This has got to be Super Mario 64. To really understand and appreciate this you just had to be here as a kid when this launched.

Remeber up until that point we had only really seen 2d platformer games…. Think of the 2d side scrolling Mario games we all know and love. Then Mario 64 arrived as the launch title for the incredible Nintendo 64 console and nothing was ever the same again.

This game has full 3d graphics which allowed you to go anywhere, it also ushered in the use of a joystick on the controller for easier control of your character on a 3d environment! It truely was groundbreaking.

Now all the groundbreaking technical feats aside it was and still is one of the best Super Mario games ever… and to this day I would love to see it get a modern day remake!

I Remeber vividly seeing it in demo mode on a kiosk stand at my local currys electronics store or it might have been comet, but there was a section where Mario jumped into Liquid Metal and the he was a Liquid Metal Mario character running around… my jaw hit the floor and one of the many times through my gaming journey I said to myself “graphics will never get better than this!”. That’s one of the joys of growing up alongside the gaming world is I got to enjoy all these incredible moments as they were happening and i still do to this day! Also i still enjoy super Mario 74 to this day and it got a re-release on switch but I have recently just got my hands on it for the N64 which I can’t wait to check out on the original hardware when I get the time!

A truely legendary game and one you just must play!

It has to be everyone's favourite purple dragon. Spyro!

Spyro has a great art style that makes the various worlds you visit make sense. Who can forget collecting every last gem in the levels to get that extra achievement. The game play wether you are charging, flying or breathing fire at enemies is fun to do.

Prince of Persia (1989)

For the best platformer game of all time, I nominate Prince of Persia (1989). This granddaddy of soulslike, roguelike, and many other "likes" has been making gamers' lives miserable - in a good way - for decades.

I've had this wonderful game on my playlist for 35 years and still haven't finished it. Beyond my personal trauma, it had a massive impact and inspired countless other games and TV shows. It used innovative technology like VHS rotoscoping to achieve realistic character animations. In 2024, Ubisoft released the latest remake, "Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown."

Check this great video, where you can see rotoscoping in action, as well as some level design process footage:

I see a couple of other Mario games nominated here but for me the game changer was Super Mario 64

This was one of the defining games of the N64 era and helped redefine and shape the modern day platformer as we know it today.

Brilliant gameplay and excellent, memorable level design in 3D changed the Mario franchise from its 2D side scrolling roots and helped continue it's ascendency to one of the most iconic characters ever made.

The game has withstood the test of time, too. I happily go back to playing this on my N64 emulator on my laptop and it remains an addictive experience.

Tetris on Gameboy was my Perfect All-the-time Game!

I always remember playing tetris on my brother's gameboy, this game is full of nostalgia and until now I still play tetris online, for me this game is the best game of all time!