Nintendo Games Part 2

4) Super Mario Bros. (NES) Coming in at number 4 is the game that started all the craze. Pitfall for Atari was the landmark game, until Mr. Miyamoto created the Mario brothers. The original Super Mario Brothers is an all-time classic. I think I could still play the first 2 boards with my eyes closed, and the music as you head down under on board two is awesome. The only flaw in Super Mario Brothers was how if you played two player, the second player could not begin until the first player died. And for me, that meant waiting the whole game. My brother could beat the game without losing a single man. I always respected him for that achievement.

3) Goldeneye – Let’s just be honest, Halo would not exist without Goldeneye. Goldeneye began the multi-player shooting craze. We would play 2-2 in the facility for hours, and then when we discovered how to detonate remote mines with that AB press….it was all over. Who didn’t enjoy seeing “most deadly” beside their name after a well-played game. I was good, but soon was no match for Belly of the Beast author Gray Hardison. He is the greatest Goldeneye player I’ve ever seen. I wonder how many hours were put into that game. Nothing was more frustrating then people who thought it cool to be odd job, or people who just hung around the body armour.

2) Original Zelda/Ocarina of Time (NES/N64) – It’s a tie. Zelda was an amazing game. Perhaps the first game where one could save his progress. Legendary music and a great combination of action and puzzles. I can still remember having to use the candle to find level 8??? One great memory in childhood of the original Zelda occurred when my next door neighbor called us over. We walked into his room, he had his hands behind his back….he paused and then slowly revealed the GOLDEN CARTRIDGE. We went ballistic.
I put the Ocarina of Time in a tie for second. It was an amazing one player game. I have never been more frustrated with a game than in the water temple. I might have finally cheated (a big no-no in my book) and looked at a players guide. The only thing more frustrating might have been the Goldeneye control room board.

1) Drumroll please…Mario 64 (N64) – It might come as a surprise, but I consider Mario 64 to be one of the most revolutionary games of all-time. With 360 degree gameplay, Miyamoto’s genius, and unprecedented graphics, it was amazing. It’s the only game I know of where people came over and were utterly content to just “watch.” Not only was the game challenging to beat, but even after beating the game, one could go back and try to gather all the stars.

Honorable Mentions – Mike Tyson’s punch-out – some of the most memorable characters *** Glass Joe, Sandman, etc. Super Smash Brothers – a great multi-player game which always seemed to surface during exam time in college.

Thanks again for walking down memory lane. May your Christmas enjoy a Nintendo WII this year.