11 Biggest Video Game Industry Lies You Still Believe

5. Super Mario 64 Wasn't The First 3D Platformer

There's no denying the effect Super Mario 64 had on the gaming industry back in 1996; it raised the bar for new titles and kickstarted a new era in video game development. But the idea for the game didn't actually come from Nintendo. As a concept it was pitched to them by Argonaut Games with one difference: they wanted Yoshi to front it. Nintendo refused to hand over their character but ended up producing Mario 64. Meanwhile, Argonaut Games would create the Croc franchise with Sony - so Croc and Yoshi are essentially brothers. But even before all of that, there was another 3D platformer already available. That honour fell to a game called Alpha Waves that was released six years before Mario. The game was developed by Infogrames and its gameplay is pretty simple: you guide a vessel around rooms, collecting items and moving onto the next challenge. It doesn't look great but the mechanics of 3D platforming are there and it can be regarded as the first of its kind.

It's a nice fact to remember, especially if it comes up in a pub quiz.