super mario 64 ds

Mario 64 was a landmark game. Not only for platform games in general, but also for me as a gamer. It marks the time where I lost interest in new-gen gaming antics and decided to safely indulge myself into the retrogaming scene. None of that freaky 3D running around for me. About 10 years later, I got started on the Mario 64 DS port anyway.

Super Mario 64 DS artwork

Most surprisingly, the game is pretty tough for a Mario title. Maybe it's because I have little experience with 3D platform action, but even then the game sports 15 huge levels, countless puzzles and a whopping 150 stars to collect. A figure I found hard to believe after all the trouble I went through to get my first star.

There's little I can say about the differences between the N64 and DS versions, though I've read up a little bit and it seems that quite a few key factors were changed. First of all there are more stars to collect, there's the addition of mini games which can be unlocked, but most important are the three extra characters that can be freed, each having their own type of special ability and tweaked gameplay stats. These should be fully understood before you run about collecting all the stars.

When I started the game I felt a little lost, as there's quite a lot of information to be absorbed. The level structure is pretty special, the quests within each level are little explained and through all that you're constantly learning new moves for you character. It takes some time to get a grip on the mechanics of the game (maybe I should have read the manual a little better) but once you do, you'll notice there's still a lot of exploring and searching to be done.

screen caps from Super Mario 64 DS

Mario 64 DS is a pretty huge game, which also surprised me. Most Mario games can be easily finished within a week of dedicated gaming, I spent a whole lot longer figuring out all clues to get the full batch of stars in this one. 15 huge levels with 8 stars hidden in each level, then 30 extra stars hidden inside the castle itself. Some of them pretty easy to find, some of them quite tricky.

The actual difficulty level of the game is not too hard, though the game can be pretty unforgiving in some levels (especially the desert level with its nasty drops and instant-kill sand pits). Some of the difficulty is created by unsavory camera work, but on the other hand it's also often used in a clever way to hide away secret items or spots. The latter levels can be quite complex, but the game never becomes frustrating or randomly hard. No complaints there.

Visually, it's a typical Mario game, with bright colors and cute characters. It looks pretty good though, especially considering the massive layout of the game. It's cute how much can be hidden away in the DS. Musical score is also pretty typical, with fun tunes but nothing too exciting. The only time I turned up the volume was to get hints on the switch stars (with a clock ticking down telling you how much time you have left).

Super Mario 64 DS was surprisingly challenging, something I appreciate in a Mario game. It kept me pretty occupied with finding all the stars and exploring all 15 levels. I wouldn't go as far as to say there are RPG elements in the game, but there's some serious puzzling and collecting to be done, which only adds to the fun. Can't say how it compares to the original, as I never played it, so for me the experience was completely new. But even after all that time, the game is still loads of fun and keeps you occupied with always some place or other to explore.

Highly recommended for all platform fans out there who never got to play the original game.