Mario 64 = Gaming Revolution

I was reading a thread on one of the message-boards I frequently visit and the topic was 'What game has impressed you the most'. My mind instantly raced to the thought of one game, one single game that changed how the current generation of gamers and myself play video games. That game is Super Mario 64.

Whenever I think of this game one thing inperticular pops into my head and that was the first time I saw it in action on a Japanese system in 1997 at a small games store named Ta's Video Games.

The first thing I noticed when I approached the tiny import shop was that people where literally crammed into the door watching something. I remember inside it it was extremely noisy and cramped. I managed to peek over someone's shoulder and witnessed something that would change how we play games forever.

There on a huge Television was Mario but not as I had seen him before; this time he was in a fully 3D environment, everything was created using polygons. At the time I was used to playing and viewing side scrolling 2D platforming games as that was all their was around. But what lay in front of me was the first fully 3 dimensional video game. As i looked round at the audience of people watching it I knew I wasn't alone. The dropped jaws and focused eyes on the TV told me I was to witness and play something extremely special.

The level in the game that everyone was watching was named Cool, Cool Mountain. A level where you start of on the top of a snow capped mountain and can slide and run your way to the bottom whilst doing any quest you wanted. I remember staring at the screen and thinking this game is like an adventure playground your free and not restricted to a 2 dimensional environment, now you can literally do anything you want, go anywhere you want, and play how you damn well want to play. No restrictions and no boundaries this was something in a video game id never experienced before.

Not only was I free to do what I liked within the game but, the game itself looked sublime and Mario's movements were unbeliveable, he could do huge jumps and flips and could even wall jump!, I was so amazed that, I didnt want to leave the shop.

Whenever you experience a feeling like that through a video game you know you have witnessed something special. What I witnessed was how Nintendo changed the face of gaming as we all know it. But, what I want to know is; Can the company provoke such a reaction again with the games due out for their upcoming Revolution console this is somthing I'm looking forward to finding out…