5. Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64)

Did you think this was gonna be number one? Well it’s not, but it’s still an all-time classic. Gross Nintendo 64 polygons, a busted camera, and tricky wall jumps aside, 1996’s Super Mario 64 isn’t just a historically significant relic—it’s still a modern-day revelation. Watching Mario break the 2D plane for the first time changed a generation of players, creating one of the defining “next-gen” epiphanies current leaps in technology struggle to live up to.

Just the movement and physics alone were breathtaking, harnessing the Nintendo 64’s new analog control stick to both set new standards in player-character expressiveness and instantly make the digital-only controls of competing games feel antiquated. So enthused were the designers that they went a little overboard, giving Mario the single largest and most complex moveset he’s ever enjoyed. It can be a little hard to fully get to grips with, but the high skill ceiling for mastery is a big part of the fun.

Super Mario 64 is also pound for pound one of the best 3D Super Mario games, bursting at the seams with mischievous platforming and satisfying puzzles. From Cool, Cool Mountain to Dire, Dire Docks and Rainbow Ride, the game features iconic maps and some of the most satisfying collectible challenges in the series. Tick Tock Clock haunts me to this day.

The game straddles a difficult inflection point for the series, showcasing top-tier course designs built around Mario’s multitude of new jumps, while also being hampered by compromises made to take advantage of then cutting-edge technology. Those weigh it down, keeping it from ranking higher, but in some ways it’s a testament to just how strong its fundamentals are that the overall package remains one of the best platform games ever. Maybe Nintendo will remake it one day, making it the number-one Mario game it has the DNA to be. — Ethan Gach

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