Genre: Platformer, Action-Adventure
Year: 1996
Developed by: Nintendo EAD
Published by: Nintendo
Platforms: N64
#14
Feeling Like: Here we go!
There are a few pivolt, seminal moments in my life. Since this is a video game blog, I won’t mention instances like my acting debut, or meeting my wife for the first time. So, I’ll mention the first time I saw Super Mario 64 on display at Blockbuster Video.
I knew of the N64, naturally. Every gaming magazine I read was previewing the “Ultra” 64 and I was no stranger to what the game looked like. But, until I saw it in motion, I realized I had no clue what it really looked like, or what I was in for.
I wasn’t used to the controller. I used the joystick to move? And…what are these yellow C-buttons? Oh, I get to control the camera? There’s more than one jump? And I don’t just…I don’t just find the end of the level?
…What do you mean there is no end of a level?
Everything about the leap from two dimensions to three was incalculably stupendous. The generational gap between consoles now is barely noticeable. In 1996 when we first got a glimpse of the next generation of console hardware, it was if we’d never played a video game before in our lives. This was the biggest paradigm shift any of us could experience, and it’s possibly the biggest leap I’ll see in my lifetime.
Who better to usher Dave and I into this new world than Nintendo?
I’ve mentioned Dave V. quite a bit on the 500 and for good reason – a large part of our childhood involved expressing our mayhem and aggression through digital excursions. We’d often have sleepovers that would entail eating dinner, watching Red Dwarf then passing out on the couch with a controller in our hand. There really is nothing more peaceful than waking up to “Dire Dire Docks” at low volume.
When we learned to fly in Bob-omb Battlefield, I swear we flew off our feet in real life too.
Getting the hat with wings on it and soaring into the air taps into something primal. Seeing the obstacles you struggled with fade below you is a fantasy we all indulge in. Tilting the camera up so we can see as far as the horizon can last doubly so. As if the star music from previous Mario games wasn’t enjoyable enough, we have a new rendition here for when you get the cap. It wasn’t available in every level, but when it was we loudly hollered our pleasantries. There really is nothing like flying.
The notion that every world was a painting you jumped into meant the hub world of Peach’s Castle was far more interesting than it needed to be. It had hidden slide levels. Some areas were cornered off, blocked by star requirements. Sometimes, you had to look into the very sun itself to be transported to a new world. THAT one got us, I’m pretty sure we figured it out by accident. The music was comforting. No more world map like in previous Marios, we were smack dab in a magical palace and we weren’t going to leave until we found everything.
Everything.
Even the concept of stages changing based on which star you picked was revolutionary at the time. Go BACK to the same world? Why? Well, because there are 8 stars per world, and depending on which one you select will result in the water level being lowered, or a boss appearing, or environmental factors being a bigger threat. Super Mario 64 has 120 stars to collect and that meant, in a way, there were 120 different levels. I can’t think of a single one that wasn’t challenging, or charming, or whimsical, or enjoyable to achieve. Well, ok the 100 coin ones could be bullshit. Aside from those, this was Nintendo at their very best and that is REALLY saying something.
I don’t remember playing this one without Dave much, if at all. We’d take turns – either star by star, or level by level. It was a very good system. It’s not the kind of game you die all that much in, it’s more about exploring and trying to solve how to get that goddamn star that was just floating up there. It was great to have a second set of eyes and ears.
Naturally, I couldn’t do a Super Mario 64 entry without his input.
(Dave V.)
What is the best day of your life? Finding love? Wedding day? Child’s birth? All important and amazing…but…
When the perfect game comes out on the new Nintendo system, and you are the perfect age of 12 to enjoy it, it is one of those memories that will stick with you though the ups and downs in life. The hours we spent on that game!
I still have the yha wha hooo of the triple jump stuck in my head to this day. Kids get old, wedding day fades, but thanks to the Switch you can replay Super Mario 64. About two years ago I did, and, I remembered everything! How to catch that fucking rabbit (editor’s insert – I agree, I hated that rabbit!) Trying to get 100 coins on the rainbow level being the hardest thing in the game. The clock level, timing when to jump in to get the speed correct to get the 8 red coins. Getting that little penguin back to its fat mom. Finally getting 120 stars, one of the highlight and huge accomplishments in my life. The only thing that I hated was that Henry was better than me at it. Prick.
(Dave V’s writeup finished)
Well that’s nice of Dave to say! I wasn’t better than him at Super Mario 64, but I think since he knows I’m posting this on my blog, he wanted to be kind. Although he did call me a prick. That about sums up our relationship 😀
Coming into this kind of grand landscape together was an absolute treat. It’s the kind of game we couldn’t wait to play again. We’d stampede down the stairs for, throw our backpacks on the floor (never in the closet, that would have wasted precious video game seconds!), snap the power button on the N64 and hear Mario’s greeting.
“IT’S A ME! MARIO!”
As if he was welcoming us back, what took us so long? Time to bounce off walls, butt stomp and long jump our way to another star in a creative, wondrous playground.
Thanks Dave!
Here we go!
The 500 