When I was 8 my dad got me Super Mario 64 DS. This was the version of the game I grew up with, and although I loved it as a kid, it was also a particularly frustrating game. I also never beat it, and never unlocked Luigi and Wario. I then tried to play the original a few years later on an emulator on my Wii. I was using a nunchuck and Wii remote, which was a flat out awful way to play the game. I got around 1/3 of the way through before I simply forgot about it. Fast forward to 2020 now and Super Mario 3D All-Stars came out on the Switch. This is the version of Super Mario 64 I've played the most, and I have went through and 120 star'd it a good handful of times.

This is the Mario game I have the most conflicted views on, because on one hand, it is fun enough that I 100% complete it so many times. But on the other hand, there are lots of things I outright dislike about this game. So in this post I'm gonna do a run through of my issues with it and why I still come back to it. The game is fresh on my mind right now after doing a 120 star run earlier this week. I will only be talking about the 64 version for now, as I plan to replay 64 DS soon and write about it on here as well.

One of the things I love about this game is how it pioneered the formula for 3d Mario games to come. The simple gameplay of loop of going into a level, collecting a star, then going back in and getting another, is really fun. Especially when you get good and can quite easily go in and clear all the stars out of levels. Compared to other 3d Mario games as well, this game is more streamlined and fast paced. Compare it to Super Mario Galaxy where you have to select the pull star, select the galaxy, launch to the galaxy, select the star, then watch an opening sequence. (Though some of this is probably just disguised loading screens) Whereas in 64 you just jump in the painting, select a star and go.

The fact that this game doesn't force you to do stars in any specific order as well is also great part of it. It really makes it more about exploring and less linear. Though this also turns into a negative because of how bad this games level design can be. Some of the stars make me wonder how you are supposed to figure them out without a guide. Like the stars in Wet Dry World and Tiny Huge Island that require you to find 5 secrets. Some of the stars are just flatout impossible to intuitively find. This isn't an issue on repeat playthroughs but it does make the game have a learning curve.

The bad design choices also surface in other ways. The most noticeable to me is the 100 coin stars. They really are just filler, and in some of the levels they aren't too offensive. But stuff like the Hazy Maze Cave, Shifting Sand Land, and Rainbow Ride 100 coin stars are so obnoxious. Especially the last one as you have to collect a trail of blue coins and if you miss them you are just out of luck. Some of the 100 coin stars are also just super tedious at best. Tick Tock Clock can be pretty hard too, there's so many moving parts and it is generally overwhelming to play. Wing Mario over the rainbow is easily the worst though, because that power-up controls so jankily.

Now the thing most people bring up when talking about this game is the controls. The controls are AWFUL. They are very much a product of it's time. The camera is so limited and chunky to control, getting it to look where you need it to is a good part of what makes this game hard. There's this other little thing where when you turn around without being completely still Mario does a little U-turn shape. This leads to me falling off platforms a lot. Wall jumps are also very awkward in this game compared to how refined they are in later installments. They require very precise timing, and don't get me started on sliding, because that is probably one of the most dangerous things you can do in this game. The controls are so outdated and terrible and are usually the thing that keeps me from wanting to play this game. It's like you are fighting the controls for the entire game.

With all this being said though, I think all this jankyness is what gives the game it's charm. It makes you constantly on the edge of your seat during a playthrough. You are almost always a few dumb mistakes from dying in a catastrophic way, and even the more annoying stars are still entertaining and keep up the pacing of a playthrough. A 120 star run of this game is an emotional rollercoaster that I don't get from any other video game out there. I think this is why it's a game I keep coming back to, and will keep coming back to for so many years.

thanks for reading, i love you :3 💕