Super Mario 64

[General Chaos]

I know I for one hate all Final Fantasy games, too slow and repetitive

wow! i thought i was the only one who hated FF. man did i takes hits on that one from my friends, but i just couldnt get into them, personally i thought the super mario sunshine and paper mario 1000 year door were my fav mario games (oh yeah cant forget mario 3).

You definitely aren't alone. I don't like the FF games either. The only game from the FF universe that I like is FF Tactics for the PS1/PSP respectively.

[andymol21]

Oh, and the fly controls...fortunately you don't have to fly a lot...

I realy don't see what was wrong with the flying controls. You have momentum (sort of) and by diving down you build up speed to go back up. The analogue stick was made for Super Mario 64 and I thought it worked very well with the flying, it's a bit sensitive but nothing that you could get used to. After you do, you'll be looping around the castle like a pro. (Well you can't actually loop...)

[Gamerforlife]

I never was that impressed by Super Mario 64. I'm not saying it's bad, but not as great as it's said to be. Maybe it's because I didn't play it until long after its release. For many people, it was the game that showed people how awesome 3-d gaming could be, particularly with platformers. For me, that game was the original Tomb Raider.

It we're talking about cutesy mascot platformers, the first 3-d one that impressed me was Crash Bandicoot. Really loved that trilogy, especially the funny commercials. I'll take Crash Bandicoot:Warped over Super Mario 64 any day.

[Ack]

Ok, well, I've gotten a little bit further. I've spent a little more time with certain later levels and they don't seem as bad as they used to. Still not the biggest fan of ice levels, but I made it through. Currently sitting at 97 stars. I've gotten all seven stars in 11 of the 15 worlds. I did get extremely frustrated with a lot of what I mentioned, and the same problems still apply, though I did spend a little more time flying around. I'm still not used to it yet, but I'll get there.

As for what remains:
2 stars left in Lethal Lava Land
6 stars left in Shifting Sand Land
5 stars left in Tick Tock Clock
6 stars left in Rainbow Ride
4 secret stars spread throughout the castle

So would you guys say, in terms of the other Mario games, was this one of the best? Mediocre? A poor representation? What do you all think?

[NebachadnezzaR]

So would you guys say, in terms of the other Mario games, was this one of the best? Mediocre? A poor representation? What do you all think?

Despite everyone's love for Super Mario 3 on the NES, I never liked that game a lot so my Super Mario top 3 would be the original SMB, followed by Super Mario Land on the Gameboy and then SM64, so yeah, in my opinion it's definitely a good SM game.

[racketboy]

If we're talking 2D, I enjoy all of the NES ones (Lost Levels if you want a challenge) and I really liked the Gameboy ones as well. New Super Mario Bros for the DS was a blast as well

[Gamerforlife]

Ok, well, I've gotten a little bit further. I've spent a little more time with certain later levels and they don't seem as bad as they used to. Still not the biggest fan of ice levels, but I made it through. Currently sitting at 97 stars. I've gotten all seven stars in 11 of the 15 worlds. I did get extremely frustrated with a lot of what I mentioned, and the same problems still apply, though I did spend a little more time flying around. I'm still not used to it yet, but I'll get there.

As for what remains:
2 stars left in Lethal Lava Land
6 stars left in Shifting Sand Land
5 stars left in Tick Tock Clock
6 stars left in Rainbow Ride
4 secret stars spread throughout the castle

So would you guys say, in terms of the other Mario games, was this one of the best? Mediocre? A poor representation? What do you all think?

In my personal opinion, most of the 2-d Marios and Super Mario rpg were all better than Super Mario 64. I'm not one of those people who thinks that some games need to stay in 2-d, but I didn't feel that Super Mario 64 made the transition well. And as has already been stated, I think Super Mario 64's camera was awful and the controls felt slightly off. Again, not an awful game that I didn't have any fun with. Definitely flawed and overrated though. I find it strange when people still refer to it being some kind of standard bearer that all 3-d platformers should follow when it's awful camera shows how dated it is.

Eventually, the N64 would get games like Conker's Bad Fur Day and Mischief Makers, which all put Mario 64 to shame.

[Drakon]

sorry if this is a bit of a necrobump. At first I had my doubts because I wasn't big on the whole 3d thing (I'm still not). One fine day I had some spare time so I decided to give it a try. Well.....100odd stars later it's now become one of my favourite games of all time. There's something very calming about playing mario64. It's a very relaxing experience I find. Probably the music helps a lot with setting the mood.

[ZeroAX]

I loved this game. lot's of different and original levels. Mario galaxy and the Banjo kazooie games are better imo but this is still a classic. better than sunshine at least. though you have very reasonable arguments I just didn't mind that stuff. Like some people don't mind random battles, or repeatable gameplay, or online rasist faks. though in my opinion you seem to have enjoyed it quite a bit so get yourself a wii and mario galaxy and you'll love that so much

[Ziggy]

I hate to toot my own horn, but I rock at Mario 64. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that you are only playing it now. If you played that game when it first came out, you would REALLY know how great it is.

And about the controls, I think you're just bad at them. The controls for that game are great, you just have to know how to use them right. The camera is never a problem for me, although its an involuntary movement to adjust the camera (C buttons) as I'm playing the game, no matter what the circumstances are.

I'd like to upload a video of me playing the game, just so you can see how awesome you can control Mario, if you know what you're doing. Not saying that you suck or anything. I just don't think its fair to say, on a game that you just played for the first time, that the control of Mario and the camera are flawed.