While Super Smash Bros has gone on to have entries on every Nintendo console since the N64, this first title set the stage for what was to come. The sheer exhilaration of watching Link face off against Donkey Kong brought no end to the excitement for gamers. Mario Kart 64 had better graphics and allowed for four-player split screen play. Super Mario Kart was the first entry in the popular kart-racing lineup, but while popular, it didn’t reach the levels of renown that Mario Kart 64 did. The Nintendo 64 is notoriously difficult to emulate well. The game is prevalent enough that copies can still be found, and playing the original is likely the best bet. If you have never experienced the simple pleasure of playing Super Mario 64, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Odyssey, etc.-they all feature huge open worlds to explore, with secrets hidden behind every corner. Since then, many other entries in the series have followed a similar pattern. Super Mario 64 is the gold standard for Mario titles. The game was as much about exploration as it was about defeating Bowser. It broke from the overworld maps set by Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros 3 and opted instead for a hub world, Princess Peach’s castle. Super Mario 64 was the first Mario title to feature full 3D graphics and 360 degrees of control. Super Mario 64Īs one of three launch titles on the Nintendo 64, Super Mario 64 was one of the first games many players experienced-and it set the stage for what to expect on the console. Since then, Ocarina of Time has seen re-releases on the GameCube and 3DS, with many fans hoping for a modern remaster on the Nintendo Switch. It received critical acclaim from nearly every review outlet due to the new standards it set for gaming. Ocarina of Time had triple the preorders of any previous game across any genre and sold more than 1 million copies in a week. Not only is the story the darkest yet, but it introduced many elements and characters that would go on to become hallmarks of future entries in the series. Considered by many to be the pinnacle of the Zelda series, Ocarina of Time pulled together the greatest elements of previous Zelda games into one sweeping adventure that spanned seven years of time.

Super smash bros nintendo 64 emulator