Hello Enthusiasts,
Today I will be reviewing a N64 favorite, Super Mario 64.
The game opens with Princess Toadstool (Peach) inviting Mario to her castle in a letter. However, when Mario arrives he discovers that she has been kidnapped by King Koopa (Bowser), and the only way to get to her is to collect all of the stars that are held within the paintings and various areas of the castle. The more stars that Mario collects, the more doors that will open, and the more paintings and areas he can access. So begins Mario's epic journey.
It's a short paragraph about the plot, but there isn't really too much to the main plot. It's an excuse to get Mario into this castle and explore various areas, most of which are pretty cool and diverse. Harder areas are unlocked by collecting more stars, and most of the areas contain 6 different stars that can be collected there. Now from the start, this is not an easy platforming game. The levels are somewhat complex, and a certain degree of precision is required in order to complete the platforming. Even as I got better at the game, I never felt like I was good enough for the game to be easy. There are also a number of pleasant surprises around the castle to discover, areas that aren't obvious to the naked eye as being levels.
The levels themselves are as fun as they are challenging. Even though I would go through several lives (and sometimes Game Over's) to get through a certain area, I never got too fed up or anything, because I was enjoying myself. There's also some diversity in playing through the levels with the different hats Mario can wear, which grant him various abilities, such as limited flight and invisability. I also forgot how good the graphics on this game are for its time; the character models and level design far surpass a lot of other N64 titles.
I can only think of two issues with the game, and they were issues for a lot of games at the time. The camera is a real hindrance to game play, it always seems to be just a little off and doesn't adjust quite right. I've missed more than a few jumps because the camera is in a really bad spot for them. Also, the controls aren't quite up to par for me. Granted, there are only a few different controls (move, jump, punch, duck, and variations on thise), but it's the movement that I have issues with. Somewhere in the making of this game the precision on movement seemed to have gotten lost in a way that's difficult to explain. It basically just seems like Mario walks in almost the exact right direction, but frequently ends up being a degree or two off, causing for frequent realignment. When running in a large area, it's a non-issue. However, when trying to make your way across a thin board, it means walking very slowly so you can adjust where Mario is going part way through.
Small grievences aside, this game is a lot of fun. It's a staple of the N64 library for a reason, because it's an absolute blast. It paved the way for later Mario titles, and I would definitely recommend this as a game to pick up if you have an N64.
I give Super Mario 64 a 9 out of 10
Sincerely,
The Bored Enthusiast
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