If there's any console that provides that warm and fuzzy feeling of nostalgia, it's most certainly the N64. This is especially the case when it comes to the multiplayer aspect. Say what you want about this odd console from the Big N, but the machine was the absolute pinnacle of local multiplayer. It wasn't only the first to offer four-player support out of the box – it also had a solid library of multiplayer games to go along with it. I have countless fond memories of lounging and laughing it up with friends and family, getting lost in classics like Perfect Dark and Smash Bros.

Still, this machine was far from perfect. Besides being notorious for its cutting edge graphics, along with its adherence to cartridges during an era that was migrating to CDs, the N64 is also known for its lack of games. Many of Nintendo's third-party partners had jumped ship to the rival PlayStation, and Nintendo's output of games had slowed from the SNES days.

With so few titles, it can be difficult to imagine this console's library containing a significant number of hidden gems, but take it from this diehard N64 – it really does. There are a number of reasons for this – often a game held a more limited appeal or availability. Sometimes it was merely a case of a title being diminished under the looming shadow of major Nintendo releases.

But with a library of hidden gems also naturally comes a sizable lineup of overrated games. Often times these titles were overhyped by huge fans of a franchise, or didn't live up to a franchise name. Some simply have not aged that well when looking through the lens of the modern gaming era.

With that said, let's take a look at some of the games that fall under the category of overhyped, as well as those gems that so many gamers missed out on.

30 Overrated: Mario Party 1

I know, I know – "this game is a multiplayer classic!" But, is it really, reader? I've certainly had tons of enjoyment playing this one with friends and family (and still occasionally do). But in hindsight, while it had fun elements, it really did have a lot of flaws.

You had a pretty mixed bag of minigames.

Over half of these games were basic and forgettable, especially the solo games. You also had the issue of the game often requiring that you quickly rotate the joystick, which produced many unpleasant blisters on the palms of gamers. Mario Party 1 is also stripped down compared to future entries – you can't even play a board game with fewer than 20 turns, for instance. MP2 and 3 thankfully improved and built on this game's foundation.

29 Overrated: The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Outside of Zelda II, or those horrific Zelda CD-i titles, Majora's Mask is probably the weirdest entry in this iconic fantasy series from Nintendo. The trippy, apocalyptic vibe is certainly a characteristic that many are drawn to, though it's also one that proves off-putting for the more casual Zelda fan.

That creepy looming moon pretty much encapsulates the weird vibe of this one.

The gameplay and exploration elements still prove to be memorable, but this sequel to Ocarina of Time is just too bizarre and out of place, and it often feels like style reigns over substance. There aren't many temples, and what few exist aren't too memorable, and the stress-inducing time limit concept is a bit off-putting.

28 Hidden Gem: NFL Blitz

Back in the days before EA locked down the rights to the NFL brand, Midway had created a zanier, more action-laced version of football that boiled things down to an arcade sense of fast-paced gameplay. The NFL Blitz games offered a way for more casual football fans to enjoy the action and intensity of the game without needing much of a firm grasp on the nuances of play calling or setting lineups.

The focus is rather on the exciting aspects of football – like tossing Hail Mary's to the end zone, running the ball 40 yards, and of course, sacking and stiff-arming your opponents. All of this made for a satisfying, adrenaline-pumping multiplayer romp, which sadly gets overshadowed by Madden titles.

27 Overrated: Yoshi's Story

Sure, this isn't a horrible game, but by the standards of a Mario platformer (or at least a Mario spinoff)? It's probably one of the weakest entries in the series. Many regard this sequel to Yoshi's Island as a cute, charming platformer, but with how short and simple the gameplay is, it just doesn't hold up.

Not only is the game usually a cake walk to the point where it feels boring, but the game takes the odd approach of allowing you to pick which levels to play in order. This wipes most of the sense of progression; a quality that an enduring game should have.

26 Overrated: Donkey Kong 64

While Rareware seemed to be escalating things in terms of scope and the sheer amount of collectibles with each new game they cranked out, Donkey Kong 64 was the point where it was starting to get a little absurd.

Though the concept of playing as 5 different Kongs was neat, each of these characters had to gather their own unique set of items, many of which were elaborately scattered about the vast terrain of the island. The game can truly be a grind, especially for completionists. There's also a multiplayer mode, but it feels about as basic and tacked-on as possible.

25 Hidden Gem: Mischief Makers

It's surprising that this quirky, colorful platformer from Treasure rarely seems to get a mention in the discussion of solid N64 platformers. Perhaps this is because the competition is strong and plentiful, or because the themes of Mischief Makers are so bonkers.

Though for my money, this unique vibe is part of the game's charm. It also doesn't hurt that it contains some charming and addictive sidescrolling gameplay and exciting boss battles. The retro style is especially refreshing considering the N64 is so overpopulated with 3D games.

24 Overrated: Pokémon Stadium 1 And 2

These titles were highly anticipated and talked up by many a Pokémon fanatic. Once the novelty of watching your 2D Pokémon duke it out on your big TV screen in 3D wore off though, these games tend to lose their luster. At the end of the day, Pokémon Stadium 1 and 2 are little more than a glorified combat system essentially ripped right from the Game Boy games – just with a cooler presentation. You also can't really get the full value out of these games unless you happened to own both a copy of the Game Boy games and a Transfer Pak.

23 Overrated: Paper Mario

There are many that live and die by this charmingly cute RPG from Nintendo. Though even as a Mario aficionado, this never quite did it for me. It often comes across as a cheaper, more stripped down version of Super Mario RPG. Its combat is pretty basic and repetitive, verges on being too easy, and it's rife with countless lines of mostly insignificant dialogue. The papery cell-shaded graphics were neat at the time, but this style doesn't look nearly as cool when compared to many games of the modern era that have perfected it.

22 Hidden Gem: Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon

All you need to do is look at the head-scratchingly random title and the quirky colorful appearance that's heavily Japanese to see why this game didn't quite take off. While it contains some enjoyable Mario 64-esque platforming elements, its weird themes and aesthetic doesn't really give this a particularly broad appeal.

The focus was obviously placed on a Japanese audience, as is apparent from the cheesy, laughably poorly dubbed theme song played upon booting up the game. But credit where credit is due – this is a colorfully entertaining game that was criminally overlooked.

21 Overrated: The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time

This might not be entirely fair to this iconic Zelda title, as this is more of a "hindsight" perspective, viewing it from the lens of modern sensibilities. Yet, now that we've seen what a true epic open-world Zelda game can be like with Breath of the Wild, suddenly Ocarina of Time doesn't seem quite so epic.

Sure, it's still a solid action-adventure in its own right, but many aspects haven't aged too well. And despite boasting depth and open-world elements, the gameplay really can be basic and linear at times, with NPC chatter that's a bit too heavy for my tastes.

20 Overrated: Star Wars Episode 1: Racer

You could almost foresee the creation of a racing game (or several) upon watching the moderately exciting pod racing scene in the otherwise lame Star Wars: Episode 1. The speedy pod racing concept certainly lends itself to racers.

No surprise, LucasArts wasted little time cranking out this cash cow on the N64.

It's just too bad that the end product is so mediocre. Much like its movie counterpart, this game didn't measure up to the hype the Star Wars name brought with it. It doesn't play terribly, but rather, like a more bland version of F-Zero, complete with overly simple gameplay and a lack of action.

19  Hidden Gem: 007: The World Is Not Enough

Now don't get me wrong – I'm by no means saying this game, based on the average Bond film starring Pierce Brosnan is somehow superior to GoldenEye 007. But in hindsight, this really is a solid N64 shooter that simply gets lost in the massive hype shadow of that game, along with Perfect Dark.

It's surprising to brand any EA title as underrated or a "hidden gem", but this FPS certainly falls in this category.

The game not only feels and plays similar to GoldenEye 007, but it also uses the gripping narrative from its film counterpart. It also gets a nice bump in aesthetics and horsepower thanks to its use of the N64 Expansion Pak.

18 Overrated: Conker's Bad Fur Day

Sure, many Nintendo fans, myself included, appreciated the quirky, somewhat raunchy British humor found in this platformer from Rareware. It was a breath of fresh air from the squeaky-clean Nintendo content in a sense. But stripping away the amusing presentation and themes, what we're left with is a pretty average 3D platformer.

It resorts to the infamous Rare tropes of scouring the same handful of stages and embarking on collect-a-thons. It also has some frustrating gameplay at times, which isn't as easy for gamers to get into compared to the likes of Mario 64 or Banjo Kazooie.

17 Overrated: GoldenEye 007

Ok, before you grab your pitchforks – I do still adore many aspects of this game. After all, GoldenEye 007 helped usher in an era of console FPS gaming, and contained many enduring environments, characters, and weaponry. Still, upon revisiting this one, I can't help but feel much of my love for this is rooted in nostalgia, along with my being wowed by the (at the time) cutting edge visuals.

These days, GoldenEye 007 just feels, looks, and plays dated. It can be quite difficult to control – particularly when it comes to aiming. Also, the AI is pretty dull, and the blocky graphics are tough to look at. This game additionally pretty much requires multiple players to really get the most out of it.

16 Hidden Gem: Sin And Punishment

It's easy to understand why this game failed to be on the radar of a Western audience, because in fact, it was never even available to them. Yes, Sin And Punishment was never released outside Japan, though a successor for Wii – literally titled Star Successor, did make its way to Western shores a decade later.

This on-rails shooter has a bit of a tough learning curve with some awkward controls and grueling gameplay at times. Yet, once you settle in, it proves to be a unique, heart-pounding and thrilling ride that will have you coming back for more punishment.

15 Overrated: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron

This game is yet another example of context being everything – as a space combat experience in its own right, it's a decent game. But, like many Star Wars games, Rogue Squadron falls pretty flat compared to its epic film counterparts.

This game's lack of a multiplayer mode is disturbing...

The environments feel quite barren and empty, and there are significant lulls in the action, especially for a series that thrives on action elements. It also contains a frustratingly steep learning curve and comes with some questionable draw distances, which is amplified by the abundance of fog.

14 Overrated: Mario Golf

Mario Golf seems to get a lot of praise, or at least spoken highly of, despite proving to be a pretty dull experience overall. This is likely due in part to the fact that it was one of the first Mario sports titles. It also likely dazzled gamers with its 3D graphics, which, even now, hold up pretty decently.

Not only can this be a slow-paced game, but it throws an intimidating amount of stats and other bits of information at you, making it tough to get into compared to, say, Mario Tennis. At the end of the day, it's still golf, which can prove to be quite bland, even when slapping a Mario overlay over it.

13 Hidden Gem: Jet Force Gemini

If you get beyond some semi-abnormal controls, Jet Force Gemini is quite possibly the best game for the N64 that nobody's heard of. The game features a great blend of action adventure, platforming, and shooter elements. It also contains a unique colorful aesthetic and cool sci-fi premise that leaves an impression.

This game is one of the prettiest on the N64, and it doesn't even use the Expansion Pak!

This Rare gem contains some very satisfying upgrades and weaponry – not to mention an enjoyable jetpack. Most significantly though, it contains a ridiculously fun split-screen multiplayer mode that can give GoldenEye 007 a run for its money.

12 Overrated: Mega Man 64

Perhaps this isn't overrated in terms of the specific game, but it certainly is in terms of the hype associated with the Mega Man brand as a whole. For a series that's well known for its solid and feverishly addictive shooter gameplay, it's odd to see such a crude and mediocre entry on the N64.

The game favors awkward controls, tricky navigation, and basic, tedious shooting elements. The heart-thumping action the series is known for is massively toned down, leaving us with a flawed, bland 3D adventure that doesn't feel very "Mega Man".

11 Overrated: 1080° Snowboarding

Everybody seems to point to this hyped-up title when it comes to awesome extreme sports games on the N64, but I can't help but wonder if this is mostly because so few exist. Upon fumbling through its awkward controls and lifeless gameplay, I just don't get it. Personally, I found the much less talked about 1080° Avalanche to be the far superior snowboarding game, but I digress... The controls feel stiff, and trying to landing many of the more complicated moves can be a frustrating hassle at best and a nightmare at worst.