Nintendo Switch Online Reveals Next N64 Game

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers will have a new game to play this week. Mario Party 3 will be arriving in the Nintendo 64 app on October 26th. The game was announced for Nintendo Switch Online quite some time ago, and fans of the series have been wondering when it would finally be released. Mario Party 3 is the final title in the series that released on N64, and Nintendo Switch is the first platform to have all three of these games together again. The game introduced some new mechanics for the series, including a two-player Duel mode. 

Nintendo Switch Online's N64 Games

Mario Party 3 will mark the 26th N64 game made available through Nintendo Switch Online, following the release of Excitebike 64 back in August. In addition to these games, several classics have been released over the last few years, including titles like Mario Kart 64, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, GoldenEye 007, and Banjo-Kazooie. The N64 had a fairly small library compared to other Nintendo consoles, but what the system lacked in quantity, it made up for in quality. Several of the system's games are still regarded as some of the best games ever made. That might seem like hyperbole, but titles like Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time remain favorites decades after their release. The N64 app is the perfect way for fans to experience them for the very first time. 

What N64 Games are Missing from Nintendo Switch Online?

While many of the best N64 games have made their way to Nintendo Switch, there are still quite a few that Nintendo could still add. The vast majority available are games that were published by Nintendo. Interestingly enough, one of the biggest supporters of the N64 app has been Microsoft. Games like Banjo-Kazooie and GoldenEye 007 wouldn't be on the app without a collaboration between the two companies. That would seem to leave the door open for other games developed by Rare, including Jet Force Gemini, Banjo-Tooie, and Blast Corps. All of those games are playable on Xbox, but none of them have released on Nintendo Switch. 

One game that many fans would like to see return is Diddy Kong Racing. The game is an interesting case, as the title contains characters owned by both Nintendo and Microsoft. The title character is owned by Nintendo, but multiple racers are owned by Microsoft, including Banjo and Conker. A Nintendo DS version of the game was released in 2007, but it notably removed some of Microsoft's characters, replacing them with other members of the Kong family. It remains to be seen whether the game will ever see release again on a Nintendo system, but with Nintendo and Microsoft having a strong working relationship, it certainly seems like a possibility in the future. 

Have you been enjoying Nintendo Switch Online's N64 games? Do you plan on checking out Mario Party 3? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!