You've played Super Mario 64, right? Called the b ...
Strengths:The base game here is amazing. Still one of the best. Unlockable minigames are fun.
Weaknesses:Control is just awful.
Posted Mar 15, 2005 - You've played Super Mario 64, right? Called the best game ever upon its release by many, the first 3D platformer to do it all right, still one of the best games you could hope to play? Well, now Nintendo has put it on the DS, and they've added a few things to it... while taking out one crucially important element that drops the fun significantly.
Super Mario 64 is a free-roaming 3D action game, where you can pick from one of over a dozen playground-like levels in an attempt to collect Power Stars and free the princess from Bowser's latest kidnapping. The original Nintendo 64 version had 120 stars, while this ups the ante to 150. That means there are 30 more things to do, ranging from mini-levels to new collection tasks in existing stages. There are even some new bosses, protected by some really fun stages (at least, they would be really fun... more on that later).
Not only that, but there are a bunch of minigames to unlock, all using the touch screen. You unlock them by catching those hopping rabbits, who appear at different points in the castle when you're controlling different characters. These can be a great way to flip open your DS and kill 5-10 minutes while waiting for a movie or stuck in traffic. There are card games, casino games, and other fun things like drawing trampolines to keep Mario in the air. They're fun and simple, although a few are just games of chance that don't provide that much entertainment. Almost all of them keep score, and most of them will keep you coming back to try to best yourself. And if a friend beats your score, well, you can't let that stand, can you? Between this, Feel the Magic, and Wario Ware, you'll not have any problems getting a quick fix from your DS.
One of the biggest additions here is that instead of just controlling Mario, you now have access to Yoshi, Wario, and Luigi as well. Once you've gotten someone, you can switch characters by going to a special new room in the castle. Yoshi can even switch characters in-level by grabbing the character's hat, which you can easily locate using the lower screen's map of the level. Different characters have different abilities, and the red exclamation boxes strewn about the game yield different powers for different characters. Deciding what character to use when adds an element not seen in the series since Super Mario Bros. 2, but there's still something to be said about having one man for all situations. Seeing what you need to do, but having to exit the level, go change characters, and come all the way back to do it is a bit of a pain.
And there's multiplayer now, too. A star will appear on the map, and you'll have to run and get it before your opponent. If you eat, punch, or stomp another player, you can knock a star out of them. Whoever's got the most stars when time runs out is the victor. It's not amazing, but it's worth trying.
It really sounds like I enjoyed the game, doesn't it? Well, although Super Mario 64 is such an amazing game, it was made from the ground up to be played with an analog stick. Nintendo's decision to leave said stick off of the DS effectively breaks the game, making it still playable but more frustrating and less fun. You can play the game with the d-pad, using Y as a run button that you'll pretty much always be holding. In this mode, the game doesn't like to let you do the backflip or turn quickly, which leads to about 1000 undeserved deaths by pitfall.
You can also elect to use the touch screen as a virtual analog stick, which could work, but doesn't. See, as soon as you touch the screen, it creates a virtual analog stick centered right there. Move your thumb or the stylus, and it's like pushing the stick in that direction. Sounds good, right? Well, the problem is, it's a small stick, and if you drag past that, it actually moves the stick, changing the center and throwing you off completely. If you try to return to the center, you end up just running full speed in the other direction, because the center has moved. This means that if you want analog control, you'll have to constantly look down at the virtual stick, destroying the fundamental principle of gaming: you should feel like you're manipulating a character, not a controller. Controls for games like this should be as invisible as possible, putting little to no distraction from the game at hand. The virtual stick in this game is a failure.
But still, 3 stars. While the adaptation of the game to be played without analog was done in a sloppy manner totally uncharacteristic of Nintendo, the underlying game is still excellent. There are big worlds with lots of fun tasks to accomplish, plenty of challenge, great music, and graphics that are slightly better than the N64 original. Playing this game is like riving through the Garden of Eden with a steering wheel that only does what you ask of it 80% of the time. It's a pain, and you'll likely run into things... but one can't deny that the original creator of the place did some great work.
56% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful , unhelpful, or inappropriate?
Rated 
This game is a great remake of a classic Nintendo ...
Comment about this review
The adventure option is the exact game as the Nint ...
