Editing Super Mario 64

{{Game
|name=Super Mario 64
|image=[[Image:SuperMario64Box.jpg|270px]]
|bgcolor=silver
|fgcolor=black
|developer=[[Nintendo EAD]]
|publisher=[[Nintendo]]
|system=[[Nintendo 64]], [[Virtual Console]] ([[Wii Virtual Console|Wii]], [[Wii U Virtual Console|Wii U]])
|release='''Nintendo 64'''<br />JP June 23, 1996<br />US September 29, 1996<br />EU March 1, 1997<br />JP July, 18, 1997 ''(Rumble Pak Version)''<br />'''iQue'''<br />CH November 2003 <br />'''Wii Virtual Console'''<br />JP December 2, 2006<br />US November 19, 2006 <br /> EU December 8, 2006<br />'''Wii U Virtual Console'''<br />US April 1, 2015<br />EU April 2, 2015<br />JP April 8, 2015
|gallery=[http://www.gamehiker.com/gallery/index.php?cat=62 GH Gallery]
|rating= ESRB: K-A
|}}

'''Super Mario 64''' was a platforming adventure game released in 1996 as a launch title for the [[Nintendo 64]]. It is the first ''[[Portal: Mario|Mario]]'' game to feature true three-dimensional environments. It established a new version of the ''Super Mario'' game formula that would inspire countless other 3-D plarformers.

=Story=

One day, [[Mario]] receives a letter from [[Princess Peach]] asking him to come to her castle and have a piece of cake. When Mario arrives, he discovers that [[Bowser]] has taken over the castle imprisoned Peach as well as all of the castle's attendants within various walls and paintings of the castle. Mario must explore the castle and the various worlds that could be accessed through paintings in order to gather the Power Stars that are needed to challenge Bowser and save the princess.

=Gameplay=

The players controls Mario as he works his way through the various worlds that can be accessed from Princess Peach's Castle, which acts as the game's hub area. Mario is capable of a larger variety of movement than he had ever managed in his 2-D games. The power-ups of the previous games are replaced by three special caps. One cap grants flight, another makes Mario invisible, and a third gives Mario a metal suit. The caps appear much more sporadically than the power-ups from the previous games. This game also gives Mario a health meter.

The castle is divided into three different areas: the main floor, the basement, and the second floor. Each area is separated by a locked door. The key can be obtained by defeating Bowser. Each of these floors contain a variety of levels, which are usually accessible by jumping into a painting. Some, however, are hidden and can only be entered by a special method. Each painting is behind a door that requires a certain number of stars to open.

=Legacy=

The most lasting legacy of Super Mario 64 was its affect on 3-D platformers. Though it was not the first, it was more popular and well-received than others, leading to it inspiring the gameplay of various other 3-D platformers. It also laid the groundwork for future 3-D ''Mario'' adventures.

Elements of the game have also surfaced in other ''Mario'' and Nintendo properties. Prominently, Metal Mario has appeared as a separate character in several ''Mario'' games and as a boss in the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', with the Metal Box appearing as a transformation item in later ''[[Portal: Super Smash Bros.|Super Smash Bros.]]'' games.

==Ports and Remakes==

*In Japan, a special version of the game (known as the "Shindou Pak Taitou") was rereleased in mid-1997 that supported the [[Rumble Pak]] and made some other minor changes.
*In 2004, the game was remade as ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'', which was as a launch title for [[Nintendo DS]]. The game included thirty new stars and the ability to play as [[Luigi]], [[Wario]], or [[Yoshi]] in addition to Mario, as well as other new features and heavily updated graphics.
*The original Nintendo 64 version was released for download through the [[Nintendo Wii|the Wii's]] [[Wii Virtual Console|Virtual Console]] in late 2006 and on the [[Wii U]]'s [[Wii Virtual Console|Virtual Console]] in 2015.
*In 2020, a remastered version of the game of the Shindou version of the game was included in the limited release of ''[[Super Mario 3D All-Stars]]'' for the [[Nintendo Switch]], along with ''Super Mario Sunshine'' and ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]''.
*In October 2021, it was among the initial library of Nintendo 64 games that were made available to play with a subscription to the Expansion Pack of [[Nintendo Switch Online]]. The Shindou version of the game was available in the Japanese version of the app, while the original version of the game was the one available for the American and European apps.

==Sequels==

At one time, Nintendo was working on ''Super Mario 64 2'' for the [[Nintendo 64DD]], but it was canceled due to the failure of the peripheral. The game slowly turned into ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'' for the [[Gamecube]].

=See Also=
*[[Locations in Super Mario 64]]

{{Super Mario Series}}

[[Category: Video Games]] [[Category: Nintendo 64 Games]] [[Category: Virtual Console Games]] [[Category: Mario Games]] [[Category: Player's Choice]] [[Category: Rumble Pak Games]]