This is a list of cancelled Nintendo 64 video games. The Nintendo 64 is a video game console released by Nintendo in 1996. The console was a moderate success with its 32.93 millions units sold; it was three times as much as one competitor, the Sega Saturn, but only a third of the sales of its other competitor, the original PlayStation. Third party game developers cancelled games due to its unconventional N64 controller and Nintendo's decision to stick with the game cartridge format, which featured far less storage than the PlayStation's CD-ROMs. Additionally, the brief lifespan and commercial failure of the Japan-only Nintendo 64 add-on - the 64DD lead to the cancellation or reworking of many first party games. This list documents all known games that were confirmed for the Nintendo 64 at some point, but did not end up being released for it in any capacity. It also lists documents cancelled 64DD games, or 64DD-specific versions of games never released.[1][2][3][4]
Title(s) | Dates/Notes/Reasons | Developer | Publisher |
---|---|---|---|
360: Three Sixty / 3Sixty | In 1999, it was reported that the PC release would receive versions for the Nintendo 64 and the original PlayStation, though only the additional PlayStation version ever materialized.[5][6] | Smart Dog | Cryo Interactive |
64 Wars | An entry of Nintendo's Wars series announced for the Nintendo 64. Some game footage was briefly demonstrated at Nintendo Space World 1999, where it was shown to be developed by Hudson Soft instead of its usual developer Intelligent Systems, but little else was announced, and the game never materialized in any capacity.[7][8] | Hudson Soft | Hudson Soft |
7th Legion | A real-time strategy game released for PC platforms in 1997, it was reported that Nintendo was to work with the game's developers to create a Nintendo 64 version of the game, but this version never materialized.[9] | Epic MegaGames | MicroProse |
40 Winks | A platformer in development for the Nintendo 64 and the original PlayStation. The N64 version was far enough along to have review copies sent out to publications such as Nintendo Power, but just prior to the PlayStation version's 1999 release, financial troubles with the game's publisher, GT Interactive, and their subsequent buyout by Infogrames, lead to the delay of the N64 version. That, combined with the PlayStation version's poor reviews, lead to its cancellation. Twenty years later, Piko Interactive obtained the rights, raised money through a successful Kickstarter and released an unofficial, aftermarket N64 version of the game in 2019.[10][11][12][13] | Eurocom | GT Interactive |
Actua Golf series entry/ Actua Golf 4 | IGN reported that multiple entries in the multiplatform Actua Golf series were scheduled to come to the Nintendo 64, but never materialized. Specifically, in 1999, they reported than an Actua Golf 4 was announced and in development for the N64. The title was planned on being the first to utilize the PGA European Tour license. However, later in the year, Gremlin Interactive was bought out by Infogrames, and no further Actua sports titles were released, including Actual Golf 4, which was not released for any platforms.[14][15] | Gremlin Interactive | Gremlin Interactive |
Addams Family Pinball | A video game adaption of the Addams Family pinball machine was announced to be in development for the Nintendo 64, but was cancelled and never released in any capacity.[16] | Digital Eclipse | GT Interactive |
Automobili Lamborghini Add-On | IGN reported it as one of multiple Titus Interactive games to receive a separate 64DD release with additional content added from its standard Nintendo 64 release, though the 64DD version never released. While no reason was given, the standard version only released in the West, while the 64DD never released out of Japan.[17] | Titus Interactive | Titus Interactive |
Beetle Adventure Racing 2 / Adventure Racing 2 | A sequel to the original Beetle Adventure Racing (1999) was started shortly after the completion of the first title. During development, the team decided to drop the Volkswagen Beetle licensing and experiment with a number of other different non-licensed vehicles instead, leading to the name change of Adventure Racing 2. The game was eventually cancelled, as the original title was a critical success, but a commercial failure. [18] | Paradigm Entertainment | Electronic Arts |
Cabbage | A pet raising/breeding game in development by Nintendo employee Shigesato Itoi with Shigeru Miyamoto for the 64DD. The game featured a protracted development cycle between 1997 and 2000. The game was eventually cancelled without any footage ever being shown, but it was reported to influence the development and gameplay of future game series Animal Crossing and Nintendogs.[19][20] | Nintendo | Nintendo |
Carnivàle: Cenzo's Adventure | A video game adaption of the Carnivale film in development for the Nintendo 64, the game was cancelled at about 50-60% complete after its developers suffered financial problems and layoffs that lead them to be unable to complete the game. The game was demonstrated briefly at E3 1999, and in 2022, the E3 build leaked onto the internet.[21][22] | Terraglyph Interactive Studios | Vatical Entertainment |
Catroots | Appeared at E3 2000 at Nintendo's booth without even ever being previously announced. Even Nintendo of America reps at the event did not know any information beyond being instructed to show off the game at the event. Shigeru Miyamoto later gave a little background on the title - it was an N64 game in development from Marigul Management, a company Nintendo created and funded to help developers create more software for the N64. Footage shown depicted a Tom and Jerry or Itchy and Scratchy dynamic between a cat and mouse character. The game was never mentioned again after the event, and was cancelled, not being released in any capacity.[23][24][25] | Marigul Management | Nintendo |
Cavalry Battle 3000 | A racing video game announced in the late 1990s for the Nintendo 64. Little else was revealed about the game, and it never materialized in any capacity.[26] | Japan System Supply | Japan System Supply |
Championship Motocross featuring Ricky Carmichael | A Nintendo 64 version of the 1999 original PlayStation release was announced to be in development by Pacific Coast Power & Light, who was previous responsible for the PlayStation to N64 conversions of Nuclear Strike 64 and Road Rash 64, but the N64 release of Championship Motorcross never materialized.[27][28] | Pacific Coast Power & Light | THQ |
DD Sequencer | A music creation game listed for the Nintendo 64DD's Randnet online service. Little was revealed, and the game never materialized.[29][30] | Nintendo | Nintendo |
Deadly Honor | An action game featuring actor Steven Segal announced for a late 1997 release for both the original PlayStation and the Nintendo 64, the game was cancelled in its beta stages and never released in any capacity for either platform.[31][32] | TecMagik | TecMagik |
DethKarz | A Nintendo 64 version of the 1998 PC game release was announced, but never materialized.[33] | Beam Software | Melbourne House |
Diablo | IGN reported that Nintendo had struck a deal with Blizzard Entertainment to publish Diablo (1997) on the Nintendo 64. However, this version never materialized, and only an unrelated port to the original PlayStation by Electronic Arts resulted the following year.[34] | Blizzard Entertainment | Nintendo |
Die Hard 64 | A video game adaption of the Die Hard films was never officially announced, but was reported as being in development by multiple publications, including a 1999 incident where screenshots were leaked and published by magazines. Publications reported it was scheduled for a 2000 release and classified it as a 3D first person shooter. The game was cancelled and never released in any capacity.[35][36][37][38] | Bits Studios | Fox Interactive |
Dinosaur Planet | Originally started as an original IP for the Nintendo 64 in 1997, the game featured a lengthy development process, which included a re-brand midway through, moving it into the Star Fox series of games. Eventually the Nintendo 64 version was cancelled in favor of a GameCube release, where it released as Star Fox Adventures (2002).[39] | Rare | Nintendo |
Donkey Kong 64 DD | Donkey Kong 64 was originally in development in 1997 for the 64DD, but its development was cancelled and transitioned to the regular Nintendo 64, where it released in late 1999. This version of the game played far differently from the final product; early versions played more like the Donkey Kong Country games on the SNES. [40][41][42] | Rare | Nintendo |
Dragon Sword | Announced in 1997 as a The Legend of Zelda inspired game coming to the Nintendo 64 first, and PC platforms and the original PlayStation sometime after, the game went through many changes over its multiple years of development, including a transition more into a simpler, Golden Axe styled action game. It was in development until 2000, when its publisher pulled out of publishing it, citing fears of its profitability, and it was cancelled. An early beta version leaked onto the internet in 2010. In 2019, Piko Interactive bought the rights to the game in hopes of selling an aftermarket unofficial version in the future, though this release has not materialized to-date.[43][44][45] | Interactive Studios | MGM Interactive |
Driver | According to Spanish video game magazine Magazine 64, GT Interactive was conducting development tests to see if they could get the original PlayStation version of Driver (1999) on the Nintendo 64, though no such release ever materialized.[46] | Reflections Interactive | GT Interactive |
DT Bloodmasters | A game announced in relation to the formation of Marigul Management, a company co-founded by Nintendo to create more games for the Nintendo 64. It was a digital trading card game for the 64DD that would have allowed for the transfer of cards to and from a Game Boy. It would have allowed for players to play the game on a television but hold their cards privately on their Game Boy screen. The game was cancelled due to the commercial failure of the 64DD.[47][48] | Marigul Management, Game Studios | Media Factory |
Echo Delta | Debuted and playable at Nintendo Space World 2000, the game was a real time strategy game with the premise centered around controlling a submarine to resurface sunken ships within a time limit. Was reportedly 90% complete at the time, but the game was cancelled and never officially released. In 2006, the game reportedly leaked and was being sold on eBay.[49][50] | Marigul Management, Clever Trick | Nintendo |
Eternal Darkness | Originally starting development in the mid/late 1990s for the Nintendo 64, the game was almost complete, and playable at tradeshows, in 2000. A few months away from completion, Nintendo asked if developers Silicon Knights, would move the project to the GameCube. Due to the request, Nintendo 64 market starting to slow down by 2000, and the high cost of manufacturing cartridges, the N64 version was cancelled in favor of releasing it on the GameCube in 2002. The developers described the N64 as more of a "rough draft" of the final version; the GameCube version required a lot of reworking, and in that process, aspects like graphics and mechanics were refined and improved.[51][52][53] | Silicon Knights | Nintendo |
F/A-18E Super Hornet | A combat flight simulation game originally announced for the Nintendo 64 in 1998 as Super Hornet F-18, the game only ended up releasing on PC platforms as F/A-18E Super Hornet in 2000. [54][55][56] | Titus Interactive | Titus Interactive |
Fire Emblem 64 / Fire Emblem: Maiden of Darkness | An entry in the Fire Emblem series was reported to be in development for the Nintendo 64 and the 64DD as early as in 1997. The game was in development for years, but was cancelled as a result of the commercial failure of the 64DD. Most of the game was scrapped, but a few elements were worked into the Japan-only release of Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade (2022) on the Game Boy Advance.[57][58][59] | Intelligent Systems | Nintendo |
First Samurai 64 | Announced in 1998 as a revival of the original First Samurai game, it entered the planning stages of development, but was cancelled shortly after, and never released in any capacity.[60] | Vivid Image | Vivid Image |
Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge[61] | The game initially began development for the Nintendo 64 in 1998, and featured a lengthy development period. By the time the game released in 2000, the N64 version had been cancelled due to the cost of manufacturing N64's game cartridges, and instead released on CD-ROM based platforms of the original PlayStation, Dreamcast, and Windows.[62][63] | Interactive Studios | Hasbro Interactive |
Glover 2 | A sequel to the original Glover was announced in 1999 for a release within the following year for the Nintendo 64, but was cancelled prior to its release. A playable version of the game that was moderately far along leaked onto the internet in 2011[64][65] | Interactive Studios | Hasbro Interactive |
Golgo 13 | A video game adaption of the Golgo 13 manga series was announced in 1997, and scheduled for release in 1998, but was cancelled prior to release and never materialized in any capacity.[66][67] | Vic Tokai | Vic Tokai |
Ghouls 'n' Ghosts 64 | In late 1996, a journalist at Edge was privately allowed by Capcom to play some of their games scheduled for 1997. One of which was a 3D entry in the Ghosts 'n Goblins that played similarly to Super Mario 64. Despite an early playable build being present, the game was cancelled without any gameplay ever being released publicly. IGN speculated that Capcom scrapped it in favor of developing other titles for the original PlayStation, which was Capcom's preferred platform through the late 1990s. While Capcom did return to the Nintendo 64 late in its lifespan for some PS1 ports like Mega Man 64 and Resident Evil 2, rather than revisiting the initial idea, a new idea Ghosts 'n Goblins spinoff, Maximo was started, but was cancelled as well, in favor of a PlayStation 2 release. [68][69][70] | Capcom | Capcom |
Hype: The Time Quest (Playmobil Hype while in development) | Released on Windows in 1999, console versions were scheduled for release across 2000 and 2001 for Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, and PlayStation 2, though only the PlayStation 2 port ever materialized.[71][72] | Ubisoft | Ubisoft |
Joust 64 / Joust X / Joust 3D | One of a number of arcade game revivals planned by Midway Games, the game would announced as a 3D reinvention of the original Joust (1982). However, the game was cancelled before any content was shown for the game, and it never released in any capacity.[73][74][75] | Player 1 | Midway Games |
Kameo: Elements of Power | Shortly after completion of Donkey Kong 64, Rare started early work on Kameo for the Nintendo 64.[76] By the time it was publicly announced at E3 2001, development had already shifted to the GameCube.[77] In 2002, when Microsoft bought Rare, the GameCube version was cancelled and development was shifted to the original Xbox.[78] The game experienced a lengthy 4 year development period from there, leading to it being cancelled on Xbox in favor of releasing as a launch title for the Xbox 360 in 2005.[79] | Rare | Microsoft |
Kirby Ball 64 / Kirby Bowl 64/Kirby's Air Ride | Work on a sequel to Kirby's Dream Course (1994) began on the Nintendo 64 directly after the original title's release, and was initially reported to be a launch title for the system. Early iterations of the game included controlling Kirby characters in snowboarding races and a battle mode to physically bump other player out of designated gameplay areas. Gameplay was shown at evens like Nintendo Space World 1995 and E3 1996. By 1998, it was reported that the game was put on-hold while Nintendo concentrated on finishing up 1080° Snowboarding (1998). The concept was eventually reworked and released for the N64's successor, the GameCube, as Kirby Air Ride (2003). [80][81][82][83] | HAL Laboratory | Nintendo |
Luigi's Mansion | The earliest game planning and character design work was done for the Nintendo 64 late in its lifecycle, but development was moved to the GameCube very early on, where it released as a launch title.[84] | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo |
Magic Flute | A game announced for the Nintendo 64 by Sunsoft. Little is known beyond the fact that it was an action game and that it was never released in any capacity.[85][86] | Sunsoft | Sunsoft |
Marionette | Accidently published on a list of titles in development by Nintendo at E3 2001, and later given a few details on in years following. Not a usual Mario game, but rather one where the player controls an in-game marionette puppet. The title was designed with utilizing the Nintendo 64 controller in unconventional ways. Many gameplay tests were created, but it hit roadblocks in making it into a full-fledged game. With it being tied to the N64 controller, the game was cancelled in the company's transition to GameCube development later in the year.[87][88][89] | Nintendo | Nintendo |
Maximo: Ghosts to Glory | Development for the game, a sub-series of the Ghosts 'n Goblins series, originally began for the Nintendo 64, but development spanned beyond its lifespan, and Capcom made the decision to move it to the PlayStation 2 instead, where it released exclusively in 2002.[70] | Capcom | Capcom |
Michelin Rally Masters: Race of Champions[90] | August 1999 | Imagineer | Imagineer |
Mission Impossible 64DD[91] | 1997 | Infogrames | Infogrames |
Momotarou Festival[92] | Konami | Konami | |
Mother 3 | August 22, 2000 | HAL Laboratory, Ape Inc. | Nintendo |
Mystics[93] | Realtime Associates | Nintendo | |
NBA Showtime 2000[94] | 1999 | Eurocom Entertainment Software | Midway Games |
NHL Blades of Steel 2000[95] | 2000 | Konami | Konami |
NHRA Drag Racing[96] | Gremlin Interactive | Gremlin Interactive | |
Need for Speed 64[97] | 1999 | Electronic Arts | Electronic Arts |
Nightmare Creatures II[98][99] | 1999/2000 | Kalisto Entertainment | Activision |
Ninja 64[100] | Capcom | Capcom | |
On & Off Racing[101] | Genki | Imagineer | |
Onimusha: Warlords[102] | 2000 | Capcom | Capcom |
Project Dream / Dream: Land of Giants | 1996[103] | Rareware | |
Pac-Man World | Namco | ||
Panel de Pon 64[104] | 1999/2000 | Nintendo Software Technology | Nintendo |
Pitfall 64[105] | Activision | Activision | |
Pokémon 64DD[106] | 1998/1999 | Game Freak | Nintendo |
Powerslide[107] | 1997 | Emergent Software | |
Puma Street Soccer[108] | Pixel Storm | SunSoft | |
Quest For Camelot | A video game adaption of the film Quest for Camelot was announced for both the Nintendo 64 and the 64DD, but both versions were cancelled due to the film's poor commercial performance. Only a radically different version for the Game Boy Color ever released.[17][109] | Titus Interactive | Titus Interactive |
Rally Masters[110] | Digital Illusions | Infogrames | |
Resident Evil Zero | 2000 | Capcom | Capcom |
Ronaldo V-Football[111] | 1999 | Power & Magic | Infogrames |
Roto Gunners[112][113] | TecMagik | TecMagik | |
Sea-Doo Hydrocross[114] | February 8, 2001 | Vicarious Visions | Vatical Entertainment |
Smurfs 64[115] | Infogrames | Infogrames | |
South Park 2[116] | 1999 | Iguana Entertainment | Acclaim Entertainment |
Space Bunnies Must Die![117] | 1999 | Jinx/Ripcord Games | Take-Two Interactive |
Superman 64 DD | IGN reported it as one of multiple Titus Interactive games to receive a separate 64DD release with additional content added from its standard Nintendo 64 release, though the 64DD version never released. While no reason was given, the standard version was critically panned, and it only released in the West, while the 64DD never released out of Japan.[17] | Titus Interactive | Titus Interactive |
Super Mario 64 2 | A proposed sequel for the original Super Mario 64 (1996) was mentioned by Nintendo as early on as 1997. Reports mentioned it being in development for either Nintendo 64 or the 64DD, and featuring more playable characters than just Mario, most notably Luigi. The game was never released, with Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto stating that work done on the title was implemented into other games instead. Work on a followup continued until the title Super Mario 128, which also went unreleased, and a Super Mario 64 sequel would not arise until Super Mario Sunshine (2002) on the GameCube. [118][89][119] | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo |
Super Mario 64 DD | A separate version of Super Mario 64 was announced and present at Nintendo Space World 1996. However, the 64DD version was never released. Versions have leaked onto the internet years later, though generally don't show any noteworthy differences from the original release.[120] | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo |
Surf Assault[121] | Looking Glass Studios | ||
Suul 64DD[122] | 1999/2000 | Genki | Imagineer |
Sydney 2000[123] | October 10, 2000 | Attention to Detail | Eidos Interactive |
Thrasher: Skate and Destroy[124] | 1999 | Z-Axis | Take 2 |
Test Drive Rally[125] | 2000 | Digital Illusions CE | Infogrames |
Title Defense[126] | Climax Entertainment | ||
Conker's Quest / Twelve Tales: Conker 64[127] | 1999 | Rare | |
UEFA Soccer '98[128] | 1998 | Power & Magic | Ocean Software |
Ultra Descent[129] | 1997 | Interplay Entertainment | Interplay Entertainment |
Ultra Primitive Man[130] | Late 1995 | Hudson Soft | Hudson Soft |
Unreal[131][132] | 1999/2000 | DMA Design | GT Interactive |
Velvet Dark | In 2015, Rare developer Gregg Mayles revealed that after the completion of Perfect Dark (2000) for the Nintendo 64, the company had started work on a spinoff game called Velvet Dark, starring the sister of Perfect Dark protagonist Joanna Dark. While Mayles stated that development was proposed for the Nintendo 64, the shared design documents proposed Game Boy Advance connectivity, something only its successor, the GameCube had hardware compatibility for, leading publications to believe it was in development for GameCube as well. While no reasons were given, the idea was abandoned in favor of developing and releasing Perfect Dark Zero for the Xbox 360 in 2005. | Rare | Nintendo |
VR Sports Powerboat Racing[21] | February 8, 2001 | Terra Glyph Interactive Studios | Vatical Entertainment |
VRS Racer[135][136] | Marigul Management | ||
Wall Street 64[137] | 2000 | Nintendo | Nintendo |
Warball[138][139] | Looking Glass Studios | ||
Waterworks[140][141] | 1999 | Optimus | |
Weekins[142] | SuperHappyFunFun | ||
W.E.T Corpse[143] | 1997 | Vic Tokai | Vic Tokai |
X-Men: Mutant Academy[144][145] | 2000 | Quick Draw | Activision |
Xtreme Roller[146] | 2001 | Microïds | Microïds |
Yoshi Racing | After the success of the original Star Fox (1993), developer Argonaut Software pitched bringing the Super Mario series into 3D gameplay, with a game that took the Yoshi character and combined the gameplay of Super Mario World and Super Mario Kart. However, Nintendo rejected the pitch, saying that they already had plans for the first 3D Super Mario. Argonaut instead stripped the Super Mario branding from the game and repurposed it into Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, and released on the competing Sega Saturn and the original PlayStation instead in 1997.[147][148] | Argonaut Software | Nintendo |
Young Olympians[149][150] | 2000 | Saffire | |
Yousuke Ide’s Mah-jongg School[151] | Late 1999 | SETA Corporation | SETA Corporation |