Doom 64
A Doom spin-off with new graphics, weapons, and a darker atmosphere.
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Doom 64 is a first-person shooter released in 1997, developed and published by Midway Games for the Nintendo 64. It stands as the second spin-off in id Software's Doom series, following Final Doom (1996), and marks the fourth game overall in the franchise. The game runs on a modified version of the Doom engine, which allows for new level geometry and dynamic colored lighting, and it introduces fresh sprite-based graphics for its weapons and monsters.
Weapons
Midway Studios San Diego began development in 1994 under id Software's supervision, with the working title Doom: The Absolution. The game's 28 story levels and four secret levels task the player with battling demons, collecting weapons and keys, and activating switches to reach exits while surviving traps and ambushes. All weapons from Doom II return with new sprites and sound effects: the chainsaw now has two blades, the fists wear bloodstained gloves, the plasma gun emits a sparking sound, the rocket launcher has a small kickback, the shotgun's priming handle sits at the grip, and the super shotgun reloads faster with a kickback.
A new weapon, unofficially called the Unmaker, uses hitscan but appears as a projectile weapon and shares cell ammunition with the plasma gun and BFG 9000. It originated in the 1992 Doom Bible and was planned for the original 1993 Doom; its only official appearance before Doom Eternal (where it is spelled "Unmaykr") is here. Three hidden ancient artifacts can upgrade the Unmaker: the first increases fire rate, the second adds a second laser, and the third enables three simultaneous lasers that can auto-aim separately at up to three enemies.
Enemies
Most enemies from Doom and Doom II appear with similar behavior, but the revenant, arch-vile, spiderdemon, and heavy weapon dude are absent. Midway added one new monster, the nightmare imp, and a unique final boss called the Mother Demon. Many existing enemies received substantial visual redesigns.
Plot
The plot follows the Doom Marine after his success in Doom, Doom II: Hell on Earth, and the Final Doom storyline. A quarantine is established on U.A.C. research installations with apocalyptic radiation levels.
Lore & Background
Doom 64 was developed from 1994 by Midway Studios San Diego under supervision of id Software, and was tentatively titled Doom: The Absolution. The environments were built from 3-dimensional polygon models, and enemies were created by pre-rendering sprites with SGI workstations. The Nightmare Imp, a new monster, was originally developed for the PlayStation version of Doom but debuted in Doom 64. A unique final boss, the Mother Demon, was also created.
Many existing enemies received substantial visual redesigns. The music and sound effects were composed by Aubrey Hodges, who had created the original sound effects and music for the PlayStation version two years earlier. A potential sequel titled Doom Absolution, designed only for two-player deathmatches, was canceled soon after the first game was released.
A Long Road to the N64
Doom 64 began its life in late 1994 at Midway's San Diego studio, working under the watchful eye of id Software, the franchise's original creators. The project carried the working title Doom: The Absolution before being rebranded for stronger shelf recognition, a name that would later resurface as the title of the game's final level. Midway built the environments from three-dimensional polygon models and rendered enemy sprites on SGI workstations, all running on a customized version of the Doom engine that unlocked new level geometry and dynamic colored lighting. The studio originally intended to include every demon from the earlier titles plus additional levels, but the tight storage limits of N64 Game Pak cartridges and looming deadlines forced painful cuts.
A multiplayer mode was also dropped; Midway explained that Nintendo had not supplied the necessary programming resources and argued that four-player split-screen would ruin the tension of competitive play. The Nightmare Imp, a creature originally sculpted for a PlayStation port of Doom that was pulled before launch, found its debut here instead. The game was once earmarked as a North American console launch title, but id Software's dissatisfaction with the level designs pushed the release to April 1997.
Arsenal and Foes
The player pushes through twenty-eight story levels and four hidden ones, battling demons while scavenging weapons and keys. Every armament from Doom II appears here, re-sprited and re-voiced: the chainsaw spins twin blades, the fists wear bloodstained gloves, the plasma gun crackles around an electric core, the rocket launcher kicks the player back, the shotgun's priming handle sits at the grip, and the super shotgun cycles faster with kickback. The standout addition is the Unmaker, a hitscan weapon that looks like a projectile gun and draws from the same cell pool as the plasma gun and BFG 9000.
The concept dates to the 1992 Doom Bible and was once slated for the 1993 original; Doom 64 is its only official appearance before Doom Eternal, where it is spelled "Unmaykr." Three hidden artifacts upgrade the Unmaker in stages—faster fire rate, a second laser, then three independently auto-aiming beams that attack up to three enemies at once. On the enemy side, most classic demons return with refreshed visuals, though the revenant, arch-vile, spiderdemon, and heavy weapon dude are absent. Midway introduced the Nightmare Imp and crafted the unique Mother Demon as the final boss.
A Quarantine Gone Wrong
Following the Marine's victories across Doom, Doom II, and the Final Doom storyline, the UAC research installations were sealed under a quarantine of apocalyptic radiation. For years the sites lay abandoned until a barely functioning satellite transmitted a message to Earth, revealing that a single entity with vast rejuvenation powers had been masked by the radiation and escaped detection. This entity resurrected the demons by converting decaying dead carnage back into corrupted living tissue. As the only experienced survivor of the previous campaigns, the Marine was dispatched alone to exterminate the threat.
What he found was a trap: the demons had lured him back into Hell, yet they could not defeat him. Armed with the upgraded Unmaker, the Marine battled and slew the Mother Demon. The ending is somber—the Marine, no longer capable of a normal life after his encounters with Hell's forces, chooses to remain in the underworld forever, ensuring no demon rises again. The 2020 remaster's Lost Levels extend the story, revealing the Mother Demon has a sister called the Resurrector, who banishes the Marine to a UAC base and forces him to fight his way back to Hell, bridging the original games with the 2016 reboot and Doom Eternal.
Cult Status and the 2020 Remaster
Doom 64 shipped in 1997 as the second spin-off in id Software's Doom franchise after Final Doom and the fourth game in the series overall. Critics responded positively, praising its graphics, level design, soundtrack, and atmosphere, though a minority felt it lacked new gameplay mechanics compared to its predecessors. Despite that, the game carved out a devoted cult following. Fans built PC source ports and community mods that kept the title playable on modern hardware long after the N64 era faded.
The game's most significant modern moment came in March 2020, when Nightdive Studios completed a remaster published by Bethesda Softworks. The reissue launched simultaneously on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One, with a Stadia version following in May 2020. This edition brought the game to a generation of players who had never experienced the original cartridge, and the inclusion of the Lost Levels—featuring the Resurrector and a branching narrative—gave the story new depth. For many, the remaster confirmed what the fan community had long argued: that Doom 64's atmospheric, story-driven take on the Doom formula deserved a wider audience than its N64 launch had afforded it.
Reader's Guide
Doom 64 received positive reviews from critics, who praised its graphics, level design, soundtrack, and atmosphere, although some criticized the lack of new gameplay elements compared to previous games of the series. Critics agreed that Doom 64 was by far the best-looking Doom to date, exceeding even the PC version. They were enthusiastic about the level designs, deeming them imaginative and much more challenging than those of the original Doom. However, most reviewers said that the new graphics and levels were not enough to keep the game from feeling like yet another port of the original Doom.
It gained a cult following, with several fan-made PC source ports and mods. A remaster was developed by Nightdive Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in March 2020, and for Stadia in May 2020. The remaster includes The Lost Levels, which continues the story and branches the storyline between the original games with the 2016 reboot of Doom and Doom Eternal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who made Doom 64?
Midway's San Diego studio developed the title, and Midway also handled publishing. It shipped on April 4, 1997, exclusively for the Nintendo 64.
How many levels does Doom 64 contain?
Players can tackle 28 main campaign levels plus 4 hidden secret levels scattered throughout the game.
What sets Doom 64 apart from other Doom entries?
It features entirely new sprite-based artwork for its arsenal and monsters, along with a noticeably darker tone. The dynamic lighting system and reworked level geometry also distinguish it visually from earlier titles.
More in First-Person Shooters of the 1990s
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Doom 64 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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