Yes, it’s always fun to revisit the system's bona fide classics. The consequences of these choices are reflected in the system's software, which varies hugely in quality outside of Nintendo's own output. Nintendo made some interesting design decisions with the N64, such as sticking with cartridges over CDs and opting for an incredibly small texture cache. Like other consoles of its era, the N64 is a time capsule of the games industry's successful but awkward transition from 2D to 3D. And it never gained the mainstream cultural appeal of its biggest competitor, the Sony PlayStation, which outsold it by more than three to one. It used expensive cartridges at a time when the industry was moving forward with the cheaper, more viable CD format. And better yet, it loads every single game with lightning efficiency – but it was also difficult to develop for. It popularised four-player split-screen gaming with the likes of Mario Kart 64 and GoldenEye 007.

The N64 gave us landmark games such as Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Over 25 years later, the N64 remains a divisive system among retro gamers and Nintendo fans, and it's easy to see why Nintendo seemingly got as many things right with the console as it did wrong. In this piece, N64 blogger and collector Martin Watts argues that there's more to enjoying the system today than simply playing its best games. Soapbox pieces give our writers the chance to voice personal opinions that aren't necessarily the voice of the site.

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