The One About The Nintendo 64

It was Christmas ‘98. My family has their annual Christmas gathering on Christmas Eve, and we met like we always did that year. I remember opening a gift from my grandparents to find Banjo-Kazooie, and thinking, “I don’t have an N64, I can’t play this.” I was young, and I figured someone made a mistake, which is understandable. I made sure my mom *really* understood we had to return it to get something else. This was critical. I hammered that fact home. This had to be rectified.

Next morning, I unwrap an N64 from “Santa.” Imagine my surprise! Banjo-Kazooie turned out to be a massively formative game for me. It informed my tastes in gaming that I still have to this day. It was the first game I ever beat (which is to say, the first game I ever rolled credits on). It was certainly the first game I ever completed 100%. I had no idea I was unwrapping not only one of the best games ever made, but what would become my absolute favorite game ever. —MegaMan1138