Mario 64 is always praised as one of if not the best 3d platformers and honestly I don't get it outside of nostalgia. There's a lot about Mario 64 that just hasn't aged well. My main problems with it are the lack of decent challenging platforming in any of the levels outside of the last few; and the lack of interesting missions.
For my former complaint I noticed that untill ticktok clock the games platforming is overly simple and lacking the challenge of the 2D games that came before it. I honestly wish that Mario 64 had gone the route of a Crash Bandicoot style game where the main focus was linear platforming challenges. That was the original intention actually but Nintendo had to add it because of the limitations of the N64 cartridge. Thus they introduced missions to force players to interact with levels in different ways.
I do really enjoy some of the missions in Super Mario 64. Specifically Big Boo's haunt as well as whatever that dessert level is called are handled masterfully. Unfortunately most of the missions tend to be overly repetitive in nature such as collecting 8 red coins, killing a certain amount of enemies or discovering secrets. (The haunted House level does this but stays interesting because the level slowly unfolds in-between missions.) Since there's no real challenge involved in these missions I end up getting bored and losing interest in finishing the game.
The following 3D Marios are much more interesting than 64. Sunshine introduces a treasure trove of mechanically unique missions that prevent the game from getting boring. Galaxy is a return to form and puts Mario back into linearl obstacle courses full of creative gimmicks.
Mario 64 is really just another game that's been propped up by millennials to be the best in its genre because it's the one they played growing up. When people bring it up as one of the best games of all time I can't help but laugh. Is it an ok game? Yes. Is it one of the best? No.
For my former complaint I noticed that untill ticktok clock the games platforming is overly simple and lacking the challenge of the 2D games that came before it. I honestly wish that Mario 64 had gone the route of a Crash Bandicoot style game where the main focus was linear platforming challenges. That was the original intention actually but Nintendo had to add it because of the limitations of the N64 cartridge. Thus they introduced missions to force players to interact with levels in different ways.
I do really enjoy some of the missions in Super Mario 64. Specifically Big Boo's haunt as well as whatever that dessert level is called are handled masterfully. Unfortunately most of the missions tend to be overly repetitive in nature such as collecting 8 red coins, killing a certain amount of enemies or discovering secrets. (The haunted House level does this but stays interesting because the level slowly unfolds in-between missions.) Since there's no real challenge involved in these missions I end up getting bored and losing interest in finishing the game.
The following 3D Marios are much more interesting than 64. Sunshine introduces a treasure trove of mechanically unique missions that prevent the game from getting boring. Galaxy is a return to form and puts Mario back into linearl obstacle courses full of creative gimmicks.
Mario 64 is really just another game that's been propped up by millennials to be the best in its genre because it's the one they played growing up. When people bring it up as one of the best games of all time I can't help but laugh. Is it an ok game? Yes. Is it one of the best? No.
