Nintendo

Super Smash Bros. Melee transcended its own generation to become a game the world would play years later, and it came to North American shelves today in 2001.

It was on this day 1998 that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time presented one of the most compelling cases for 3D gaming and set the bar astronomically high for all that followed.

It was on this day in 2011 that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword took players to the skies to explore the origin of Link and the Master Sword.

Tons of Mortal Kombat clones were produced, but only a select few ever came close to offering the level of hype that Mortal Kombat created. Among those games, there were perhaps none more compelling than Killer Instinct, originally released on this day in 1994.

It was on this day in 1987 that players met Little Mac for the first time and joined him on his journey to the dream fight with “Iron” Mike himself.

It was today in 1996 that North American players were invited to join in Nintendo’s leap to the next dimension of gaming.

As a game, Pokemon Go appeals to the public’s love of Pokemon, of adventure and conquering the fantastic. There’s no reason the subsequent elements of the game shouldn’t appeal to why we love Pokemon.

It was on this day in 2010 that players got their first taste of a new kind of Metroid with the divisive Metroid: Other M.

It’s kind of amazing to think that on this day in 1987, North American players were sliding their golden cartridges into the Nintendo Entertainment System for the first time and taking their first journey with Link in the very first Legend of Zelda.

Today in 1982, North American players saw their chance to continue the rivalry of Mario and Donkey Kong with Donkey Kong Jr.