uncredited male
Member
I spent the first 30 minutes of the game running in circles and doing flips and jumps.
It was the controls and range of movement that did it.
It was the controls and range of movement that did it.
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Your initial impressions playing Mario 64?
- Thread starter Phediuk
- Start date
DoubleDash
Neo Member
I was 10 years old and I saw it at Innoventions at Disney World. It just completely blew my mind. I remember waiting in line and watching everyone in front if me. I never thought games could look that good and when I got my hands on it I couldn't believe the freedom
Yeah. But I wasn't impressed anyway.
CastleBravo
Member
It was the exact same thing for me! I was a senior in high school then and and had already been gaming since I was very young in the early 80s. Our local Toys R Us had a kiosk setup and I remember being really impressed seeing Nintendo finally moving into 3D graphics. The PSX has already been out for a couple years at the time if I remember correctly. I remember the kiosk would always have a pretty large crowd of people standing around it watching whoever was playing the demo.
It was good times then!
Goldenroad
Member
I hated it. Hated the way it looked and moreso the way it controlled. I remember thinking "god dammit Nintendo", you just ruined the greatest video game franchise ever. I don't have the same active disdain for it anymore as I had when it was released, but it's still probably my least favorite game in the series....that or the Lost Levels.
Gianni Merryman
Member
I think before Mario 64 was even out I knew already by heart the first level as I had read detailed previews on paper magazines, yet I enjoyed it very much and I was impressed by how consistent was this with the Mario universe.
I also want to point out that this for all I know is the first instance of a 2d game succesfully and consistently transitioned to 3d, followed shortly by Ocarine of time.
I also want to point out that this for all I know is the first instance of a 2d game succesfully and consistently transitioned to 3d, followed shortly by Ocarine of time.
I happened to play Super Mario 64 first and then played Tomb Raider not too long after and I couldn't believe how rigid and robotic the controls for Laura were. Going from Mario's free fluid movements to a limiting invisible grid system just blew my mind in the opposite direction. I couldn't believe how antiquated and bad the controls were in TR. I still powered through it though due to the awesome setting and guns and whatnot, but my god I felt the controls were atrocious, even then.
Yeah Tomb Raider had the opposite effect of SM64 for me. If TR was what 3D meant, I didn't want any part of it.
Dimitri2401
Member
I was 12 or something and I played it just 5 minutes in some shopping mall.
It completely blew my mind. As soon as I got back home, I ran to see my father, who was working in the garden, to frantically tell him about my experience.
I'm fairly sure that no game ever made me feel so much excitement.
It completely blew my mind. As soon as I got back home, I ran to see my father, who was working in the garden, to frantically tell him about my experience.
I'm fairly sure that no game ever made me feel so much excitement.
E-Cat
Member
Back then, Mario 64 was like pure ecstasy in a cart form. For me, it was on par with the happiest moments of my childhood (I was around 12 at the time). You know, the kind of feeling that you never get again after you turn 16 or so. It's kind of depressing to think I'll never feel as happy or fulfilled again. It was more than a game, it was transcendent experience--the kind of experience that only sex gives me these days, but even better. Better than sex.
timetokill
Banned
it was mind-blowing in every way. I'd played some PlayStation but this was so far ahead it was hard to describe. it looked so clean, felt so smooth, and played like a dream. absolutely incredible.
Blown away. The leap in graphics and sound quality coming from the SNES was gigantic. And then that glorious joystick. Moving Mario in a 3D space for the very first time will forever be a moment in gaming I will never forget.
My first time playing and seeing the game in person was on this kiosk at a Sears shopping mall:
That auto reset timer was cruel though.
My first time playing and seeing the game in person was on this kiosk at a Sears shopping mall:
That auto reset timer was cruel though.
same and my best friend at the time came in and had money from his mom for a new system for christmas and he was about to get a psx and im like breh try this game and then try crash bandicoot right next to it, no competition Mario was on a whole new level of game.
i already had psx and i wasnt going to be able to get another system so i pleaded with him to get the n64 so my selfish ass could play lots more of mario.
It was clean compared to the PS1 and Saturn games I was playing but I was still underwhelmed graphically. It had some nice little touches like the animations and ripple effect on the paintings, but it also lacked detail IMO. I think I bought too much into the hype surrounding the N64. Was more impressed by how it played than how it looked.
TGO
Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
I imagine they was, Tomb Raider Legend was the first TR to have good control moment, but I guess back then I adapted and became good with them, but no doubt Mario 64 controlled fantastic, so did Crash actually but he caged in a corridor run lol
The first time I played it at a friend's house, I really didn't like it at all. Compared to the brilliant Crash Bandicoot, the empty, unfocused level design with a complete lack of challenging platforming made it a major disappointment for me. I warmed up to the game a bit over time but I still consider it the black sheep of the series. As far as the "platformer which is actually an adventure game with very minor platforming elements" genre is concerned, Banjo Kazooie was did a far better job at constructing a large 3D world to explore and interact with in interesting ways.
vagabondarts
Member
This.
I also didn't like the Vaseline textures but appreciated their lack of warping (compared to PSX)
Daffy Duck
Member
Here's a confession that won't go down well.....
I've never played it.
I've never played it.
Auto-Reply
Member
What's impressing is that 15 years later the game blew my mind again when watching Siglemics speedrun of this game. Never thought that would happen.
Rhomega Beta
Member
I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing.
IT WAS AMAZING! The world seemed so massive. Seeing Bob-omb battle field for the first time running past the chain chomp and climbing to the peak of the mountain was so epic. And that was just the first star! Exploring the castle itself occupied a lot of my time. The game was my obsession for the next year or so. I even wrote about it in my journals in kindergarten.
Pyramid head
Banned
I remember thinking Nintendo had nailed 3D control in way no one had managed up to that point. But I wasn't keen on the visuals. It wasn't really just Mario 64 though, it took me a long time to warm to early 3D graphics.
GodParticle
Member
Blown away. I spent so much time in the 1-1 area just shooting myself out of cannons and running around haha
Guerrillas in the Mist
Member
Coming from owning a Game Boy and playing Mega Drive games at my mates' house, it was pretty fucking mindblowing, as you can imagine.
Yup.
Yup.
when pics were revealed from shoshinkai in '95 i was pretty disappointed. i expected something like Toy Story but it looked pretty much like a PSX game... but still i was a believer and looked forward to it
then my friend imported the japanese console and seeing it in motion was absolutely mind melting. it was a huge deal
then my friend imported the japanese console and seeing it in motion was absolutely mind melting. it was a huge deal
claude.labonte
Member
protomouse
Member
First post nails it. Completely blew my mind.
This. Mind was blown.
Cave Johnson
Member
Played it on an emulator and I was blown away from the experience to the point I needed to get 120 Stars. I never had the fortune of playing it on an N64 controller, that would've been quite the experience. Replayed on the NDS again and it was just that much of a joy to go through.
Neat.
I was playing Super Maro World on my neighbours SNES at that time when another friend got an Nintendo 64 with Mario 64. I wasn't very interested in videogames back then, so my mind wasn't really blown. It just existed and it was fun, I kind of took it for granted.
I liked Super Mario World better, it was more colorful, the platforming was better and I lost orientation quickly in 64. I also wasn't too hot on the exploring thing at first (heh). Just going right in 2D Marios felt more natural at that time.
How is this such a big deal, Sunshine is way better.
Years later I bought Mario 64 DS. I skipped the Nintendo 64, so I never played more than a handful of levels of Mario 64. Having played Sunshine before (which was my first real 3D Mario game), 64 felt like such a letdown. Nothing to explore (I know, right), it was ugly, setting was all over the place. Weird levels. Added it to my backlog and moved on.
Whoa, this actually IS pretty great
Enter Backloggery, Cookie of Fortune. Oh, I get to play that snoozefest Mario 64 DS, welp, let's get this over with.
Long story short: I was blown away.
Creative level design, neat worlds, THEM SLIDES, more levels with vertical platforming (something I liked in Sunshine).
While I still think that Mario 64 is the weakest 3D Mario game, it's really good and I can see how it was revolutionary at it's time.
I'm glad that Nintendo created it, setting up 3D platforming as we know it. It just works.
I was playing Super Maro World on my neighbours SNES at that time when another friend got an Nintendo 64 with Mario 64. I wasn't very interested in videogames back then, so my mind wasn't really blown. It just existed and it was fun, I kind of took it for granted.
I liked Super Mario World better, it was more colorful, the platforming was better and I lost orientation quickly in 64. I also wasn't too hot on the exploring thing at first (heh). Just going right in 2D Marios felt more natural at that time.
How is this such a big deal, Sunshine is way better.
Years later I bought Mario 64 DS. I skipped the Nintendo 64, so I never played more than a handful of levels of Mario 64. Having played Sunshine before (which was my first real 3D Mario game), 64 felt like such a letdown. Nothing to explore (I know, right), it was ugly, setting was all over the place. Weird levels. Added it to my backlog and moved on.
Whoa, this actually IS pretty great
Enter Backloggery, Cookie of Fortune. Oh, I get to play that snoozefest Mario 64 DS, welp, let's get this over with.
Long story short: I was blown away.
Creative level design, neat worlds, THEM SLIDES, more levels with vertical platforming (something I liked in Sunshine).
While I still think that Mario 64 is the weakest 3D Mario game, it's really good and I can see how it was revolutionary at it's time.
I'm glad that Nintendo created it, setting up 3D platforming as we know it. It just works.
Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3 are my favourite Mario games, and games I consider great.
SM64, I played about 3 years after it had released. I think it was either 1999 or maybe even 2000. My impression when I first played it? Shit. I didn't like it at all. It was just boring. I'd been playing games like FF7/8, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil and I loved those so when I played SM64, it just didn't seem impressive. My impression didn't change when I played it again a few years ago.
It's one of those games that didn't click with me. The only 3D Mario games I've liked are the Galaxy series. Sunshine was a piece of crap too.
SM64, I played about 3 years after it had released. I think it was either 1999 or maybe even 2000. My impression when I first played it? Shit. I didn't like it at all. It was just boring. I'd been playing games like FF7/8, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil and I loved those so when I played SM64, it just didn't seem impressive. My impression didn't change when I played it again a few years ago.
It's one of those games that didn't click with me. The only 3D Mario games I've liked are the Galaxy series. Sunshine was a piece of crap too.
I agree with him. I worked at an import/used game shop at the time and everyone else went nuts over Mario 64. I was more impressed with the newly-released Jumping Flash! 2 and with both games on display, JF!2 got just as much attention from people.
The N64 was the first time I was disappointed by a new Nintendo system. It's their worst console and second worst system after the Virtual Boy, IMO. I expected to buy a Nintendo 64 in 1996 but held off and only got one later on because it was a gift. The Game Cube was better, although I didn't like Wii waggle and the Wii U controller gimmick doesn't do much for me, but I still like those platforms way more than the N64.
Years later I tried Mario 64 again on the DS...
...and still didn't like it. They made up for it with Galaxy and the like though.
Similar reaction. It just wasn't anywhere near as good as the previous games.
Never been as impressed by a game before or since. There have been better games, don't get me wrong, but at the time, playing it on an in-store demo unit, it just seemed like a quantum leap to me.
After that, I knew I had to have a Nintendo 64. I'd been sort-of pining for a PlayStation for a while, but nothing up to that point had made an impression like Mario 64 did. In hindsight, I probably should have picked the PS (given my teenager budget meant I had to pick one or the other) for the better overall library, but given all my close friends eventually got the N64 and all the time we spent with 4-player Goldeneye, I don't regret it.
After that, I knew I had to have a Nintendo 64. I'd been sort-of pining for a PlayStation for a while, but nothing up to that point had made an impression like Mario 64 did. In hindsight, I probably should have picked the PS (given my teenager budget meant I had to pick one or the other) for the better overall library, but given all my close friends eventually got the N64 and all the time we spent with 4-player Goldeneye, I don't regret it.
Caffeine
Member
the day before christmas eve i was playing super mario world on my super nintendo.
christmas eve n64 and mario 64 blew my mind as i never saw a 3d game like that at the time my 6 year old mind was done lol i remember my dad telling me to step back away from the tv because i was adoring the graphics lol.
back then we didnt have a sub to a gaming magazine and rarely got out of the house other than school and being outside, stores were different around here they didnt have tv's displaying the games as you walked the aisle, and we didnt get internet till 1998 so all i knew was super nintendo, nintendo, gameboy, and sega genesis.
and then in 1999 we got a ps1 with ff8 (its why i prefer it more than 7 I played it first
)
christmas eve n64 and mario 64 blew my mind as i never saw a 3d game like that at the time my 6 year old mind was done lol i remember my dad telling me to step back away from the tv because i was adoring the graphics lol.
back then we didnt have a sub to a gaming magazine and rarely got out of the house other than school and being outside, stores were different around here they didnt have tv's displaying the games as you walked the aisle, and we didnt get internet till 1998 so all i knew was super nintendo, nintendo, gameboy, and sega genesis.
and then in 1999 we got a ps1 with ff8 (its why i prefer it more than 7 I played it first
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