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S.Peelman on 06 January 2017
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This was the peak of gaming. The fifth gen as a whole was, but the N64 was at the top of it all. This system meant so much to me, and it is home to so many classic games and personal favorites, I could list half it's library here. Cutting it down to the absolute gems;

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time & The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Super Mario 64
Mario Kart 64
Lylat Wars
GoldenEye 007
Star Wars Shadows of the Empire
Blast Corps

My eyes were opened, it was like being reborn anew. When Mario's face first popped up in full 3D glory with the phrase "It's-a me, Mario", the system had already won. What I then witnessed was what what basically was a perfect game, transcending so far beyond anything that was before. Mindblowing. And it's gameplay and levels were equally excellent, every one of them is memorable. It's sound and music is memorable. There was myth surrounding this milestone of a game, and was immediately an all-time favorite and to me a game which every other game should aspire to be.

After Mario however minds were blown again. What we thought was the end of gaming-brilliance was then one-upped by Zelda. Ocarina of Time was out of this world. Even when there was a time when the internet was hardly relevant yet, I knew this game was coming. I knew it well, and tried to convince everyone to buy me it. Thankfully, they did. The game is the only game I'd ever give a perfect score, because that's what it is. I highly doubt there will ever be another game that's as impactful to me as Ocarina of Time was. I could write books of stories about how my cousin, aunt and me played this game over and over. Maybe I should some day, an ode to Ocarina of Time. And then there was a sequel, Majora's Mask, almost as great, which I could write the second volume of those stories for.

Mostly though, we played Mario Kart 64, and that is a very sentimental and nostalgic game for me, because while playing it, it was often the only time when the entire family was together. The only time when we all connected. Family drama and deaths have muddled that picture, but now this game is a symbol of family to me. And besides, the game was great fun anyway.

Early in N64's life my library also quickly contained GoldenEye 007, Star Wars Shadows of the Empire, Lylat Wars aka Star Fox 64 and the quirky Blast Corps. I would only need to speak the phrase "Get out of my way!" for people here in this house to immediately know what I mean; namely the taunt of the black truck in this game. GoldenEye 007 was the first shooter I invested much time into, and was the first I was allowed to play regularly, when games like Wolfenstein, Duke Nukem and Doom were deemed too violent or suggestive for me to play alone (and Dark Forces was too scary), even if at first only in DK-mode. Shadows of the Empire made sure I got into my other media-love; Star Wars. The first Star Wars game, and my introduction to the franchise, I ever played was Rebel Assault II on our Mac, but Shadows of the Empire made me see the galaxy was much larger, and it got me interested in all aspects of it's universe. It also made me want Lylat Wars, the game I have probably seen it's end-credits of most times. Long story short, the greatest system that is the N64, basically made me who I am today.