1996 and featured music composed by Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails. It is the first game in the popular Quake series. In the game, players must find their way through various maze-like, medieval environments while battling a variety of monsters using a wide array of weapons. 82 /100
04 Mario Kart 64 Mario Kart 64 1996 · 609 ratings Mario Kart 64 is the second main installment of the Mario Kart series. It is the first game in the series to use three-dimensional graphics, however, the characters and items in this game are still two-dimensional, pre-rendered sprites. The game offers two camera angles and three engine sizes: 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. Each kart has distinctive handling, acceleration and top speed capabilities. Shells that you fire at rival racers, Bananas that make them skid out and Lightning Bolts that make them small and very slow are just a few of the game's unique power-ups. 81 /100
05 Wave Race 64: Kawasaki Jet Ski Wave Race 64: Kawasaki Jet Ski 1996 · 91 ratings Wave Race 64 is sure to provide some of the most exciting racing you've ever experienced. Feel the pounding and crashing of the waves as you accelerate into straight-aways, whip around the marker buoys and go airborne on the jump ramps. Don't race alone - challenge a friend! Take control in three different modes of play - Championship, Time Trials and Stunt Mode. Nine challenging courses set in exotic locales - race conditions change and the wave action responds to the way both you and your opponents race! 73 /100
06 Pilotwings 64 Pilotwings 64 1996 · 39 ratings Forget about those other flying games. This is the ultimate flight experience! Pilotwings 64 carries you off into a vast three-dimensional environment. Pilot several different vehicles and take in breathtaking sights. Successfully complete flight tests to earn your flight badge. Get a high enough score, and you’ll get a chance at bonus games such as Cannonball and Sky Diving! Soar into a wild blue yonder with Pilotwings 64! 70 /100
07 Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire 1996 · 84 ratings As Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance struggle to defeat Darth Vader and the Empire, a new threat arises. Dark Prince Xizor aspires to take Darth Vader's place at the Emperor's side. As Dash Rendar, it's up to you to protect Luke and help the Alliance. May the Force be with you! 65 /100
08 Mortal Kombat Trilogy Mortal Kombat Trilogy 1996 · 124 ratings Mortal Kombat Trilogy features the same gameplay and story as Mortal Kombat 3, but adds characters and stages from the other three arcade games, including Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Some completely new characters were also introduced. New additions to the game included the "Aggressor" bar, a meter that fills during the course of the match and temporarily makes a player character faster and stronger. It also features the Brutality, a long combination of attacks that ends with the opponent exploding. 50 /100
Browse all the best Nintendo 64 games

Other years

Best Nintendo 64 games of 2000Best Nintendo 64 games of 1999Best Nintendo 64 games of 1998Best Nintendo 64 games of 1997

Same year, other platforms

Best PC games of 1996Best PlayStation 1 games of 1996Best Arcade games of 1996Best Mac games of 1996Best SNES games of 1996Best Sega Saturn games of 1996

Nearby rankings

Best Nintendo 64 games of 1997

Catalog statistics

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best Nintendo 64 game of 1996?

Super Mario 64 currently tops the ranking with a score of 89/100 across 2,085 ratings. Ranking updated October 2026.

How is this ranking built?

Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.