We already published the list of best N64 games of all time, now it’s time to discover the best N64 team sports games of all time.
With amazing titles available, the N64 definitely has a great library of team sports games.
So, if you’re a fan of both the N64 and team sports games, there’s a chance you’ll like this list.
And some of you may already know some of the games mentioned in this list.
#25. NBA Hangtime
- Release Data: Fun Com/Midway, 1997
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Arcade
NBA Hangtime is a fun, arcade-perfect port that will bring most basketball fans lots enjoyment.
It fills a necessary gap in the sports genre, and Midway has executed a solid conversion at a relatively early stage in the system’s game cycle.
#24. NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC
- Release Data: Eurocom/Midway, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Arcade
It’s not perfect, but NBA Showtime is still a fun four-player game, and it’s worlds better than the team’s previous N64 arcade basketball translation, NBA Hangtime.
However, Showtime is one of the best two on two basketball arcade experiences on the N64, period.
#23. Wayne Gretzky’s 3D Hockey
- Release Data: Midway/GameBank, 1996
- Genre: Sports » Team » Ice Hockey » Sim
The hockey players, ice rink, and arenas were created with motion capture, 3-D animation, and texture mapping.
And it makes Wayne Gretzky’s for the Nintendo 64 a one incredible title.
No more slower frame rates, small players, and limited perspectives: 64-bit action is here and it is really fun.
#22. NBA Jam 99
- Release Data: Iguana West/Acclaim, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Arcade
Despite some of the sound problems, NBA Jam 99 is surprisingly good.
Like the competition, this one does many things well, but it doesn’t come together as an excellent basketball package.
If excitement, atmosphere, and speed aren’t so important to you, then you’ll enjoy the deep, customizable simulation aspects of NBA Jam 99.
#21. Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside
- Release Data: Left Field Productions/Nintendo, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Sim
The game as a whole is solid, but really isn’t anything special.
The overall speed of the game could use a little boost, and the graphics could use some cleaning up.
But with all the categories the players are rated in and all the variable options accompanied with the overall presentation, Courtside easily is a great basketball game on the N64.
#20. NFL Quarterback Club 98
- Release Data: Iguana Entertainment/Acclaim, 1997
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
To be fair, some gamers will enjoy Quarterback Club 98 despite its shortcomings – but only if they don’t know or care about realistic football.
NFL Quarterback Club ’98 certainly isn’t terrible, as it will appeal to many casual football fans, but it’s certainly nowhere near as good as it’s hyped to be.
#19. NBA Courtside 2 Featuring Kobe Bryant
- Release Data: Left Field Productions/Nintendo, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Sim
In the end, NBA Courtside 2 is a solid basketball game that any fan of the sport will enjoy.
If you’re a fan of both traditional basketball game simulations and over-the-top arcade-style basketball games like NBA Showtime, Courtside 2 is the game for you.
#18. Ken Griffey Jr.’s Slugfest
- Release Data: Angel Studios/Nintendo, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Baseball » Sim
In the end, Ken Griffey Jr.’s Slugfest, as the name implies, is a fast-paced arcade-style baseball game that will appeal to anyone who wants an intuitive, easy-to-play game.
It’s especially good for younger players who might not want to deal with some of the complex batting and pitching schemes of other N64 games.
#17. NBA Live 99
- Release Data: NuFX/EA Sports, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Sim
NBA Live 99 has enough options and tweaks to allow anyone to play it.
New players can pick it up, learn a couple of buttons, and do reasonably well against the computer, while longtime fans of Live can pick this one up and fall right into their old ways.
#16. NHL Breakaway 98
- Release Data: Iguana Entertainment/Acclaim, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Ice Hockey » Sim
In the end, Breakaway 98 is one of those rare games that come along every once in a while.
It seems to have everything going for it: great graphics, superb sound, unmatched control—a game that’s just plain good in all of the categories.
Breakaway 98 is better than real hockey.
#15. NFL Quarterback Club 99
- Release Data: Iguana Entertainment/Acclaim, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
NFL Quarterback Club ’99 improve its predecessor’s gameplay with better animations, graphics, and more fluent control.
While these improvements seems minor at first, it make the game a lot more enjoyable and more appealing to fans.
Though the AI seems to be bugged in some places compared to similar game at that time.
#14. Madden Football 64
- Release Data: EA Tiburon/EA Sports, 1997
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
Although it has a few flaws, Madden 64 is still one of the best football simulations on the N64.
Ironically, the most realistic NFL simulation on the market lacks an NFL license.
Still, football fans are urged to buy this title, unless having the real NFL teams and logos is of supreme importance to them.
#13. NBA Live 2000
- Release Data: NuFX/EA Sports, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Sim
It doesn’t really offer anything special in graphics, control, or any other category.
But it does do the NBA Live series justice, and it is the best N64 iteration of the series yet.
The extras are nice and add to the game’s value. Fans of previous versions of Live N64 will have a good time.
#12. Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey, Jr.
- Release Data: Angel Studios/Nintendo, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Baseball » Sim
Graphic wise, it’s pretty average compared to other game of same genre.
Though it makes that up for better sound, with atmospheric crowd cheers, organ music, fireworks, booing, commentary and even city noises like ambulances driving by.
All in all, it’s pretty stale in graphic but pretty solid with its arcadey and speedy gameplay.
#11. FIFA 99
- Release Data: EA Canada/Electronic Arts, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Soccer » Sim
While FIFA 99 is the most in-depth soccer sim to date on the N64, it still faces stiff competition in Konami’s ISS Pro ’98.
Konami’s game may look a bit slicker and play with more robustness—but if your definition of a great soccer game begins and ends with dead-on realism, you can’t go wrong with FIFA 99.
#10. NFL Blitz 2000
- Release Data: Midway, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Arcade
People who haven’t seen Blitz ’99 in arcades yet are going to be blown away by the additions and tweaks that have been made since the original Blitz was released on the N64.
Veterans of Blitz ’99 will welcome the ability to finally play the updated game at home, and the new Y2K add-ons don’t hurt, either.
#9. NHL 99
- Release Data: MBL Research/EA Sports, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Ice Hockey » Sim
All in all, NHL 99 provides a great gameplay experience for both fans and non-fans of the sport.
It is simple enough for anyone to pick up and play, yet there’s enough here to keep you interested for a long time.
#8. Madden NFL 2001
- Release Data: EA Tiburon/EA Sports, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
Everyone who’s a fan of video game football, whether a fan of the Madden series or not, will surely enjoy the game’s solid control and presentation.
The tweaks to the AI and the small additions like the two-minute drill and coach-specific playbooks are more than enough reason for fans of the series to pick this up.
#7. World Cup 98
- Release Data: EA Canada/EA Sports, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Soccer » Sim
The game is essentially FIFA 98, minus the FIFA team, but with improved gameplay and cinematics. It’s all about the world cup now.
Thanks to the license, it features accurate teams and stadiums, which feels like the real thing.
Overall, this game is as close as you could get to the real World Cup 98.
#6. All-Star Baseball 99
- Release Data: Iguana Entertainment/Acclaim, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Baseball » Sim
The only negative thing that could really be said about the game is the recycling of basic animations.
The animations for players walking out to the plate and players taking the field are used over and over.
But All-Star Baseball 99 is easily one of the best baseball games to come around at that time.
#5. All-Star Baseball 2001
- Release Data: High Voltage Software/Acclaim, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Team » Baseball » Sim
Regardless of some issues, All-Star Baseball 2001 is the second best console baseball game.
The visuals are photo-realistic, the gameplay itself borders on perfect, and the variety of game modes and multiplayer options offer high replay value.
Furthermore, the game is just fun—and that, when all is said and done, is what counts the most.
#4. Madden NFL 99
- Release Data: EA Tiburon/EA Sports, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
The control is great, the AI is great, and of course, the graphics are well done.
The game gives you everything you could ever want on the features side, plus the ability to change them.
And with the addition of franchise mode, which allows you to play season after season, football gamers can play Madden 99 for a long time.
#3. All-Star Baseball 2000
- Release Data: Iguana Entertainment/Acclaim, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Baseball » Sim
There is a total of four different game modes to play in—exhibition, season, play-off, and home run derby.
Overall, All-Star Baseball 2000 is a refined version of the previous year’s game.
However, the new features and refinements totally add up; they make picking up All-Star Baseball 2000 a must for every N64-owning baseball fan.
#2. International Superstar Soccer 64
- Release Data: KCEO/Konami, 1997
- Genre: Sports » Team » Soccer » Sim
Like every soccer game in that era, International Superstar Soccer 64 follows the model that FIFA set—fast 3D graphics, a choice of camera angles, and real stadium sounds.
So, in short, International Superstar Soccer 64 offers just about everything FIFA 64 did. It just does it slightly better.
#1. NFL Blitz
- Release Data: Midway, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Arcade
NFL Blitz is the best football game ever made.
Unless you’re one of those freaks that requires hyperrealism in every facet of your football games, there’s no need to buy any other football game.
Even those of us that despise traditional sports games aren’t immune to Blitz‘s incredible performance.
Browse N64 Games By Genre
See also: Best SNES Games & Best GBC Games
Are your favorite games on the list?
Deciding which N64 team sports game is the best is no doubt a never ending topic, but it’s fun to do!