The N64 was THE system for 3D platformers in the 90's so it was no wonder that we had so many great titles to choose from. The titles which we devoured today still manage to cause skipped heartbeats every now and then. Be that good and bad skips!

What follows is a selection of the best experiences YOU told us about...

Banjo-Kazooie:

I'll cut right to the point here...This is still THE best platformer I've ever played. Moving around as Banjo the bear and his bird-buddy Kazooie is still a massive amount of fun and furthermore, the transformations which take place are still brilliant. The hub of the game (Grunty's Castle) is a level itself, and you'll need to solve numerous puzzles just to get around. Note doors and obstacles that need advanced abilities limit your progress, but you still have a big amount of choice as to what 'jiggies' you want to persue.

These mechanics still hold up well today and the characters and text are all brilliantly written. You'll also find that the music is instantly memorable to anyone who mentions the game - as it is amazingly catchy. The levels still look nice, and it's great how collecting an important item won't throw you out of the level.

Infact, the title has hardly aged at all.

Donkey Kong 64:

In my opinion this is Rare's third Super Mario 64-beater and, nicely it also holds up well today...although I don't think it has aged quite as well as Banjo. Changing Kongs to do certain things gets annoying after a while and the blueprints are just as bad as the blue coins in Super Mario Sunshine. Collecting is meant to be fun, no?

The levels are OK, but not very memorable and the secondary characters are easily forgettable. The worst thing about the game is that if you (like me) suck at old games, then you'll never complete it. It took me ages to beat the Donkey Kong arcade, only to find out that I had to do an even harder version after it. I still can't do it to this day...and the final boss is supposed to be awesome. Shame.

Lack of ability aside, the game still plays fairly well and long sections with the same character are very enjoyable. It's just a shame you have to travel to the character-changing barrels too often.

Chameleon Twist:

Hand on heart I must say that this game is trash. It already knew it was back in the day when I got it (never let your parents buy you videogames) and it's even worse now.

Basically, you control a weird Chameleon-like person and you can perform a couple of moves with your tongue. You can stick it out and use the analogue stick to change directions so it curves around the area. You can pick up enemies this way and once you swallow them you can use them to shoot at other enemies. You can also use your tongue to grab poles to pull you across holes, or swing around poles etc. The visuals in this game were pretty bad to start with and actually managed to give me a headache. The enemies and the levels are also pretty boring and exceptionally bland. Along the way you collect crowns, though I have no idea what for! I turned the game off after two levels, because I was gagging for the next title...

Banjo-Kazooie:

A lot of people will remember this game as being one of the best (if not the best) platformer on the N64. The graphics are still pretty nice to this day and the music is great, with a lot of tunes that will have you humming along!

I had never finished this game so I decided to see what I could unearth. First problem: I forgot what moves there were! I actually had to look up an FAQ online to learn them again. This game has quite a large set of moves you can use - which utilise the N64 controller extremely well and offer a refreshing aspect amongst other platformers. Second problem: finding a level in this game is a long and ardous journey. I think it took me half an hour (if not more) to find the level I was looking for. Of course these two problems are due to me not having played the game in so long!

The levels in this game are still nice and there are lots of characters to meet. Even though I had no idea what I was doing in the game today, it still managed to give me some chuckles with Grunty's comments or Mumbo Jumbo turning Banjo into a washing machine instead of a bee. The transformations are another nice part of the game, and really make it more interesting. All in all, I think this game can still be enjoyed to this day. Nice visuals, great music, cool moves and funny characters: my ingredients for an enjoyable game.

Donkey Kong 64:

Thank you so much for to playing my game!

I don't have the fondest of memories of DK64, but I tried to put some perspective on that and so, with the best intentions possible, (and a completely open mind) I put the title to the sword.

Unlike many others, I never had a problem with the intro DK rap. I found it amusingly cheesy in this day and age, but in no way bad. After Cranky did his thing, I cracked into it and started a new file. Unfortunately time hasn't been kind. The game is such a let down - really. The opening cinema is so bad! The "humour" isn't good (its too slapstick), the graphics of the ocean and DK Isle are so unbelievably plain and sparse. And DK64 needs the expansion pak, but for what?

Onto the game. I like the graphics of the actual Kong's themselves, nice and smooth and shiny as well as being well animated. Yet I don't like the design of the other characters and baddies. The levels themselves aren't memorable nor inspirational but there are a few good things such as the mine cart sections (there is one for each Kong) as well as the lighting in the game which is probably some of the best lighting effects seen on the N64. (ED: There's the sole reason for the expansion Pak: Unfortunately.)

I'm a huge DK fan so it actually does pain me that I find DK64 to be so bad. DKC3 is my favourite game ever, so with expectations of DK64 being the glorious leap to 3D that Mario 64 was for the Mario series, I can only be bitterly disappointed. Where did it all go wrong? Rare were at their peak and had the experience of making other N64 classics behind them - as well as Banjo Kazooie, which gave them experience in making 3D platformers. DK 64 should have been the game to blow Mario 64 out of the water, just like DKC did with Super Mario World a generation before.

Actually, I know precisely what went wrong with DK 64... Banjo-Kazooie. I never got on with B-K, and to find that DK 64 is nothing more than a reskinned, beefed up (the amount of stuff to collect is just absurd!) B-K is what hurts most. Did they run out of inspiration? Look no further than the control scheme (identical to B-K with all that hold Z, press a C button stuff) and the fact that Lanky Kong is basically Kazooie. He sounds like the bird, and his running-on-his-hands move is used to get up those steeper slopes - just like Kazooie does.

Would I like DK 64 more if BK never happened? I can't say for sure, but it's possible because DK 64 lost all of the magic and fun of the DKC games. They took away what made those games so legendary and replaced it with silly (snide) characters, poor music and bad levels with boring tasks. A crying shame.

Super Mario 64:

Whilst I'm a huge Nintendo fan and a lifelong follower of the big N, I must admit that I probably never gave this title as much attention as it probably deserved.

It's a fantastic game and I had immense amount of fun playing it today. But I must come clean and say that I did prefer Mario's 2D outings, especially Super Mario Bros. 3. One of my all-time favourite games.

However, do not underestimate this game. Dozens, nay millions of gamers will say that Banjo Kazooie was the better game, but this is where it all started. Without this game, many of the great platformers that we love today would not have had a starting block to build from. The ideas within this game are phenomenal, such as using the Castle as a "hub" for example, and accessing the different levels through the paintings. My fondest memories will always be the Cool Cool Mountain and other snow-based levels (see a theme here) and it's partly down to the humour and the visuals that accompany the action.

It may have been bettered nowadays (mostly by Nintendo) but you'd be a fool to doubt that this game is critically acclaimed for a reason. For now, I'm off to give it some more time and loving, as I probably should have done all those years ago.

Conker's Bad Fur Day:

Being late to the party and full of swears may seem like the teenage thing to do, but this is pure 'M' rated action. With more risque humour than the average stand up comedian and more movie moments than SKY, CBFD is pure bliss. This is also (still!) one of the best looking, sounding and playing titles on the N64! CBFD is further proof that Rare were the most talented N64 developers on the planet.

Covering more movies than Johnathon Ross and sporting more humour than any title in the history of videogames, CBFD is still a riot today. The gameplay mechanics are mostly a 'lite' version of B-K and DK64 with none of the collecting/vast move-sets which at times hampered those titles. Instead, CBFD is all about scenarios. Platforming your way from one movie satire to the next means the title is as fresh as a daisy and utterly random. The difficulty spikes horrifically in places yet this is as good as N64 gaming ever was. A vast multiplayer mode (complete with bots) is there too (take that bot-less DK64!) and each chapter can be re-lived in a story book manner - vital to show everyone how a rockman rave both looks and sounds amazing!

Conker may have flawed difficulty levels but the chance to see a cartoon squirrel taking on movies such as The Matrix, Saving Private Ryan and battling a giant singing turd is too good to miss. After playing this today, I can safely say that Conker is still a classic and still (by some way) the most astounding piece of N64 silicon on the planet.

Yoshi's Story:

Having loved the SNES' Yoshi's Island I was eager to get this title and when I bought it on launch day I'm sure it was completed and back in the box in about two hours. Possibly the easiest N64 game available, Yoshi's Story is simple. Simply fill a meter by eating fruit and then your onto the next level. Sounds simple right? Well it is and isn't. By collecting Yoshi's favourite fruit you get a higher score or by eating only hidden melons (by sniffing them out no less) you unlock many more secrets. (Like special coloured Yoshi's).

I wasn't a huge fan of the main premise back in the day and this hasn't changed. (Bring back baby Mario!) The innovative "real-texture" graphics still look wonderful (and thus potentially it is the most timeless game on the N64) yet the gameplay still lacks real "oomph!" I've no doubt that a patchwork/cardboard cut-out level and a singing Yoshi can melt the heart of many, yet after the hardcore outing that was Yoshi's Island I'd rather have stuck to something I could really get my gaming teeth into.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards: (via the Virtual Console)

When I first played this I was expecting a lot more from it. Being a massive fan of Kirby's Adventure on the NES, (which was full of charm, graphical loveliness and innovation in Kirby's power-nabbing abilities) I expected a lot. Unfortunately, Kirby 64, whilst maintaining the light-hearted platforming fun of previous installments, isn't much of a leap forwards (other than upgrading the series to 3D).

Other than that, it's a short but sweet platforming adventure and a nice break from traditional examples of the genre like Mario 64.

Mischief Makers:

This is still one of the best looking 2D games around with ultra-smooth animations and detailed, colourful backgrounds. It's very confusing at first, since most of the controls are different to other 2D games (using B to grab, camera buttons to "shake" things). Every level seems to have fresh ideas that use the game's mechanics in new ways, from boosting to carry things to using roller coasters etc. Later levels start rotating on you, as well as throwing in some pseudo-3D puzzle elements.

As an added incentive to go back and replay the levels, the more yellow gems you get, the more of the end sequence you get to watch. Treasure strikes again in the ace department with a title which feels as fresh today as it did when it launched.

Rayman 2:

Mr Ancels graphical style still holds up today but with an unpredictable framerate (changing the video to Low Res helps slightly, but it's not worth losing the sharpness). The immersive music & sound effects are noticeably well done and it's good to hear the old babble-speak, rather than the in-your-face Hollywood comedy English from the dissapointing Rayman 3.

The levels are well thought out with plenty of variety in both gameplay and scenery, with a lot of interesting puzzles. Unfortunately there are a few places with a choice of paths and no hint which to take first - so you end up missing chunks of the levels and having to replay them. For a fuller experience, I would recommend playing the Dreamcast version, which has sharper graphics and a smoother framerate, but this is still decent enough.

Throwing & riding giant plums, navigating a flying ship, rushing across boardwalks while a pirate ship shoots away pieces of the planks, riding a mini-rocket like a horse and water-skiing on the back of a snake, this game has an abundance of variety. One of Michel Ancel's best titles.

Conker's Bad Fur Day:

Oh dear. Load up your flamethrowers and aim them at me. As good as the cinematic cutscenes are in this game, the gameplay has not aged well at all. Infact, it makes me wonder why anyone could ever have thought this game played well, unless they were taken in by the great cutscenes to notice.

CBFD features excellent graphics and animations but at the cost of a framerate which is so erratic it makes the game almost unplayable at times. A camera from hell, repetitive, tedious tasks, slippery inaccurate controls and losing health for landing on ground 2mm lower than where you jumped. Terrible! How much of the six year development period was actually spent on the gameplay? (Actually, the game can apparently be speedrun in around 45 minutes if you skip the cutscenes, so go figure.) On the plus side, the facial expressions, animations and general humour in the movie scenes are great, and still hold up today. (Consider that almost no games had such cinematic detail at the time.) The Rock Solid scene is great (with the light show synced with the excellent music, which was not done in the Xbox remake), and the lava racing (a la Wipeout) is still pretty fun. My favorite moment had to be flying around as a bat, pooing on the villagers below, then picking them up & dropping them into the grinder. Gruesome but great.

Super Mario 64:

As soon I turned it on I was met with the joyful "It's a me MAAAAAAARIO" which immediately put a smile on my face, then I began to pull and tug at his! Having deformed Mario as much as I could for a good ten minutes, I decided I'd better play the game so I had something to write about!

I started a new file and got into the mind set of 10 Year Old Coolness. Back then I found this game uber difficult and as a result only managed to obtain 2 stars. Having completed the DS game and got all 150 stars I entered this one with a bit more experience under the belt. The first time I jumped through a painting was magiacal and the same feeling came over me. The first thing that struck me was the graphics, they have aged but not as badly as I thought they might have. They offer the same vibrant, brilliant colours and compared to the DS version, which are noticeably darker, look nice and cartoony.

Getting each star felt like I'd never left the game and the controls are vastly superior to the DS counterpart. The analogue stick of the N64 controller is a joy to play with and Mario was precise to control (putting many platformers, even today, to shame)! I much prefered it this time round as I managed to understand how to do the level and I found myself wasting time just messing about, such as flying with the cap!

The freedom the cap brought felt great as I saw Mario Soar to the skies. I have to say playing this game today has rekindled my love for it and I feel it has aged very well. Another thing I noticed was the brilliant music. Top quality sounds were blasting from my N64 and I even turned the volume on my TV up to hum and whistle along to them!

THIS TRULY IS THE DADDY OF 3D PLATFORMING!

And so another N64 day has ended. Did your favourite platformer get the love it deserved or was it wholly jumped over? If so get into the forums now to join in our massive N64 debate! We're waiting for you.

Yet we must go on ever deeper into the N64's library to see what we can muster up. Join us tomorrow to see what genre we will be busting wide open. We'd love to stop and chat about it but we've an N64 sat calling us.

See you tomorrow!