Rare
14 games — Rare
Killer Instinct
Killer Instinct is a series of fighting video games originally created by Rare and published by Midway, Nintendo, and later Xbox Game Studios since the remake. The original Killer Instinct "Killer Instinct (1994 video game)") was released for arcades in 1994; the game was then released for the Super NES and Game Boy in 1995. Its sequel, Killer Instinct 2, was released for arcades in 1996; the game was then released as Killer Instinct Gold for the Nintendo 64. The series was rebooted with the release of Killer Instinct "Killer Instinct (2013 video game)") (2013) for the Xbox One.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest is a 1995 platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released on 21 November 1995 in Japan, 4 December in North America, and 14 December in Europe. It is the second installment of the Donkey Kong Country series and the sequel to Donkey Kong Country (1994). Players control Diddy Kong and his girlfriend Dixie Kong, who must rescue Donkey Kong after he is kidnapped by King K. Rool. The game is set on Crocodile Isle, with eight worlds of varying environments, totaling 52 levels. The game uses the same Silicon Graphics (SGI) technology from the original, which features the use of pre-rendered 3D imagery. Diddy's Kong Quest received acclaim and is regarded as one of the greatest 2D platformers of all time. Praise was directed at its graphics, gameplay, and soundtrack. It was the second best-selling game of 1995, and the sixth best-selling game on the SNES.
Mickey's Speedway USA
Mickey's Speedway USA is a kart racing game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color. It is Rare and Nintendo's second collaboration with Disney Interactive following Mickey's Racing Adventure (1999), and features characters from the Mickey Mouse universe racing across the United States. The Nintendo 64 game released in November 2000 to mixed reception, while the Game Boy Color version followed in March 2001.
Killer Instinct Gold
Killer Instinct Gold is a 1996 fighting game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is based on the arcade game_Killer Instinct 2. Players control characters who fight on a 2D plane set against a 3D background. Players press buttons to punch and kick their opponent in chains of successive hits, known as combos "Combo (video games)"). Large combo successions lead to stronger attacks and brutal, stylistic finisher moves "Fatality (Mortal Kombat)") underscored by an announcer. Characters—including a gargoyle, a ninja, and a femme fatale—fight in settings such as a jungle and a spaceship. Killer Instinct Gold includes the arcade release's characters, combos, and 3D, pre-rendered environments, but excludes its full-motion video sequences and some voice-overs due to restrictions of the cartridge media format. The Gold release adds a training mode, camera views, and improved audiovisuals.
Battletoads & Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team
Battletoads/Double Dragon (fully titled Battletoads & Double Dragon - The Ultimate Team) is a 1993 beat 'em up developed by Rare and published by Tradewest. It was originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System and later ported to the Mega Drive/Genesis, Super NES, and Game Boy. The SNES version was released on the Nintendo Classics service in September 2024; it was the game's first re-release as it was not released on the Rare Replay collection. The Ultimate Team is a crossover of Technos Japan's Double Dragon and Rare's Battletoads game franchises, although Technos had little or no credited involvement in production beyond providing the Double Dragon license. The game features the characters from the Double Dragon series, Billy and Jimmy Lee, two young martial arts experts; also included are the three humanoid toad protagonists from the Battletoads game. It is also the first Battletoads game to feature all three toads as playable characters.
Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark is a 2000 first-person shooter game developed and published by Rare for the Nintendo 64. The first game of the Perfect Dark "Perfect Dark (series)") series, it follows Joanna Dark, an agent of the Carrington Institute research centre, as she attempts to stop an extraterrestrial conspiracy by rival corporation dataDyne. The game features a campaign mode where the player must complete a series of levels "Level (video games)") to progress through the story, as well as a range of multiplayer options, including a co-operative mode and traditional deathmatch settings with computer-controlled bots. As a spiritual successor to Rare's 1997 first-person shooter GoldenEye 007 "GoldenEye 007 (1997 video game)"), Perfect Dark shares many features with its predecessor and runs on an upgraded version of its game engine.
Banjo-Tooie
Banjo-Tooie is a 2000 platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 console. It is the second game in the Banjo-Kazooie series and the sequel to Banjo-Kazooie "Banjo-Kazooie (video game)"). The game follows the returning protagonists Banjo and Kazooie as they attempt to stop the plans of the witch Gruntilda and two of her sisters, who intend to vaporise the inhabitants of the game's island setting. The game features worlds "Level (video games)") significantly larger than those of its predecessor, requiring the player to complete challenges such as solving puzzles, jumping over obstacles, collecting items, and defeating opponents. It also includes a Widescreen format, and a multiplayer mode in which up to four players can compete in several minigames repurposed from the main campaign. Development of the game started in June 1998, directly after the release of its predecessor.
Battletoads & Double Dragon
Battletoads/Double Dragon (fully titled Battletoads & Double Dragon - The Ultimate Team) is a 1993 beat 'em up developed by Rare and published by Tradewest. It was originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System and later ported to the Mega Drive/Genesis, Super NES, and Game Boy. The SNES version was released on the Nintendo Classics service in September 2024; it was the game's first re-release as it was not released on the Rare Replay collection. The Ultimate Team is a crossover of Technos Japan's Double Dragon and Rare's Battletoads game franchises, although Technos had little or no credited involvement in production beyond providing the Double Dragon license. The game features the characters from the Double Dragon series, Billy and Jimmy Lee, two young martial arts experts; also included are the three humanoid toad protagonists from the Battletoads game. It is also the first Battletoads game to feature all three toads as playable characters.
Diddy Kong Racing
Diddy Kong Racing is a 1997 kart racing game developed and published by Rare for the Nintendo 64. The game revolves around Diddy Kong and his friends' attempt to defeat the intergalactic antagonist, a wizard pig named Wizpig, through winning a series of races. The player takes control of any of the featured characters throughout the game. Diddy Kong Racing features five worlds with four racetracks each, and the ability to drive a car, hovercraft, or pilot an aeroplane. Development began after the release of Killer Instinct 2 (1996), and was intended to be an adventure game known as Wild Cartoon Kingdom in its early stages. As time progressed, the focus of development shifted from a Walt Disney World-influenced racing game to a unique title named Pro-Am 64, in which Nintendo had no involvement.
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Kazooie is a platform game series developed by the British studio Rare. The games focus on the two title characters―Banjo, a male brown bear; and Kazooie, a large female breegull who is typically seen riding in Banjo's backpack―both of whom are controlled by the player. The games generally involve the pair in conflict with the evil witch Gruntilda Winkybunion. The eponymous first game in the series was released in 1998 to critical acclaim and was followed by Banjo-Tooie (2000), Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (2008), Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge (2003), and Banjo-Pilot (2005), a spinoff kart racing game. The franchise debuted on the Nintendo 64, while subsequent entries in the series also released for Game Boy Advance and Xbox 360. The three main titles were also included in the Xbox One compilation Rare Replay.
Conker's Bad Fur Day
Conker's Bad Fur Day is a 2001 platform game developed by Rare and published by Rare in North America and by THQ in Europe for the Nintendo 64. The game follows Conker, a greedy, hard-drinking red squirrel who must return home to his girlfriend, Berri, after an evening of heavily drinking at the local pub. Most of the game requires the player to complete a linear sequence of challenges that involve jumping over obstacles, solving puzzles, and fighting enemies. A multiplayer mode in which up to four players can compete against each other in seven different game types is also included. It is the second installment in the Conker series, after Conker's Pocket Tales (1999).
GoldenEye 007
GoldenEye 007 is a 1997 first-person shooter game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is based on the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, with the player controlling the secret agent James Bond to prevent a criminal syndicate from using a satellite weapon. They navigate a series of levels to complete objectives, such as recovering or destroying objects, while shooting enemies. In a multiplayer mode, up to four players compete in several deathmatch scenarios via split-screen. Development began in January 1995. An inexperienced team led by Martin Hollis developed GoldenEye 007 over two and a half years. The game was conceived as a side-scrolling platform game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, but evolved into a 3D shooter for the Nintendo 64 inspired by Doom (1993) and Virtua Cop (1994).
Donkey Kong 64
Donkey Kong 64 is a 1999 platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is the first Donkey Kong game to feature 3D gameplay. As the gorilla Donkey Kong, the player explores themed levels to collect items and rescue his kidnapped family members from King K. Rool. The player completes minigames and puzzles as five playable Kong characters—each with their own special abilities—to receive bananas and other collectibles. In multiplayer modes, up to four players can compete in deathmatch and last man standing games. Rare began working on Donkey Kong 64 in 1997, following the completion of Donkey Kong Country 3 (1996). A 16-person team, with many recruits from Rare's Banjo group, conceived it as a 2.5D platformer similar to Country before reworking it into a more open-ended game using the engine from Banjo-Kazooie (1998). It was the first of two games to require the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak, an accessory that added memory resources.
Battletoads
Battletoads (Game Boy) "Battletoads (Game Boy video game)"): A spin-off of the original also released in 1991. Despite having the same box art and title as the original NES release, it is an entirely different game from the NES version. Battletoads in Battlemaniacs: Released in 1993 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and developed in 1994 for the Master System (but not released until 1996). In this game, Zitz and the daughter of Psicone Industries' CEO have been captured and it is up to Rash and Pimple to save them from being the Dark Queen. Different from the previous games, in this one each character has its own specific abilities and combos. Pimple is the powerhouse, big and boasting a large range with punches, while Rash is nimble and smaller, fighting using kicking attacks. Aside from cooperative play, a solo player is able to play as Rash by switching to the second controller.
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