Neon Genesis Evangelion (1999). Play online

Summary

Neon Genesis Evangelion 64 (often shortened to Evangelion 64) translates the 1995–96 Gainax anime into a timed‑button action experience on the Nintendo 64. You pilot Shinji’s Unit‑01 in 2015, battling the Angels as they shatter Tokyo‑3 with impenetrable "terror‑fields" that force you to clash AT Fields in quick‑time events. The game leans heavily on anime‑style cutscenes—rendered in surprisingly crisp polygonal graphics for the console—and a synchronization meter that boosts attacks when you hit the right sequences.

While Japanese fans praised its technical polish, reviewers noted the limited interactivity and that its appeal hinges on knowing the series. Bandai never localized it for the U.S., though the North‑American branch contemplated a release. Despite mixed scores (GameSpot 5.6/10, Famitsu >38,000 sales), the title remains a curious glimpse of late‑90s franchise adaptation, remembered for its visual ambition, rapid button‑taps, and the chance to see the Evangelion characters’ faces react in‑battle.

Storyline

Neon Genesis Evangelion (often just called Evangelion) for the Nintendo 64 follows the same bleak 2015 setting as the anime. After the Second Impact wipes out half of humanity, the secret organization NERV tasks three teen pilots—Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Soryu—with piloting the giant cyborg Evangelions to fend off the mysterious Angels. The game stages many iconic anime scenes, but it also branches based on the player’s decisions, leading to alternate outcomes and endings that never appear in the TV series or the film. Because of this, the N64 version is considered a loose adaptation of both the original Gainax series and the 1997 movie The End of Evangelion, offering fans a unique narrative twist.