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''Super Mario 64'' is a Video Game for the Nintendo 64 . It debuted in Japan on June 23 , 1996 , in the U.S. on September 29 , 1996 and in Europe on March 1 , 1997 . Along with '' Pilotwings 64 '', it was made available as a Launch Game for the console. As the Nintendo 64's Flagship Killer Game , it drove initial sales of the console, and has sold over 11 million copies in total.1 ''Super Mario 64'' was the first 3D game in the Mario series, and though it was not the first-ever 3D Platformer , it revolutionized and defined the genre, much as '' Super Mario Bros. '' defined the 2D sidescrolling platformer. Indeed, ''Super Mario 64'' was considered so revolutionary that many consider it the benchmark for all later games in the genre. In going from two to three dimensions, ''Super Mario 64'' replaced the linear obstacle courses of traditional Platform Game s with vast worlds set up with multiple and diverse missions, with an emphasis on exploration. While doing so, it managed nonetheless to preserve the feel of earlier Mario games, including many of their gameplay elements and characters. It is widely acclaimed by critics and players alike as one of the Greatest Video Games Of All Time . GAMEPLAY .]] Mission As in the earlier Mario titles for the NES and SNES , Mario has to save Princess Peach from Bowser . To do this, Mario must find power stars scattered throughout Peach's Castle , of which there are 120. Collecting 70 stars allows Mario to fight Bowser for the final time, and finish the game, but a secret reward awaits players that collect all 120. The castle itself serves as a central hub; most stars are found in numerous courses, which are often accessed by jumping into paintings found in the castle. If a player collects all 120 stars, the player would be able to access Yoshi on the roof of the castle, who would grant the player 100 lives and an improved triple jump, so as to make it easier for the player to explore the various levels. A new end-message, viewable when the player defeats Bowser, would also become available. Basic controls Mario can perform a large variety of actions. He can walk, run, crouch, crawl, swim, climb and jump at great heights or distances using the Game Controller 's Analog Stick and buttons. As jumping was Mario's signature move in earlier games, particular attention was paid to this category of moves. In addition to regular jumping, there are multiple special jumps that can be executed by combining a regular jump with other actions, including the extra high double and triple jumps (jumping two and three times in a row, respectively), the long jump, and Somersault . There are also special maneuvers, such as Wall Jump ing, jumping from one wall to another in rapid succession to reach otherwise too high areas. Additionally, Mario has a number of physical attacks other than jumping. Mario's standard attack is the Punch , and attacking in the air becomes a kick jump. Attacking while running will cause Mario to lunge forward. Crouching while in the air will execute a power stomp (also called the ground pound). Crouching while running and then immediately attacking will execute a slide kick, while crouching and moving the analog stick will make Mario crawl in the desired direction (usually to get through tight gaps). Mario is able to pick up certain items and carry them around, an ability which is used to solve various puzzles. Mario can also swim underwater at various speeds. Mario's life slowly diminishes while underwater (representing how long he can hold his breath), and he must either find coins or air bubbles to replenish it, or return to the surface so as not to drown. Tasks, aids, and obstacles ]] Each course is an enclosed world of its own. The player is free to wander around and discover the environment, and may go in all directions within the boundaries of the world. The worlds are filled with enemies that attack Mario as well as friendly creatures that provide assistance or information, or ask him for a favor. In order to gather the stars, Mario must find and pass various challenges in each stage. The challenges themselves vary; generally, Mario needs to defeat a Boss , overcome obstacles, race an opponent by running or sliding faster than it, or accomplish tasks such as finding a baby penguin for its mother or opening treasure chests in the right order. Some elements appear in multiple levels: ; Caps : Numerous stars throughout the courses can only be obtained by using one of three special caps. The first is the Wing Cap, which enables Mario to fly. The Metal Cap makes him immune to ordinary damage (including drowning and fire, but not falls) and allows him to withstand wind gusts and walk normally underwater. Finally, the Vanish Cap renders Mario partially immaterial, allowing him to walk through some obstacles such as wire mesh. The caps are obtained from cap blocks found around the courses, which must be activated from special cap courses before they can be used. ; Slides and races :On several occasions, Mario must race an opponent or against the clock. This includes sprinting by foot against a Koopa Troopa named Koopa the Quick, and riding down long slides loaded with curves, jumps, and endless pits on all sides. ; Bosses : Many courses contain a star guarded by a Boss . ; Cannons : In some of the courses, Mario can unlock Cannon s by speaking to the pink Bob-omb Buddies that operate them. After Mario crawls down into a cannon, the player can aim anywhere in the sky and shoot Mario off to reach far-away places. Combined with the Wing Cap, cannons can be used to reach extremely high altitudes or fly across most of a level quickly. ; Coins : In each course, one star is obtained by gathering at least 100 Coin s. Another is obtained by collecting eight special red coins. Courses The castle consists of three floors and a basement, a moat, and a back garden, which all contain entrances to main or special courses. As Mario gains access to new floors the courses increase in difficulty. To go farther than the first floor, Mario must obtain keys by defeating Bowser in special courses called Bowser in the Dark World and Bowser in the Fire Sea. The third encounter with Bowser, Bowser in the Sky, ends the game. Some paintings have unique quirks, such as sections of the painting that have different effects on the level when jumped into. The secret courses are largely found by jumping into out-of-the-way paintings, looking at different areas of the castle, or falling into holes. The 15 main courses are the following: ; First floor
'' ; Basement and back garden
; Second floor
; Third floor
DEVELOPMENT The development of ''Super Mario 64'' took less than two years, but the game had actually been in the planning for about five years. Producer Shigeru Miyamoto developed most of the concepts during the era of the SNES , in fact considering making it an SNES game (see '' Super Mario FX ''), but was driven to develop it for the Nintendo 64 due to the earlier system's technical limitations. Development started by creating the characters and the camera. The first test scenario used to try out controls and physics involved Mario and the Rabbit Mips, named for the MIPS processor in the Nintendo 64. (This scene remains as a Minigame in the final game.) Reliable information about Nintendo's new 3D Mario first leaked out in November 1995, and a playable version of ''Super Mario 64'' was presented days thereafter as part of the world premier for the Nintendo 64 (then known as Ultra 64) at Nintendo SpaceWorld . The basic controls had at this point been implemented, and the game was reportedly 50% finished, although most course design remained. At least 32 courses were planned, but the number turned out lower in the final game, as only 15 could fit.(January 1996). "The Game Guys - (Spaceworld 1995)". ''Nintendo Power'', vol 80. transcript Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that the guiding design philosophy behind ''Super Mario 64'' was to include more details. Many were inspired from real life; for example, one character is based on director '', but as ''Zelda'' got a later release, some puzzles were taken from that game. The music was composed by Koji Kondo , who used new interpretations of the familiar melodies from earlier games as well as entirely new material. Sound-wise, ''Super Mario 64'' was also one of the first in the series to feature the voice acting of Charles Martinet , and though it was not ''the'' first ( Mario Teaches Typing predated it in 1995), it was the first to gain widespread exposure and appeal. A main difference between the Japanese and English versions, except the language, is that the characters speak more in the English version. (October 1996). "Miyamoto Interview". ''Nintendo Power'', vol 89. transcript Sometimes different things are said, like Mario's "Bye bye" became "So long, 'King' Bowser!" (although there is some disagreement among fans to what he actually says at this point - Many fans think that instead of 'King Bowser' he says 'dear Bowser'). There are other differences, some of which remained in the English release of Super Mario 64 DS . "Super Mario 64: From Japanese to English". ''The Mushroom Kingdom''. [http://www.themushroomkingdom.net/sm64_j-e.shtml] IMPACT ''Super Mario 64'' is often counted as the first among games such as '''', '' Metroid Prime '', '' Sonic Adventure '', and '' Final Fantasy VII '' to have brought a series of 2D games into full 3D while maintaining their signature feel. The game was designed with the earlier Mario titles' maneuvers, Power-up blocks, level themes (such as grassland, lava, desert, and so on), enemies, and other characters in mind. ''Super Mario 64'' Reviews ''Super Mario 64'' was praised in the gaming press when released, and is still highly acclaimed. It has collected numerous awards, including various "Game of the Year" honors by members of the gaming media, as well as Nintendo's own bestseller Player's Choice selection. It has placed high on many "greatest games of all time" lists, ranked #1 by '' Next Generation Magazine '', #1 by '' Nintendo Power '', #1 by '' Super PLAY '', #5 by IGN ,2 and #5 by '' Electronic Gaming Monthly ''. |
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