super mario 64 question

[sonicteam]

a simple question that has been argued between myself ,lucidDefender,scrimble, and drunk billionare . i seem to be the only one that EVER hated super mario 64, if anybody else disliked it please back me up on this

[LucidDefender]

Well, according to you, Bubsy 3d is better than Mario 64, LOL. Mario 64 was amazing for it's time, and is still a very fun game today. Great graphics, platforming, cool levels, music, sounds. A very well polished game all in all.

[sonicteam]

i never said bubsy 3d was better i just said i liked it

[Cambot]

But you said you hated Mario 64. To you, wouldn't that make a game you "like" better?

[extrarice]

The game itself is fun, but the camera system sucks :angry:

[wallydawg]

How do you feel about the game as a whole? Is it the gameplay you don't like? Maybe it just doesn't curb your appetite for a Mario Platformer and you'd like it more under a different franchise.

[sonicteam]

the gameplay just wasn't appealing to me ,i'll give credit where credit is due, yes graphics and sound were excellent, but the whole feel of the game just didn't appeal to me , the controls were awful (at least in my opinion) , and just something about mario roaming around in a 3d world just never sat right for me

[exit]

I remember wanting to destroy the game every now and then, but I overall enjoyed the hell out of it. It really brings back memories having marathon runs with Mario 64 and FF7 with a friend that lived down the street.

Those were the days.

[cyberfluxor]

I thought it was a great game to break Mario's 3D virginity into. It beat the hell out of Sonic's transition in 3D Blast, but was made up in Adventure. It's a shame though that Sunshine ended up as it did; would have been nice if they did something more interesting and ground breaking with the franchise. I can't wait though to check out what the Wii is planning on doing. And yes, 2D Mario is awesome, I plan on getting the new one on the DS soon.

But back to Mario 64, it was a game I spent many of hours playing just as others did and it was just overall great. There's always going to be a few people that just flat out hate it and you just happen to be one of them. It's nothing bad but I guess just accept that and maybe one day you'll calm down and enjoy it more, who knows.

So, any others that feel this game was a mistake? Maybe they should have made it a kick ass 64-bit 2D adventure instead?

[Nez]

The game itself is fun, but the camera system sucks :angry:

Its one hell of a lot better then the one in Sunshine.

[Drunk Billionaire]

He's a Sega Fanboy btw. lol

[smokehouse]

Take in mind that I am a HUGE Nintendo fan, with that said I’ll begin.

Ahhh, I was going to start a thread on this one myself. I despise Mario 64. There are some serious inherent problems with the game that have bothered me since the first time I played back in 1996.

-Sparse atmosphere This game is the meaning of the word sparse. You spend quite a bit of time just having Mario on the screen and little else other than the occasional tree, wall or odd background image. Often the game looks like some lame tech demo. Try it, capture a screen shot and see how sparse the game really is.

-Game Mechanics The camera is nothing short of annoying. I got sick of constantly trying to arrange the camera so it doesn’t screw me on my next jump. The camera is also less than intuitive often placing your view into a wall or in the opposite direction of where you need to go.

-Game challenge In Mario 64 you spend 75-80% of your time fighting…the level. There are few enemies so most of the time the challenge is simply to no fall off. Don’t fall off of the rotating cube, don’t fall off of the flipping platform, don’t fall off of the mountain, don’t fall of the sled track….you get the point. This gets old quick.

-Repeating the same worlds I don’t mind the Super Mario World approach of going into a level 2 times but having to go into a single world 4, 5, 6 times to get a star is redundant. I know, there are different things you do each time but the level is the same. It’s annoying.

-Repeating bosses What is this…Mario for the NES? Why is it you fight the same boss over and over again throughout the game? Fighting Bowser over and over and over again is something that was ok in 1988 but for the “Next gen console of 1996” it was inexcusable.

“Oh, but this time there’s bombs on the perimeter and he’s a bit tougher…”

So what.

-Lame music Lame……nuff said on that one. Light elevator music was ok in 1988 but to be competing with the PS1 and the Saturn, Nintendo needed more and didn’t deliver.

I was grossly disappointed with the game and when I try to play it again the huge flaw annoy me in seconds. Funny enough I can still play all of the other 2D Mario titles to this day.

[c0ldb33r]

Mario 64's graphics floored me.

Other than that I was never really into it. I've got it for n64 and DS, and I'm just bored with it. Every time I play I do the first few worlds and just get bored with it :(

I understand why other people like it, from a technical standpoint it should be a game I'd love, but ... meh ...

[dreamcaster]

I still love it.

The first, and to this day, the only 3D platformer I've loved.

The Banjo-Kazooie started a trend which took the genre in the wrong direction in my opinion.

[CosmicMonkey]

I still love it.

The first, and to this day, the only 3D platformer I've loved.

The Banjo-Kazooie started a trend which took the genre in the wrong direction in my opinion.

Quoted for truth. Mario 64 was, and still is, a cracking game.

[Jumpman Jr.]

The first time I saw the opening cut scene where Mario "jumps into 3-D" is one of my most memorable moments in gaming. After reading some of your points (smokehouse brings up some very interesting points making me see a perspective I've never seen before), I guess I can understand why somebody wouldn't like it... but I love it.
The game has got to be one of my all time favorite games. I think the majority of the reason why that is, is because I virtually played the game to death when I was 12 years old, and it was just part of my childhood.
Now I'm all grown up, and I still play the same game. 8-)

[c0ldb33r]

I think the majority of the reason why that is, is because I virtually played the game to death when I was 12 years old, and it was just part of my childhood.
Now I'm all grown up, and I still play the same game. 8-)
I wonder if there's a correlation between what's the first Mario game you played and your opinions on mario 64.

For me, it was Super Mario Bros for the NES. Played the hell out of that thing, and I don't love Mario 64.

[sonicteam]

He's a Sega Fanboy btw. lol

i may be a sega fan boy , but i never turn down a great nintendo title, specially considering that super mario rpg and mariokart 64 are amongst my favorite titles , the n64 had very few titles that appealed to me , maybe that's why i had a playstation while all my friends had an n64

[Jumpman Jr.]

I think the majority of the reason why that is, is because I virtually played the game to death when I was 12 years old, and it was just part of my childhood.
Now I'm all grown up, and I still play the same game. 8-)
I wonder if there's a correlation between what's the first Mario game you played and your opinions on mario 64.

For me, it was Super Mario Bros for the NES. Played the hell out of that thing, and I don't love Mario 64.

There most likely is, but Super Mario 64 definitely wasn't the first Mario game that I played.
I was a NES baby :D

[Reid]

Ha- Super Mario 64 kicks ass, it is one of the best games ever made

[dreamcaster]

-Sparse atmosphere This game is the meaning of the word sparse. You spend quite a bit of time just having Mario on the screen and little else other than the occasional tree, wall or odd background image. Often the game looks like some lame tech demo. Try it, capture a screen shot and see how sparse the game really is.
The game has a distinct graphical style, which is essentiall Super Mario Bros. in 3D. I mean, what did you expect from a Mario game? The game looks sharp and crisp, without too much graphical fuss and nonsense. Did you want 3D games to look more like Tomb Raider? What a ugly, grainy mess that was.


-Game Mechanics The camera is nothing short of annoying. I got sick of constantly trying to arrange the camera so it doesn’t screw me on my next jump. The camera is also less than intuitive often placing your view into a wall or in the opposite direction of where you need to go.
I've never had an issue with the camera, I've found it often helpful and have completed the game several times without the camera ever hassling me.

Maybe I'm just you know...good at the game? Oh well.


-Game challenge In Mario 64 you spend 75-80% of your time fighting…the level. There are few enemies so most of the time the challenge is simply to no fall off. Don’t fall off of the rotating cube, don’t fall off of the flipping platform, don’t fall off of the mountain, don’t fall of the sled track….you get the point. This gets old quick.
So you were bad at the game? We get the point. :P


-Repeating the same worlds I don’t mind the Super Mario World approach of going into a level 2 times but having to go into a single world 4, 5, 6 times to get a star is redundant. I know, there are different things you do each time but the level is the same. It’s annoying.
If you're going for 120, yeah there's a LOT of repetition. But going for the 70 you need for the final Bowser (or 16 if you want to cheat ;) ), then it isn't that repetitive at all.


-Repeating bosses What is this…Mario for the NES? Why is it you fight the same boss over and over again throughout the game? Fighting Bowser over and over and over again is something that was ok in 1988 but for the “Next gen console of 1996” it was inexcusable.
It's MARIO! Sheesh. You have such high expectations of a Mario game to something more than just 'Super Mario jumping on things!'


“Oh, but this time there’s bombs on the perimeter and he’s a bit tougher…”

So what.
Well, given that the last four out of five Mario platformers involved fighting Bowser (once again, MARIO game), I'm suprised you're not complaining about them too.

You seem to have put the 2D Mario games on such a high pedestal.

[norkusa]

I only played the DS version, but I hated that. Does that count?

[Radiac]

Mario 64 was and still is the best mario game ever. It was the first game to get the whole 3-D thing right. The fact that you replayed each level six times was to encourage the player to fully explore the level instead of just running through it once and moving on.

While I admit that the camera was a little wonky at times it was still completely adjustable by the user so there was rarely a time that it couldn't be "made" to work.

While the 2-D predecessors were wonderful they just pale in comparison to the magic that was Super Mario 64

[Kid Ice]

In case you are interested I posted a (sort of) similar question last year.

link (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=68196&highlight=super+mario)

[cyberfluxor]

I only played the DS version, but I hated that. Does that count?
Well, for one the DS doesn't have an analog stick. Also how many games have you disliked that were renewed for a different system and didn't like? Most of the Atari/Midway redux games for the N64 and PS sucked in my opinion, but to most likely very few they brought the controls over alright. It doesn't cost that much to get Mario 64 today, we have a few over here at the shops for $5 each.

[smokehouse]

Dreamcaster, why is it you feel the need to break my balls when I criticize the N64 or Mario 64? I don’t like the fucking game, so what. Did your mother design it or something? You would think so they way you’re defending it.

I gave distinct, well-thought reasons why I do not like the game and you reply with some bullshit like “So you were bad at the game? We get the point.”. You like it? Good for you. Keep your asinine comments concerning my posts to yourself. I'm trying to be serious here, I'm not an annoying fanboy like many who bash the N64.

[dreamcaster]

I apologise for being so hostile.


I guess I have a hard time swallowing Mario 64 dislike as I'm used to it stemming from "PlayStation is awesome, N64 is for kids" arguments I heard endlessly back in the day.

I applaud you rationalising your dislike for the game. I just felt like I could scrutinise them.

For the record, there are quite few games I like more than Super Mario 64.

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

I wonder if there's a correlation between what's the first Mario game you played and your opinions on mario 64.

For me, it was Super Mario Bros for the NES. Played the hell out of that thing, and I don't love Mario 64.
That's an interesting question. I think people's feelings about Mario 64 also have a lot to do with whether it was the first 3D platformer they played or not.

I skipped the whole N64/Playstation/Saturn generation (1995-1999 was the era of the Sega Master System for me) and Sonic Adventure was the first 3D platformer I played and I love that game to death. I can just run around in it endlessly. A lot of people don't like it, though. I later got an N64 and of course tried out Mario 64, but I was disappointed with it. I think smokehouse's point about the fact that the main challenge of the game came from fighting with the 3D environments is my main gripe. I also found the control scheme overly-complicated for what should in my opinion be a simple platformer.

I certianly don't hate the game, I just don't enjoy it a whole ton like I do most of the rest of the Mario platformers. dreamcaster accuses smokehouse of putting the 2D Marios on a high pedastal and I know for sure that I do. I say that the original Super Mario Bros is the best video game ever made (I don't play the original original all that much anymore actually since I've discovered the many great level and graphics hacks floating around out there). Super Mario 3 and Mario World I love a little less, but they're still easily among the most enjoyable and playable games of all time. And I'm finding that New Super Mario Bros. slides into place very well, in fact, possibly just second to the original in my estimation. Mario 64 is nowhere in the running.


...word is bondage...

[j_factor]

I don't like Mario 64 at all, and never did. Some people say that it seemed flawless in 1996 because we didn't know any better, or whatever ("you had to be there"), but I played it right when it came out.

My friend bought an N64 at launch. I tried to convince him not to, because, wow, two whole games available? But he was the type that had to get every system (except CDi and Virtual Boy). He brought it home, and he and I played all two of the games available from the incredible launch lineup (ugh). We were both disappointed in both. After playing the incredibly hyped Mario 64, we wondered what was so revolutionary about wrestling with the third dimension. We'd played 3D games before, but none of them had spastic cameras that moved all over the place, combined with camera-dependent controls just to make it more frustrating. We didn't see how making the player constantly fight the camera and environments was an improvement for 3D gaming. And reused levels? Collecting stars? Laaaame.

"PlayStation is awesome, N64 is for kids" has nothing to do with it. When N64 launched, I was not a big fan of Playstation. I thought it had some good games, but not a lot. I didn't own a Playstation until October '98, and I thought several Playstation games were severely overhyped/overrated just like I thought of Mario 64. I hated Battle Arena Toshinden, for instance. And I didn't think highly of Crash Bandicoot at all.

[SirDrexl]

I love the game myself, and as far as the criticism about fighting the level, well, that's just what the game is. That's the challenge-to navigate the environments. It's not about fighting enemies.

No, you can't just dismiss it based on the DS version. I can't stand the DS version, because the game just doesn't play well without an analog stick. I borrowed the game, and I was only able to get a few stars before getting too frustrated to continue. I went back and played the real game again, and had no trouble with the control.

[FlufflePuff]

I totally skipped the PS1/Saturn/N64 generation of gaming. So, i had no loyalties when I first tried Mario 64, and I honestly wasn't that impressed by it. The camera was terrible, and a lot of the star missions were impossibly hard. I honestly preferred Sunshine to 64. i felt the camera was better, the missions better planned out, and the extra stuff more interesting to find. I will also say that I wasn't as impressed with either of the 64 Zeldas either. Good gameplay, but once again I grew bored with them, and yet I never grew bored of sailing across the ocean in Wind Waker. Sounds odd when I put it that way...

[Princess-Isabela]

Super Mario 64 - one of the best games ever, nobody will change that, - some of the complaints I hear about it from some gamers in the thread are just plain ridiculous.

[smokehouse]

Super Mario 64 - one of the best games ever, nobody will change that, - some of the complaints I hear about it from some gamers in the thread are just plain ridiculous.

Did you forget your medication today cause it’s showing… :hmm: