Super Mario 64
Platforms: N64, DS, Wii(VC)
Players: 1
Original Release Date(s):Sep 26 1996(US), Mar 1 1997(Europe), Jun 23 1996(Jap)
With the start of a new generation of gaming also came a huge change in how games looked, not simply content at being 2D sprites, technology had evolved enough to make those images that we seen three dimensional objects, that technology was starting to be used in the way of making video games so after testing some games on the SNES Nintendo's next console the Nintendo 64 was to be primarily focused on delivering such games. With new hardware however you need the software to show it off, that game would start the same character that had help launch both the NES and SNES that being Mario in Super Mario 64.
Not only did Nintendo practically invent most of the rules for the platform genre when it was in 2D but with the move to 3D they didnt have any real blueprints to go by so they pretty much went and invented the rules for 3D platform games and got just about everyone right first time of asking.
Presentation
Simple and to the point everything is in the right place and easy enough to navigate around, pretty much your standard for a Mario game though as Nintendo never really wants to over complicate things, the minimal amount of options, in many ways this game is Super Mario World in 3D everything tightly knitted together so it all connects in some ways, as this was also Nintendo's very first fully 3D game the level of polish is very high compared to many at the time, and as it was the first platform game to have a full 360 degree camera it managed it near perfect the first time of asking something many games later couldn't achieve.
Graphics
Take Super Mario World and turn it 3D and you essentially have all that same character design in 3D and it is truly amazing how even with a thirst dimension added all of those enemies look pretty much the same just much more larger than life than they did before, really when considering the time the game was released many games did not look like a recreation of their 2D counter parts that came before them, but Mario 64 was different in that it really did look like what you would expect it too.
Every location is really quite varied from your green mountain style areas, fortresses, underwater section, lava filled levels, snow covered areas, deserts, haunted mansions, underground caves, flooded villages, riding around in the sky and even the inside of a clock, every level is packed full of life and many classic enemies brought to life in 3D looking better than they ever did before and then there are the new ones that fit in well with each level they are placed in. The enemies that really stand out though are the larger boss enemies that fill the screen and tower over Mario made even larger looking to Mario when the camera zooms out and you can see the size difference.
Maybe the one slight complaint is the light clipping when the camera gets stuck in the wring place and the areas it does turn invisible but really that is more down to it being an early 3D game and was present in may games that used not fixed 3D cameras of the time, overall the worlds are very solid a look how you would want it all to.
Sound
Much like Mario games of years gone by all the music is all very high quality from start to finish and you more than likely never get bored of hearing them as they never get annoying, added to the usual Mario tunes are some good sound effects that help bring things much more to life, making jumping on a enemies head sound much more cartoon like as they squash and disappear and that is the sound that they were aiming for and with great effect.
With Mario, Peach and enemies like Boo's and Bowser himself either being voiced or having a taunting laugh brings a sense of life to the character not seen in Mario games before, overall the music and sound effects are probably the best of any Mario game to that point in time.
Gameplay
For a first attempt at a fully 3D game the controls are pretty much spot on, but then the controller was pretty much made with a game like this in mind, as four of the buttons were designed to control the camera and an excellent job they manage to do, at any point during the game you can simply adjust the camera if it's ever in an awkward situation and feels very natural.
Not to say the rest of the controls aren't amazing, controlling Mario is slick and fluid running around feels natural and once the game starts running around out side the castle you will be able to put those controls to the test and it will all soon become second nature, and if anything the switch to 3D has made Mario better to control as the precision is also now there, making the whole experience a joy to play.
Lasting Appeal
Maybe the games biggest downfall is that it is once you have seen and done anything you may not want to come back, but that is a big maybe as on the first play through it can take a long time getting all 120 stars, and finding all the secrets the game has to offer can take a good 50 hours or so with proper exploring, as long as you aren't one of those people who has to use a players guide to get through the game and find certain stars. Then there are certain stars you will have to keep going back and trying to get as they can be very tricky to get indeed but never to the point of frustrating.
As well as the length the overall difficulty can be said to be on the easy side but that really doesn't matter as it was designed for everyone to play through and you will still go back and play your favourite levels quite a few times.
Overall
After the Mario series pretty much revolutionised the platform genre to begin with on both the NES and the SNES, Nintendo took it to a new dimension and with there first attempt set a huge benchmark that all 3D platform games would be judged from on their first time of asking too, controlling Mario in full 3D for the first time was an amazing experienced too as it shown off what analog control could really do as far as fully 3D world went, as other games at the time tried similar thing using a standard d-pad and things certainly never moved as fluid.
As a game it is a great piece of software and one that should not be passed up by fans and gamers every where to experience it, as a Mario game it really shows where the series is heading, and will truly go down as one of the greatest and most influential games ever created both from a design standpoint and for what it was and is and that is a truly amazing game.
Scores
Players: 1
Original Release Date(s):Sep 26 1996(US), Mar 1 1997(Europe), Jun 23 1996(Jap)
With the start of a new generation of gaming also came a huge change in how games looked, not simply content at being 2D sprites, technology had evolved enough to make those images that we seen three dimensional objects, that technology was starting to be used in the way of making video games so after testing some games on the SNES Nintendo's next console the Nintendo 64 was to be primarily focused on delivering such games. With new hardware however you need the software to show it off, that game would start the same character that had help launch both the NES and SNES that being Mario in Super Mario 64.
Not only did Nintendo practically invent most of the rules for the platform genre when it was in 2D but with the move to 3D they didnt have any real blueprints to go by so they pretty much went and invented the rules for 3D platform games and got just about everyone right first time of asking.
Presentation
Simple and to the point everything is in the right place and easy enough to navigate around, pretty much your standard for a Mario game though as Nintendo never really wants to over complicate things, the minimal amount of options, in many ways this game is Super Mario World in 3D everything tightly knitted together so it all connects in some ways, as this was also Nintendo's very first fully 3D game the level of polish is very high compared to many at the time, and as it was the first platform game to have a full 360 degree camera it managed it near perfect the first time of asking something many games later couldn't achieve.
Graphics
Take Super Mario World and turn it 3D and you essentially have all that same character design in 3D and it is truly amazing how even with a thirst dimension added all of those enemies look pretty much the same just much more larger than life than they did before, really when considering the time the game was released many games did not look like a recreation of their 2D counter parts that came before them, but Mario 64 was different in that it really did look like what you would expect it too.
Every location is really quite varied from your green mountain style areas, fortresses, underwater section, lava filled levels, snow covered areas, deserts, haunted mansions, underground caves, flooded villages, riding around in the sky and even the inside of a clock, every level is packed full of life and many classic enemies brought to life in 3D looking better than they ever did before and then there are the new ones that fit in well with each level they are placed in. The enemies that really stand out though are the larger boss enemies that fill the screen and tower over Mario made even larger looking to Mario when the camera zooms out and you can see the size difference.
Maybe the one slight complaint is the light clipping when the camera gets stuck in the wring place and the areas it does turn invisible but really that is more down to it being an early 3D game and was present in may games that used not fixed 3D cameras of the time, overall the worlds are very solid a look how you would want it all to.
Sound
Much like Mario games of years gone by all the music is all very high quality from start to finish and you more than likely never get bored of hearing them as they never get annoying, added to the usual Mario tunes are some good sound effects that help bring things much more to life, making jumping on a enemies head sound much more cartoon like as they squash and disappear and that is the sound that they were aiming for and with great effect.
With Mario, Peach and enemies like Boo's and Bowser himself either being voiced or having a taunting laugh brings a sense of life to the character not seen in Mario games before, overall the music and sound effects are probably the best of any Mario game to that point in time.
Gameplay
For a first attempt at a fully 3D game the controls are pretty much spot on, but then the controller was pretty much made with a game like this in mind, as four of the buttons were designed to control the camera and an excellent job they manage to do, at any point during the game you can simply adjust the camera if it's ever in an awkward situation and feels very natural.
Not to say the rest of the controls aren't amazing, controlling Mario is slick and fluid running around feels natural and once the game starts running around out side the castle you will be able to put those controls to the test and it will all soon become second nature, and if anything the switch to 3D has made Mario better to control as the precision is also now there, making the whole experience a joy to play.
Lasting Appeal
Maybe the games biggest downfall is that it is once you have seen and done anything you may not want to come back, but that is a big maybe as on the first play through it can take a long time getting all 120 stars, and finding all the secrets the game has to offer can take a good 50 hours or so with proper exploring, as long as you aren't one of those people who has to use a players guide to get through the game and find certain stars. Then there are certain stars you will have to keep going back and trying to get as they can be very tricky to get indeed but never to the point of frustrating.
As well as the length the overall difficulty can be said to be on the easy side but that really doesn't matter as it was designed for everyone to play through and you will still go back and play your favourite levels quite a few times.
Overall
After the Mario series pretty much revolutionised the platform genre to begin with on both the NES and the SNES, Nintendo took it to a new dimension and with there first attempt set a huge benchmark that all 3D platform games would be judged from on their first time of asking too, controlling Mario in full 3D for the first time was an amazing experienced too as it shown off what analog control could really do as far as fully 3D world went, as other games at the time tried similar thing using a standard d-pad and things certainly never moved as fluid.
As a game it is a great piece of software and one that should not be passed up by fans and gamers every where to experience it, as a Mario game it really shows where the series is heading, and will truly go down as one of the greatest and most influential games ever created both from a design standpoint and for what it was and is and that is a truly amazing game.
Scores
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