Super Mario 64 is probably the reason I love Nintendo games. I got it for Xmas along with a nintendo 64 and spent the entire winter break playing it. It was such an awesome game I seriously wish I could go back in time and recapture that joy. Video games now don't do that for me but back then, simply doing Mario's wall-jump several times in a row felt gratifying or surfing on the turtle shell or racing that penguin or finally getting 120 stars. Some serious awesome back in the days. Super Mario Galaxy and the titles that reiterate the formula of 120 stars don't make me feel the same, but I still love those titles and continue to get 120 of whatever thing you need to collect.
Zelda is great and all, but really, Super Mario is what brought me into the fun of Nintendo. So if I had to pick a franchise any day of the week, I'd pick Mario until I drop dead. I probably will cry if the Mario franchise ever ends. I'm hoping that day never happens!
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward = best game ever made.
