Six of the best: The N64 turns 20 years old

Moustached winner: Mario's transition from two to three dimensions was a resounding success

With sales numbers bettered by its Nintendo predecessors and battered by Sony's first PlayStation, the Nintendo 64 nevertheless accommodated some of the best games of all time.

Making its Japanese debut on June 23, 1996, the N64 celebrates its 20-year anniversary this year, with September's US birthday due around the same time that Nintendo might be expected to unveil its next console project, the NX.