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Super Mario 64

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Computer & Video games

                     Super Mario 64
   Super Mario 64 box cover
    Developer(s)   Nintendo EAD
    Publisher(s)   Nintendo
     Designer(s)   Shigeru Miyamoto
       Series      Super Mario Bros. series
   Release date(s) ^JP June 23, 1996
                   ^NA September 29, 1996
                   ^EU March 1, 1997
                   ^CN November 2003 ( iQue)
      Genre(s)     Platform
       Mode(s)     Single player
      Rating(s)    ESRB: K-A (Kids to Adults)
     Platform(s)   Nintendo 64, iQue, Virtual Console
        Media      64  Mb (8  MB) cartridge, Flash card

   Super Mario 64 is a video game for the Nintendo 64. It debuted in Japan
   on June 23, 1996, in North America on September 29, 1996, and in Europe
   on March 1, 1997. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch
   titles for the new console. As the flagship killer game, it drove
   initial sales of the Nintendo 64, and has sold over 11 million copies
   in total.

   Super Mario 64 was the first 3D game in the Mario series, and though it
   was not the first-ever 3D platformer, it helped to define the genre,
   much as Super Mario Bros. defined the 2D sidescrolling platformer.
   Super Mario 64 was considered so revolutionary that many consider to
   have set the standard for all later 3D platformer games and 3D games in
   general.

   In going from two to three dimensions, Super Mario 64 replaced the
   linear obstacle courses of traditional platform games with vast worlds
   in which the player must complete multiple and diverse missions, with
   an emphasis on exploration. While doing so, it managed to preserve the
   feel of earlier Mario games, including many of their gameplay elements
   and characters. It is acclaimed by critics as one of the greatest video
   games of all time.

Story

   Super Mario 64 begins with a letter from Princess Peach asking Mario to
   come to her castle to receive a cake she has baked for him. When he
   arrives, Mario learns that Bowser has invaded the castle and imprisoned
   the Princess and her servants within it using the power of the castle's
   120 power stars. Many of the castle's paintings are portals to other
   realms, in which Bowser's minions keep watch over the stars. Mario
   searches for the portals, entering them to recover the stars. As he
   finds more stars, he can reach new places in the castle, eventually
   reaching Bowser when Mario recovers 70 stars. He defeats Bowser,
   rescuing Peach and restoring the power of the stars to the castle.
   Peach rewards Mario by baking the cake that she had promised him.

Gameplay

Controls

   Mario's abilities in Super Mario 64 are far more diverse than those of
   previous Mario games. He can walk, run, crouch, crawl, swim, climb, and
   jump at great heights or distances using the game controller's analog
   stick and buttons. As jumping was Mario's signature move in earlier
   games, particular attention was paid to this move. Special jumps can be
   executed by combining a regular jump with other actions, including the
   extra high double and triple jumps (jumping two and three times in a
   row, respectively), the long jump, and backflip. There are also special
   maneuvers, such as wall jumping (jumping from one wall to another in
   rapid succession to reach areas that would otherwise be too high).

   Mario has a number of physical attacks in addition to jumping. His
   basic attack is the punch, which becomes a jump kick when performed in
   mid-air. Attacking while running causes Mario to lunge forward.
   Crouching while in the air executes a power stomp (also called the
   ground pound). Crouching while running and then immediately attacking
   executes a slide kick, while crouching and moving the analog stick
   makes Mario crawl and enter small spaces. Mario can pick up and carry
   certain items, an ability which is used to solve various puzzles. Mario
   can also swim underwater at various speeds. His life slowly diminishes
   while underwater (representing how long he can hold his breath); he
   must find coins or air bubbles to replenish it, or return to the
   surface before drowning.

Setting

   Super Mario 64 is set in Princess Peach's Castle, which consists of
   three floors, a basement, a moat, and a courtyard. The area outside the
   castle is an introductory area in which the player can experiment.
   Scattered throughout the castle are entrances to courses and other
   areas, usually accessed by jumping into a painting.

   Each course is an enclosed world in which the player is free to wander
   in all directions and discover the environment without time limits. The
   worlds are filled with enemies that attack Mario as well as friendly
   creatures that provide assistance, offer information, or ask a favour.
   Mario gathers stars in each course; some stars only appear after Mario
   has completed certain tasks, often hinted at by the name of the course.
   These challenges include defeating a boss, solving puzzles, racing an
   opponent, and gathering coins. As Mario collects stars, more areas of
   the castle are opened. Mario unlocks doors in the castle with keys
   obtained by defeating Bowser in special courses.

   Mario is assisted in some courses by three cap power-ups. The Wing Cap
   allows Mario to fly, the Metal Cap makes him immune to most damage and
   allows him to withstand wind and walk underwater, and the Vanish Cap
   renders him partially immaterial and allows him to walk through some
   obstacles such as wire mesh. Some courses contain cannons that Mario
   can unlock by speaking to a pink Bob-omb Buddy. After Mario enters a
   cannon, he can be shot out to reach distant places. When Mario has the
   Wing Cap, cannons can be used to reach high altitudes or fly across
   most of a level quickly.

Development

   The development of Super Mario 64 took less than two years, but
   producer Shigeru Miyamoto had conceived of a 3D Mario game over five
   years before, while working on Star Fox. Miyamoto developed most of the
   concepts during the era of the SNES and considered making it an SNES
   game (see Super Mario FX), but decided to develop it for the Nintendo
   64 due to the earlier system's technical limitations.

   Development started by creating the characters and the camera. Months
   were spent selecting a camera view and layout that would be
   appropriate; the original concept involved the game having fixed path
   much like an isometric type game, before the choice was made to settle
   on a free-roaming 3D design. The first test scenario used to try out
   controls and physics involved Mario and the rabbit Mips, named for the
   MIPS processor in the Nintendo 64 (this scene remains as a minigame in
   the final game). Reliable information about Nintendo's new 3D Mario
   first leaked out in November 1995, and a playable version of Super
   Mario 64 was presented days later as part of the world premier for the
   Nintendo 64 (then known as Ultra 64) at Nintendo SpaceWorld. The basic
   controls had at this point been implemented, and the game was
   reportedly 50% finished, although most course design remained. At least
   32 courses were planned, but the number turned out lower in the final
   game, as only 15 could fit.

   Shigeru Miyamoto's guiding design philosophy behind Super Mario 64 was
   to include more details. Many were inspired from real life; for
   example, one character is based on director Takashi Tezuka's wife who
   "is very quiet normally, but one day she exploded, maddened by all the
   time [Tezuka] spent at work. In the game, there is now a character
   which shrinks when Mario looks at it, but when Mario turns away, it
   will grow large and menacing." Super Mario 64 is also characterized by
   featuring more puzzles than earlier Mario games. It was developed
   simultaneously with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, but as Zelda
   was released years later, some puzzles were taken from that game for
   Super Mario 64.

   The music was composed by Koji Kondo, who used new interpretations of
   the familiar melodies from earlier games as well as entirely new
   material. Super Mario 64 was one of the first in the series to feature
   the voice acting of Charles Martinet. It also features Leslie Swan as
   Princess Peach and Issac Marshall as Bowser (unlisted in credits).

   The characters speak more in the English version than in the Japanese
   version. Sometimes different things are said, like Mario's "Bye bye"
   became "So long-a King Bowser!" There are other differences, some of
   which remained in the English release of Super Mario 64 DS.

Reception

   Super Mario 64 is often counted as the first among games such as The
   Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Metroid Prime and Sonic Adventure to
   have brought a series of 2D games into full 3D while maintaining their
   signature feel. The game was designed with the earlier Mario titles'
   maneuvers, power-up blocks, level themes (such as grassland, lava,
   desert, and so on), enemies, and other characters in mind. Super Mario
   64's translation of traditional 2D platforming action into 3D was
   hailed as a great success by many players, and the game itself went on
   to effectively drive sales of the N64 console.

Reviews

   Super Mario 64 was praised in the gaming press, and is still highly
   acclaimed. It has collected numerous awards, including various "Game of
   the Year" honours by members of the gaming media, as well as Nintendo's
   own bestseller Player's Choice selection. It has placed high on many
   "greatest games of all time" lists, ranked #1 by Next Generation
   Magazine, #5 and #1 in Nintendo Power issues 200 and 100 respectively,
   #1 by Super PLAY, #5 by IGN, and #5 by Electronic Gaming Monthly. EGM
   awarded Super Mario 64 a Gold award in its initial review, and in Edge,
   the game was the first of only five games to ever score a perfect
   10/10. GameSpot called Super Mario 64 one of the 15 most influential
   games of all time.

Impact and legacy

   Super Mario 64 set many precedents for 3D platformers to follow.

   Unlike 2D games, 3D games must emulate a real perspective of characters
   and events. Most existing 3D games at the time used a first person or
   fixed perspective, but the platform gameplay of Super Mario 64 required
   the use of a free camera. The game world is therefore viewed through an
   in-game video camera operated by Lakitu. Lakitu handles the camera
   automatically, but the player can change the perspective manually when
   necessary, since the camera programming occasionally makes the view get
   stuck behind walls or at odd angles. This was a useful innovation, as
   other games were sometimes unplayable due to an unfixable bad camera.

   The Nintendo 64's analog control stick allowed for more realistic and
   wide-ranging character movements than the digital D-pads of previous
   consoles, and Super Mario 64 exploits this feature extensively. For
   example, Mario's speed varies depending on the degree of tilt of the
   control stick. The range and direction of many other movements can be
   controlled as well. The Bowser battles exhibit this by forcing the
   player to rotate the control stick in circles in order to swing Bowser
   around and throw him into mines placed around the arena.

   Super Mario 64 was also notable for its sense of freedom and
   non-linearity. This was initially unfamiliar to many people, among them
   voice actor Michael Grayford of Liquid Entertainment:


   Super Mario 64

     When I first played Mario 64, I was very turned off. There were too
   many places to run around and too much stuff to do, and I didn't really
      see the point or the spirit of the game. I tried it again later,
    though, hearing from everyone how fun it was, and ended up playing it
      all the way through to the end. I was highly pleased. Each level
    brought some new unique cool gameplay element and I was never bored.


   Super Mario 64

   Warren Spector, former lead designer at Ion Storm Inc., gives the
   following explanation for the game's influence:


   Super Mario 64

     It's not possible to squeeze this much gameplay into a single game.
    Mario has, like, ten things he can do and yet there's never a moment
   where you feel constrained in any way. No game has done a better job of
    showing goals before they can be attained, allowing players to make a
   plan and execute on it. And the way the game allows players to explore
    the same spaces several times while revealing something new each time
   is a revelation. Any developer who wouldn't kill to have made this game
                                  is nuts.


   Super Mario 64

   A central hub, where controls can be learned before entering levels
   themselves, has been used in many 3D platformers since. In addition,
   the game's mission-based level design was an inspiration for other game
   designers. For one example, Martin Hollis who produced and directed
   GoldenEye 007 says that "the idea for the huge variety of missions
   within a level came from Mario 64."

Remakes and sequels

   Super Mario 64 was first re-released in Japan on 18 July 1997 as
   Shindou Super Mario 64. This version added support for the Rumble Pak
   and included voice acting from the American version. In 1998, Super
   Mario 64 was re-released in America as part of the Player's Choice
   line: a selection of games with high sales sold for a reduced price.

   A remake for the Nintendo DS called Super Mario 64 DS was available for
   the handheld system's launch in 2004. Yoshi, Luigi, and Wario were
   added as additional playable characters, and the game featured
   additional stars and courses, touch screen mini-games, and a few minor
   multiplayer modes.

   Super Mario 64 is one of a few games that has been confirmed to be
   downloadable for the Wii's Virtual Console service. This release is a
   port with no major changes, except for compatibility with the Gamecube
   and Classic controllers, and the ability to run in 480p.

   Super Mario 64 2 was planned for the Nintendo 64DD, but canceled due to
   the failure of that peripheral, as well as a lack of progress in
   development. Super Mario Sunshine for the Nintendo GameCube built on
   Super Mario 64's core gameplay by adding a water pump device and add-on
   nozzles, similar to the Caps.

Rumors

   Because of Super Mario 64's great popularity, rumors about glitches and
   secrets spread rapidly after its release. The most infamous rumor is
   that Mario's brother Luigi is an unlockable character in the game. This
   rumor was fueled by a blurry text on the pedestal of a statue in the
   castle courtyard that supposedly read "L is Real 2401", which caused
   rampant fan speculation. (Upon closer inspection, the blurry texture
   appears to either be illegible, or read "Eternal Star.") IGN received
   so many questions and supposed methods to unlock Luigi that the staff
   offered a bounty to anyone who could prove that Luigi was in the game.
   The number of false codes submitted to IGN dropped dramatically; no
   successful method was uncovered.

   Photoshopped pictures of Mario with a green tint have been presented as
   evidence of Luigi being playable, but no one has been able to
   accomplish this feat in the game. Nintendo has consistently denied
   Luigi's playability, and never commented on the meaning of the supposed
   "L is Real 2041" except for the April Fool's Day 1998 issue of Nintendo
   Power. In this issue, the "April News Briefs" section says that the
   cryptic phrase will be discussed on page 128, but the magazine only has
   106 pages. The "April News Briefs" section also featured a facetious
   article entitled "Luigi 64," commenting humorously on the rumors. Luigi
   is a playable character in the enhanced remake, Super Mario 64 DS.
   Among other Mario references, the suspicious texture reappears in The
   Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a game based on a heavily modified
   version of the Super Mario 64 engine.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Mario_64"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
