9. Mario 64
Platform: Nintendo 64
 |
|
|
|
Secret to Success:
Mario 64 was the game that took 2D platform gaming into the 3D realm. Like the original Super Mario Bros did for the first 2D games, Mario 64 did for 3D platformers. The only difference is that there hasn't been a 3D platformer that has been better since. One can say that the game is quest-like in nature, but it really boils down to running around finding stars. And when you can fly, be shot out of cannons, and race penguins down a slide to get them, it makes it all the more enjoyable. Before this game came out may people wondered if platform games could succeed in 3D. Today, many people wonder if any game will ever top Mario 64 in its genre.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Memorable Moments:
The first time you fly out of a cannon is a big deal. Just the sense of flight and dropping to the ground is oh-so-real. The other thing is fighting Bowser. At first he's not too tough, but once you get to the end, with a rotating platform that splits and falls off into lava, it gets crazy. There's also something to be said in simply exploring. There are so many things to find that just wandering around a level can be a joy in itself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|