Super Mario 64 DS
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''Super Mario 64 DS'' is a 2004
platform game A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...
developed and published by
Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles. Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
for the
Nintendo DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
. It was a
launch game This list includes terms used in video games and the video game industry, as well as slang used by players. 0–9 A ...
for the DS. ''Super Mario 64 DS'' is a
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
of the 1996
Nintendo 64 The (N64) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. The successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it was released on June 23, 1996, in Japan, on September 29, 1996, in North America, and on March 1, 1997, in Europe and Au ...
game ''
Super Mario 64 is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan and North America in 1996 and PAL regions in 1997. It is the first ''Super Mario'' game to feature 3D gameplay, combining traditional ''Su ...
,'' with new graphics, characters, collectibles, a
multiplayer A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
mode, and several extra
minigames A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than th ...
. As with the original, the plot centers on rescuing
Princess Peach is a fictional character in Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise, created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the 1985 original ''Super Mario Bros.'' installment. She is the princess regnant and ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, where she resides in ...
from
Bowser , or King Koopa, is a fictional character, the primary antagonist in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise, and the arch-nemesis of Mario. In Japan, the character bears the title of . Bowser is the leader of the turtle-like Koopa ...
. Unlike the original,
Yoshi Yoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in ''Super Mario World'' (1990) on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Yoshi is the title character of the List of Y ...
is the first playable character, with
Mario is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
,
Luigi is a fictional character featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the younger fraternal twin brother and sidekick of Mario, Nintendo's masc ...
, and
Wario is a fictional character in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' series, designed as an Arch rival, arch-rival to Mario. He first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy game ''Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins'' as the main antagonist and final Bos ...
being unlockable characters in early phases of the game. Nintendo revealed ''Super Mario 64 DS'' as a multiplayer demonstration at
E3 2004 E3 (short for Electronic Entertainment Expo or Electronic Entertainment Experience in 2021) is a trade event for the video game industry. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) organizes and presents E3, which many developers, publisher ...
, and released it in November 2004. The game received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its
single-player A single-player video game is a video game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. A single-player game is usually a game that can only be played by one person, while "single-player mode" is usuall ...
mode, graphics and the changes made from the original game. However, it was criticized for its multiplayer mode and lack of analog controls. The game is the tenth best-selling Nintendo DS game, with over 11.06 million copies sold by 2018. ''Super Mario 64 DS'' was re-released on the
Wii U The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. The W ...
's
Virtual Console A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Unix ...
service across 2015 and 2016.


Plot

The game begins with
Mario is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
receiving a letter from
Princess Peach is a fictional character in Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise, created by Shigeru Miyamoto and introduced in the 1985 original ''Super Mario Bros.'' installment. She is the princess regnant and ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, where she resides in ...
inviting him to come to her castle for a cake she has baked for him. Mario arrives at Peach's castle, along with
Luigi is a fictional character featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the younger fraternal twin brother and sidekick of Mario, Nintendo's masc ...
and
Wario is a fictional character in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' series, designed as an Arch rival, arch-rival to Mario. He first appeared in the 1992 Game Boy game ''Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins'' as the main antagonist and final Bos ...
. The trio disappear as they enter the castle, and
Lakitu Lakitu ( or ), known in Japan as is a fictional flying Koopa in the ''Mario'' franchise. Created by Shigeru Miyamoto, he first appeared in the Nintendo Entertainment System video game ''Super Mario Bros.'', where he dropped enemies called ...
, the game's
camera operator A camera operator, or depending on the context cameraman or camerawoman, is a professional operator of a film camera or video camera as part of a film crew. The term "cameraman" does not imply that a male is performing the task. In filmmaking ...
, informs
Yoshi Yoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in ''Super Mario World'' (1990) on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Yoshi is the title character of the List of Y ...
of their disappearance. Yoshi explores Peach's castle to find Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Peach. Scattered throughout the castle are paintings and secret walls, which act as portals to other worlds where
Bowser , or King Koopa, is a fictional character, the primary antagonist in Nintendo's Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise, and the arch-nemesis of Mario. In Japan, the character bears the title of . Bowser is the leader of the turtle-like Koopa ...
and his minions guard the Power Stars. After recovering some of the power stars and defeating Bowser's minions, Yoshi unlocks doors that access other areas of the castle, where he finds Mario and his friends imprisoned in various rooms. Yoshi defeats Goomboss and frees Mario as they continue searching the castle to find more Power Stars. Mario defeats King Boo and frees Luigi with the key he got from the boss, who then defeats Chief Chilly, and then frees Wario using the key he got. Mario and his friends tackle two obstacle courses, with each ensuing a battle with Bowser. After defeating him each time, they receive a key that opens more levels of the castle. Mario and his friends eventually reach the highest area of the castle and come across the endless stairs, which constantly loops when trying to climb it. After collecting 80 Power Stars, the endless stairs' magic stops and Mario confronts Bowser alone (as he is the only one allowed to gain access to the top). After Bowser's defeat, Mario and his friends return to Peach's castle, where they free Peach from a stained-glass window above the entrance. As a reward for saving Peach, she kisses Mario on the nose and goes to bake the cake she had promised. The game ends when Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, and Wario wave goodbye to the player as Lakitu films and flies away. A photo with Peach's cake appears.


Gameplay

''Super Mario 64 DS'' is a 3D
platformer A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...
in which the player switches between four different characters – Yoshi, Mario, Luigi, and Wario – and controls them through numerous
levels Level or levels may refer to: Engineering *Level (instrument), a device used to measure true horizontal or relative heights *Spirit level, an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is horizontal or vertical *Canal pound or level *Regr ...
to collect 150 Power Stars, 30 more than the original game. Each character is essential to fully complete the game. Each level is an enclosed world (usually contained within and entered through a painting) in which the player is free to wander in all directions and discover the environment without time limits. The worlds are inhabited with enemies that attack the characters, as well as friendly creatures that provide assistance, offer information, or ask for help. The player gathers stars in each course; some stars only appear after completing certain tasks, often hinted at by the name of the star in the star select menu. These challenges include defeating bosses, solving puzzles, racing an opponent, and gathering coins. As the player collects stars, more areas of the castle become accessible.
Power-up In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chosen ...
s in ''Super Mario 64 DS'' take the form of special hats resembling those worn by Mario, Luigi, and Wario (all voiced by
Charles Martinet Charles Martinet (, ; born September 17, 1955) is an American actor and voice actor, known for his portrayal of both Mario and Luigi in the ''Super Mario'' video game series since 1992. He is also the voice of other characters in the series such ...
), and are available in some levels. Acquiring one such hat will change the player's character into the corresponding character, allowing the player to use that character's abilities. The hats fall off if the character is hit, but can be reacquired. Yoshi (voiced by
Kazumi Totaka is a Japanese video game composer and sound director who is best known for his various compositions in many Nintendo games. He occasionally does voice acting as well, including Yoshi from the ''Mario'' series. He also directed the development ...
) is able to start a level wearing the hat of any of the other available characters. Another power-up item, the "Power Flower", provides each character with a different ability: Mario is able to float, similar to ''
Super Mario World ''Super Mario World,'' known in Japan as is a platform game, platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released in Japan in 1990, North America in 1991 and Europe and A ...
''s balloon item; Luigi becomes intangible and transparent, similar to the Vanish Cap in the Nintendo 64 version; Wario becomes coated by metal, which makes him temporarily invincible to enemy attacks and poison (which is purple instead of yellow as in the original version), and sink underwater, similar to the Metal Cap in the original version, but with the added ability to walk on lava instead of bouncing without taking damage; and Yoshi is able to breathe fire, which allows him to burn enemies and melt ice. Each ability is necessary to complete specific areas in the game. Other items include the "
Mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is t ...
", which is a semi-rare item that greatly increases the character's size and strength for a short period of time, and the Feather, that only Mario can get, and which allows him to fly in the same fashion as the Wing Cap in the original game. However, in multiplayer VS. Mode, other characters can get wings; in Yoshi's case, he grows wings out of his body, like in ''Super Mario World''. The game uses both of the system's screens to offer new options. The top screen displays the normal gameplay, while the bottom
touchscreen A touchscreen or touch screen is the assembly of both an input ('touch panel') and output ('display') device. The touch panel is normally layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system. The display is often ...
can function as an overhead map and touch controls. The overhead map displays the current course the player traverses and displays item locations. The touch controls include virtual buttons, which rotate the top screen's camera angle, and directional character controls, which can operate with either the DS
stylus A stylus (plural styli or styluses) is a writing utensil or a small tool for some other form of marking or shaping, for example, in pottery. It can also be a computer accessory that is used to assist in navigating or providing more precision w ...
or the player's thumb using the DS wrist strap. In addition to the single-player adventure, the game includes 36
minigame A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than th ...
s and a multiplayer mode. Minigames are made accessible by catching rabbits in the main game. All the minigames use the touchscreen to play and are based on different themes: racing, card games, puzzles, and so forth. The multiplayer mode uses the wireless DS Download Play where up to four players compete against each other using Green, Red, Blue, and Yellow Yoshi (voiced by
Kazumi Totaka is a Japanese video game composer and sound director who is best known for his various compositions in many Nintendo games. He occasionally does voice acting as well, including Yoshi from the ''Mario'' series. He also directed the development ...
)—character hats appear in the stage allowing players to transform into either Mario, Luigi, or Wario. Wario can stun opponents by picking them up, swinging them around, and throwing them.


Development

''Super Mario 64 DS'' was developed by
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development commonly abbreviated as Nintendo EAD and formerly known as Nintendo Research & Development No.4 Department (abbreviated as Nintendo R&D4), was the largest software development division within the Japanese video game company Nintendo. It was pr ...
and published by
Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles. Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
for the Nintendo DS. It is a remake of the
Nintendo 64 The (N64) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. The successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it was released on June 23, 1996, in Japan, on September 29, 1996, in North America, and on March 1, 1997, in Europe and Au ...
launch game ''Super Mario 64'', with the game's 3D engine mirroring many visual effects used in the original game. Graphical changes include the lack of
texture filtering In computer graphics, texture filtering or texture smoothing is the method used to determine the texture color for a texture mapped pixel, using the colors of nearby texels (pixels of the texture). There are two main categories of texture filtering ...
, and updated versions of the character models which represented their updated, more detailed designs. Coins have been upgraded from 2D animation to 3D models. All of Koji Kondo's music from the original game was re-used, with Kenta Nagata providing new music for the game. The voice actors from ''Super Mario 64'' returned as well, and
Kazumi Totaka is a Japanese video game composer and sound director who is best known for his various compositions in many Nintendo games. He occasionally does voice acting as well, including Yoshi from the ''Mario'' series. He also directed the development ...
joined the cast, playing the role of Yoshi.


Release and promotion

Originally titled "''Super Mario 64 ×4''", the game was first shown as a multiplayer demonstration at the 2004 E3 before the Nintendo DS was released. A few months later, Nintendo announced an actual game—along with many others—was in development. At the Nintendo DS conference on October 7, 2004, the game was on demonstration again and new information was revealed; the name was changed to ''Super Mario 64 DS'' and four different characters (Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Wario) would be used in the main, single-player adventure. The demonstration was a more complete version of the game than the E3 version—the game's development was 90% complete at this time—and highlighted the multiple characters in the single-player mode and included minigames; the multiplayer mode, however, was not present. Prior to the conference, the appearance of the box art on
GameStop GameStop Corp. is an American video game, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise retailer. The company is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas (a suburb of Dallas), and is the largest video game retailer worldwide. , the company operates 4,5 ...
's product page caused speculation ''Super Mario 64 DS'' would be a launch game. Nintendo confirmed the rumor by announcing at the conference that the game would be a launch game of the Nintendo DS in North America and Japan. As the game's release approached, the release schedule of launch games altered; many games were delayed, while others were announced to be released a few days before the Nintendo DS. ''Super Mario 64 DS'' was the only game scheduled to be released with the system. ''Super Mario 64 DS'' was first released in North America for the
Nintendo DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
on November 21, 2004 as a launch game for the system. On June 5, 2011, the game was repackaged in a red-colored case (along with ''
New Super Mario Bros. is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It was first released in May 2006 in North America and Japan, and in PAL regions on June 2006. It is the first installment in the '' New Super Mario Bros.'' sub ...
'', ''
Mario Kart DS ''Mario Kart DS'' is a 2005 kart racing video game developed by Nintendo EAD Group No. 1 and published by Nintendo. It was released for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in November 2005 in North America, Europe, and Australia, and on Dece ...
'', ''
Mario Party DS is a 2007 party video game developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. The second handheld game in the ''Mario Party'' series, and the last game to be developed by Hudson Soft, who was replaced by NDcube in 2012 ...
'', '' Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story'', and '' Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!'') in tandem with a price drop of $99 for the DS. ''Super Mario 64 DS'' was later rereleased in Japan for the
Wii U The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. The W ...
as a part of the
Virtual Console A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Unix ...
line of games on January 6, 2016, and was later released in North America in August of that year.


Reception


Sales

''Super Mario 64 DS'' has been commercially successful. Following its release in Japan, the game sold 241,000 copies by December 19, 2004, and was the fifth best-selling game on the weekly sales chart of that week. Sales continued to increase, and ''Super Mario 64 DS'' had sold 639,000 units by February 20, 2005. The game frequently appeared on
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's sales charts. In the first week of June 2006, it was listed as the sixth best-selling Nintendo DS game, and had risen to number three by the last week of the month. The game appeared again near the end of July 2006 as the eighth-bestselling game. At the beginning of 2008, Amazon.com charts listed the game as the seventh best-selling Nintendo DS game in the United States. In the United States, it sold 1.4 million copies and earned $42 million by August 2006. During the period between January 2000 and August 2006, it was the 7th highest-selling game launched for the
Nintendo DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
. By November 2006, the game had sold over one million units in Europe, and by the end of 2007, over two million copies in the United States. By May 31, 2011, the game had sold 4.34 million copies in the United States, and in October 2012 Nintendo reported that the game had surpassed sales of 5 million units. As of March 31, 2018, ''Super Mario 64 DS'' has sold 11.06 million copies worldwide.


Critics

The game has won awards and met with overall positive reviews from video game journalists. Upon its release,
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
labeled it as an "Editor's Choice" and awarded it "Game of the Month" for the Nintendo DS, citing the game as a "great achievement" of the system's capability. In 2005, the game won a Golden Joystick Award for best handheld game of year. Prior to the game's release, Craig Harris of IGN reviewed the early demonstration. He commented on the accurate recreation of the original graphics, and stated that the small Nintendo DS screen helps hide any visual flaws. Harris criticized the game's controls calling them a little "sluggish" and "clumsy". Though he praised the graphics and new gameplay additions, Harris expressed disappointment that the ''Mario'' launch game for the new system was a remake instead of a full game. IGN's Anoop Gantayat anticipated the game would be a big hit among American video game enthusiasts. In Japan, ''
Famitsu formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' ranked ''Super Mario 64 DS'' the 29th most wanted game. Reviewers praised the game's accurate recreation of the Nintendo 64 game, additional features, and upgrades. Phil Theobald of
GameSpy GameSpy was an American provider of online multiplayer and matchmaking middleware for video games founded in 1996 by Mark Surfas. After the release of a multiplayer server browser for the game, QSpy, Surfas licensed the software under the GameS ...
lauded ''Super Mario 64 DS'', calling it "fantastic" and complimenting the new features: minigames, use of a second screen, and extra stars. He also commented that the gameplay of the original game holds up ten years after its original release. Harris said the original feel of ''Super Mario 64'' is retained, while the new challenges and features build upon it in a way that added to the game's longevity. He complimented the graphics and audio, and considered the game a good demonstration of the Nintendo DS's capabilities.
Jeff Gerstmann Jeff Gerstmann (born August 1, 1975) is an American video game journalist. Former editorial director of the gaming website ''GameSpot'' and the co-founder/editor of the gaming website ''Giant Bomb'', Gerstmann began working at ''GameSpot'' in th ...
of
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
also complimented the graphics, specifically the higher polygon count and smooth
frame rate Frame rate (expressed in or FPS) is the frequency (rate) at which consecutive images (frames) are captured or displayed. The term applies equally to film and video cameras, computer graphics, and motion capture systems. Frame rate may also be ca ...
. He called ''Super Mario 64 DS'' a "great update of a classic game", and felt the changes and additional features offered a new experience to fans of the original. In contrast, 1UP.com's Jeremy Parish felt the game did not offer enough new content to warrant a purchase. He praised the inclusion of extra characters, calling them a "nice twist", but concluded his review by calling the game a "poorly-conceived port" that should be played on the original system. Other criticism focused on the game's controls and multiplayer mode. Theobald felt the lack of an
analog stick An analog stick (or analogue stick in British English), sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller (often a game controller) that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joy ...
made the controls more difficult than the original game and required a short period of adjustment. He further stated that the digital pad and touchscreen's virtual analog control were "tricky" and required practice. Harris echoed similar comments and noted the touchscreen does not provide physical feedback like an analog stick. He added the game was never intended to be played without proper analog controls. Gerstmann referred to the multiplayer mode as "uneventful" and considered it lacking longevity, but commented that it was a good extra that demonstrated the system's wireless multiplayer capabilities. Theobald agreed it was a nice addition, but considered it a "diversion" that players would tire of quickly.


Notes


References


External links


''Super Mario 64 DS''
at
Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles. Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
.com
''Super Mario 64 DS''
at
iQue iQue, Ltd. () is a Chinese video game/game localization and support development company located in Suzhou. It was founded as a joint venture between Wei Yen and Nintendo in 2002 as a Chinese video game console manufacturing company. The follo ...
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