Summary
For the most part, theNintendo 64console was one meant for the whole family, with games likeSuper Mario 64andStar Fox 64being commonplace. However, on occasion, the Nintendo 64 would find itself as home to the occasional horror game or even titles that featured themes and elements from the genre.
From exploration puzzle games to entries in famous action-adventure franchises, the Nintendo 64 has a few gems that horror fans both old and new can enjoy. In some cases, they paved the way for other nightmarish video games seen in the modern age and deserve proper respect from a gaming history standpoint.
WhenCastlevaniawas rebooted with the first Nintendo 64 title, it was criticized for lacking a lot of the horror elements that the long-running franchise was known for. This was somewhat fixed with the prequel,Castlevania: Legacy Of Darkness, which featured grittier visuals, more foreboding vibes to the castle, and even more intimidating monsters.
Konami also went as far as to fix multiple gameplay issues from the previous game. The camera is less of an issue and combat is considered far more satisfying, while still maintaining the 3D action-adventure style. Though it isfar from the bestCastlevaniagame,Legacy Of Darknessdoes have its fair share of fans.
Despite the games being mostly family-friendly,The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Maskhas gained a reputation for being one of the darkest games in the franchise. The concept of the game alone is dismal, showing an alternate reality where Link failed the Hyrule, and now he must contend with an apocalyptic event coming to the land of Termina.
Whether it is the massive moon with an angry face looming over the player at all times, the depressing side missions, or even Link transforming into different forms via the mask, everything is treated with a more horrific style.Combined with a time-loop system, a set of classicZeldadungeons, and a heavier focus on storytelling, Majora’s Mask is a beloved game for the Nintendo 64.
There are no monsters to fight orany physical threat for the playerto contend with inShadowgate 64: Trials Of The Four Towers. However, that does not stop the player from a sense of dread and paranoia as they roam Castle Shadowgate to solve puzzles and collect items to stop evil from being unleashed.
For the Nintendo 64, roaming the castle and its grounds in first-person is praised for its surprisingly well-detailed visuals, and complex puzzles, and relies more on atmosphere rather than jumpscared to scare the player. From beginning to end, there is a looming feeling that something could appear at any moment, even if it never does.
In many ways,Shadow Manis a familiar type of game with roaming 3D environments, fighting enemies, and unlocking new areas to explore. It’s not that different fromthe cartoony 3D platformers of the time, fromBanjo-KazooietoSuper Mario 64, onlyShadow Manis much darker in both tone and visuals; it mixes undead, monsters, and demons for a more mature experience.
Instead of typical power-ups,Shadow Manallows players to use magic to fight the different monsters, protecting the living world from the dead world. This includes fighting the evil Jack The Ripper, hordes of undead mobs, and more, with some of the darkest levels seen in the Nintendo 64 library.
Id Software could have just simply ported the originalDoomto the Nintendo 64 and called it a day, butDoom 64was an entirely new game as the series' first time delving into horror. The vibrant visuals combined with the heavy metal soundtrack were replaced with a more eerie and atmospheric aesthetic, which was critiqued when it was first released.
However, as decades have gone by,Doom 64has gained more love from fans for trying to be different, embracing a similar style as its sister franchise:Quake. The darker style and more difficultfirst-person shooter gameplayhelp turn the famous Imps and Hell Knights into more threatening foes, and arguably for the better.
Some games remain iconic over twenty-five years later andResident Evil 2is one of them, with fans often considering it superior to the first. The first and onlyResident Eviltitle on the Nintendo 64, it maintains the challenging item management as well as the fixed camera angles that the franchise was known for, with Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield trying to escape Raccoon City.
Overall,Resident Evil 2is best played on the PS1 for better visuals and controls, but the Nintendo 64 version is still praised by fans. It still provided a tension-filled exploration of the Raccoon City Police Department, withplenty of flesh-eating zombies, and Mr. X keeping players terrified of opening a door.
Mixing Victorian gothic horror with the strange andmacabre Lovecraftian style of monsters,Nightmare Creatureswas far ahead of its time. Traveling through London and fighting horrific monsters using melee and long-range weapons makes the adventure feel like a precursor toBloodborne, but not nearly as difficult to progress and has a more straightforward combat system.
Nightmare Creaturesmay not be as terrifying as other horror games, but the dreary atmosphere makes every monster that jumps from around a corner even more frightening. Thanks to the short render distance combined with the dark visuals of London’s streets, the grotesque monsters are still something to fear, even when the game is more about action than survival horror.
