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3) Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
Released: 2000
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater captured the imaginations of an entire generation of players. No superheroes, no mascot characters, just dudes with skateboards tearing it up on their skateboards. There was something grounded and identifiable with Pro Skater that made the game stand out to players of all stripes, this writer included. It didn’t hurt that it looked impressive graphically and had a rocking soundtrack, which lent the game a certain authenticity that made it all the more appealing. Playing Pro Skater felt like taking a trip out the front door, albeit into a world where launching high into the sky wouldn’t result in any broken bones. With a potent combo system backed by puling off sick (yeah, SICK) tricks in rapid succession turned Tony Hawk into a true household name, one that only recently began to fade. Pro Skater laid down some deep roots. Maybe one day the series will make the comeback it deserves.
The only way this list could be better is if it was a “coming soon” list on the Wii U’s virtual console!
It would also have Rayman 2, Rocket: Robot on Wheels, Turok 2, and Body Harvest on it. Oh, and James Bond: The World Is Not Enough.
So happy to see Ridge Racer on there….
For me the best “non-tendo” N64 game were Gauntlet Legends, Battle Tanx, Forsaken, the Bomberman games and Turok games.
The Rush racing games from Midway were awesome, and Moral Kombat 4 which played better on N64 than the arcade version.
The WWF games were epic on N64. They are still in my opinion better than the ones they make today
I was going to say Ridge Racer 64 but it counts as a Nintendo developed game since it was Nintendo Software Technology, right?
Anyway, nice list! Rogue Squadron makes my list as well.
My own list would include some Turok representation, probably the 2nd one, Seeds of Evil. My goodness, was that game impressive! Expansion Pak for the win: those detailed graphics and enemy dismemberment blew my mind, along with the presentation values. And the music, wow.
Rayman 2: The Great Escape was pretty awesome as well.
The other two games on my list would have to be:
–Rocket: Robot on Wheels (wonderful 3D platformer by Sucker Punch)
–Shadow Man (one of the best mature games I have played that was ‘mature’ in more ways than you can imagine. This game had a massive world to explore).
(Looks like OG75 and KisakiProject agree with me on some of my picks.)