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Author Topic: Super Mario 64 turns 15 today!  (Read 11197 times)

« on: June 23, 2011, 11:46:37 AM »
Happy Birthday, Mario!



One of the most revolutionary and beloved games of all time turns 15 today!  September 29th marks the 15th anniversary of the US release. 

So yeah!  Let's reminisce, celebrate, whatever!  I think I'll dig out my old cartridge and goof around the castle a bit after work tonight.  Hopefully my N64 sticks aren't too blown out, and hopefully I don't get too wrapped up in the magic and lose too much sleep. 

Ha!  Quake shares it's birthday with Mario 64!  Two hugely important games on the same day!
Haters gonna hate

Turtlekid1

  • Tortuga
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2011, 11:53:45 AM »
Maybe I'll finally find my copy of SM64DS today.

LOLOLOLOLOL yeah right
"It'll say life is sacred and so is death
but death is life and so we move on"

« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2011, 01:01:51 PM »
Irony: I dug out my SM64DS copy today. I only played one of the minigames (Shell Smash, I believe) for a bit, but I still went through the process to find it. Maybe I'll play the original game later..

Happy 15th, Super Mario 64!
Kinopio is the ultimate video game character! Who else can drive a kart, host parties, play tennis, give good advice and items, and is almost always happy??

« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2011, 01:03:51 PM »
And sometime this year SMW turns 20...

« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2011, 01:08:42 PM »
Looks like World "officially" turned 20 last year, with it's Japan release of November 21, 1990, but it celebrates 20 years in the US (oh my god I feel old) August 23rd this year.  So many big game anniversaries this year!

Nintendo's making a big deal about Zelda's 25th anniversary, but Metroid has it's 25th this year, and so does the Japanese release of Kid Icarus!
« Last Edit: June 23, 2011, 01:10:28 PM by billy chilly »
Haters gonna hate

« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2011, 01:17:58 PM »
Is it strange that I prefer the original version over its DS remake?
YYur  waYur n beYur you Yur plusYur instYur an Yur Yur whaYur

« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2011, 01:23:16 PM »
Is it strange that I prefer the original version over its DS remake?
Not really.

-Everyone

« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2011, 01:50:54 PM »
Yeah, I don't think that's weird at ALL, even if it were purely for nostalgia reasons you'd be justified.  But I know I was never able to get used to the wonky controls, and I know they added a bunch of stuff to the DS version (and fixed up the graphics a bit, right?).

One thing that stood out to me about the original was that it's really just Mario, MIPS and a couple Toads in an empty castle.  I guess to some (including the Mario 64 DS development staff) that might feel desolate, but I really like that solitude.  The feeling of adventuring alone was very different for a Mario game.  It lent SM64 an air of mystery, giving it an almost Metroid-ish vibe. 

Here comes a lethal dose of audio-based nostalgia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke-8vdm9IfA
« Last Edit: June 23, 2011, 02:35:18 PM by billy chilly »
Haters gonna hate

« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2011, 03:22:20 PM »
(and fixed up the graphics a bit, right?)

The two-dimensional elements in SM64DS (such as the characters' faces) are indeed more detailed, but they're also grainier and more succeptible to distortion. Besides, Mario's somewhat oblivious expression in the original (right) is superior to his remade "angry Italian-American complete with arched eyebrows and scowl" look (left):

« Last Edit: June 23, 2011, 03:25:28 PM by Weegee »
YYur  waYur n beYur you Yur plusYur instYur an Yur Yur whaYur

« Reply #9 on: June 23, 2011, 04:03:36 PM »
Is it strange that I prefer the original version over its DS remake?

I prefer the original too, but that's not to say the DS version is bad. I like the fact that it's portable, and since my N64 is currently inaccessible (due majorly to laziness: digging through a closet, not wanting to hook it up..) this gives me two options for a way to play it (the DS, and the VC).

The two-dimensional elements in SM64DS (such as the characters' faces) are indeed more detailed, but they're also grainier and more succeptible to distortion. Besides, Mario's somewhat oblivious expression in the original (right) is superior to his remade "angry Italian-American complete with arched eyebrows and scowl" look (left):



I don't think he looks angry at all. Angry Mario came in Brawl..
Kinopio is the ultimate video game character! Who else can drive a kart, host parties, play tennis, give good advice and items, and is almost always happy??

« Reply #10 on: June 23, 2011, 04:45:01 PM »
Yeah, the DS version looks really nice.  The higher poly count just gives a rounder, more Mario-looking Mario.  The original of course is still my favorite, but I can't deny the DS puts out a great-looking game.

Ha, derp! I just realized that if Mario 64 is turning 15, so is the N64 itself!  Happy birthday, Nintendo 64! Man, what a system. 
Haters gonna hate

CrossEyed7

  • i can make this whatever i want; you're not my dad
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2011, 05:34:36 PM »
I've said this several times on this board, but I absolutely hate the multiple characters in the DS version. It completely ruins the sense of spontaneity and freedom the original game had (which was THE ENTIRE POINT of the original game). When I'm playing Mario 64, I shouldn't have to stop and think and plan out which character I'm going to use before I enter a level, and then trek back to a room to go through a door to switch characters. I should be able to just jump around and have fun.

If you didn't plan ahead of time exactly what you were going to do in a level, you pretty much had to go in as Yoshi, since the star might require Yoshi's abilities and there are no Yoshi hats, but if you're Yoshi, you can't wall jump out in the castle. Actually, I think only Mario could wall jump, which was stupid.

And it didn't add anything to the game at all. The different characters all put together had the same abilities as Mario in the original, just less conveniently.

Multiple characters should be like in SMB2 -- they have their pros and cons, and some are better on some levels than others, but you can beat any level with any one of them.

Anyway, happy birthday, original SM64!
"Oh man, I wish being a part of a Mario fan community was the most embarrassing thing about my life." - Super-Jesse

ShadowBrain

  • Ridiculously relevant
« Reply #12 on: June 23, 2011, 05:50:46 PM »
I think the only thing that bothered me was that, since Yoshi could do the hat thing, what was my real motivation to use any other character for real after a while? That, and divesting the abilities amongst them--Throwback to SMW or not, it was absolutely blasphemous to take the ubiquitious Metal Mario ability and give it Wario in lieu of a fat-floaty Mario.

But yeah, though I played plenty of SNES games before SM64, I have more distinct memories of it than almost any older game--at least when I got it. My brother and I being uber-excited at receiving an N64 for Christmas, then me getting stuck on King Bob-Omb that evening because I didn't know you were supposed to drop him on the ground instead of toss him off the stage (which, by all accounts, still doesn't make that much sense)... good times.
"Mario is your oyster." ~The Chef

BP

  • Beside Pacific
« Reply #13 on: June 23, 2011, 06:37:29 PM »
since Yoshi could do the hat thing, what was my real motivation to use any other character for real after a while?

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I loved SM64DS but they should have done a quick-character change thing like Super Paper Mario would use instead of the hats. There were already animations for everyone but Yoshi hopping out of warp pipes, so

Use your heaaaad Nintendo
All your dreeeeeeams begiiin to shatterrrrrr~
It's YOUR problem!

Koopaslaya

  • Kansas
« Reply #14 on: June 23, 2011, 07:01:47 PM »
This is hard to believe. Playing this game again brings back some great memories!

I've found its interesting to coem back to activities that you once loved; often doing this triggers other related memories, and it can be quite enjoyable to reflect on them. For me, going back to old games and music helps me to experience something of a time capsule of myself.
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