The M64 has arrived, and we've been putting it through its paces with some rigorous testing over the last couple of weeks. You might have seen some of our reviews on the console itself and the controller, and now I've dedicated some time to give you a brief overview of the four launch titles that have released alongside the console.
ModRetro have chosen Xibalba 64, Buck Bumble, Xeno Crisis, and Extreme G: Turbo Fusion as their launch titles, but can they stand up to the likes of Super Mario 64, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Pilotwings, and FIFA Soccer 64?
I've played all four of the M64's launch titles in a bit to help you decide which games are worth parting with your hard-earned cash for. Of course, the M64 can also play every N64 game too, so you can always purchase cartridges from your second-hand store to bulk up your collection. But there's nothing like having that new cardboard box and instruction booklet smell, or putting in a fresh new cartridge. ModRetro know how to tap into our nostalgia!
Xibalba 64
I had high hopes for Xibalba 64 as a new title for the M64, and it hasn't disappointed. Sure, the graphics style used is a strange choice, and it feels like a cross between multiple games, but I love it The addition of the snippets of lore as you play through the game are fantastic, and the gameplay itself is fast and tense.
- Price - $49.99/£41.00/€53.95
- Can save without Controller Pak - Yes
- Available From - ModRetro Website
I'm going to start with one of the games that I thought would be a bit of a wildcard, but I actually ended up really enjoying it. I purposely didn't read up much about it and went off the cover, which I know is what you're not supposed to do when it comes to books and games. But I thought it looked a bit like Turok, and that was good enough for me.
The game itself plays like a cross between Turok and DOOM - the worlds feel very similar to both games, with the graphical style of DOOM for the MS-DOS. It's a weird thing to see on an N64 cartridge; a game that looks like it released in early 1993, but it works as it's 3D. The game is based around the Mayan Underworld, with lots of strange demons and creatures (the big tree thing that tried to attack me and succeeded in destroying me was wild).
It starts off with the controls that you use in Turok, but you can switch to use the D-Pad instead, which feels pretty natural depending on how you use your controller, with the Analog stick to change where you point your gun. Pick up guns and ammo like in Turok and Goldeneye, and take on demons with some seriously heavy firepower - the shotgun can take down two enemies in a row. It's got a bit of gore to it too, so much as you can make out gore in this retro style, with chunks flying off enemies and little demons being cloven in two.
In terms of other modes, there's a 2 Player Co-Op mode where you can take on enemies with a friend, an Infestation mode where players have to destroy as many enemies as possible, and a Deathmatch mode where you can go head-to-head with three mates. Unfortunately, I don't have any friends to hand right now, so I've had to improvise, but you can see me in the red there pointing at the third player.
The music is seriously cool too; it's very eerie and helps to get you on the edge of your seat. All in all, Phoboslab have done a great job here, and the fact that you can save the game without a Controller Pak means that this is one game you should definitely pick up if you're picking up an M64 and don't have any existing N64 games to hand.
Buck Bumble
One of my favourite games for the N64, Buck Bumble holds up in 2026 just as well as it did back in 1998. I love the new and upgraded design and the yellow cartridge. The gameplay is exactly the same, as is the soundtrack. There's no ability to save without using a physical controller pak in the original N64 remote yet, but once that plays, it will be perfect.
- Price - $49.99/£41.00/€53.95
- Can save without Controller Pak - No
- Available From - ModRetro Website
If Buck Bumble sounds familiar, then there's a reason for that. It released back in the 90s under Argonaut Software, now the newly reformed Argonaut Games. It's wild that we spoke to Jez San about creating Croc at the beginning of 2025, and he was surprised that people still loved Buck Bumble, and now here I am in 2026, writing about its return on the evolved version of the N64. And yes, that's my actual copy from when I was 8 years old on the left in the picture below!
If you've never played the game before, then you play as a genetically engineered bee who has some serious firepower. He has to stop a horde of mutant insects by flying and zapping creatures in different parts of gardens and woodland areas. It's one of the best games on the N64 and a title you definitely need to have in your arsenal, which is why I've scored it so highly!
The gameplay is still the same, right down to the way Buck does a little wobble when he's standing on flat terrain instead of flying. The cutscenes are the same, the wasp-killing action is the same. And yes, the speed garage soundtrack is the same. The game looks great on the M64 too, no matter what mode you use, though I opted for playing in native mode as opposed to stretched, as it just felt more nostalgic.
The same multiplayer modes return with dogfights and the weird buzzball football game that I could never get the hang of. The only annoying thing is that you'll need an original N64 controller and a Controller Pak if you want to be able to save your progress straight away. I know that virtual saves are coming to the M64, and when they do, it'll make everything much easier, and when they do, this will be fully perfect.
Xeno Crisis
Xeno Crisis is a strange choice for a launch title in my opinion. The M64 is a powerful machine designed to replicate the 64-bit era, so bringing a top-down shooter to the platform seems like a wasted opportunity. This would have suited a ModRetro SNES console much more than the M64, where I would have given it a much higher score for being a better fit for the console. The cutscenes save it, but again, this isn't my thing.
- Price - $49.99/£41.00/€53.95
- Can save without Controller Pak - No
- Available From - ModRetro Website
I need to start off by saying that I'm a big fan of Bitmap Bureau. As a UK-based studio, I love what they're doing for the gaming scene and they have some great retro-themed titles. I covered Final Vendetta back in 2022 and loved the Streets of Rage-esque action. But releasing Xeno Crisis as a launch game on the N64 just doesn't feel like the best move to me.
As a game, it's a good title, but Bitmap Bureau have released Xeno Crisis for Dreamcast, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Neo Geo AES/MVS, SNES, Neo Geo CD/ GBA, N64, and GameCube. I would say that the graphical style suits each of those consoles apart from the N64 and the GameCube - this looks like a SNES or Mega Drive game and would be perfect on the 'Super ModRetro' or the 'ModRetro Genesis'.
The cutscenes are really well done and channel the same kind of vibe as Comix Zone, and the action encapsulated everything that you might love from a bullet hell game. It's just shoot and hope for the best, with big enemies that bring an arcade feel to the game. But for me, it's not a title that I would expect to launch with an N64 console. Buy it on the SNES, and save your money for Buck Bumble or Xibalba 64.
Extreme G -Turbo Fusion
Every console needs a racing title at launch, and if you've grown out of Mario Kart, then Extreme G Turbo Fusion should be on your list. It's another one from ModRetro's classics collection and provides lots of high-speed action and fun. You can't save at the minute without the use of a Controller Pak, but it's brilliant, especially when playing with friends.
- Price - $49.99/£41.00/€53.95
- Can save without Controller Pak - No
- Available From - ModRetro Website
If you're looking for a multiplayer title to test out the M64, then you need to get Extreme G: Turbo Fusion. It's another one of ModRetro's Classics Collection and combines Extreme G and Extreme G: XG2 together in 'an adrenaline-fuelled collection'. Expect 'futuristic cities, alien landscapes, and death-defying loops'.
If you're a fan of F-Zero, then you'll be all over this game. It's incredibly fast-paced with breakneck speeds and turns that make you veer at a moment's notice. I love the fact that you can blast your opponents too; it's a great feature which really comes in handy with the split-screen multiplayer when annoying your mates.
If you've never played Extreme G before, then think Star Wars Podracing meets F-Zero. Gameplay-wise, the controls are easy to pick up and don't take an age to master. Everything runs smoothly and looks really good even in stretch mode. The box art is fantastic too - it channels everything I love about the N64-era of gaming and looks awesome next to my Purple M64.
Again, like Buck Bumble and Xeno Crisis, you'll need a Controller Pak if you want to save your progress, so for now you'll need to either buy an original N64 controller or just play for fun without saving progress.
