Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey

I've always had vague but positive memories of this, the first sports game on the N64, likely due to fun had in multiplayer, which is where the game shines. The single player modes are passable, presented in a beneficially simplistic manner, but grow repetitive and tiring rather quickly and the AI can be inconsistent and odd in its actions.

It's since been surpassed in the technical department by more detailed and complex hockey games, but Gretzky's has perhaps aged as well as it has because it doesn't take itself too seriously; the focus here is on a wild and entertaining arcade-like experience. It's easy to pick up and play even if you're not into hockey or even sports generally, as it doesn't bog the player down in convoluted controls, techniques or sim elements. It's fast--though sometimes too fast--and the fun, over-the-top commentary and flourishes like flaming nets, ambulances and punch-ups give the game a unique character in an often samey and bland genre.