Super Mario 64is arguably one of the most important games ever made, and often held as one of thebest games of all time. The huge advances made in Mario’s jump to 3D have had lasting effects on the gaming industry to this day, and the title stands as one of Nintendo’s biggest achievements during its time developing video games. With a title as game-changing asSuper Mario 64, the lack of a true remake for the game remains baffling.
Nintendo has always been quick to relegateSuper Mario 64to a simple re-release for most of its consoles, including the nowdelistedSuper Mario 3D All-Starscollectionreleased for the Switch as part of the red plumber’s 35th anniversary. To this day, only one remake of the game has ever been released. And yet,its own range of issues fail to justify this version as the ultimate way to play such a beloved classic.Super Mario 64is in need of a true remake that preserves the timeless experience of the N64 original while making some necessary improvements along the way.
Super Mario 64 On DS Is One Of The Most Frustrating Remakes
The Remake Is Plagued With Unnecessary Additions
At first glance,Super Mario 64 DSseems to do everything right. Alongside the original 120 stars, there are 30 extra stars to encourage the player to search every area of Peach’s Castle for additional secrets. Its other big addition comes in the form of multiple playable characters, including Yoshi, Luigi and Wario. The inclusion of multiple characters helps to add variety and replay value to the original experience, with slightly altered movesets and abilities between each character for players to experiment with.
Super Mario 64 DSactually changes the beginning of the game quite dramatically, with players arriving at Peach’s Castle as Yoshi, and needing to find Mario, Luigi, and Wario to play as them.
Unfortunately,these new additions falter in large part due to their irritating implementation. Most of the new stars pale in comparison to the original 120 and add nothing interesting to the game, instead recycling the same few objectives that make these missions feel repetitive. Meanwhile,Super Mario 64 DS’s multiple characters end up making the game more restrictive, with certain stars locked behind an ability only a certain character can perform, limiting the sense of freedom that made the N64 original so beloved to begin with.
The problem with these inclusions is how they attempt to fix issuesSuper Mario 64never had to begin with. Rather than providing solutions to issues from the original, such as the dated camera,the DS remake instead makes huge changes to the core tenants ofSuper Mario 64that are the reason the game remains such a timeless classic.Super Mario 64 DSseems to do everything except what a remake is supposed to do, which is to improve on the original, making it an incredibly frustrating remake as a result.
Why Super Mario 64 Deserves A New, Better Remake
The Original Is Held Back By Technical Limitations
Super Mario 64deserves a remake that maintains the wonder of the original while fixing its multiple barriers to entry. The infectious enjoyment of traversing through the game’s many worlds is unfortunately brought down by some of the N64 version’s major technical issues. For example, as an early 3D game,Super Mario 64largely suffers from a restrictive and uncooperative camerathat can cause huge frustration for the player, especially in the game’s tighter areas. The DS remake hardly offered a resolution, requiring the player to awkwardly play with the touch screen if they wanted full control of the camera.
The game’s camera issues can be solved with amodded version ofSuper Mario 64 DSon the Wii U, which maps the touch-screen camera controls to the game pad’s right stick.
Fixing these issues in a new remake would work wonders forSuper Mario 64’s accessibility. Newer players wouldn’t be forced to experience the potential annoyances that come with having to adapt to the more dated elements of the original, allowing them to enjoy the game seamlessly. The improvements that can be brought forward with a remake help to broaden the appeal ofSuper Mario 64in a way that a simple re-release couldn’t achieve.
A remake on more powerful hardware could also allow for a necessary graphical overhaul toSuper Mario 64. While the polygonal look of the original is certainly iconic,it doesn’t quite have the same impact as it did upon its release, when 3D gaming was a relatively new concept. The graphical capabilities of new hardware allow for a remake to breathe new life intoSuper Mario 64’s iconic levels, giving veteran players the same astonishment by revisiting these locations as they did with the N64 version.
Super Mario 64 Remake Should Preserve The Experience, Not Change It
A Remake Should Work To Maintain The Original’s Legacy
While the technical improvements are a huge factor in justifying another remake forSuper Mario 64, the most important reason comes with rectifying the primary issue of the last attempt on the DS.Super Mario 64’s reputation as a classic comes with the unequivocal sense of freedom the game grants the player from start to finish. The ability to complete several missions in any order was liberating for the player, andthe decision to limit that in the DS remake resulted in it becoming an inferior version of the original.
A remake that preserves theSuper Mario 64experience is also vital to maintain the huge legacy that the original has cultivated over time.The game was more than another entry in theSuper Marioseries, but a benchmark for 3D gaming, demonstrating to players the many possibilities that come with the addition of another dimension. The DS remake failed to recognize the importance of maintaining that legacy, resulting in a multitude of changes that had an effect on its overall quality, losing the magic thatSuper Mario64 had.
A remake ofSuper Mario 64should work to preserve the experience rather than change it. By maintaining the original’s sense of freedom, and improving on the limitations of the original, players may finally be granted the ability to play the quintessential version of one of Nintendo’s greatest titles.Super Mario 64deserves another shot at a remake, one that shows a true understanding of the original’s impact and the need to preserve that for future players to discover themselves.
Super Mario 64
Mario’s first foray into the world of 3D arrived in the form of Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64. Super Mario 64 tasked players with heading to Princess Peach’s castle to save her from Bowser, who has taken control and locked Power Stars behind magical worlds within the castle’s paintings. Revolutionizing the gameplay of a platformer and what an open-ended adventure could be like, the game allows players to tackle levels (or courses) as they like, navigating levels such as a floating tower, a sunken ship, and a boiling volcano as they run, jump, and backflip their way to save the Mushroom Kingdom once again.
