While we’re a long way from their heyday in the 90s, Rare is still rightfully regarded as one of the best developers in gaming history.
Today, they’re best known for their work withSea of Thieves, which has quietly established itself as an incredible open world sandbox environment where you play as a pirate sailing on the high seas.
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Back in 2015, they released Rare Replay, a collection of games from their history that lets gamers take a trip down memory lane and remember how this legendary developer even got to where they are in the first place.
To this day, I’ll pop back into the greats like Banjo-Kazooie or GoldenEye 007, and I’m quickly reminded why Rare was held in such high regard and are remembered for more than just Donkey Kong Country.
In the spirit of that, let’s recap the ten best Rare games that have released to this point.
10Sea of Thieves
Sea of Thieves
Despite its lackluster launch, Sea of Thieves has become one of thebest open world games, especially if you play with friends.
While there are objectives in place for you to follow, Sea of Thieves is at its best when you’re engaging in organic content. It’s not always about working off a checklist of quests, but sailing the high seas and finding out what’s waiting to be discovered.
Maybe it’s buried treasure! Maybe it’s fame and fortune! Or maybe its danger lurking in dark caverns.
Either way, it’s one heck of a time if you get the right crew together. Whether you’re planning a treasure hunt, singing sea shanties, or fishing on the open sea, few games will be as enjoyable as Sea of Thieves.
9Diddy Kong Racing
A Worthy Competitor To Mario Kart
Diddy Kong Racing DS
There’s no denying that Mario Kart has had more success compared toDiddy Kong Racing, but Rare’s arcade racer is more than capable of holding its own.
Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1997, followed by a Nintendo DS remake in 2007, Diddy Kong Racing is more than a Mario Kart clone. The cast of characters is an absolute delight, with some of their featured games appearing on this list.
Best of all, though, is that Diddy Kong Racing does an excellent job of keeping the gameplay fresh. By offering three distinct vehicle types, every race, even if it’s played on the same track, feels different. The karts, bumper boats, and planes all handle in a unique way.
Diddy Kong Racing’s campaign also stands out as something more in-depth than what you’d expect from a racer, offering a somewhat open world to explore, discover levels, and mess around in.
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8Banjo-Tooie
Slightly Too Much Of A Good Thing
Banjo-Tooie
I know I’m going to catch flack for this, but sometimes, the truth hurts: this game isn’t as good as you remember. Sometimes, you can have too much of a good thing.
That’s the case withBanjo-Tooie, the Banjo-Kazooie sequel that goes all-in on adding to what’s arguably the perfect platformer.
Don’t get me wrong; Banjo-Tooie is still a fantastic game, but the biggest problem is the pacing. It’s all over the place, thanks to the expansive levels and lack of focus.
It’s a testament to how good the foundation here is that Banjo-Tooie still ranks as an incredible game. The core gameplay loop you know and love is still here, as well as the clever writing and memorable characters. I just wish it wasn’t such a bloated experience.
7Donkey Kong 64
An Excellent Collect-A-Thon
We’re going to talk about theDonkey Kongfranchise a lot here, and for good reason, but we’re starting with what is one of the biggest Nintendo 64 games of all time.
Donkey Kong 64can sometimes suffer under its own weight. The game ismassive, with a roster of five playable characters and a seemingly infinite number of things to collect.
The game desperately needs some quality of life updates, most notably the ability to change characters on the fly without having to backtrack to a barrel. Even despite these issues, it’s a perfect transition of the classic Donkey Kong Country games brought into a 3D world.
While we haven’t seen a 3D Donkey Kong game since, that’s not because Donkey Kong 64 is bad by any means. If anything, I’m not sure how it can be topped.
Rare learned all the right lessons from Banjo-Tooie and delivered an unforgettable experience, complete with easter eggs, unlockables, and platforming galore.
6Battletoads
Glutton For Punishment
Battletoads (1991)
Oh,Battletoads. The game we all love but still get mad at. You know what I’m talking about by just looking at that image. You know the pain and suffering it’s caused.
Before I get on a rant, let’s talk about what makes Battletoads so great. Its old-school beat ‘em up action holds up remarkably well today, showcasing the best of 8-bit gaming that so many modern “retro” games aim to emulate.
Yes, Battletoads is going to kick your butt, but you’re going to love every second of it. We’re talking aboutSoulslikedifficulty well before FromSoftware ever considered developing Dark Souls.
In a way, that’s what makes this game so good: the sense of accomplishment you get as you progress through the game. It’s frustrating, sure, but never completely unfair, and best of all, you’re able to play it with a friend in co-op.
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5Perfect Dark
Calling Agent Dark
Perfect Dark (2000)
Since its release, there has been a contentious debate as to which Rare FPS is better:GoldenEye 007orPerfect Dark. Both have their merits, and Perfect Dark has the advantage of being based on an original IP, with more content, expansive levels, and more polished graphics.
As I’ve said several times, bigger isn’t always better. It’s a miracle that Perfect Dark even works on Nintendo 64 hardware, as the game has countless framerate issues, falling under the weight of its ambition.
It’s a testament to how good Perfect Dark is that many people can look past these flaws. Rare proved that they weren’t content to rest on their laurels following GoldenEye’s success, and they delivered a spiritual successor that’s well worth your time.
4Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country
I remember the first time we sawDonkey Kong Countryand thought we had reached the pinnacle of video game graphics. My friends and I were so excited to dive into the world of Donkey Kong Country, only for it to chew us up and spit us out.
Donkey Kong Country is as hard as you remember, demanding platforming precision and excellence from its players. However, it’s not impossibly difficult; instead, it’s an exercise in side-scrolling perfection. The game demands excellence from its players.
To be honest, I didn’t expect anything less from the team that brought us Battletoads. If you’re looking for aSuper Mario game without Mario, look no further.
From mine carts to vine swinging to rhinoceros riding, this is a platformer full of cool moments and has an amazing soundtrack to boot.
3Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
An Incredible Sequel
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
One of the greatest video game sequels of all time, Diddy’s Kong Quest takes everything that made the original Donkey Kong Country so great and built it into something even better.
The controls are improved, the level design is still impeccable, and the difficulty is just right. Nothing is too hard or too easy.
Everything works together in harmony to deliver the total package. The game’s music and atmosphere do an excellent job of matching ingenious, creative level design, while the gameplay flows naturally from stage to stage.
The game keeps pushing things forward, never taking long to reflect on what works. Instead, it introduces a wealth of new ideas your way that keep you entertained throughout, no matter how often you’ve played.
2GoldenEye 007
It Still Holds Up Today
GoldenEye 007
Okay, time to pound the table forGoldenEye 007, a game I spent countless hours playing as a child, enjoying the local split-screen co-op, and constantly replaying its enjoyable single-player missions (most notably Silo).
There are few console FPS games that are as well-designed as this. Yes, the Nintendo 64 controls held it back, but that just shows you how incredible this game is that we spend thousands of hours playing it with inferior controls.
The second I played this game with modern controls, it was like playing the game for the first time; it handled like a dream, letting the gameplay and brilliantly crafted levels truly shine.
If you have never played the modern-day remaster, I urge you to go check it out. You won’t regret it.
1Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Kazooie
One of the best platformers of all time, and certainly the best for Nintendo 64,Banjo-Kazooieis gaming perfection.
Everyone knows about the game’s clever writing, witty humor, and loveable characters. Yes, they all make the game as iconic as it is, but where Banjo-Kazooie shines is its level design and gameplay.
Everything has been carefully thought out and planned, improving on the foundation set bySuper Mario 64. Each world is the perfect size, big enough to encourage constant exploration but small and focused to where everything has its place and purpose.
There’s no getting lost in expansive, vast, boring environments here. Instead, each nook and cranny of Banjo-Kazooie’s worlds invites you to see what collectibles are waiting for you to discover.
I play this game every year for a reason. It’s the perfect platformer, and Rare’s best game ever.
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