Blast from the Past: Nintendo 64 games begging for DS ports

Although we prefer new games, ports can be worth bringing to a system. For one, players familiar with the original iteration of a game can experience it again on the go, whereas other people can try it out for the first time and enjoy some classic gameplay on their DS. With Nintendo’s Virtual Console on the Wii, the chances for any of these games to make it to the Nintendo DS are slim, but that won’t stop us from dreaming and hoping for eventful ports of these Nintendo 64 titles.

Tetrisphere
Not many were able to enjoy the revolutionary gameplay of Tetrisphere back in 1997. Instead of the standard Tetris style of play, you won’t stack pieces; you pluck them off a sphere to reveal its core. A variety of game modes and a superb techno soundtrack make this game even better. Imagine; well-executed touch screen controls and versus battles via Wi-Fi. Please, anyone, make this happen!

Glover
If you played and enjoyed Glover, we salute you; it was a decent title back in its time, but hardly anyone cared for it. Glover is a mix of platformer / puzzle gameplay, in which you control a glove that can bounce a ball to reach the stage’s goal. A cheerful soundtrack and colorful, bright environments enhanced the experience. Not a masterpiece per se, but a very original and clever title that would fit well on the DS, as long as enough publicity and a fine port made the game worth checking out.

Mischief Makers
The 2D expertise of Treasure gave 64 owners a fun and enjoyable title to play through back ten years from now. Marina, the star of the game, can pick up and shake enemies and objects as she travels through the game’s levels. Although the original title is quite short and of easy difficulty, an expanded DS port could provide more levels, perhaps incorporating some of the system’s unique features to increase the game’s challenge. Mischief Maker’s platformer / puzzle action would find a good home on the DS.

Donkey Kong 64
Many Rare-developed games could make a fine transition to the DS (Banjo-Kazooie, Jet Force Gemini, Conker’s Bad Fur Day), but if any of them have a chance, it would be Donkey Kong 64. This jam-packed action / adventure title features tons of stages to explore and items to collect. As far as controls go, perhaps the best way to go for this one would be to follow the steps of Super Mario 64 DS; offer both button-based controls as well as the option to use a stylus / thumb pad to mimic analog stick control.

Super Smash Bros.
Your call; a brand-new Smash game built for the DS, or a quick port of the N64 version, perhaps enhanced with online play? We think you’ll agree that either way would be a sweet, sweet move, offering DS owners a chance to duke it out with local friends or random worldwide players anytime, anywhere. Brawl will be awesome, as we know, but hardly anyone can deny that a Smash Bros. game on DS would be pure awesomeness.

Perfect Dark
Now this one is a stretch. The game’s availability on the Virtual Console is doubtful; a DS port is even more of a long shot, but hey, we DS fans can dream. An intricate plot and stellar FPS gameplay made Perfect Dark one of the best titles for the Nintendo 64. A DS port would be fantastic for anyone hoping to enjoy this great title once more, and online multiplayer or special bonus missions could make it all even better. There’s also GoldenEye 64, another great action-filled title that could work very well on Nintendo’s prominent handheld. Either game, as DS port or Virtual Console release, would make many gamers happy.

There are other Nintendo 64 titles that could jump to the DS and make a great title, such as Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards and Blast Corps. Is there a particular N64 title you would like to see on the DS? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!