Top 10 most stunning Nintendo 64 covers

It's possibly the Nintendo 64 era that I have the most memories of. I was 10 years old when the big, heavy package on Christmas Eve 1997 contained Nintendo's new console, leading me to be happy and content until the arrival of the PlayStation 2 at the end of 2000. In other words, it was the perfect time to shape a person's video gaming habits.

In this list, my "favourite covers" are strongly influenced by nostalgia. It was impossible to avoid this when I was putting this text together, where after careful consideration, and a bucketful of nostalgia, I ended up with the following list:

10. Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness (Nintendo 64)

In general, Castlevania has incredible covers, especially for the NES. That's where we're talking magic. Legacy of Darkness isn't quite there, but it still stands out in the Nintendo 64 catalogue when it comes to covers. It's a bit unusual that a manga-inspired cover appeals to me the way Legacy of Darkness does, as manga is an aesthetic that I generally don't like at all, but the mystique of Dracula, the castle, the bats, and the big moon in the background is something else, in a positive way.

9. Super Mario 64

I can't get away from the fact that this game needs to be on this list. But then again, it's a minimalist and stylish cover that appeals to me a lot, even though it's not in my top 10 favourite games for the console. Bu, we're not here to discuss such a top list. In any case, Mario is flying with his wing cap, symbolising the freedom that exists in the game thanks to its 3D world, and far down to the left you can see the castle with a Goomba guarding it. Simple, but stylish.

8. Snowboard Kids

This is a playful cover that makes me happy just looking at it. I played this game a lot back in the day, and the cover goes hand-in-hand with the game itself. I think this cover encapsulates the playfulness that Nintendo 64 is all about. It's a "Mario Kart cover", but with snowboards. I was also going to write "big noses" when I realised that Mario and Wario's noses aren't that small either.

7. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

It doesn't get much tougher than this; a warrior standing with his Rambo knife at the ready in close-combat with a velociraptor. As a little kid, I thought it was both cool and scary at the same time. It screams action, and the game certainly delivered. I never owned the game myself, but I borrowed it from my childhood friend every now and then. Even though the cover was perhaps cooler back then, it still makes it onto this list.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

The Legend of Zelda's second release on Nintendo 64 makes it onto this list. There is a certain mystique surrounding this cover, in my opinion. Of course, this has a lot to do with the fact that the game itself is very mysterious, where the dark green background and purple text have a certain appeal, especially in combination with Majora's mask staring malevolently straight at you. Relatively minimalistic, like Super Mario 64.

5. Mario Kart 64

I have so many memories from the Nintendo 64 era that are etched in my mind and many of them are from Mario Kart 64, which is perhaps also the most stylish Mario Kart cover. Once again, we're talking minimalism and speed and I also love that my favourite from the Mario gang, Wario, has such a prominent role on the cover. In other words, it doesn't always have to be about Mario and Donkey Kong.

4. Conker's Bad Fur Day

This almost legendary game appears on all kinds of top lists. The reason it appears on this one is that Conker is holding a beer in one hand. That alone is reason enough to cement its place in my book of the coolest covers. The fact that it's a squirrel holding the beer doesn't make it any worse. Is it the first beer of the day? The seventh? Who knows. I can also picture children talking to their parents when the game was released in 2001: "Mum and Dad, I want the game with the squirrel drinking beer on the cover for Christmas".

3. Banjo Kazooie

I belong to the group of people who, or perhaps it's not even a group when I think about it, don't think Super Mario 64 is the best 3D game on the Nintendo 64. In my opinion, it's the Banjo Kazooie games that are at the top of the podium. Banjo and his super-cocky bird companion also have a place on that list. A fast-paced cover where our bear not only has Kazooie in his backpack, but also holds a purple Jinjo with his left arm while grabbing a puzzle piece with his right. Behind him, the game's final boss, Gruntilda, towers like a giant. I also like that Mumbo Jambo is visible on the left side of the cover, a personal favourite of mine.

2. Yoshi's Story

A super cute cover featuring everyone's favourite dragon. Yoshi's Story wasn't my favourite game at the time, but what a colourful and pleasant cover it was. I had almost forgotten about this game until I did some research for this article, but when I saw it, I got such a nostalgic kick that the cover earned a place on the list without much discussion.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

It's perhaps the best game in the world, and it comes with a cover where less is more. I'm referring primarily to the PAL version, even though the other covers are almost as lovely. But the black background and gold text, along with the sword and shield, look really, really good. I never owned this game myself during the Nintendo 64 era, but as soon as I saw the cover at friends' and acquaintances' houses, I was excited every time, even though I had already borrowed it several times.

Which Nintendo 64 cover is your favourite?