N64 Memories

Ah yes, the days of N64 euphoria, a feeling that some of us gamers will always remember. It still brings to me a feeling of extreme joy to commemorate those feelings. Super Mario 64 and its graphics that back in the day nobody thought could be beat. There was something special about being able to run Mario around a 3D world for the first time since he debuted back in the 80's. I still recall the comment my father made to me while playing my freshly opened SM64, "son, the next step is you'll be inside the game."

How about Wave Race? Choosing between the 4 pre-made characters to zip around the courses supplied endless hours of entertainment. It was always special to pick the fat character and make him barrel roll.

Speaking of barrel rolls, nobody can forget Star Fox 64. Fox Mcloud was truly enchanting with his sidekicks Peppy, Slippy, and Falco. It was also the first game ever to introduce the N64 Rumble pack.

Another great was Banjo-Kazooie. A lesser known game thats story focuses on a bear named Banjo and a bird named Kazooie as they set out on a quest to rescue Banjo's sister, Tooty, who has been kidnapped by the witch Gruntilda. Along their journey, the two receive help from Mumbo Jumbo the shaman and Bottles the mole, as well as various other characters in smaller roles.

And how about 007 Golden Eye. I am speechless when I think about this game. It was truly an inspirational game. Widely consider to be the best first person shooter ever, it sold over eight million copies. It is considered an important title in the development of first person shooters, and has become particularly well-known for the quality of its multiplayer deathmatch mode, as well as its incorporation of stealth and varied objectives into its single player missions.

Our last but certainly not least stop on our trip down memory lane is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It was easily the most enticing action-adventure game created. It has sold over 7.6 million copies over its lifetime, and was the best-selling game in 1998 despite its November release. It also received perfect scores from numerous gaming media publications, most notably Famitsu, and went on to place highly or top several "greatest games of all time" lists, including those from Gamespot, IGN, and Edge Magazine. I still to this day remember how I felt the first time I was able to mount my horse, Epona, and ride throughout the virtual world that felt all to real.

There were many many more games that revolutionized the gaming industry that all have roots drawn to the N64. This blog barely touches on the tip of the iceberg. However, I hope all you loyal readers enjoyed the nostalgia here today.Enjoy the Holiday's gamers, may many games be delivered to your Christmas trees tonight!

-Ben Out