Super Mario 64 (Cart Only)

The cartridge arrived in great shape and loads instantly, so I’m finally back to battling that penguin on the bob sled race. That little chase alone is worth the nostalgia trip, and the game still feels as magical as it did back in ’96.

Jumping into Bob-omb Battlefield on a clean cart that fired up instantly brought back that 1996 magic. The physics in that first level still feel surprisingly fresh for a game this old.

The cart itself is clean and reads without a hiccup, and the game still delivers that dreamlike freedom Miyamoto was going for. I’ve spent hours just jumping through paintings, and that penguin race is still as fun as the first time I played it.