I will cut Super Mario 64 a ton of slack since it was literally the first of it's kind in a lot of ways. Normally, a game with a camera this messy and controls this sometimes janky would be an instant hard pass from me, particularly one meant for precise platforming like this one. But it's likely Nintendo knew that, seeing as no other game tried something like this anymore, and because of that Super Mario 64 is basically perfect everywhere else. Maybe some of the best level design in any platformer ever; sandboxes to just explore and traverse at your own leisure.

There is also a timeless quality to the game that's impossible to not mention here. The culture surrounding 64 has outgrown the game itself, but that also means it's a game you go back to and it still feels like you are touching it for the first time again. Everything about it is magical and it's difficult to not smile when talking about it or playing it. Don't care if it's aged, this to me is perfect stuff.