Kresnik on 11 June 2012
I remember reading an article wayyyy back when about how Jumping Flash came out around a year before SM64, but Mario became the format to copy for 3D platformers and JF just fell into obscurity. It certainly offered a different take on 3D platforming, but I can totally see why SM64 was copied so much.
Crash Bandicoot came out the same time as Mario, but it was like 2 years until we were seeing the fully 3D games like Spyro and Banjo-Kazooie, so yeah, SM64 was a pretty important part in 3D platforming's history, and I'm glad it came along and not another 2D Mario game.
I don't know how much it would have affected system sales, though. The world was in a bit of a different place back then.
