This Is The Best-Selling N64 Game Of All Time
The Nintendo 64 occupies an intriguing space in Nintendo's storied history. Despite being the company's first true foray into 3D graphics, it was a financial disappointment for Nintendo thanks to a combination of factors. Between its decision to stick to cartridge-based gaming instead of CD-ROMs, the expensive prices of said cartridges, and major game delays causing software droughts, the Nintendo 64 had trouble keeping up with the new kid on the block, the PlayStation.
Despite the commercial disappointment, however, the Nintendo 64 has become a retroactively acclaimed system. Its game library, though smaller than other Nintendo consoles thanks to declining third-party support, was home to a bevy of revolutionary titles that innovated and changed the way developers and consumers thought about gaming. Over time, the system has amassed one of Nintendo's most recognizable and beloved lineups in their console library. One particular game has outlasted the rest and remains the highest-selling title of the bunch.
Super Mario 64 took the world by storm
"Super Mario 64" remains the best-selling Nintendo 64 game, with over 11 million copies sold. Released in 1996 as a launch title for the Nintendo 64, it quickly became the system's killer app, riding a wave of pre-release hype into its eventual release. It remains one of the most remembered and beloved entries in the "Super Mario" franchise, and it continues to be one of the most influential games of all time. Nintendo itself also continued to preserve the game with the "Super Mario 3D All-Stars" collection on the Nintendo Switch in 2020.
"Super Mario 64" was the first "Super Mario" game to feature 3D graphics and gameplay, taking the platforming style of the classic entries and placing it in an open-ended world. In tandem with the Nintendo 64 controller, the game's analog-stick movement and controllable camera were novel for their time and set benchmarks that several titles in and out of the platformer genre continue to follow to this day. Between its numerous innovations, its fun level design, and platforming action that remains enjoyable to this day, it's easy to see why "Super Mario 64" remains the most commercially successful Nintendo 64 game.