Review: Super Mario 64 (N64*)

Graphics- 9.5/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay- 10/10
Replay Value- 9.5/10
Overall- 10/10

This game was one of only two launch titles for the N64, and it's a good thing it was because this game helped start the system off because of the buzz it created. All that buzz you hear is true, it is what made future platformers great.

This is the next installment in the Mario series and is the first to make the leap to true 3D. Instead of the side-scrolling Mario games we were used to, this game incorporates many new moves such as wall kicks, long jumps and backwards somersaults. The other thing that was added was cap power-ups. The Wing Cap allows Mario to fly, the Metal Cap makes him immune to most damage and allows him to withstand wind and walk underwater, and the Vanish Cap renders him partially invisible and allows him to walk through some obstacles such as wire mesh. The great thing about this game is the wide selection of levels. There are fifteen main stages in total (25 if the games 10 extra mini-levels are included), and each stage is unique. As for the gameplay, it's rather straight forward. You are in Peach's Castle to defeat Bowser and rescue Peach, but the problem is that the doors that lead to beat Bowser require a certain number of stars to open. In order to get enough stars to open the doors you have to jump through picture frames in the castle that lead to all of the worlds where you can get the stars for various tasks that you complete.

The big problem in this game lies in the camera; it's terrible. It starts off being automatically handled by Lakitu, but you can move it on your own using the C buttons. Even that won't save the camera, though. It still manages to get stuck behind walls and other such objects, which over time can end up really frustrating you. There also is some clipping (getting close to a wall = you can see through it) problems but that didn't bother me a great deal. To this day this game is still a great play, because of it's high replay value. Since you are only required to have seventy stars to beat Bowser, most people beat him then. This means that there are still fifty stars left to get in the game, because once you get all 120 you get to blast to the roof of the Castle and see Yoshi himself. This is the game that you wanted to have when the N64 came out because of it's revolutionary effect on gaming and it will go down in video game history as one of the greatest games ever made.

Pros: Gameplay, high replay value, new moves.
Cons: Camera, minor clipping.

Review: Dan

*Also available for download on VC - Review based on original