The legendary dev studio Rare is hitting level 40, and that’s a milestone worth celebrating. For decades, these devs were absolute meta-changers, dropping some of the most influential console games of all time and basically inventing the rulebook for genres like console FPS and 3D platformers. To honor 40 years of pure gaming gold, we’re settling the debate once and for all by ranking the absolute best Rare games to ever grace a console.
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Table of contents
Our Top 10 Best Rare Games, Ranked
10. Viva Piñata
Back in ’06, everyone was busy chainsawing grubs in Gears of War, but Rare dropped this absolute gem two days later. Viva Piñata is a super chill garden management sim that’s all about luring and raising piñata animals. The controls are easy to pick up, but the late-game strategy gets intense. It’s a low-key banger that way more people should have played.
9. Rare Replay
Putting a compilation on a "best of” list feels like a cheat code, but Rare Replay earned its spot. This thing was a massive content drop for the studio’s 30th anniversary. 30 classic games, zero emulation lag, extra challenge modes, and behind-the-scenes dev diaries. This collection set the standard for how to do a re-release right.
8. Battletoads (Arcade)
Forget the controller-smashing NES game. The 1994 arcade version of Battletoads is where it’s at. The devs cut all the weird gimmick levels and just went all-in on a hardcore beat-‘em-up. The animations are sick, the violence is cranked up, and it’s satisfying as hell to play. A must-play for any fan of the genre.
7. Diddy Kong Racing
Mario Kart 64 was the king, but Diddy Kong Racing came for the crown. This game didn’t just have cups; it had a full-on adventure mode with a hub world and epic boss races. You could swap between cars, hovercrafts, and planes, and the track designs were so good that even Naughty Dog used them for testing Crash Team Racing. Total respect.
6. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
This game got so much hate because it wasn’t a traditional platformer. But anyone who quit before the final boss missed out on a masterpiece. The vehicle builder is insanely deep and rewarding, and there’s nothing more satisfying than building the perfect ride to cheese a tough mission. It still has all the classic Rare humor and god-tier music. It’s a seriously underrated title.
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5. Sea of Thieves
Yeah, the launch was a bit empty, but Rare put in the work, and now Sea of Thieves is one of the best live-service games on the market. Teaming up with your crew for pirate adventures is always a blast, the art style is pure Rare, and the updates just keep coming. It’s the ultimate pirate sandbox.
4. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
The first DKC looked amazing, but the sequel played even better. DKC2 was bigger and tougher, with better level design, Dixie Kong’s helicopter spin, and a whole secret "Lost World” with some of the hardest platforming levels ever designed. Beating this game 102% was a true badge of honor.
3. GoldenEye 007
This is the OG. Before Halo made console shooters mainstream, GoldenEye 007 proved it could be done. The campaign was awesome, but the 4-player split-screen is the stuff of legends. Camping in the vents with a proximity mine or going Slappers Only—this game defined a whole generation of multiplayer and basically invented the console FPS meta.
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2. Perfect Dark
How do you top a game like GoldenEye? You make its spiritual successor even better. Perfect Dark had a cool original story, way crazier weapons (the wall-hacking FarSight was basically a legal cheat code), and a multiplayer mode that was stacked with options and bots. On its highest difficulty, the game was a totally different, hardcore experience. An absolute FPS titan.
1. Banjo-Kazooie
Mario 64 walked so Banjo-Kazooie could fly. This game is the undisputed GOAT of 3D platformers. The worlds are bursting with color and personality, the controls are buttery smooth, and the collect-a-thon gameplay loop is just perfect. From Treasure Trove Cove to Mad Monster Mansion, there isn’t a single bad level. It’s the peak of the genre and the best of the best Rare games.
Conclusion
For 40 years, Rare has been dropping certified bangers. They’ve pwned almost every genre they’ve touched, from platformers to shooters, and their legacy is cemented in gaming history. Whether you grew up with an N64 controller in your hand or you’re sailing the Sea of Thieves today, you’ve felt their impact. What a legendary run.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
You bet. They’re all-in on Sea of Thieves, constantly dropping new content and updates for their massive community of pirates.
It’s a toss-up, but most gamers would say GoldenEye 007. It literally changed the game for console shooters and was a multiplayer phenomenon that every N64 owner remembers.
Because it took the 3D platformer formula and perfected it. The level design is S-tier, the controls are tight, the characters are hilarious, and finding every last Jiggy and Note is one of the most satisfying grinds in gaming.
