I have to be honest, I didn't buy Mario 64 when it first came out. I picked it up with a Nintendo 64 at a car bootsale about 6 months ago for £12. Now that's out of the way let me tell you...Mario 64 is a classic. It's an outstanding game. It's a 3d platformer. Yes there's a lot of jumping, but it's very fun. The levels are challenging, not just the first time round, but the second, third, fourth etc... You can go back and play the same level over and over again, each time playing a different way, trying to collect all the stars. You don't have to collect every star to get to the end, but you can go back and get them when you're done.

For example, in the first level the goal is to get to the top of a mountain and throw the big bomb guy off the top. When you beat him, you can go back whenever you like and replay, this time the goal is to race the turtle dude to the top of the mountain, beat him and your next goal is to collect all the hidden red coins on the level...every level can be replayed like this, and the levels just seem to get better and better. My favourite part of the game is rescuing the baby penguin on the ice level. Trying to leap over cracks in the ice, and slide down slopes without bumping into things and dropping the penguin is hilarious, and when I eventually got him back to the big penguin I had a lump in my throat.

BUY THIS GAME! It's a classic! Sure the graphics aren't fantastic by todays standards...(Although they were unbelievable at the time, even compared to the mind bending cutting edge 3d polygon spinning shiznit that 3dfx was hitting us with when Mario was released.) but the game will remain playable for decades to come, like a vintage wine, or a tetris clone, or shugam0m...SORRY I DID NOT SAY THAT!!!!! Yes mario 64 is a stunning game. If you have the chance to pick it up cheap second hand, go for it! You won't regret it!