Happy 18th Birthday Nintendo 64!

Man, don’t I feel old. This week, the Nintendo 64 turns 18-years-old – as if I needed any help to feel older than I already am. 18 years ago, this week, the Nintendo 64 was first released to the excitement of kid (and adult) gamers everywhere. And while I loved my original Nintendo and my Sega Genesis, it was the Nintendo 64 that got me super-excited to play video games. I can still remember the day my console came in the mail – I had mentioned to my grandmother over the phone that I’d wanted one, and she later sent me one as a birthday gift. Along with the 64, she also sent a copy of Star Wars: Rogue Squadron. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent piloting an X-Wing (or using a cheat code, the Millennium Falcon). But that game was just the beginning of the awesomeness that was the Nintendo 64.

Who could forget the classic Goldeneye? To this day, I still consider it one of my favorite games, and I spent countless hours playing the multiplayer portion of it with friends. I also enjoyed the Bond-esque Perfect Dark. As a Superman fan, I even shelled out hard-earned allowance money on the dismal Superman 64 game. There’s a reason that game is in video game purgatory – it’s quite possibly the worst game I’ve ever played in my life up to this point. But my all time favorite Nintendo 64 game has to be The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time. That game opened up my mind to all kinds of gaming worlds I’d never experienced before.

Did you enjoy the Nintendo 64? What were some of your favorite games? Let us know in the comments section below!

[Image via 8bitherospodcast]

SOURCE: IGN