MIXED BAG. SUPER MARIO 64 REVIEW!

MIXED BAG. PRESENTS

SUPER MARIO 64 REVIEW!

Developer: Nintendo

System: Nintendo (1996)

Genre: Platformer

LINK TO A BREAK-DOWN OF MY ?/5 RATING SYSTEMS

If Super Mario Bros. is a special fixture of my childhood, then Super Mario 64 is a very special fixture of my childhood. It was the first game I got on my Nintendo 64, which was my the first game console I got when I was old enough to remember it, and it was one of the first games I ever beat. It is also one of the only games that I own multiple versions and copies of (I actually own two DS copies for some reason) and it may be my most nostalgic Mario experience (or Super Mario World or Super Mario Land...hmmm...). And yet, today, it is my intention to examine the game without nostalgia glasses and for what it was and is on its original format. As a bonus, I'll give a short blurb on the DS version at the end.

STORY

Well, this is a little hard to evaluate because Mario is more about a tried and true formula for the story with each title either representing refinement or innovation in the genre of platforming; Super Mario 64 represents the latter type of Mario game. The story is simple; Mario goes to visit Peach's Castle only to discover the evil Bowser has taken over by stealing away the hidden 120 Stars that give Peach her power (bet you didn't know that Bowser steals Peach because she is a) a frickin' princess and the political power in the Mushroom Kingdom and b) Peach actually has magical power that would allow her to return the Mushroom Kingdom to its normal state and reverse his invasion. P.S. According to Forbes list of most Wealthy Fictional Characters, she is a billionaire). Now, while I can't give much in the way of a story analysis, I can give a little thought on how the persoanlities of this iconic Nintendo characters are cemented for the first time in this title in a 3D rendered way or how the world created for the first 3D free-roaming Mario game has an interesting atmosphere; which is what I'll talk about in the presentation.

PRESENTATION

Are the graphics dated? Assuredly. The game is 15 years old and was Nintendo's first 3D rendered Mario game and one of their launch titles for the Nintendo 64. But, unlike many other critics, I think that the graphics hold up. The polygons and textures look a little crappy, but Nintendo still managed to build an impressive game with the building blocks they had. I might give the game a negative mark for the graphics, which might be offputting to many gamers, but the rest of the presentation offsets the limitations of this early title.

The enemy design is fairly effective with a variety of classic Mario enemies and bosses that are blast to beat (if not a little simple). The level design, with each level behind a brilliantly constructed painting in the castle overworld, in my opinion, more than makes up for the limitation of the console. There is a variety of environments, with themes ranging from volcanic bully level to a pyramid level with tornado, and to underwater levels that, while frustrating, are impressive in their presentation.

The sound elements are excellently rendered, for instance, with wonderfully implemented sound effects that by no means are on par with say Banjo Kazooie, but they were so good and iconic that many of the sound effects are repeated in future Mario titles. It is important to remember this was the first Mario game not operating on older console limitations and, for the first time, we got to hear what sounds goombas make, the pitter patter of Mario's little shoes, and Bowser's booming laughs. If anything is disappointing it is that, in many ways, the Mario titles have innovated very little in the voice acting and sound effect department in so many years.

Then again, this title has some of my very favorite Mario tunes:The Main Theme is more than nostalgic for me, for instance, but more impressive is how well the various tunes match their levels in this fantastic Mario title. Koji Kondo, the veteran composer of many Nintendo titles, did an excellent job of implementing the sound elements of this title. You should definitely do a little listening to the soundtrack; Dire, Dire Docks could use a reimplementation in another Mario title.

This was the first time we got to see Mario rendered in 3D. It may be difficult for some to understand or remember, but before Super Mario 64 our ideas of Mario's personality were painted by the other games (which didn't tell us anything but his own heroic courage and love for Peach/Daisy) and the Super Mario cartoons (which I regret to say I have little nostalgia for as I didn't really watch many Saturday Morning cartoons growing up). This was the first time we really got to hear Peter Martinet's rendition of the character (a role he has been portraying for over 15 years). This new Mario had a very cheerful, very enthusiastic, and very silly sort of voice that makes everything fun. This really contributed wonderfully to the series, in my humble opinion, and the sound cues like Mario shouting "wahoo" and the sounds of horror when he is hurt or falls have become staples that Mario fans recognize to this day for a good reason.

GAMEPLAY

I think that Super Mario 64's gameplay is what makes the game more than shine-- it makes it soar like Mario with the flight cap in the game! The platforming in Super Mario 64 is superb, with a variety of controlled jumps, flips, and crouching that can, when necessary, switch to a slower and more patient crawl for sticky situations. The controls are incredibly tight in Super Mario 64 and the only drawback I can think of is that the camera can be a little hinky. Yet, once again, we must remember this was one of the first titles on the N64.

Also, as aforementioned, the special power-ups Mario receives in this game are quite interesting and reflect several design choices. For instance, Mario no longer needs to get big from eating mushrooms or fireflowers. He regains life by floating in water or picking up coins (100 coins for a Star! Woot!) and gets 1-ups from mushrooms. Ye, his power-ups come in the form of caps (if he loses his cap he is vulnerable). The three caps are: the metal cap, which increases Mario's mass and density so that he can't take damage from fire and sinks quickly in water, the winged cap which allows Mario to fly through the air, and finally the ghost cap that allows him to phase through walls, blocks, and enemies unharmed. This provides some interesting variety.

And really, with 120 Stars to collect (the only tedious ones being the coin stars in my opinion), Super Mario 64 is a blast to play. It may be the only Mario game that I would say I could learn how to speedrun because of how natural the controls feel and how fun it is to replay the levels. That is what sets Mario apart from other franchises; the platforming controls are so tight that the gameplay is really never stale (even if we're all tired of New Super Mario Bros. 2D games). It is easy to see how this classic title set the path for the Super Mario Galaxy series, which I consider to be the pinnacle of platforming, and Super Mario 3D Land (a wonderful combination of linear levels and 3D gameplay).

PROS VS. CONS

+ They worked with the early limitations of graphics to make an interesting world to explore.
+ The sound design, from the music to the voices, were expertly implemented.
+ Mario's personality sells the cheerful joy of playing this game and sets the standard for future titles. EX. "WAHOO!"
+ The platforming and controls are still tight; they set the standard for 3D platformers with this innovative title.
+ The variety of levels and utilization of the power-ups (while limited) make this game a blast to play.

CONCLUSION? 

 5/5.

 Simply put, Super Mario lacks the graphical polish of the latest titles in the series but, for its time, was an innovative landmark in the franchise in the genre. Furthermore, it is a personal favorite of mine. I hardily recommend this title, but even more so... I would recommend the remake on the Nintendo DS!

BONUS: SUPER MARIO 64 DS REVIEW

Believe it or not, they actually managed to make Super Mario 64 even better on the Nintendo DS with the launch title, a brilliant one on the DS which had similar or even superior processing power to the N64, Super Mario 64 DS. The title took the original game, remade it with smoother graphics, and reworked the controls/camera for the device. Even more fun is the addition of Luigi (obvious), Yoshi (also obvious) and Wario (AWESOME) as playable characters; implementing these other iconic characters allows for more varieties in game play and gives this 5/5 remake with 30 more power stars to make this, in my humble opinion, a superior title.

Most of you don't have an N64, but I know you have or can easily acquire a DS, so please do yourself a favor and play what might be the best Mario game in its best version.