Super Mario 64... one of the greatest Mario games of all time. Probably one of the best games of all time period. I don't know where to begin with this game's review. A great multitude of positive comments have been said about this game, I might even repeat some of these comments. To officially begin this review, we are going back to where Mario's legacy began; 30 years ago...
By 1985, the video game franchise was greatly failing. The sales dropped by about 97% between the years 1983-85. All thanks to Atari and Intellvision, video games were going to cease to exist. However, in 1985, a console was released, and not just any console. This console was destined to save gaming and will be forever remembered for it's games. This console was the Nintendo Entertainment System (a.K.A. The NES). This console was very successful for having really good graphics for it's time, the most iconic soundtracks in gaming, some of the greatest games of all time, and all the joy that comes with it. BUT, I think the main reason to this console's success is one game: Super Mario Bros. We all know the game, happy and catchy soundtrack, basic storyline, and fun gameplay. This game also introduced Mario, the most iconic character in gaming (ignoring Pac-man of course). This game ended up being one of the most top-selling games of all time, and what followed it was history.
Let's fast forward a bit, shall we? How about the year 1996? Okay? *fast forwards to 1996* In this year, Mario success only grew. He gained not only popularity, but several spin-offs and cameo's, his own TV show and movie, a legit rival (Sonic the Hedgehog), and kids were as familiar with him as they would be with Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny. At this time (correct me if I'm wrong), Nintendo announced that they were making a 3-dimensional Mario game. This may have led to many skeptical people. I don't blame them; sometimes being innovative can destroy a franchise. However, as soon as Super Mario 64 was release, the experience was like no other. I will tell you this experience exactly.
I'll go in the order of the ratings; starting with graphics and ending with difficulty.
GRAPHICS: 8/10
The graphics were great. Not the best, but they were great. I can identify Mario and his expressions, and I can tell that Peach was kissing him at that ending. On the other hand, I did see better coming from the N64 in games like GoldenEye and Ocarina of Time. At the same time, I've seen worse. Nonetheless, the graphics were great for the console it was on.
SOUND: 9/10
I love this game's soundtrack. It actually sounds like real music. It even embraces the feel you should be having in this game. You'd feel joy strolling in the castle, you'd feel fear facing Bowser or even on the path towards him, and most importantly, it gives you this desire to explore, which is the reason why I love this game. Also the sound effects were convincing. There may not be any voice acting, but at least there are proper sound effects. The sound was the best I've heard from a N64 game ignoring Ocarina of Time.
ADDICTIVENESS: 10/10
As I'm making this review, I want to continue Super Mario 64. In addition to this, you have 120 stars to collect. Most people would have a goal to collect them all. This is also a game I see many people doing a 100% speedrun of. If this doesn't show you how addicting this game can be, I don't know what does.
STORY: 6/10
This is me being generous. The story at this point would start getting annoying for most people. Also, the ending isn't too satisfying either. This game follows the repetitive plot behind most Mario games: Princess Peach gets kidnapped and Mario rescues her. In the ending, All Princess Peach gives him is a kiss and probably some cake. This is the 4th time Mario risked his own life for Princess Peach, AND ALL SHE GIVES HIM IS A KISS AND CAKE!!!!! She's a princess, surely she can give a better reward than this on her 4th rescue. I can rant about this game's story all day, but there are 2 reasons I can't. 1: I don't have time and 2: There are positive things about the story. The story at least has the basic plotline structure. This is why I rated a number above 5.
DEPTH: 10/10
With 120 stars in this game, many different worlds you can explore, and several hidden secrets in the castle, you'd spend hours upon hours trying to 100% this game. Also there are some mission worth redoing, such as that slide. Oh the fun and music... That's not my point though, my point is that if you are going to play this game, get ready to lose some free time.
DIFFICULTY: 5/10
This is just like most Mario games; not too easy, nor not too hard. This depends on your perspective. Some find it insanely easy because they are used to being engaged and exploring. Others, on the other hand, would find it hard because they are new too exploring. I think that this game has average difficulty, which is enough to appeal to most audiences. The controls are very simple, use the analog stick to move, A is to jump and, B is to Punch/Grab. You can figure out the rest.
Overall, this is a great game that would appeal to most audiences. Mario's in it, the difficulty is in-between, and it has epic music. If I were to make a Top 25 greatest games list, this would be #9. There is so much in this game to explore, and you would spend much time with this game. If you are a Nintendo fan, and you haven't played this game, play it. Not "Watch a Let's play on YouTube." You have to play on the game yourself to truly understand how great this game is. If you don't agree with me, feel free to tell me what you think. I'd love to listen to your opinion. All I'm saying is that I think this game; Super Mario 64; is one of the best Mario games, and one of the greatest games in general. This is Shade's review of Super Mario 64, I hope you've enjoyed it.
THE SHADE IS OUT!!!! |
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