Nintendo is officially working on a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It’s due out in 2026 on the Nintendo Switch 2, and looks to be a major seller for the developer. Nintendo has also proven that it is more than open to digging into its old catalog for remakes, especially now that modern development times stretch further than ever. With that in mind, there are a few fan-favorite Nintendo 64 games that could join Ocarina of Time as big-hitters on the Switch 2 if given the remake treatment. Here are four of the best candidates, but remember that several N64 games are worthy of a remake. So don’t get too angry if your favorite isn’t on the list.
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4) Diddy Kong Racing
Mario Kart World was not quite the knockout hit Nintendo was hoping for. Don’t get me wrong, MK World is a solid kart racer that knocks it out of the park when you’re on the track. The issue is everything else. Nintendo decided to turn the series into a massive open world. It’s a neat idea, but it doesn’t quite work. Thankfully, Nintendo has a perfect classic kart racer in its back pocket, if it wants to build some goodwill.
Diddy Kong Racing was already remade for the Nintendo DS, so it’s not too big of a stretch to imagine Nintendo bringing it forward. And for many players, DKR is actually the superior N64 kart racer over Mario Kart 64. With that in mind, it would be a huge success for Nintendo to drop this announcement. Not only would you please old-school N64 fans, but players who want a more classic kart racer on the Switch 2 would have a great “new” game to hop into. There’s room for both series, and I would love to see Nintendo give it another try.
3) Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby has always been in a weird spot with Nintendo. The pink fuzzball always seems to sit firmly on the company’s second tier. Sometimes, that’s great because it means Nintendo lets the series get inventive, but it also means that there have been plenty of middling Kirby games over the years. Thankfully, Kirby and the Forgotten Land got the series back on track in 2022, but I still think it would be smart for Nintendo to bring Kirby 64 to the Switch 2.
This 2000 platformer is classic Kirby. You suck up enemies to steal their power, but this time you can combine those abilities to make them even stronger. It provides several fun puzzle aspects and lets developer Hal Labs get weird with combat. Kirby 64′s biggest issue was its length. A full remake could go back in and add some new content, stretching Kirby‘s adventure a little further, while potentially adding some new Power Combos. Even if they don’t add new content, it’d be a fun way to keep Kirby in the mix while we wait for the next game.
2) F-Zero X
Outside of F-Zero 99, we haven’t seen much out of F-Zero over the last few decades. That’s a shame because there aren’t many racers that can match F-Zero‘s sense of speed. This futuristic racer also has a great cast of characters that is begging for a modern game. Unfortunately, Nintendo has mostly let the series stagnate. The best we get is having Captain Falcon in Super Smash Bros.
However, the developers have said that the company likes to use remakes to work on future tech. This is a little wishful thinking on my part, but if we’re ever going to get a new F-Zero game, a remake of the N64 game might be the best way we get it. Plus, it’s not like F-Zero X needs much. It already ran great on the N64, so giving it a nice graphical update and potentially a few new courses would be all it takes.
1) Donkey Kong 64
I’m sure plenty of people want to see Super Mario 64 at the top of this list, but you are all wrong. Instead, let’s get one for the sickos. Donkey Kong 64 isn’t the best 3D platformer of the era, but it is comfortably the most 3D platformer of the era. The developers at Rare were trying almost everything in 1999, giving players a dizzying amount of content to dive into.
Of course, it doesn’t work. In fact, some might argue that a lot of it doesn’t. That said, when Donkey Kong 64 works, it’s phenomenal. You play as several different Kongs, each of which has their own abilities. The bosses are over-the-top in the best way possible. And who can forget the DK rap? Look, Super Mario 64 is one of the best 3D platformers of all time. It makes sense that Nintendo would want to bring it back. All it really needs is a modern camera. Donkey Kong 64 needs more work, but it’s work that should be done. If a team can come in and fix all of its problems while staying true to what made the original special, it could be a major win for Nintendo.
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Courtesy of 343 Industries
