Super Mario 64

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Super Mario 64
Developer(s)	Nintendo
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Release date(s)	Nintendo 64 June 23, 1996 September 26, 1996 March 1997 March 1, 1997 Virtual Console December 2, 2006 November 19, 2006 December 8, 2006 December 7, 2006
Mode(s)	1 player
Rating(s)	ESRB: Kids to Adults OFLC: G ELSPA: 3+
Platform(s)	Nintendo 64, Wii
Media	N64 cartridge
Followed by	Super Mario Sunshine (2002) Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Credits • Gallery

Super Mario 64 (スーパーマリオ64, Sūpā Mario Rokujūyon) is arguably one of the most influential titles from the fifth generation of video games. It was released in 1996 as a launch game for the Nintendo 64 (along with other fellow Nintendo game Pilotwings 64), and while certainly not the first 3-D video game ever constructed, it was also the most popular and revolutionary of its time.

It's noted not only as the first 3-D Mario game, but also as one of the very best examples of the still popular 3D platforming genre. The game took advantage of the Nintendo 64's analog control and ability to make use of 3-D environments. Because it takes place in a 3-D world the game is naturally less linear, allowing the player greater freedom to explore each environment while still providing a clear goal.

The game was reworked for the Nintendo DS as Super Mario 64 DS, and later re-released in its original form for the Virtual Console. Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy, on the GameCube and Wii respectively, may be considered direct sequels, maintaining a number of stylistic and gameplay elements from Super Mario 64 while introducing fresh innovations and twists.

As of yet, over half of the 11 million units sold have been sold in the United States.

Contents 1 Plot 1.1 Characters 2 Gameplay 3 Impact 4 Levels 4.1 Missions 5 Luigi Rumor 6 Remakes/Re-releases 7 Screenshot Gallery 8 External links

[edit] Plot

At the beginning of the game, Princess Peach invites Mario to her castle, having baked him a suitably enormous and delicious cake. Mario dutifully goes, only to find the castle doors are locked. He quickly discovers that the bunny (MIPS) has stolen the key, and thus the chase is on. Once he captures the bunny, he goes through the castle doors, only to find that Bowser has trapped all of the citizens in the castle, including Peach, and stolen the primary power source - Stars.

It's now Mario's obligation to go through the many worlds here and find all of the stars so that he'll be able to save all of the Toads and foremost - the Princess.

He eventually does so, and at the end of the game Mario and Peach eat the cake that she promised.

[edit] Characters

Playable Characters:

• Mario - Mario has many new moves in this new game. Since this is his first ever 3-D platformer, he will be able to wall-jump, Triple jump, and do a whole lot of other things that we now use in current games.

Non-Playable Friends:

• Princess Peach - Peach has gotten trapped inside the castle walls, now Mario will have to save her.
• Toad - Toads will give Mario a handful of hints along the way and will also give him a Power Star.
• Dorrie - This dolphin helps you out in getting across the water.
• Yoshi - After you collect 120 Power Stars, Yoshi will give you 100 1-Up Mushrooms atop the Castle.
• MIPS - Appears when you get 15 stars and give you an extra star if you catch him. He also appears and does the same thing when you have 50 stars

Bosses:

• Bowser - Bowser has trapped Princess Peach inside the walls and hs spread the Power Stars throughout many of Mushroom World's lands. Now Mario will have to stop Bowser and save Princess Peach, along with the power stars. Mario will fight Bowser 3 times, once in "Bowser in the Dark World", again in "Bowser in the Fire Sea", and one more time in "Bowser in the Sky".
• Big Bob-omb - Also known as King Bob-omb, this huge Bob-omb is at the top of the mountain in Bob-omb Battlefield. You'll have to get behind him, pick him up, and slam him into the ground three times before he gives his Power Star up.
• Whomp King - This big Whomp is the king of all Whomps, as well as by far the largest. He waits at the top of the building in Whomp's Fortress. The way to defeat him is to wait until he slams down, then you ground pound him on the back.
• Unagi - This big eel waits for you to come around in the water and swims around you when your in the water. Unagi also waits in a hole when you do not pick the star for him.
• Big Boo - A gigantic boo in Big Boo's Haunt that has to be hit 3 times before he'll give you the Power Star.
• Big Bully - Big Bully appears in Letha Lava Land as a Boss that you have to knock over the edge, and into the lava, a certain amount of times.
• Eyerok - A pair of giant stone hands with an eye in each of its palms.
• Wiggler - A giant caterpillar that appears in Tiny-Huge Island.

[edit] Gameplay

Super Mario 64 is the first three dimensional Mario game ever created. In it, Mario will traverse across multiple different terrains or levels that are all accessed through Princess Peach's castle, the main hub. Running and jumping is, as always, an essential element of the Mario series, and the amount of abilities that he's capable of performing surpasses that of every Mario game preceding it.

Also for the first time in a Mario platformer (excluding Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, which is usually considered more of a Yoshi platformer) there is absolutely no time limit at all. With the exception of a few minor challenges you're able to take your time on the stages, which are essentially non-linear compared to previous titles which always have a set course.

The main goal in the entire game is to collect as many stars as you can, with the maximum being 120. However, you're able to beat the game with only 60 as you are in every Mario 3D platformer following it. Each stage features seven stars each, though often you'll find secret stages which only feature one each.

Fighting bosses are once again included, with Bowser being the primary antagonist, appearing three times with each fight similar to the previous one, though slightly more challenging. There are many other bosses as well, with some being more notable than others. Major ones that are to this day well known include (but may not be limited to) Big Bob-omb, Eyerok and Whomp King among others.

Obstacles that occur throughout most of the stages include enemies and environmental hurdles that'll attempt to halt your progress. For example, the fire based levels will obviously feature fire based obstacles including flaming projectiles and molten lava that'll dramatically and quickly reduce your health.

[edit] Impact

Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64 in 1996 not only maintained the Nintendo precedent of releasing a Mario Game at launch, but it also provided the system with one of the greatest games in video game history. It was Nintendo's first foray in 3-D and a game without precedent, and the successful translation of the quintessentially 2D Mario gameplay mechanics into a 3D world was considered a huge triumph.

[edit] Levels

• Princess Peach's Castle Courtyard - A small, grassy area right outside the castle.
• Bob-omb Battlefield - A big battlefield with the only Chain-Chomp, King Bob-omb, a big mountain, and more.
• Whomp's Fortress - A huge tower with Big Whomp at the top. Once he's defeated, a tower will replace him.
• Jolly Roger Bay - A bay with a sunken pirate ship at the bottom. Unagi the Eel also lives here.
• Cool, Cool Mountain - A big, snowy mountain where the Penguin lives.
• Big Boo's Haunt - A haunted house where Big Boo and regular Boos live.
• Hazy Maze Cave - A cave with a toxic cloud floating in its maze.
• Lethal Lava Land - A lava-covered world with a volcano in the middle, infested with Bullies and two Big Bullies.
• Shifting Sand Land - A desert with 4 pillars surrounding a pyramid. Eyerok is found in the pyramid.
• Dire, Dire Docks - Docks where you find Bowser's Sub. The area is also full of marine life, and a whirlpool.
• Snowman's Land - A snowy land full of snowmen. It also has a giant snowman in the center.
• Wet-Dry World - A world with varying levels of water.
• Tall, Tall Mountain - A very tall mountain with a long winding path to the top.
• Tiny-Huge Island - An island that can be tiny or huge, which can be changed by entering a warp pipe. It is also Koopa the Quick's home.
• Tick Tock Clock - A level that's full of shifting gears, rotating cubes, and turning platforms.
• Rainbow Ride - A level in the sky, with flying carpets leading from one platform to another.
• Bowser in the Dark World - A dark world where Bowser is first fought.
• Bowser in the Fire Sea - A fiery sea of lava where you fight Bowser for a second time.
• Bowser in the Sky - A large series of platforms in the sky where you fight Bowser for the last time.
• Tower of the Wing Cap - A tower where you find the switch that activates the red boxes
• Cavern of Metal Mario - A cavern where you find the switch that activates the green boxes.
• Vanish Cap Under the Moat - An area under the moat where you find the switch that activates the blue boxes.
• The Princess's Secret Slide - A secret slide hidden in Peach's Castle.
• Secret Aquarium - A secret aquarium full of fish where you must collect 8 red coins.

[edit] Missions

Note: The castle's secret stars missions are not the official names.

Course name		Course name
Bob-omb Battlefield		Whomp's Fortress
Big Bob-omb on the Summit	Footrace with Koopa the Quick	Chip Off Whomp's Block	To the Top of the Fortress
Shoot to the Island in the Sky	Find the 8 Red Coins	Shoot into the Wild Blue	Red Coins on the Floating Isle
Mario Wings to the Sky	Behind Chain Chomp's Gate	Fall onto the Caged Island	Blast Away the Wall
100 coins		100 coins
Jolly Roger Bay		Cool, Cool Mountain
Plunder in the Sunken Ship	Can the Eel Come Out to Play?	Slip Slidin' Away	Li'l Penguin Lost
Treasure of the Ocean Cave	Red Coins on the Ship Afloat	Big Penguin Race	Frosty Slide for 8 Red Coins
Blast to the Stone Pillar!	Through the Jet Stream	Snowman's Lost His Head	Wall Kicks Will Work
100 coins		100 coins
Big Boo's Haunt		Hazy Maze Cave
Go on a Ghost Hunt	Ride Big Boo's Merry-Go-Round	Swimming Beast in the Cavern	Elevate for 8 Red Coins
The Secret of the Haunted Books	Seek the 8 Red Coins	Metal-Head Mario can Move!	Navigating the Toxic Maze
Big Boo's Balcony	Eye to Eye in the Secret Room	A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit	Watch for Falling Rocks
100 coins		100 coins
Lethal Lava Land		Shifting Sand Land
Boil the Big Bully	Bully the Bullies	In the Talons of the Big Bird	Shining Atop the Pyramid
8-Coin Puzzle with 15 Pieces	Red-Hot Log Rolling	Inside the Ancient Pyramid	Stand Tall on the Four Pillars
Hot-Foot-It into the Volcano	Elevator Tour in the Volcano	Free Flying for 8 Red Coins	Pyramid Puzzle
Dire, Dire Docks		Snowman's Land
Board Bowser's Sub	Chests in the Current	Snowman's Big Head	Chill with the Bully
Pole-Jumping for Red Coins	Through the Jet Stream	In the Deep Freeze	Whirl from the Freezing Pond
The Manta Ray's Reward	Collect the Caps...	Shell Shreddin' for Red Coins	Into the Igloo
100 coins		100 coins
Wet-Dry World		Tall, Tall Mountain
Shocking Arrow Lifts	Top o' the Town	Scale the Mountain	Mystery of the Monkey Cage
Secrets in the Shallows & Sky	Express Elevator--Hurry Up!!	Scary 'Shrooms, Red Coins	Mysterious Mountainside
Go to Town for Red Coins	Quick Race through Downtown	Breathtaking View from Bridge	Blast to the Lonely Mushroom
100 coins		100 coins
Tiny-Huge Island		Tick Tock Clock
Pluck the Piranha Flower	The Tip Top of the Huge Island	Roll into the Cage	The Pit and the Pendulums
Rematch with Koopa the Quick	Five Itty Bitty Secrets	Get a Hand	Stomp on the Thwomp
Wiggler's Red Coins	Make Wiggler Squirm	Timed Jumps on Moving Bars	Stop Time for Red Coins
100 coins		100 coins
Rainbow Ride		Castle Secret Stars
Cruiser Crossing the Rainbow	The Big House in the Sky	Princess' Secret Slide	Princess' Secret Slide Under 21 Seconds
		The Secret Aquarium Red Coins	Bowser in the Dark World Red Coins
Coins Amassed in a Maze	Swingin' in the Breeze	Tower of the Wing Cap Red Coins	MIPS in the Basement (15 stars needed)
		Cavern of the Metal Cap	Toad Near Hazy Maze Cave
Tricky Triangles	Somewhere Over the Rainbow	Vanish Cap Under the Moat	Bowser in the Fire Sea Red Coins
		Toad Near Tall, Tall Mountain	MIPS in the Basement Again (50 stars needed)
100 Coins		Toad Near Tick Tock Clock	Wing Mario Over the Rainbow Red Coins
		Bowser in the Sky Red Coins

[edit] Luigi Rumor

A rumor generated that Luigi was an unlockable character in the game. The info behind the rumor was that the star statue in the courtyard (where all the boos are) supposedly says "L IS REAL" and then a number, which is either said to be 2401 or 2041. It is commonly said that the number "2401" is related to Paper Mario as for some reason, people think that Paper Mario was released on February 4, 2001 -- it was actually released on February 5, 2001 (in America). People have most likely wondered why the specific American release date should be referenced in a Japanese developed game, and why a game that started development around 1994 would be referencing a game which was not announced until Space World '97, a year after Super Mario 64 was released. Why would Nintendo reference an American release of a game that would not even be announced until a year after Super Mario 64 was released, rather than the Japanese released of August 11, 2000 or October 5, 2000 in Europe? This rumor has since been debunked. Despite which, people today, nearly 13 years after it's original release in June 1996 actually believe Luigi is in the game. Luigi is playable in the DS enhanced remake, Super Mario 64 DS.

[edit] Remakes/Re-releases

• Super Mario 64 DS (Nintendo DS)
• Super Mario 64 on Wii Virtual Console

[edit] Screenshot Gallery

[edit] External links

• Super Mario 64 at Nintendo.com
• Super Mario 64 at Virtual Console Reviews