I’m the first to admit that Nintendo 64The library isn’t huge, and it wasn’t the best seller of its generation. For comparison’s sake, the entire N64 library can easily fit on a single Nintendo Switch game card today, which is pretty impressive.
However, no one can deny that it is one of Nintendo’s consoles with the most important titles, with games that became symbols of different genres, alongside many hidden and underground gems – and within that last group, there are a few JRPGs that have passed through the cracks of history, mainly because they remain locked in their original hardware.
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I’m lucky enough to still have a childhood Nintendo 64 and a growing collection of cartridges, but I often find myself thinking about certain games that never got the recognition they deserve and are a little forgotten.
That’s why today we’re looking back at some JRPGs in this exact situation. I know that the Nintendo 64 wasn’t exactly a powerhouse of this genre (it flourished PlayStation 1), but we had wonderful treasures that deserve to be remembered and redeemed! So, shall we look at them?
This list is not limited, because they all deserve attention and love!
6
Super Robot Wars 64
Who Doesn’t Love a Mecha Crossover?
|
Engineer |
Banpresto |
|---|---|
|
Platforms |
Nintendo 64 |
|
Release date |
October 29, 1999 |
|
Kind of |
JRPG, Strategy, Turn-based |
If I could use technical terms, I would tell you that Super Robot Wars 64 is a smart JRPG with a turn-based mechanic. However, I would like to describe it as one of the greatest mecha units from various anime series that any manga fan can dream of playing!
It marked the return of the Super Robot Wars franchise to Nintendo consoles at the time, while introducing a complex system featuring four different characters, each with their own background and mech, leading to different storylines.
I still believe this is one of the best SRW titles I’ve ever played, mostly because of the depth of its narrative. Its story includes huge branching paths full of twists, such as meeting a group that later becomes your bitter rival, for example, which was something many games in the genre didn’t do at the time.
Unfortunately for many gamers, the game remains locked to the Nintendo 64, and to make matters worse, it was released only in Japanese, making it the perfect candidate for a modern re-release that could finally introduce its brilliance to the West.
5
The Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage
Limited Adventure
If you like JRPGs that aren’t afraid to dive headlong into wild fantasy stuff, full of weird goblins, all kinds of monsters, and giant dragons, then The Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage it’s really yours.
It’s really huge in terms of content, including bustling cities and massive castles to explore. And you have no less than 12 different characters to play with, from squires and knights to witches, thieves, and barbarians (my favorite). And the gameplay constantly alternates between two modes: one focused on exploring and moving from place to place to interact with NPCs, while the other is entirely devoted to turn-based, turn-based combat.
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Also, there is an interesting feature that many players find frustrating, but I personally think that it is a cool detail that makes this JRPG even denser: if the character dies, he does not come back. You’ve really lost them – and the only way to get them back is to reset the game and load your last save, adding a layer of weight to every decision you make.
But guess what? This complex, ambitious adventure is sadly underrated today, mostly because it’s still stuck on the Nintendo 64, never finding another console.
4
Question 64
A Little Journey in a 3D World
I’ve always found it curious how JRPGs of the late 1990s chased innovation in their stories and settings – I mean, think of Final Fantasy VII on the PlayStation 1. However, Question 64 he chose to go another way.
And quite deliberately! It was basically meant for a straightforward plot and a simple system, essentially a JRPG that felt like it belonged on the NES, but with 3D graphics. So that’s exactly where the beauty of this game lies: it offers a basic but solid formula that stays true to the basic building blocks of what makes a genre great.
For me, it still has a lot of energy from the early Final Fantasy titles, which were very simple before jumping to three-dimensional cutscenes. This makes Quest 64 sound like a cliché, but in a way that, above all, didn’t make sense in a time of endless innovation.
All things considered, it’s definitely a fun chapter to revisit (or discover for the first time) for any fan of the genre. However, if you don’t have an original Nintendo 64, I have bad news for you.
3
Ogre Battle 64: A Lord-Class Person
You’re Caught in Time Again
Ogre Battle 64: A Lord-Class Person it’s the kind of JRPG that draws you in from the first moment, although the specific reason is often different for every player.
For me, it was a conversation, full of personality. However, I’ve heard some fans sing more about the beautifully drawn art, the depth of the song orchestra, the dramatic arcs, or the clever behavior systems that encourage you to measure your interactions with various NPCs on your journey.
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These qualities were highly praised at the time, although most of them were criticized by niche gamers, not shining as brightly as other N64 heavyweights. However, the game resurfaced when it became available as a retro download on Wii U again Nintendo 3DS The eShops, have finally captured a very large fan community.
The sad part of this story is that the modern availability of Ogre Battle 64 effectively ended when those digital stores were closed in March 2023. And this forced this old Nintendo 64 to return to its original cartridge, once again locked in the old hardware. But, boy, how I wish more care was taken with this one – not even a PC port or a remaster!
2
Shiren the Wanderer 2: Shiren’s castle and the Oni attack
A Pokémon Twist?
|
Engineer |
Nintendo, Chunsoft |
|---|---|
|
Platforms |
Nintendo 64 |
|
Release date |
September 27, 2000 |
|
Kind of |
JRPG, Roguelike |
This is clearly a multi-layered JRPG, so let me break it down: basically, Shiren is a great host is a spin-off of Mystery Dungeon series, interestingly enough, he was one of the true pioneers of the Roguelike genre.
Like other entries in this franchise, your goal is to build a castle on your own while doing your best to protect the local village from the Oni (Japanese demon) attack. What sets Shiren’s Castle and Oni Invasion apart is its humor, with many unusual characters popping up to help you throughout the game!
Also, there is an amazing optional mission introduced after defeating the main story: the monster zoo. Basically, you use something to “capture” monsters (seriously The Pokémon-style) you have won and put them in the museum. All that weirdness, however, is still stuck on the Nintendo 64, and at the moment, there is no official way to play this hidden gem on modern platforms.
1
Hybrid Heaven
Sci-Fi Ambition Meets True Reality
We’ve mentioned several times throughout this article the lack of JRPGs on the Nintendo 64, and the executives at Nintendo realized that back in the day. So, their answer was Hybrid Heavenarticle created by Konamithat ended up being an obvious attempt to “fix” that – but as you probably guessed, things didn’t go as planned.
I personally have a soft spot for its sci-fi themes, involving government conspiracies and paranormal events, which soared in popularity in the ’80s and ’90s. And its story even raises interesting questions about the nature of reality and individual identity, giving it a more mature edge than its peers.
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However, the game was not as polished as it could have been. It featured areas that felt unfinished and uninspired, lacked variety and generally felt empty, which caused it to fly under the radar upon release.
Despite these flaws, it’s still a compelling title that falls into Konami’s hall of fame of games that have recently stumbled into execution. It’s really something to be excited about for fans of the genre. But sadly, we’ll have to wait for Nintendo or Konami to remember this poor soul and bring it into the modern world.
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