How Super Mario 64 has passed the test of time with flying colors: A Review

Nintendo has a really excellent past. And the Nintendo 64 game Super Mario 64 is undoubtedly a huge part of that past. Super Mario 64 launched alongside Nintendo's groundbreaking system and served as the blueprint for all 3-D games to come.

Super Mario 64 was an innovation back then, but how does the game hold up today, 16 years later? Read on, my friend, to find out!

In Super Mario 64, Peach's castle is your gateway to a slew of fully explorable worlds. Returning to these worlds again and again turns out to be necessary, as each contains up to 6 power stars, and power stars are used to open up new parts of the castle. You might think that coming back to worlds would be a bad thing, but it isn't in this game: the levels are well designed and fun to explore. Nintendo didn't include the timer that is a staple of Mario side scrollers, and this works well, promoting players to explore to their content.

As for level variety, Super Mario 64 doesn't lack in that department. In addition to standard themes like ice, water, and lava, players will be treated to a mountainous level, a level with a hidden city, a dank underground level, a level inside a clock, and much more. Once you've unlocked the entire castle, you'll hardly know where to turn or which incredible world to visit next.

Just as you'd expect from a Super Mario game, the controls in Super Mario 64 are tight and hold up surprisingly well today. But when you realize that each successive 3-D Mario game has used essentially the same control scheme, it's no surprise. Mario added a fair amount of new tricks to his skill set during his first foray into a 3-D world, and once mastered, they are a joy to perform.

Do I have any complaints at all? Admittedly, yes. The camera control in Super Mario 64 is one thing that hasn't aged so gracefully. Sometimes it feels like the game is trying to put the camera in the most inconvenient position possible. But the rest of the game is just so awesome, this turns out to be pretty nit picky.

Conclusion
Super Mario 64 has passed the test of time with flying colors. The worlds are a lot of fun to explore and the controls have endured well. If you own a Wii, you have no excuse to miss out on this classic: it's well worth the $10 admission price.    

This is a game that never ends, it goes on and on my friends...

We all have that one game that it seems like it's never going to end! For some, it may be a game that is just simply too hard. For others it may be games like Harvest Moon, Sims, or even Rune Factory! Wait a second, I swear that those last three games NEVER EVER END! Actually I don't really know about Rune Factory, but from what I've heard from Holly (and the impossibly long game time she has spent playing it) I can tell that it's just one of those games! I know for a fact that on Harvest Moon you can actually go on playing for a very, very, very long time. On the 64 version I know for a fact that it will never end. Though I do have to admit it does say that the game is "technically" over, but it still gives you the choice of continuing the game. Most fans say, "Yes, of course I want to continue and watch my kid grow!" Sad spoiler - he never gets any older than the walking age.

The point is, what is the point of these games? I think it's for entertainment purposes only. That's what makes me totally depressed! If they're going to make a game be able to go on longer than they should make it a little more fun don't you think? What do you think about games like that? Are they fun, boring, or totally pointless?

Why I'm unsure this review of Banjo-Tooie counts: A Review?

Time to bring back some old writing of mine! I didn't date this review, but I'm sure I couldn't have been older than 15 when I wrote it. Let's get to the review!

Platform: Nintendo 64
Publisher: Rareware
Developer:
ESRB: E

After the success of Banjo-Kazooie, a sequel was created. It was called Banjo-Tooie.

Despite the fact that it's quite difficult to beat the game, Banjo-Tooie has a lack of frustrations and is a lot of fun. The music, design and color of each level are unique to their themes, which makes it really fun to explore them to find the treasures: puzzle pieces. The game has oodles of mini-games scattered throughout the main quest portion. These games are used in the incredibly fun multi-player mode.

Unfortunately, as I got into the more difficult levels of the game, it became boring to hunt for puzzle pieces. I found that I started the game over repeatedly to enjoy the other levels again. I never did beat the whole game.

Overall, Banjo-Tooie is an awesome game. I particularly enjoyed the playful soundtrack and colorful environments. And the multi-player is one of the best I've ever played. It's a shame that the last 1/4 of the game isn't as good as the first 3/4 of it.

Rating: 9.0/10.0

Okay, back to the present! No, I won't call this an official review. Too many problems. Like the fact that I never finished the game. My policy is to review games only when I've seen the ending credits at the very least. The review is also very short and vague. Come on 15-year-old-me! Concrete details! Thank goodness Mary is a better writer at 15 than I was!

Mario's Many Moves: Flight

Through the use of a variety of power-ups, Mario has taken flight many times over the years. This began with the ever-famous Tanooki suit in the NES game Super Mario Bros. 3. The Tanooki leaf turns Mario into a raccoon-like form. The key feature of the Tanooki suit is the tail. Mario can spin the Tanooki tail to put the hurt on enemies and also fly into the sky. Infinite flight would destroy the integrity of a Mario platformer, so the Tanooki tail's power is limited.

As Mario moved from 8- to 16-bit, he maintained his ability to fly with the feather power-up in Super Mario World. No, the feather did not grant him wings: instead, it adorned him in a bright yellow cape. Though it grants him the same ability as the Tanooki tail, the cape feels and controls entirely different. Mario can soar into the sky with enough momentum, but maintaining that flight turns out to be a tad more tricky in SMW. I would love to tell you exactly how it's done, but I'm afraid I don't know myself!

Flight in a 3-D Mario platformer turned out even more different. In Super Mario 64, the wing cap is the power-up of choice for flight. To lift from the ground to soaring heights, Mario need only perform a consecutive high jump with the wing cap on. After that, it's a matter of alternately diving and reaching for the sky again in smooth, sweeping motions.

So there you have it! Not all of it, of course, but I hope you'll play all the Mario you can to discover the secrets of flight for yourself! Have a splendid weekend!

Mario's Many Moves: The Jump

The time has come to post on something other than Kid Icarus: Uprising. I cannot tell you how much I love this game, so I'm really looking forward to the big review!

And now for today's topic! Mario's jump is legendary. Mario, after all, defined the platform genre, to which jumping is essential! It's easy to take Mario's jump for granted, but it is really outrageous.

Mario's amazing jumping skills have evolved over the years. Nowhere is that change more pronounced than in Mario's first 3-D adventure, Super Mario 64. Before this groundbreaking game, Mario's jumps were fairly straightforward. They could be manipulated to some degree, but there are many varieties of jumps in Super Mario 64. One of those variations is the consecutive high-jump. To pull this off, a player must jump three times in quick succession, without losing momentum. The first is a normal jump, the second a little higher, and the third even higher. Since Super Mario 64 was released, the consecutive high-jump has stuck with the series, even appearing in Mario's side-scrolling adventures.

Next, Super Mario 64 added the long jump to Mario's skill set. The long jump is undoubtedly harder to pull off, but well worth mastering. As Mario runs, he can duck, then quickly jump for an impressive long jump. Again, this maneuver has become a staple of successive 3-D Super Mario games.

The back flip was also an important jump that Mario learned in Super Mario 64. The back flip is considerably easier than the long jump, yet the only difference between the two in controller command is Mario's movement. The long jump requires a running start, while the back flip requires stillness. When still, Mario can duck and then jump. Voila! A back flip! Mario's back flip will propel him into the air more than a regular jump, but not more than a consecutive high jump.

So there you have it! It's gospel truth that playing a 3-D Mario platformer is easier and more fun when you have mastered Mario's various jumps. Hope you have a great weekend!

Pure awesomeness

This song has to be my favorite! It just hypes me up to the point where I'm just messing around so I can listen to it longer! When I first went into Gerudo Valley I wanted to do everything I could to stay there longer. This score made me feel like a secret agent while sneaking around their camp. It was so much fun to get caught and then do everything all over - just because of this music! Do you have a favorite Zelda song? I do!

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The case in which this game is held!
Holly has what's supposed to be in it.

This be the very game itself!

To say the least, I love this game. The reason why I couldn't post last week is because I spent all of my free time playing this game. I've logged about six or seven hours on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and am currently at the water temple. The sad thing is that I, Mary, do not own this fabulous game. No, it is Holly who owns it and let me borrow it! Of course I didn't get it for free, I had to give her a game too. The game I let Holly (hahaha Holly like as in Christmas holly, and Mary as in, well, you know) borrow, and soon to kick my butt at, is Mario Kart Double Dash!!

Yes, I  think I have been converted! This game has made my "top ten best video games ever" list, and no I did not just make it up! Anyways, this game totally rocks my socks off! The music, goodness I cannot get enough of it! Not to mention Sheik is like the coolest person ever! Sadly I believe she would be cooler if I didn't know who she was. This is the disadvantage to having a little brother who plays video games like his life depends on it.

Speaking about my little brother, Ammon is his name, he is very frustrating. Ammon has already beaten this game, so he likes nothing more than to watch me play and tell me what to do! It drives me bonkers! Sometimes you want to struggle to find out what to do! So if you are a little brother or sister that has beaten a game before an older sibling, please don't tell them every step of every little thing! It gets very frustrating!

By the way, MERRY CHRISTMAS! Hope you get lots o' video games!

Oldies - Nintendo 64

I think that it's time to look back at the good ol' times of the Nintendo 64. With its great game library, playing this station is for sure one of the bests! I have a number of 64 games but by far my favorite to play is Harvest Moon. With its awesome music and the fact that you can pick who you marry and then have a kid with them (who never ages past 2, I swear!) this game is just an example of how awesome the Nintendo 64 truly is.

Lately with all of the new stations coming out (DS, Wii, Xbox Kinect) everyone forgets about the better things in life. What happened to family, friends, school, and old Nintendo stations? Now everything is about how good the graphics are, or how swift the motion control is. Did developers forget how nice it was when all you had to do was stare at the screen and push a couple of buttons?

I think the 64 is kind of like a loving grandparent. No matter how old they are you'll still love them and respect them always. Sometimes they can even teach you a couple of things. Well that just about wraps it up for me! Go and play some of your old stations again and forget about the new, even if it's just for a day.

Why Star Fox 64 3D came as a pleasant surprise: A Review

A couple of years ago, I downloaded the original Star Fox 64 onto my Wii. Let me just say, it wasn't very user-friendly. It throws you into the action without the smallest trace of a tutorial or even a simple mission to ease you into it.

I was much more impressed with this year's Nintendo 3DS remastering of the N64 classic. I made it through the main adventure easily enough without even practicing in training mode. And the fun factor was consistently strong. Pulling off moves like somersaults, barrel rolls, and U-turns will never feel more slick in a video game. And for those of you looking for more of a challenge, there are alternate routes to find that lead to more difficult levels.

I've never been a big shooter fan, but this game may have converted me. Definitely a must-play.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: A First

This weekend I had the pleasure of playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the first time (see what I did there?). I gotta say it was really fun! Holly and I usually get together and play video games, talk about video games, or watch things that have to do with video games. This time she suffered through me playing Zelda. Holly sat there giving me hints when I needed it! Through her help, I beat the first ending guy!

Of course, this all happened on 11/11/11! It truly was a magical day! I had very high expectations for Ocarina of Time, just because of what other people say about it. Luckily what they say is true! There is so much mystery only in the beginning of the game! I can't wait until I get to play it again! I told Holly if I started to play it now I'd never leave her house. Now I am just constantly thinking about it and want to play it again! I give this a five star rating and I've only played the beginning!

More Ocarina of Time junk to precede a review

Our original Ocarina of Time cartridge. It's taken a beating.

I want my official review of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D to be something special, so I'm holding off and sliding by with teasers here on the Nintendo Lifeline. I could've cruised through the main quest in Ocarina of Time 3D in order to try out the Master Quest, but I'm just so absorbed in the side quests and discovering every little secret. Don't worry, though, the big post will come, and you won't want to miss it!

One characteristic of a "legend" is that its origins are long-forgotten. I think that officially qualifies The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to be a true legend in my life. I know I must have "learned" how to beat this game at some point, but I sure don't remember that. I've simply beaten it too many times to count over the years. My earliest memory of this game, however, definitely happened before I knew how to beat it. Wondering what all the fuss was about, I turned the game on and found myself unable to get past the courtyard of the Temple of Time. Some game. But how old was I? Must've been 7 or 8.

Growing up, I was a girl in a neighborhood full of boys. Ironically, it was I who would play Ocarina of Time while the rest of the neighborhood crew watched. To this day, I can't help but read the dialogue of any Zelda game out loud when someone comes in to watch me play.

Have your own memories of Ocarina of Time? We want to hear about it! Just leave a quick comment!

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D released!

And to celebrate, I thought I'd share with you the song "Ocarina of Time Medley", which actually hails from Super Smash Bros. Brawl:

Music is a huge part of Ocarina of Time. With that title, what else can you expect? This medley is composed of a huge variety of songs that players actually learn in Ocarina of Time. Some tunes are hidden in short little riffs or even counter melodies, while most take center stage. Overall, it's a brilliant compilation that won't fail to send shivers down the spines of long-time Ocarina of Time fans.

I yearn for a brand-new Legend of Zelda game for the Nintendo 3DS, but a remastered Ocarina of Time is certainly the next best thing. I feel like I can review the game already, even though I have an agonizing week's worth of waiting to go. The main quest has been largely untouched, so I already know it'll be legendary. With the updated controls and graphics, this game can be nothing short of perfection...for me, certainly. Let critics be critics, but my high opinion of Link's great N64 adventure will never fall.

Super Metroid and Expectations

On a scale of great influences in my early life, the Super Nintendo is second only to the Nintendo 64. Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario World, X-Men: Apocalypse, Street Fighter 2, Donkey Kong Country 2...all considered, is it really surprising that my love of Nintendo has lasted so long?

One game that never made it into the family Super Nintendo library was Super Metroid. What a great game, right? I had some serious expectations prior to playing this. Apparently it's one of the best games in the entire Metroid series. Possibly due to all of this praise, Super Metroid fell short for me. The same happened with The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Here's what really mystifies me though (and keep focused, this could get messy): A Link to the Past didn't keep my attention very long for obvious reasons. I mean, I grew up on Ocarina of Time, so I'm partial to 3D Zeldas. As for the Metroid series, I began with the NES original. Super Metroid blew that game out of the water, right...? RIGHT?! Then why do I seem to like the original Metroid better than Super Metroid? I may never learn the answer.

I'm happy to say that I at least found a boss battle to enjoy on Super Metroid, which is more than I can say for Metroid. Also, the atmosphere of Super Metroid is genuinely awesome, thanks to eerie sound effects/music and creepy enemies. Given a choice between Metroid and Super Metroid, however, I would rather play Metroid. Call a doctor if you feel you must.