Today marks the birthday of one of the best video game consoles released to date, the Nintendo 64. In honor of its birthday, we picked a couple games that we found to be our favorites from the console.

Louie’s First Pick – Mario Kart 64

For couch co-op multiplayer fun, there’s nothing better than a good round of MarioKart (lookin’ at you, Adam’s first pick!) While the franchise started off on the Super Nintendo, unlike born-and-bred N64 classic Super Smash Bros., MarioKart 64 is the undeniable cream of the crop for fast-paced Mario fans. It formed the bedrock for future MarioKart successes, and has some of the franchise’s best tracks (like Bowser’s Castle and arguably the most famous incarnation of Rainbow Road.)

Adam’s First Pick – Super Smash Bros.

Super Smash Bros. was my personal favorite game on the N64.I loved the idea of all of Nintendo’s licensed characters coming together to duke it out with each other. The game also had one of the best trailers ever released, and it really did a good job of setting the mood for what the game was about. Super Smash Bros. was a phenomenal game on the N64, and it is one of the best fighting games out there.

Louie’s Second Pick – Pokemon Snap

Though it’s one of the offshoot Pokemon games (in that it doesn’t really fit into the core pattern of the franchise), Pokemon Snap is still one of my favorite games released for the N64. Its unique setup (Prof. Oak needs you to take pictures of Pokemon to aid in his research) and mechanics (pester balls, anyone?) mark it as a classic take on the Pokemon lore in my mind, and an all-around fun game. Now if only we could get a re-release or a sequel… (c’mon, the WiiU would be perfect for this!!)

Adam’s Second Pick – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was a great RPG title for the N64. It was one of the first games I played on the console, and I was immediately taken in by the story of the game. At the time, the visuals were stunning, and the gameplay still holds up to today’s standards (case in point also for Super Smash Bros.) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was a downright enjoyable title, and an adventure that many gamers hold dear to their hearts.