As a lifelong fan of Nintendo and its products, I have had the pleasure to play a plethora of video games, some terrific and others terrible. Over the course of experiencing the magic of the NES, SNES, N64 and Gamecube, I have developed an appreciation and an affinity for several levels. Stages that are, for some reason or another, extremely memorable and immersive. Stages that personify not only the atmosphere of the game they comprise, but the overall greatness of the respective system. These are the levels I think of when someone asks me, "What are some good video games?" A good game needs good levels, and this list is a tribute to those stages that went above and beyond the normal scope of virtual survival.

Mario Kart 64 is a very popular game. It's the sequel to Super Mario Kart and it delivers. You can choose to race as Mario, Luigi, Toad, Peach, Yoshi, Wario, Donkey Kong or Bowser. Personally, I always choose Bowser, though Toad is a fan-favorite. I've raced through every course many times and my personal favorite is Bowser's Castle. There are 90-degree angle turns, Thwomps all over the place, lava pits, etc. The level is so enthralling that sometimes you feel like you're playing a revised version of Super Mario 64 (Super Bowser 64?). There's also a mystery of the green Thwomp behind bars. Fans have named him Marty, but he seems to be there for decoration.

The SNES Super Star Wars series is generally heralded by most people. The only downside is the ubiquitous difficulty in the trilogy. Super Empire Strikes Back, for instance, is notoriously difficult even for veterans. Super Return of the Jedi was a bit easier but still delivered a challenge, especially the final stage. Here you are playing as Lando Calrissian piloting the Millennium Falcon out of a ready-to-explode Death Star. This stage is extremely difficult the first time around, and it still poses a challenge even to experienced players who have beaten it before, including myself. By the time you finally escape the Death Star, your heart will be racing at 200 beats per minute.

Nightmare Creatures is one of those games that really isn't all that popular, but is a great game nonetheless. I consider it to be a reimagining of Resident Evil. The monsters are hideous looking, the combos are amazing and the levels are downright creepy, along with the terrific music. The game takes place entirely in 19th-century London. Smithfield is a snow-laden stage accompanied by unnerving music and belligerent monsters ranging from Gargoyles to Faceless Men to Werewolves. One particularly memorable moment comes when you must enter an area with two Werewolves and several torsos are hanging from the ceiling. Are they human or not? You decide...

DKC is a masterpiece by Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto. Everyone knows Donkey Kong. If not, smack them. Seriously, though, this game has lush graphics even by today's standards, excellent gameplay, a huge repertoire of opposition, a multitude of secrets, hoards of bananas to collect, and many other elements. Jungle Hijinxs, the first level in the game, has just about every aspect of the Donkey Kong universe. There are extra life balloons (all three types), the infamous Kritters, there are bonus rooms, an animal buddy, a metal keg, etc. Say it with me: "It's on like Donkey Kong, biyaaaatch!"

This is probably the only level in this list that I really do not have to explain. It's Super Mario Bros. It's World 1-1. It's the representation of the divine breath of Nintendo breathing life into the dying state of the gaming world. Super Mario Bros. is the saving grace of gaming, no matter what anyone tries to tell you. If it wasn't for this game, I wouldn't be typing this list. Shigeru Miyamoto is a genius, albeit probably a genius high on 'shrooms when he made this game, but a genius nonetheless. So many people around the world know the theme to this game off the top of their head. Hell, it's even a ringtone now! I think that shows how popular this game has become.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors, lovingly referred to by fans as ZAMN, is a rare gem for the Super Nintendo system. I know only one person who doesn't like it, and he's an extremely cynical bastard, so he doesn't count. ZAMN serves as an all-encompassing parody of horror films. There are zombies, werewolves, vampires, Frankenstein's monsters, evil dolls (Chucky, anyone?) and even chainsaw maniacs, which resemble a cross between Jason Voorhees and Leatherface... which brings me to Level 4: Chainsaw Hedgemaze Mayhem. The first three levels of ZAMN are fairly calm and straightforward. The first two only feature zombies, the weakest enemy in the game, and the third level introduces evil dolls, still not much of a threat. But the difficulty takes a sharp turn upwards once the player reaches the fourth level (there are 55 total stages, by the way). You start off in the middle of a hedgemaze and an ominous "You-Are-Going-To-Die" theme begins to play. Nervous but confident, you move around. Suddenly a chainsaw revs and a maniac wearing a hockey mask busts down through the hedge and runs after you! These chainsaw maniacs are extremely tough enemies, and there are seven in level four. Cruel developers...

The story of how I came to own SSX Tricky is quite interesting. I have never been a fan of sports and so I've never been a fan of sport-based video games. When I purchased my GameCube, SSX Tricky came free with it. I figured, "Whatever," and set it to the side for awhile. One day I decided I might as well try it out and I was fascinated. I've never played any sporting video game before (other than NFL Blitz) so I have no basis for comparison but this game is utterly spectacular. The snowboarding tricks, the characters, the levels, everything about it is beautiful. Psymon Stark is one awesome dude. My favorite level is Merqury City Meltdown because it captivates the essence of this game (snowboarding, duh) while keeping it within the boundaries of a New York-style city. There are trash cans to crash into, every street sign mysteriously says "WANG" and there's even a hidden UFO! The only level rivaling Merqury City is the Tokyo Megaplex. But the edge goes to this monstrous ride of a venue.

I can say with absolute certainty that I have NEVER played a video game with larger levels than those of Turok 2: Seeds of Evil. This game consists of only six levels, and each is beyond colossal in size. For example, despite the fact that I know exactly what to do and where to go in the first level, it still takes me at least 90 minutes to get through it. The levels are seriously that large. Playing a level for the first time guarantees you hours upon hours of exploration. I played one level for about an hour and still hadn't made any progress on my mission objective. I actually consider the size of the levels to be a good thing, because it adds a universality to the game. The only problem is the distance between the save portals. Anyway, the River of Souls is the second level, and takes place among the banks and neighboring constructions of a polluted river. I enjoy this level very much because there are many enemies and you honestly never feel like you are forced to go in any particular direction. Quite the contrary, as a matter of fact. If memorable for only one reason, this level is memorable for its sheer, overwhelming size.

The First Person Shooter is one of the most popular video game genres today, and most people will agree that its fame traces back to GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64. This game was revolutionary for many reasons. Most importantly, it smoothly incorporated stealth into a video game, something that really hadn't been implemented beforehand. Not only that, but it was based on a James Bond film, which made it doubly badass. Even though some levels were included that did not exist in the film, the plot generally remained consistent, as did the environment and surroundings. The Facility is talked about to this very day. It is virtually identical to that seen in the film, it is one of the most replayable levels in the game (in terms of stealth mostly) and it is notorious for the evil challenge of completing it in under 2:05 on 00 Agent to unlock Invincibility. In what other game can you begin a level by crawling through vents and dropping down into a bathroom stall?

The impact of Super Mario 64 on the gaming macrocosm was undeniably gargantuan. In many players' opinions it is the most revolutionary video game to date, and for good reasons. Super Mario 64 and the Nintendo 64 made 3-Dimensional gaming a playable reality. One of the reasons the game was (and still is) so popular is because it incorporated elements from practically every previous Mario video game. You had Goombas, Warp Pipes and floating blocks from Super Mario Bros., Fly Guys and Bob-ombs from SMB2, the flying ability from SMB3, Pokey and the cap switches from Super Mario World, etc. Therefore, each level felt like an amalgam of various Mario elements, Shifting Sand Land in particular. This stage takes place in a desert world, paying homage to SMB3. In terms of size it is easily the largest of all of Super Mario 64's levels. The main area itself is huge, with vast vats of quicksand, twisters, a huge puzzle-like area dominated by giant metal Tox Boxes, a cap-stealing condor named Klepto, a massive pyramid and even an oasis! You could even enter the pyramid and discover that its innards are as large as the outside area! There was so much to do, so many aspects of the Marioverse and the level was so huge that sometimes you forgot that it's just a level. Shifting Sand Land symbolizes the overall innovation of Super Mario 64 and the spark that led to the guaranteed popularity of mainstay gaming.

There you have it, my Top 10 Most Memorable Nintendo Levels. I understand that many people will disagree with my list ("No Zelda?! No Metroid!?") but to be honest I can only judge by the games I've played. I have never played Zelda or Metroid games. Yeah, I'm the only person alive, I know. But still I think I offered a pretty well-rounded set of those levels that you can play and think "This is special."

List by TheUnassailable