Although the Nintendo 64 is one of the most popular video game consoles of all time in North America selling over 20 million units in that continent, it did not achieve a similar level of commercial success outside of North America.

In Europe, the console sold 6.35 million units in Europe with only 6 games - all first party - cracking over a million copies sold (Banjo-Kazooie, Pokémon Stadium, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, GoldenEye 007, and Super Mario 64).

In Japan, the console sold 5.54 million units, just barely being outsold by the Sega Saturn (which had a similarly regionally-disproportionate install base in Japan) and only managed to push more than a million units of 11 titles, also entirely first party (Mario Party 3, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Mario Tennis, Mario Party 2, Donkey Kong 64, the game released in the US and Europe as Pokémon Stadium 2, the Japan-exclusive Pocket Monsters Stadium, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, Super Smash Bros., and Mario Kart 64).