Super Mario 64

Synopsis

by Scott Alan Marriott

The well-traveled Mario embarks on his most visually striking adventure to date, one that finds the mustachioed plumber running, jumping, and flying across 3D realms for the first time. While the storyline might not surprise veteran players -- Princess Peach has been abducted yet again by Mario's turtle-shelled nemesis, Bowser -- the control scheme and play mechanics offer a new take on the best-selling platform series. The Nintendo 64's distinctive controller allows Mario to tiptoe, walk, and run simply by varying pressure on the analog stick. The yellow buttons control the camera, while others initiate triple jumps, back flips, ground pounds, and more. Mario can even swing and fling large boss characters by twirling the analog stick after grabbing them.

The 15 main worlds in Super Mario 64 are linked together from within Peach's castle. While exploring the hallowed halls and royal rooms, players will encounter paintings leading to new and varied environments. From snow- and lava-filled realms to lagoons and deserts, each world is home to seven golden stars that Mario must collect to unlock additional areas in the castle. Players will complete an assortment of tasks to acquire all 120 stars, from locating eight red coins to racing a giant penguin. Familiar enemies such as goombas, koopas, and chain chomps will appear sporadically throughout each area, allowing Mario to perfect his patented butt-bounce. The ultimate goal is to find and defeat Bowser in a series of three one-on-one showdowns.

Features

• Mario's first 3D adventure uses the analog Control Stick for an assortment of new moves
• Swim, run, jump, fly, and climb through themed areas hidden within Peach's castle
• Complete multiple objectives in each area to earn Power Stars and a shot at defeating the evil Bowser

Extra Credits

by Aaron Kosydar

Super Mario 64 is the marriage of "run and jump" action established with Mario's first 8-bit game, Super Mario Bros. [NES] with fully 3-D polygonal environments and characters. Between the ten years or so that separated these two titles, we find a sucession of increasingly evolved titles that finally ended with the Mario series going 3-D.

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