Publisher - Nintendo
Developer - Nintendo
Platform - N64
Type - Adventure
Score - 10/10

If you own a N64, there really is no reason you should not have this game. Mario 64 is a success on several levels.

First of all, the game's graphics are unbelievable. I'm not exaggerating when I call this game a breakthrough for the video game industry. You won't find a spectacle like this on PC or any other game console. There are a few points, when under extreme stress that the game will slow down. These instances are so scarce as to be negligible. The Mario world is an immersive 3-D experience. You'll spend a great deal of time watching the landscapes in awe.

The sound is also incredible. Although all the music is midi and has a "video game" feel to it, it more then gets the job done. If you listen carefully to the background music, you'll detect subtle changes when you enter certain parts of levels or perform certain actions. The overall effect is really neat. The sound effects are also neat and complement the cute, plumbing hero.

The third and most significant success is Mario 64's controls. I scoffed (yes scoffed) at the notion of a 3-D Mario game. I didn't question if it could be done, I just figured it would be too hard to play. Boy I was wrong. The controls are easy to learn and extremely intuitive. After a few hours of practice, there's almost nothing you can't make our favorite paizano do on the screen.

Mario has all the qualities of a hit, and it delivers. Somewhere, somehow, this cart delivers above and beyond its graphics and sound, delivering the most important aspect of any game- FUN. The game is damn fun. It's one of the best games produced in a long time. Mario 64 is a landmark achievement, games will be judged by the standards it set for the next four years. The only excuse for not buying (or at least renting) this game is if you have a desire for lots and lots of blood in your video games. That's the only thing Mario won't give ya.