Super Mario 64

Mario 64
(Fig.1.) Super Mario 64 Box Art

Game Detail:
Genre: Platformer
ESRB: E
Players: 1 player story
Difficulty: Hard
Replay: Although the game is fun to play and is not linear, there is little variety in each play through.

Story

sm64bowser
(Fig.2.) Super Mario 64 Opening Cinematic

Like many Mario games the story is very simple. Princess Peach invites Mario to her castle to eat a cake that she has baked for him. Upon arriving, Mario discovers that yet again, she has been kidnapped by none other than Bowser. However not only this time is she kidnapped, Bowser managed to steal all of the 120 power stars. In order to rescue Princess Peach and retrieve the 120 power stars, Mario must travel through paintings located  in the castle and overcome many platforming obstacles.

Gameplay

(Fig.3.) Mario 64 Bowser in the Sky

At the time of its release, Mario 64 was revolutionary for its style of gameplay. Mario 64 is a 3D, Collectathon, Platformer game. The game is an open world, non linear experience where the player must navigate through the castle, completing puzzles and defeating enemies. In the game there are 120 stars that the player must collect. Collecting these stars will unlock other levels and certain parts of the castle for the player. In the game Mario is able to jump, fly, swim and perform many tasks that were not able to be performed in previous Mario games.

Legacy

Mario 64 was released in 1996 as a launch title for the console. The game was met with critical acclaim for its design and gameplay and went on to being the best selling game on the N64. Although controlling a character in 3D nowadays is not as impressive. Mario 64 was the first Mario game in the 3rd dimension. Never before had players been able to move and interact with Mario in a 3D environment.

mario-64-1st-scene
(Fig.4.) First Steps

Today this game is still noted as being one of the most influential games to ever be made. Many of the design elements have become the industry’s standards is designing a 3D game/Platformer. Mario 64 changed how Mario games are played and has served as a backboard for future Mario games like Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy and modern platformers like Yooka Laylee and A Hat in Time.

Sources:
Mario Wiki. “Super Mario 64”. http://www.mariowiki.com/Super_Mario_64.

“Top 100 Games of All Time”. Game Informer: 36. August. 2001.

“N64 Reader Tributes: Super Mario 64”. IGN. Retrieved October 21, 2006.