When I tried playing through Super Mario 64 a few years ago, I admittedly got filtered by the camera controls and shelved it after only a handful of levels. Super Mario 64 Plus is an excellent unofficial PC port of dubious legality that remedies my biggest gripe with the classic platformer by allowing for true twin-stick analog movement of the camera, something that would be inconceivable back in 1996 on the unholy abomination that is the Nintendo 64 controller. This port also lets you enable the ability to stay in a level after collecting a star, an enormous quality-of-life improvement that saves time and feels like it should have been in the original release. There are plenty of other optional features and extras, such as moves from later games and harder difficulty modes, but the aforementioned camera and quality of life fixes were sufficient for me to enjoy a definitive, improved "vanilla" experience.
As for Mario 64 itself, well, it's Mario 64. Even beyond the camera, there are some levels that don't hold up well nowadays (Dire Dire Docks for its reliance on janky swimming controls, and Hazy Maze Cave's needlessly large layout feels more boring than anything). But there's a reason this game revolutionized the industry and has an enduring fan community of intense speedrunners and casual players alike. Despite being one of the earliest 3D platformers, Nintendo got so much right with Mario 64: Mario's fun and varied moveset, the incredible music, and the simple yet effective collectathon gameplay that still holds up today. The formula has been improved upon by later platformers with access to better technology and more games to use as a reference, but Mario 64 is still a refreshing and memorable entry for someone like myself playing it in full for the first time, nearly 30 years after its original release.
As for Mario 64 itself, well, it's Mario 64. Even beyond the camera, there are some levels that don't hold up well nowadays (Dire Dire Docks for its reliance on janky swimming controls, and Hazy Maze Cave's needlessly large layout feels more boring than anything). But there's a reason this game revolutionized the industry and has an enduring fan community of intense speedrunners and casual players alike. Despite being one of the earliest 3D platformers, Nintendo got so much right with Mario 64: Mario's fun and varied moveset, the incredible music, and the simple yet effective collectathon gameplay that still holds up today. The formula has been improved upon by later platformers with access to better technology and more games to use as a reference, but Mario 64 is still a refreshing and memorable entry for someone like myself playing it in full for the first time, nearly 30 years after its original release.