i hate discussing this game with fans because they always move the goal posts. no, this isn't the first time i've played an older 3d game, and no, i don't dislike this game because i can't appreciate them. i greatly enjoy and love games like resident evil, tomb raider, crash bandicoot, and sonic adventure; those were all early 3D offerings that were rough around the edges. they had very thought-out mechanics with intentionality behind their level design and were consistently engaging to play. i cannot say the same about this game. super mario 64 is not fun for me play because i do not find the mechanics or level design engaging. additionally, the camera is atrocious and has aged poorly. there's also this weird pseudo-tank controls aspect that changes how mario moves without warning and killed me several times in the later levels like TTC and RR. movement is actively one of the worst parts of this game, which is the kiss of death for a platformer. i don't dislike this game for being old, i dislike this game for being bad.
i respect what it tries to do, and i think there is some level of admiration game devs of the time express for it that i understand. i get why this was such a groundbreaking game in some ways. but, i grew up in this era, and even as a kid, this game didn't connect with me. finally sitting down and playing it as a fully grown adult, i can understand and verbalize what it is that fucks me off from this. am i impressed with the attempt to focus so much on momentum as a platforming principle? yes. do i think this game hits the mark with that lofty goal? absolutely not. again, it's not that this game is old; i had this same exact feeling when it was still a new game. i do not enjoy super mario 64 not because it is dated, because dated things can still be enjoyed. i do not enjoy super mario 64 because i do not enjoy super mario 64.
1.5/5.0 feels harsh, but it's a combination of not enjoying my time with this game as well as resenting this game's legacy. i don't understand how this is still regularly discussed in contention for greatest game of all time. i hate how it's still seen as hipster and contrarian to say this game isn't the second coming of christ. and, most importantly, i am very tired of this idea that the games that we love cannot have flaws and cannot be criticized.
i respect what it tries to do, and i think there is some level of admiration game devs of the time express for it that i understand. i get why this was such a groundbreaking game in some ways. but, i grew up in this era, and even as a kid, this game didn't connect with me. finally sitting down and playing it as a fully grown adult, i can understand and verbalize what it is that fucks me off from this. am i impressed with the attempt to focus so much on momentum as a platforming principle? yes. do i think this game hits the mark with that lofty goal? absolutely not. again, it's not that this game is old; i had this same exact feeling when it was still a new game. i do not enjoy super mario 64 not because it is dated, because dated things can still be enjoyed. i do not enjoy super mario 64 because i do not enjoy super mario 64.
1.5/5.0 feels harsh, but it's a combination of not enjoying my time with this game as well as resenting this game's legacy. i don't understand how this is still regularly discussed in contention for greatest game of all time. i hate how it's still seen as hipster and contrarian to say this game isn't the second coming of christ. and, most importantly, i am very tired of this idea that the games that we love cannot have flaws and cannot be criticized.
5 Comments
I've never cared too much for this game either compared to some people, and I even bothered to 100 percent it twice technically. Once via Super Mario 64 Plus on PC (which I highly, highly, highly recommend as it fixes just about everything but the late game level design) and then again on the 3D Collection for Switch. Every time, I find myself enjoying everything up to the third floor with Lethal Lava Land being perhaps my favorite course. Everything after is just overly repetitive (Tall Tall Mountain) or outright miserable (Tick Tock Clock, Rainbow Ride).
Funny enough, I have an older cousin who grew up with the NES games and is more or less the reason why I got hooked on 8 and 16 bit stuff in the early 2000s as a kid. Last time I spoke to him and we were talking about games, he shared the same sentiment about not really being able to get into it as much when it first came out.
Funny enough, I have an older cousin who grew up with the NES games and is more or less the reason why I got hooked on 8 and 16 bit stuff in the early 2000s as a kid. Last time I spoke to him and we were talking about games, he shared the same sentiment about not really being able to get into it as much when it first came out.
"i don't understand how this is still regularly discussed in contention for greatest game of all time."
Because Nintendo fans like to pretend that all Nintendo games are timeless and don't age.
Because Nintendo fans like to pretend that all Nintendo games are timeless and don't age.
first mario 64 review to summarize my thoughts on the game completely
wow
wow
for me it's not really a matter of age at all i just think half of this game's stages are boring as shit and no amount of cool jump tech is gonna make me think hazy maze cave or big small world (whatever it's called) or especially dire dire docks is any amount of fun
NovaNiles
30 days ago