10 Video Games That Changed EVERYTHING When They Launched
4. Super Mario 64 (1996)
There have been numerous Super Mario titles over the years that could fall under the term 'game-changing', however none of them quite have the legacy of Super Mario 64.
Released back in 1996 for the Nintendo 64, the game sees players take control of their favourite Italian plumber and explore Princess Peach's castle, diving into ten unique paintings and being able to explore some of the most vibrant worlds in Mario history with sleek new controls and the ability to save up to four different game files.
Aside from helping to put the Nintendo 64 on the map as a serious force as a console, the game changed everything by putting Mario into the world of 3D and adding in the open world exploratory features that later titles such as Super Mario Sunshine and Odyssey would build their success off of.
It also helped establish Super Mario as the world's biggest mascot for Nintendo, setting a new pace in the rivalry against the likes of SEGA's Sonic the Hedgehog who would continue to struggle to make the jump to the 3D world for decades after 64's release.