It feels like yesterday since I bought a second-hand Nintendo 64 with a gray cartridge ofSuper Mario 64, both without the boxes they usually came in from the store. This, however, happened more than two decades ago, which makes me feel old, but also amazed at the fact thatSuper Mario 64still holds up as one of the best 3D platformer games ever made.
Both the Nintendo 64 andSuper Mario 64are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. While 25 years might not seem like a long time in history, the video game industry has changed so much and so fast that many people might not grasp how revolutionarySuper Mario 64really was. However, it’s unquestionable that this game set a high standard while, at the same time, creating a whole new subgenre, influencing many others.
There’s a reasonSuper Mariois one of themost beloved, profitable, and durable videogame franchises of all times. That’s because each newSuper Mariogame strives for quality while ushering in new technological eras, inviting both long-time players and newcomers to discover something new. In the case ofSuper Mario 64, this was the game that introduced the world to the 3D universe, a still under-used and unconventional technology at the time.
Besides the novelty, what exactly makesSuper Mario 64so great? How could it so profoundly affect the lives of millions of gamers? Why did it stand the test of time? Let’s jump (!) right into the discussion and try to figure out what makesSuper Mario 64a standard in the industry.
The 3D Jump of ‘Super Mario 64’
Jumping seems like a trivial mechanic in games. Still, itwas only introduced inDonkey Kong, an arcade video game published by Nintendo in 1981, which featured a mustached character known as “Jumpman.” The character would get an official name with the release ofMario Bros.in 1983, also for arcades. In 1985, Mario would cement itself as a pop culture icon with theSuper Mario Bros.release for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). WithSuper Mario Bros., the jumping mechanic and the platformer genre would also be consolidated as a central part of the videogame industry.
Super Mario Bros.gave players the possibility to run in order to increase the jump length, also adding a simulated friction that gave the combo of running and jumping a unique feel. By tapping or holding the jump button, the player could also control the height of the jump, allowing more precision and diversity around a single mechanic. This flexible and controllable jump would become the bread and butter of every 2DSuper Mariogame forever. Nevertheless, the change for 3D demanded a whole new approach.
The design of Mario’s jump inSuper Mario Bros.used the technological limitation as a source of creativity by adding multiple possibilities to a single action. This philosophy would once again orient the design of the first 3D platformer in history. With levels fully built-in 3D, there’s a lot more for a player to explore. That means that Mario’s basic jump needed to be expanded inSuper Mario 64to allow players to reach every corner more efficiently. The height control by holding or tapping the jump button would be back, but by timing multiple jumps in sequence,Super Mario 64allowed the player to double jump. If the player decided to move Mario with the control stick at the same time they jumped, a triple jump also became possible. By changing direction quickly just before a jump, Mario could use friction to lateral jump. If the same principle of changing directions and jumping was applied when Mario hit a wall, the player could wall jump. Finally, by timing a crouch before a jump, the player could leap forward, reaching long distances, while crouching when Mario’s already in the air results in a ground stomp.
Not every jump mechanic ofSuper Mario 64was created by the game; the double jump and the wall jump, for instance, had already been used before in 2D games. The most significant difference comes both from the polishing of these mechanics and the fluidity of the controls. All of the different jumps are available right from the start of the game, allowing players to discover Mario’s abilities by just trying out all the buttons. Every jump is also highly responsive, with no animation or movement delay. At last, even if the list of possible jumps is extensive, you can perform every single jump with only two buttons and directional control. Players who’ve never touched a video game before can quickly get used to the control scheme in minutes, while the game doesn’t lack for challenges that demand mastery of Mario’s different jumps.
The gameplay ofSuper Mario 64is so refined that every other 3DSuper Mariogame would reuse the same control scheme.Super Mario Sunshineadds the Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device (F.L.U.D.D.) to diversify the gameplay but keeps all the basics fromSuper Mario 64.Super Mario Galaxydoesn’t introduce a new tool but instead plays around with gravity and perspective while keeping the jumps created for the Nintendo 64. Even the recentSuper Mario Odysseyjust builds upon whatSuper Mario 64created, adding Cappy to the mix. The same gameplay mechanics are being reused 25 years later, proof enough of how wellSuper Mario 64aged. Even so, the refined gameplay is not the only reason for its success.
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Not-So-Open World, But Open Enough
Super Mario 64is not only the first 3D platformer but also one of the grandfathers of open-world games. While the 3D technology had been used since the 1980s, no game beforeSuper Mario 64was able to implement free movement in all three axes (up/down, left/right, depth) while also featuring a fully immersive world built in 3D. Just by adding a new dimension to movement and perspective, the playing field expands in a new and exciting way.Super Mario 64did the best it could with this new world to explore by making each level a vast sandbox where players can roam freely, interacting with everything they see.
Super Mario 64proved levels could have clear goals while still opting for a non-linear structure that invited players to explore, with secrets hidden behind every rock. More than an empty space to fill with objects, each level ofSuper Mario 64was also built in a way that guides players, teaching the whole world about how the 3D perspective can work inside a game. Take the first level as an example, “Bob-omb Battlefield.” As soon as the player enters the level, they see a massive mountain on the horizon. Climbing this mountain leads you to the first boss battle and to the first Star in the game. The level is more than an excuse to build in challenges, but the scenario structure was designed to familiarize players with the new technology. Each level inSuper Mario 64is a mini-open-world that you can explore at your own pace using the refined control scheme to jump in every direction and uncover every secret.
More directly,Super Mario 64was also responsible for giving birth to the Collect-a-Thon (short for “Collection Marathon”) subgenre, a special kind of platformer with dozens of collectibles spread across levels. InSuper Mario 64, we can discover Life Mushrooms, Coins, special teleporters, and the iconic Stars. While only Stars are required to progress,Super Mario 64proved you can reward exploration in a 3D world. By expanding on this concept, Rare would perfect the Collect-a-Thon with 1998’sBanjo-Kazooie. This was one of the first of many 3D platformer classics focused on exploring every nook and cranny to grab all possible collectibles, with even some modern gems such asA Hat in Timeinspired by the formula.
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Every Level Is Unique
Contrary to what was standard in the industry at the time,Super Mario Bros.wasn’t focused on getting a high score and bragging about it to your friends. The game had a story, with a linear progression and different levels to beat to get to the ending. Instead of looping back to the start with increased difficulty,Super Mario Bros.expanded the number of levels a game could have, offering unique content without worrying too much about its replay value. However, many technical limitations obliged developers to reuse resources; even ifSuper Mario Bros.has an impressive 32 levels, few are memorable.Super Mario Worldwould be even more ambitious, with 73 unique levels. However, once again, the game couldn’t make every level memorable, and it was easy to mix up different levels as if they were part of the same setting.
Super Mario 64took a step back, with only 18 unique main levels in the game, and another 6 mini-levels hidden in Peach’s Castle (which we could think of as a level of its own). It would be forgivable if the 3D levels reused many resources, given thatSuper Mario 64was the first Nintendo 64 game. Without any previous example of what can be done in the platform,Super Mario 64developers could have taken the safest path and kept up with the tradition of reusing assets. Instead, each level ofSuper Mario 64was built to be not only unique but also special. It’s not often that textures are reused between different worlds, and the different colors, enemies, and objects help players remember each level as a different place.
The higher focus on exploration also allowed level designers to go crazy and completely change the rules for some levels. “Tiny-Huge Island” reuses the same scenario three times by changing Mario’s size, allowing players to explore the same island both from the perspective of a giant and from the perspective of an insect. “Wet-Dry World” gives players control of the water level, completely changing the paths they can take. “Tick Tock Clock” speeds up or slows down the movement of platforms and traps, depending on when the player decides to enter the colossal clock that serves as a level door. Twenty-five years later, it’s not every game that worries about keeping its experience fresh during all the playtime, butSuper Mario 64did this with a technology that was still crawling at the time.
Each level ofSuper Mario 64is so well-designed we could write articles for each of them. We could say the same about the game’s unforgettable soundtrack, the precise controls, the brilliant hub that doubles down as an explorable scenario, and the free camera introduction that’s explained as part of the story (as if a Lakitu Cameraman was following our mustached hero). It’s no wonder that, 25 years later,Super Mario 64is still one of the best 3D platformers ever made. Every 3D platformer that came after tried to copy or at least take inspiration from its unprecedented approach to the genre. This makesSuper Mario 64a rare example of excellence that proves how good games can change our lives forever, even if we are unaware of just how much.
