Super mario 64

Super mario 64
Logo of Super Mario 64
Original title	ス ー パ ー マ リ オ 64
transcription	Sūpā Mario Rokujūyon
Studio	Nintendo EAD SRD (programming)
Publisher	Nintendo
Senior Developer	Shigeru Miyamoto (producer, director), Yoshiaki Koizumi , Takashi Tezuka (co-directors)
Erstveröffent- lichung	Nintendo 64 June 23, 1996 September 29, 1996 March 1, 1997 iQue Player November 2003
platform	Nintendo 64 , iQue Player , Virtual Console ( Wii & Wii U )
genre	3D platformer
Game mode	Single player
control	Nintendo 64 controller
medium	Module (64- Mbit - Cartridge )
language	Voice output : English Text : German , English, French , Japanese
Age rating	USK PEGI

Super Mario 64 ( Japanese : ス ー パ ー マ リ オ 64, Hepburn : Sūpā Mario Rokujūyon ) is a popular and extremely successful video game from Nintendo . It was developed under the direction of Shigeru Miyamoto and was first published in 1996 as one of the two launch titles (alongside Pilotwings 64 ) for the Nintendo 64 (N64) in Japan.

The game is now considered a milestone, as it was not only convincing in terms of design and playability, but above all established the genre of three-dimensional jump 'n' run and strongly influenced and lastingly shaped the development of later video games.

Super Mario 64 was first presented to the public as a playable version for the new console that was still planned as Ultra 64 at the Nintendo Space World in 1995 in Japan. Shigeru Miyamoto was largely responsible for the development, acting both as director and producer. In essence, the development of the game dragged on over two years, although Miyamoto had already been working out concepts for a three-dimensional Super Mario game since StarWing ( Starfox , 1993), which uses the Super FX chip . In addition, a wider audience heard Mario's voice for the first time, with Charles Martinet lending him his voice. Nintendo's house composer Kōji Kondō was again responsible for the music of the game . Super Mario 64 is the most successful Nintendo 64 game with around 11.9 million units sold.

action

Mario was invited to a cake by Princess Peach . But when he gets to her castle, he finds out that she was kidnapped by his old nemesis Bowser. In order to save them from Bowser's clutches, Mario now has to travel to different worlds, most of which he reaches through paintings in the castle. There he has to collect stars and keys that open more and more areas and bring him closer to his goal, the final battle with Bowser. After a successful rescue, Mario gets a kiss on the nose from Peach and the promised cake.

Playability

Super Mario 64 received special praise for its revolutionary playability. The game offers a completely open game world (with the castle as the center and starting point) with extensive freedom of action. The game is tailored to the controller of the then new console, the N64. Mario has a variety of jumps, running and gaits, as well as other movement sequences and actions. The camera (i.e. observation perspective) can also be freely rotated and zoomed.

The game offers different themed levels, e.g. B. a cloud world, an underwater level, a lava or snow world, of increasing size and difficulty. These are populated by numerous enemies and some friends, in which various tasks have to be fulfilled. Successful completion of the tasks brings the longed-for stars, which in turn are necessary for the further course and to end the game. The game offers a total of 120 stars, but only 70 are necessary to complete the game successfully (when you collect all the stars you activate the cannon on the castle grounds. With it you can let the character shoot at the castle roof, where Mario meets Yoshi which gives him up to 100 lives. The aviator's cap on the roof allows you to explore the castle grounds on the fly). Each of the 15 levels, which are mostly reached by jumping into paintings, has seven stars. Another 15 tasks and hidden stars can be found in the castle itself.

The game offers the typical, simple Nintendo humor and many references to classic game elements of the 2D series. Although it is a skill based jumping game, Super Mario 64 offers numerous other gaming experiences, such as puzzles, racing game-like inserts, search tasks, etc. that revolutionized the genre.

Remake for the Nintendo DS

→ Main article : Super Mario 64 DS

In 2004, the new version Super Mario 64 DS followed , as the launch title for the Nintendo DS . For the most part, this game offers the same content as the original, but with controls adapted for this portable console, cleaner graphics and a few minor additions such as mini-games. The most noticeable innovation, however, are the new characters. In addition to Mario, you can now play the game with his brother Luigi, his evil cousin Wario and the green Dino Yoshi. Each of the characters has their strengths and weaknesses. Luigi offers the greatest jumping power, Wario the physical strength and Yoshi eats the opponent with his long tongue. Mario remains a good all-rounder. There are also thirty more stars to collect than in the original. However, you don't need every star in the game to win either.

Other versions

In addition to the Nintendo 64 original, which was released in Japan and North America in 1996 and in Europe in 1997, there are also several versions and remakes of Super Mario 64 . Shindou Super Mario 64 was released in 1997, exclusively in Japan . This version of the game now uses the Rumble Pak. The game was also re-released in 1998 as part of the Player's Choice series in the United States and Europe only . In 2003 the game was released for the iQue player console in China.

At the end of 2006 the game was also released as a download for the Virtual Console , with the graphics appearing in a higher resolution and thus appearing cleaner. In addition, in contrast to the European N64 original, it now offers a 50 Hz adjustment.

A direct successor to Super Mario 64 was planned for the 64DD , but due to the lack of success of this N64 expansion, it never came about, which is why Super Mario Sunshine will continue the series for the GameCube .

Soundtrack

The official soundtrack of Super Mario 64 was released in Japan and America in 1996 and in Europe in 1997 under the name It's a me, Mario! released. It was composed by Nintendo composer Kōji Kondō . The soundtrack contains 36 tracks from the game, including a. the famous "It's a me, Mario!" by Charles Martinet . The running time is 51:14 minutes. In the SNES game Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Wrinkly Kong often plays a Super Mario game in her storage cave on a Nintendo 64. A slightly modified version of the track “Staircase Terzett” from the Super Mario 64 soundtrack can be heard.

Ratings

magazine	Rating
Video games	94%
Total!	Note 1
Maniac	96%
Edge	10 of 10
64 power	95%
Famitsu	39 of 40
N zone	91%
64 gamers	96%
Mega fun	95%
next level	95%
GameSpot	9.4 out of 10
Bravo Screenfun	Note 1
TheVideoGameCritic	B-

In addition, Super Mario 64 was ranked second in Edge magazine's 2009 list of the Hundred Most Fun Today Games .

literature

• Sabine Scholz, Benjamin Spinrath: Super Mario Encyclopedia - The First 30 Years 1985-2015. Tokyopop, Hamburg 2017, ISBN 978-3-8420-3653-6 , pp. 82-95.

Web links

• Super Mario 64 at Nintendo.de
• Super Mario 64 in MarioWiki
• Super Mario 64 in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Super Mario 64 at MobyGames (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Super Mario 64 credits. In: MobyGames . Retrieved September 29, 2014 . 
2. ^ List-All: Best Selling N64 Games. In: Listal. September 30, 2009, accessed March 17, 2013 . 
3. ^ William D'Angelo: Top 10 in Sales - Nintendo 64. In: VGChartz. November 6, 2012, accessed March 17, 2013 . 
4. ↑ ^{a b} Various authors: Super Mario 64 original soundtrack. In: MarioWiki. Retrieved June 12, 2013 . 
5. ↑ Check: Super Mario 64 . In: Bravo Screenfun . No. 4/97 . Bauer Publishing Group , April 1997, p. 24-25 ( archive.org [accessed August 12, 2019]).
6. ^ The 100 Best Games To Play Today. In: Next-Gen. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012 ; Retrieved May 14, 2012 .