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.
I actually did not like the 64 version. Didn't really feel like a Mario game; just another platformer. Though, I don't think Mario shouldn't be anything else but 2D, so maybe I'm just old.
ReplyDeleteUntil Super Mario Galaxy came out, I was pretty much on the 2-D side of the Mario fence. But Galaxy and Galaxy 2 are just so epic, I can't very well be expected to decide now! Super Mario 64 laid the ground work for the Galaxies, and it really is a spectacular game, even though I leaned towards the classic 2-D formula before Galaxy 1.
DeleteI've always enjoyed Mario 64 - I admit I haven't played either Galaxy title for the Wii. I always had a slight favoring for the 2-D titles myself, though there is a certain charm to how the 3-D world immerses you into Mario's world.
ReplyDeleteBoth of the Galaxies simply must be played, they are just too good to pass up! But I know you'll get around to that eventually: all of us have important games that we don't have time for right now. I haven't yet played Pikmin or Luigi's Mansion or Paper Mario...maybe I should just stop there. ;)
DeleteROFL! Luigi's mansion was a lot of fun -one of the 3DS titles I'm most excited about. Paper Mario - I played the original, but none since, even though I really liked the original. My daughter bought it for the wii recently with her birthday money, so I may get to it soon...
DeleteI'm glad you liked Luigi's Mansion so much: I feel like I've just never had an excuse to try it out because I have no idea what's so special about it. If you liked it that much, I can't very well keep ignoring it for much longer!
DeleteExperiencing Mario 64 for the first time--back when it was the first and only virtual reality-style adventure--was pure magic. Entertainment Weekly described it as falling down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, and that's a perfect description. I remember just sitting there with the controller in my hand and my jaw hanging open. I spent an hour just making Mario run around outside the castle. Nintendo even included Lakitu as cameraman so players could wrap their brains around the concept of the virtual camera (I still love that moment in Mario 64 when you look into the wall mirror and see Lakitu hovering behind you!)
ReplyDeleteMario 64 certainly does hold up well, because its gameplay remains focused and it's got style. Great music score, too! The whole idea of putting the various worlds inside "paintings" was ingenious. I love that when you fail a level, Mario's ejected from the painting as if waking up from a dream. Then he picks himself up, brushes off his mustache and stands ready for the next go-round -- what pluck! I still like that version of Mario -- It's full of personality without trying to be too literal or "real." And Mario 64 still has the best Bowser battles of all time. The game remains a memorable, charming experience.
And -- man, do I love the Galaxy games! Galaxy 2 is right up there with Yoshi's Island in the running for my favorite game of all time.
Great memories! Thanks for sharing! My first memories of Super Mario 64 are pretty vague. My family got a Nintendo 64 for Christmas one year, and (obviously) Super Mario 64 was one of the first games we played on the amazing new system! I remember holding the controller in my hands, marveling at the strangeness of it! And I remember my siblings getting all excited about Super Mario 64 itself. Other than that, I can only tell you that Super Mario 64 was a fixture in my childhood, and a very dear one!
DeleteAbout the Galaxies: I know, right?! Both of them are nothing short of incredible! I'll still be playing them years and years from now!
Finally, a game I have actually played that you have played too!!! I love that game, although my brother owns it. It's so true. The camera does the most retarded things, and it's almost like you get dizzy from how it moves the screen around!!! I love Mario anyway though. I think Mario and Zelda are the best video games ever, although I play Mario Brothers Wii more often than Zelda. It's been a while though, lol. :D
ReplyDeleteIf you don't play a lot of video games, that's alright. I'm just glad that the few you do play are some of the best out there! Can't go wrong with Mario and Zelda!
DeleteGreat review Holly! I feel ashamed that I've never played SM64. I should probably pick it up from the Wii Virtual Console, or better still, get a Nintendo 64!
ReplyDeleteYes! Either way would work just perfectly! But you can't get Banjo Kazooie or Banjo Tooie on Wii, so (coupled with other games, of course) that might make owning an actual 64 worthwhile.
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