Love It or Hate It: Video Game Edition - Super Mario 64

[turf]

I thought we needed this thread after this idea threatened the 10/10 thread.

Personally, I'm not a fan of Super Mario 64. I don't like 3D platformers. I don't like collect-a-thons. This brought on a few years of bad ideas.

What do you think? Love it or hate it?

[karyann]

I like 3D platformers, and I think the level design is nice. The playability is good too, even though the camera sucks sometimes. There's a lot to do in this game, and it kept me busy a ton! So I love it.

[scott]

I really loved it when it 1st came out. I tried playing it a few weeks ago and it just didn't have the same feel to it anymore. It was still fun, but it's just not the same as the old days. I tend to think the same thing about most early 3D games though, so I'm not surprised. It's sad because the SNES still looks excellent to this day, but the N64, Saturn and PS1 all look super outdated.

And I down right despise Super Mario 64 DS, the took the game and butchered it by making Yoshi the 1st playable character and making changes that shouldn't have been made, and using the D-Pad or the touch screen for movement was half-ass either way you try it. It wasn't until the 3DS came out and the circle pad made 3D movement better that I was able to play the game without getting frustrated at the controls.

[karyann]

And I down right despise Super Mario 64 DS, the took the game and butchered it by making Yoshi the 1st playable character and making changes that shouldn't have been made, and using the D-Pad or the touch screen for movement was half-ass either way you try it. It wasn't until the 3DS came out and the circle pad made 3D movement better that I was able to play the game without getting frustrated at the controls.

Oh man the DS one is indeed horrible. There's a reason why it's not in my collection... I just can't stand that game. I have yet to try it on a 3DS but I'm not sure I even want to.

[foxhack]

I tried this out when the N64 was new.

I absolutely hated it. I was still getting used to the idea of 3D games but it just felt... wrong.

[bobster]

I loved it! The level design was pretty great. Having 6 stars (or was it 7 with the red coin star?) was really the perfect amount to get you to explore every nook and cranny of the levels. It also helped that all the levels seemed unique as well.

That being said, I'm not sure how it'd play out to someone new today. Hopefully it's not all nostalgia. I know my girlfriend hasn't played it and I've been thinking about having her check it out. I don't think the N64 controller is her forte though...

[sin2beta]

I'm the reason this thread started, so I will just paste my comments from before

Mario 64 is a somewhat polarizing game. Most people love it. I don't understand the love. I personally hate the game. I kinda like the penguin sliding stuff, but that's about it. I also hate the platformer genre it ushered in with the Mario 64 clones of Banjo Kazooie and Donkey Kong 64 to name a few.

I think most people's love of Mario 64 comes from nostalgia. In a similar manner, I like Sonic Adventure when most people don't. But my love comes from nostalgia and my familiarity with the universe. But it is certainly a flawed game.

This would probably be a different thread, but I honestly think, Mario and Sonic made a similar downward spiral in quality at about the same time. Mario started to suck with Yoshi's Island. Sonic started to suck with 3D Blast. For several generations, they have been shells of their 16-bit selves. They made the transition to 3D poorly. They both have started getting stuff right (Mario Galaxy/Sonic Colors). They've also gotten better recently since they both have started going back to 2D/classic design with moderate success (New Mario/Sonic Generations). The two mascots mirror each other a lot in my opinion. I actually don't think Sonic and Mario are that different, then or now.

In terms of SAT analogies: Mario 64 is to Mario as Sonic Adventure is to Sonic.

[mkarasch]

I'll put a vote in for love it.

Graphically, it looks dated, but i think the gameplay still holds up, and while games have gotten better at camera management and 3d controls, this was pretty darn good for a launch title on their first 3d system.

[justin8301]

Love it!  I've always been a huge fan of the Super Mario games but when they made the jump to a 3D world I couldn't have been happier. I didn't own a Nintendo 64 during that generation but I would find every excuse I could to go over to my friends house so I could play it. I would have to say its my second favorite Mario game right under Sunshine.

[jobocan]

Probably still the best or second best 3D Mario, it's really damn good. Very minor camera issues aside, there's no really bad elements I can really mention here without it feeling forced.

[burningdoom]

It doesn't do anything for me either way. I'll play it to kill some time. But it's not ever going to show up in one of my favorites lists, either.

However, the Super Mario Bros. games (both classic and "New") and Super Mario World are some of the greatest platformers ever created.

2D Mario > 3D Mario

[haloofthesun]

Love it.

Other than the obvious graphical issues and the camera problems, both of which were forgivable given the era, the game is incredibly well done in pretty much every aspect. Even modern developers who are vocal about their dislike of Nintendo cite it as a source of inspiration and the industry standard in platforming and level design. Best 3D Mario. Waaaaay better than Super Mario Galaxy at any rate. I still prefer 2D Mario over 3D Mario, though (usually).

[redblaze57]

I won't say I love it, but I do enjoy it

[soera]

The game is miserable. Im so glad they went back to the way Mario should be.

[htimreimer]

i love it and its the second i ever completed, like most early 3D games, it has issues and the graphics hasn't aged well but beyond that its fun