Nintendo 64

Nintendo’s third console was received as an instant success, but lost momentum as the Sony Playstation gained popularity. The N64 showed that the company was not afraid to innovate and push the envelope for gameplay, though sticking with a cart format ultimately was a poor decision. The N64 had moderate sales success fueled by Nintendo’s excellent first party game lineup and a few top notch game designers like Factor 5 and Rare. With a unique controller design made to play 3D games, Nintendo stood by their console until the release of the Gamecube in 2001. Top games for the system include Zelda Ocarina of Time, Goldeneye, Rogue Squadron, Mario 64, and Smash Bros.