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.
