Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

100 or More Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Masterpiece"

Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64 was, at its time, the latest in the Mario franchise. It was a N64 launch title, and in my opinion, determined the fantastic fate of the console.
In Super Mario 64, you play as Mario, big surprise, as you receive a letter from Princess Peach summoning you to her castle for cake. As you arrive at the castle, you find that she has been kidnapped by Bowser, again, big surprise, and you must save her, and this time, the cake is not a lie.
Upon entering the castle, you are given access to only a few areas. The overworld gives you a chance to get used to the controls and advanced techniques that the instruction manual describes, which is a first in the industry. Each of the levels has 10 power stars, and there is a grand total of 120 stars. Certain doors can only be opened with a number of stars. Each level has an entrance in the overworld that takes the shape of a painting; jumping into one enters the level. Each of the stars has a different objective that you must complete, such as winning a race against a Koopa, by collecting all of the red coins, or by defeating a large enemy.
The controls used for Mario are spot on. With the control stick, you can move Mario 360 degrees, while varying the speed with which he walks by easing up on the stick, incorporated first by Super Mario 64. The C buttons are used for camera control, another innovation. The A button jumps, and the Z button is used for crouching and in complicated acrobatics.
All of the traditional themes, songs and melodies were arranged by composer genius Koji Kondo. Most of the game's background music is easily addictive and will have you hearing it in your sleep. The game also featured the voices of Leslie Swan, the voice of Princess Peach and Senior Editor of Nintendo Power in 1996, Issac Marshall, Bowser and sound effects artist, and the first Mario game that featured Charles Martinet as the voice.
Overall, Super Mario 64 is the one game that defines the 3D platforming genre of video games, and is a game that needs to be respected and played forever.