Nintendo 64 Anthology by Matt Manent review

Play the Song of Time and experience the greatness of the N64 all over again without having to blow into those old cartridges

The Nintendo 64 is now over 20 years old, but its legacy still lives on to this day. Many Switch owners are hoping for the upcoming Virtual Console to be full of N64 games. Despite its relatively small library, so many classic games were released on that system. In Manent’s detailed Anthology he reviews each of the 388 games released for it and also provides insight into the console’s development and history.

Each of the 338 games in the N64’s library are featured within this Anthology. From Ocarina of Time to GoldenEye, each game is reviewed out of 5 stars with background information provided for each. The more notable games within the library receive either a page or two page spread full of fun details and facts. Manent also rates each game based on how rare they are now, with some interesting results! This extensive catalogue is certainly the main selling point of the Anthology.

Manent has obviously done his research here and shows his passion for the console throughout. The book also covers the 64’s history, hardware, cancelled games and collector’s items. There’s also notable interviews with some of the more well known producers, such as embers of Rare (who are now working on Sea of Thieves). There’s enough information here to make any Nintendo fan nostalgic, with the information always being told in an exciting way: Manent’s love for the console really shines through.

Perhaps the only criticism we have of the 361 page anthology is that the text is smaller than you’d expect, especially compared to similar informational books. Not tiny, but probably a size 10 font. However the printing is beautiful with all games having screenshots, and the paper itself is very high quality. The Nintendo 64 Anthology is a must have for all N64 players, and would make a fine addition to anyone’s gaming collection.