4. The Castle Super Mario 64
Im very aware that there have been no old video games on this list thus far, sadly there are no more after this one either. The reason for this is that games back in the 16-bit, 32-bit etc. eras simply didnt have as impressive or unique settings, largely due to graphic capabilities. That being said I know how many great settings there from the old days, too many to list. So with that said I didnt choose this location because I figured I needed a vintage gaming locale, I chose The Castle from Super Mario 64 because it is up there with the most memorable settings in all of gaming. The scene opens with the iconic music and Princess Peach reading a letter of her shocking (sarcasm) capture, then we descend from the clouds and all the splendour of the castle is unveiled via whirling camera. The game then places us in the grounds of the castle, as Mario, and allows us to approach the castle while taking in its grandeur. Then we venture through the double doors and forbidding music plays accompanied by Bowsers ever-menacing laughing. From there the game unfolds and we get to explore the castle freely, with the right amount of sprites of course. As one of the earliest 3D games Super Mario 64 really set the bar, with free-roaming around quite a large map, true 3D polygons, dynamic camera system and welcomed use of the analog stick. The jump from linear 2D to non-linear 3D could have been a disaster but Nintendo really pulled it off. Having a large area as the base with portraits operating as portals to mission areas and sections of the game closed off until you have enough sprites, these ideas created a great open-world platformer and revolutionised the genre for all others to come. It truly is one of those memorable places in all of gaming that is unforgettable. The music, the castle itself, the surrounding grounds, the design of the main hall, the portraits you jump through to other worlds and even the now-poor graphics are what make it oh-so special. This game came out when I was 4, it came with my Christmas present N64 when I was 6, yet I can still recall all those details, my reaction on Christmas morning and the feeling it gave me while playing; nostalgia at its finest.