I used to prefer the original more but I decided I'd replay this and I think I now prefer this version. I didn't appreciate all the changes the 1st time I played. Here's a list of everything I prefer about each version.
64 Pros:
• Glitches: Invincible ground pounding and BLJing lead to good fun jank like going through King Thwomp or speedrunning up stairs you shouldn't be able to get. You can also get a star in Thwomp's fortress without using the cannon.
• Controls: Movement and button lay out feel a lot better. You're not locked to 8 directions. Slopes feel less janky and you can go up some using a certain jump kick trick.
• Characters: Mario is playable from the start. You don't have to run to a room every time you want to make progression. Bowser's design looks more unique rather than super generic.
• Power Ups: You don't need to switch characters to complete the game. Mario can do anything and everything including using power ups. Has the metal and invisible power ups.
• Outside Peach's Castle: As soon as you drain the water you'll have access to the invisible power up unlocking level rather than needing to unlock Wario to do so.
• Cool Cool Mountain: The bridge doesn't make you slide.
• Jolly Roger Bay: The mist gives it a much cooler atmosphere.
• Lethal Lava Land: Slopes aren't as janky with the shell. It's easier to kill the bullies with ground pounds
• Tall Tall Mountain: Has a secret 4 corner 1 up. You can skip the slide by doing a precise jump off a ledge. Don't need Wario to get a star at the waterfall.
• Snowman's Land: The ice "sculpture" is easier. It's also easier to kill the bully with a ground pound. Red coins are an easy star.
DS Pros:
• QoL: Map on the bottom screen and visually looks better. Red Bobombs were placed around the map that'll show U where red coins are at if U talk to them. You can fast climb poles now.
• Characters: Yoshi, Luigi, and Wario have new unique movesets which spice things up. I find Yoshi and Luigi fun to play.
• Power Ups: New floating flower power ups lets Mario float around which is very helpful in some levels.
• Outside Peach's Castle: Added details like a garden gives the castle a better vibe. Also after draining the water there's now a new slope to help U get back up rather than needing to run all the way to one side to get up.
• Bobomb Battlefield: The star in the island is replaced with find multiple silver stars around the map star and a 2nd King Bobomb fight. The new fighter actually makes more sense than the original did.
• Whomp's Fortress: New land area that doesn't get in the way of the old layout at all, makes 1 jump more forgiving, and adds a new gotta go fast star. King Whomp's redesign looks good.
• Cool Cool Mountain: The baby penguin won't walk up slopes Mario can't climb so it's less annoying and a gust of wind can save you from dying at the bridge if U fall off.
• Jolly Roger Bay: New float power up makes getting the star on the cliffsides easier and less jank. You only need to open 1 chest in the ship so less risk of dying to a random guessing game after trying to get the eal out of the ship which is seemingly easier now. The eal's tail doesn't hurt you so it's easier to get the come out and play star. The cave feels more cavey and has a new star.
• Peach's room: Looks more interesting than other rooms which makes the castle feel more liveky. Also it contains a new 1 star world that plays Sunshine music. It feels like a great addition that doesn't take away from anything. It also contains a cool new spooky poison forest world with a few new stars and a completely new unique boss which you can beat to unlock Mario (who I do feel should be the default character but whatever).
• Mini Games: These are all really fun and are great collectable rewards.
• Bowser Dark World: The new power up is a alternate way to get the 2 earliest red coins but they can still be gotten the normal way. It also let's U skip a large portion of the world however not the hardest part which in my experience is the final stretch especially now that there's a new star here which involves quickly going backwards.
• Garden: There's a new 1 star world in the corner which feels like a nice extra. Also the Boo won't hit U every time U get out of Big Boo's Haunt.
• Big Boo's Haunt: 1 red coins is in a new area that requires using the new power up which makes it more diverse. The new power up can also help U get up to the 3rd floor easier which was annoying before. There's a entire new segment where you have to follow the sound of Big Boo's laugh to find a mirror where you fight him using Luigi who is stuck as your reflection. This is a super cool way to unlock Luigi. The new power up once again helps you get to the top of the roof.
• Lethal Lava Land: New power up can help traverse the map. It adds yet another way to cheese the rolling log star if you want to. The camera and platforms work much better in the volcano. The new silver star locations give U a real reason to use the shell which feels less likely to break now.
• Shifting Sand Land: The outside ledges of the pyramid are wider making them more forgiving.
• Hazy Maze Cave: You no longer need to jump off the lock ness monster's head to get to the center island. It was lowered so U can just get there by swimming through the water.
• Dire Dire Docks: The 1st segment has a small beach area and new enemies making it just slightly more interesting. The whirlpool is less annoying. There's bullet bills in the 2nd half which kinda add to the idea that it's a base for Bowser's ship.
• Wet Dry World: The new power up helps get around the top and over gate to the city area. It's easier to tell the sky box is a city.
• Tall Tall Mountain: New wind that'll help you get up faster and also a new wood path to help U get to the waterfall star area more easily.
• Tiny Huge Island: Wind is less jank. The tiny version of the island has new platforms and a tree that helps you get around a lot faster. Wiggler is 3D now and the roof of the boss room reminds me of Maple Tree way.
• Snowman's Land: Part of the map was altered slightly which I think makes it more interesting. The snowman's wind is less jank. Luigi makes getting past the water area way easier.
• Tick Tock Clock: The new platforms make it sooo much more forgiving and actually fun to play. It also feels a little more aesthetically pleasing.
• Mini Games: These are all really fun and are great collectable rewards.
64 Pros:
• Glitches: Invincible ground pounding and BLJing lead to good fun jank like going through King Thwomp or speedrunning up stairs you shouldn't be able to get. You can also get a star in Thwomp's fortress without using the cannon.
• Controls: Movement and button lay out feel a lot better. You're not locked to 8 directions. Slopes feel less janky and you can go up some using a certain jump kick trick.
• Characters: Mario is playable from the start. You don't have to run to a room every time you want to make progression. Bowser's design looks more unique rather than super generic.
• Power Ups: You don't need to switch characters to complete the game. Mario can do anything and everything including using power ups. Has the metal and invisible power ups.
• Outside Peach's Castle: As soon as you drain the water you'll have access to the invisible power up unlocking level rather than needing to unlock Wario to do so.
• Cool Cool Mountain: The bridge doesn't make you slide.
• Jolly Roger Bay: The mist gives it a much cooler atmosphere.
• Lethal Lava Land: Slopes aren't as janky with the shell. It's easier to kill the bullies with ground pounds
• Tall Tall Mountain: Has a secret 4 corner 1 up. You can skip the slide by doing a precise jump off a ledge. Don't need Wario to get a star at the waterfall.
• Snowman's Land: The ice "sculpture" is easier. It's also easier to kill the bully with a ground pound. Red coins are an easy star.
DS Pros:
• QoL: Map on the bottom screen and visually looks better. Red Bobombs were placed around the map that'll show U where red coins are at if U talk to them. You can fast climb poles now.
• Characters: Yoshi, Luigi, and Wario have new unique movesets which spice things up. I find Yoshi and Luigi fun to play.
• Power Ups: New floating flower power ups lets Mario float around which is very helpful in some levels.
• Outside Peach's Castle: Added details like a garden gives the castle a better vibe. Also after draining the water there's now a new slope to help U get back up rather than needing to run all the way to one side to get up.
• Bobomb Battlefield: The star in the island is replaced with find multiple silver stars around the map star and a 2nd King Bobomb fight. The new fighter actually makes more sense than the original did.
• Whomp's Fortress: New land area that doesn't get in the way of the old layout at all, makes 1 jump more forgiving, and adds a new gotta go fast star. King Whomp's redesign looks good.
• Cool Cool Mountain: The baby penguin won't walk up slopes Mario can't climb so it's less annoying and a gust of wind can save you from dying at the bridge if U fall off.
• Jolly Roger Bay: New float power up makes getting the star on the cliffsides easier and less jank. You only need to open 1 chest in the ship so less risk of dying to a random guessing game after trying to get the eal out of the ship which is seemingly easier now. The eal's tail doesn't hurt you so it's easier to get the come out and play star. The cave feels more cavey and has a new star.
• Peach's room: Looks more interesting than other rooms which makes the castle feel more liveky. Also it contains a new 1 star world that plays Sunshine music. It feels like a great addition that doesn't take away from anything. It also contains a cool new spooky poison forest world with a few new stars and a completely new unique boss which you can beat to unlock Mario (who I do feel should be the default character but whatever).
• Mini Games: These are all really fun and are great collectable rewards.
• Bowser Dark World: The new power up is a alternate way to get the 2 earliest red coins but they can still be gotten the normal way. It also let's U skip a large portion of the world however not the hardest part which in my experience is the final stretch especially now that there's a new star here which involves quickly going backwards.
• Garden: There's a new 1 star world in the corner which feels like a nice extra. Also the Boo won't hit U every time U get out of Big Boo's Haunt.
• Big Boo's Haunt: 1 red coins is in a new area that requires using the new power up which makes it more diverse. The new power up can also help U get up to the 3rd floor easier which was annoying before. There's a entire new segment where you have to follow the sound of Big Boo's laugh to find a mirror where you fight him using Luigi who is stuck as your reflection. This is a super cool way to unlock Luigi. The new power up once again helps you get to the top of the roof.
• Lethal Lava Land: New power up can help traverse the map. It adds yet another way to cheese the rolling log star if you want to. The camera and platforms work much better in the volcano. The new silver star locations give U a real reason to use the shell which feels less likely to break now.
• Shifting Sand Land: The outside ledges of the pyramid are wider making them more forgiving.
• Hazy Maze Cave: You no longer need to jump off the lock ness monster's head to get to the center island. It was lowered so U can just get there by swimming through the water.
• Dire Dire Docks: The 1st segment has a small beach area and new enemies making it just slightly more interesting. The whirlpool is less annoying. There's bullet bills in the 2nd half which kinda add to the idea that it's a base for Bowser's ship.
• Wet Dry World: The new power up helps get around the top and over gate to the city area. It's easier to tell the sky box is a city.
• Tall Tall Mountain: New wind that'll help you get up faster and also a new wood path to help U get to the waterfall star area more easily.
• Tiny Huge Island: Wind is less jank. The tiny version of the island has new platforms and a tree that helps you get around a lot faster. Wiggler is 3D now and the roof of the boss room reminds me of Maple Tree way.
• Snowman's Land: Part of the map was altered slightly which I think makes it more interesting. The snowman's wind is less jank. Luigi makes getting past the water area way easier.
• Tick Tock Clock: The new platforms make it sooo much more forgiving and actually fun to play. It also feels a little more aesthetically pleasing.
• Mini Games: These are all really fun and are great collectable rewards.