Super Mario 64 DS

aka: Shényóu Mǎlìōu DS, Super Mario 64x4
Moby ID: 31024
Nintendo DS Specs
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Description official descriptions

Mario, Luigi, and Wario have all gone to the Mushroom Palace for some of Princess Peach's famous home made cake. However, when they don't return its up to the heroic dino Yoshi to find out what's wrong.

In this portable remake of the original Super Mario 64 You are able to play as different characters from the Mario franchise. Wario, Yoshi, Luigi, and of course Mario. Each character has different abilities to be made use of during the games expanded quest.

The game now features 150 Stars to collect up from the previous 120, new stages with new bosses, changes to old stages and bosses, and a multiplayer in which players compete to get the most stars.

The game also includes over two dozen mini games that make use of both screens and the touch pad.

The DS touch screen can be used to mimic analog control.

Spellings

  • スーパーマリオ64DS - Japanese spelling
  • 神游马力欧DS - Simplified Chinese spelling
  • 슈퍼 마리오 64 DS - Korean spelling

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Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Nintendo DS version)

115 People (109 developers, 6 thanks) · View all

Producer
Supervising Director
Director
Player Director
Map & Level Design Director
Script & Mini-game Director
Sequence Director
Map & Level Design
Map Design
Enemy & Mini-game Design Director
Character & Enemy Design
Effects Design
Screen Design
Mini-game Screen Design
Demo Design
Debug Support
Music
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 85% (based on 81 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.8 out of 5 (based on 71 ratings with 3 reviews)

The first and greatest of all 3D platform games, plus more! One you can't afford to miss if you own a DS!

The Good
Well, it's a Mario game so there's lots of things to like here. First of all please note that Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64 was one of the greatest and most notable games ever since it introduced us to the 3D platform genre. This game is the same but has much more to offer than the original, making it fun for veterans, too. You can now play as one of four characters: Yoshi, Mario, Luigi and even Wario, each with unique powers. This was one of the few flaws of the original. The story has been altered because of that. Now you start with Yoshi: Mario is invited to eat cake at princess Peach Toadstool's castle. Luigi and Wario join him. Yoshi, who was sleeping on the roof of the castle learns that they have been locked up by Bowser, who kidnapped Peach and stole the power stars from the castle. Now Yoshi must release the others and together they must retrieve the power stars and finish of with Bowser a few times along the way and finally save Peach. The graphics are better than the original since there's a lot more polygon's. Mario looks much, much better. Textures are a bit inferior to the N64 version, but overall this version is better on the graphics area. The gameplay is OK and you can steer with both the touch screen and the directional pad in different gameplay modes. Not all of them work well and none of them work as well as the joystick of the N64, but it's good gameplay nonetheless. The sound is great in the DS surround sound and you'll recognize some tunes from earlier games in the series, the same goes for the sound effects. The little shrieks of the characters are a bit worse but that's not much of a problem. This version is bigger because there are new areas, they are not very as spectacular as the original levels but it's a nice touch. There are 30 new stars to collect bringing the total up to 150. There are a lot of fun stylus mini-games that can be unlocked too, which are really worth the look. As mentioned before there are three more playable characters which are all needed to collect all stars. Al these new extra's make the longevity of this game a lot bigger. For the rest it's basically the same, which is a good thing because Super Mario 64 was such a brilliant game. The level design is great as always, just perfect. Another cool new feature is a map on the lower screen showing items.

The Bad
As mentioned before, some sounds don't sound very well and some textures are not so good on the small screen as on the TV screen. Gameplay is good, but not as good as on the N64 analog stick, either.

The Bottom Line
A great remake of a classic that is one of the few in a long line Nintendo remakes that manages to please both veterans and newbies. This is just the Mario game that is required in your collection for the DS, as with all Nintendo's systems. Buy it with a DS!

Nintendo DS · by Rensch (203) · 2007

Mario's looking good, DS-style!

The Good
First, I'd like to say that I got the Nintendo DS. Finally! It's nice, it's small, it's slick and portable, what more can a gamer ask for? I reckoned I was going to remember this dual-screened thing through long road-trips and lazy winter nights, but it was not until I got to the playing that my smile really crossed boarders. It's Mario!

I'm going to talk about the game for the DS to begin with, before I move on to comparing it with the Nintendo 64 version.

It's beautiful to see a game that is so basic while at the same time able to compel one by the colorful and diverse graphics and scenery it has to offer. You touch the screen a couple of times and hear the well-known selecting sound as you touch an empty file name on top of the water. Soon, you find yourself standing in front of the castle, while the camera stays put beneath you, making the castle look huge. You'll hear the sounds of birds singing and the wind blowing while the sun shines at you from above. It's the ultimate Mario-moment - still it's Yoshi standing there.
What I love about the game is the levels based on pictures that you jump into through the wall. It makes the game magic and gives you a lot more freedom. For example, you can try to retrieve another star from the painting you just came from, or perhaps you might want to try a new door you've just unlocked, or maybe you'll give another shot at Bowser? You can even access a good selection of minigames or switch between characters to try different levels or access new areas using the variety of Wario, Luigi, Mario and Yoshi. In other words, the levels, and most important - what surrounds the levels - the castle is what you will think is different and exciting about this game, the rate depending on what kind of games you've played before. The whole jumping and accessing type of playing is bound to spellbind you.

Now I'll give you the three features/points about the game that I think is the best.

  • Navigation feel
    It's an easy, fun and intuitive way to move your character around in the game. You can choose from different ways of controlling, and I got used to them and thought that all were great. This is probably going to be your first positive experience with Super Mario 64.
  • Amount of different areas
    There are lots of different levels in the game - from inside a volcano to above the clouds to inside a sunken ship and so on - plus many secret ones as well. You'll have to get to know each one good because of the amount of "missions" you'll have to complete in each one.
  • Detailed graphics, colorful objects
    Really self-explanatory.
    The DS version is a lot better in many ways. It's really an improved version as well as being full of new and cool stuff to explore. The main story and levels are mostly the same, except it's wrapped in a new and stylish way.
  • You can play as four characters
    Perhaps the coolest new feature next to the controlling. This adds much more of the actual gameplay and adds to the diverse aspect of the game, as I spoke of earlier.
  • Intuitiveness
    Either you use the stylus, the thumb pad or the normal controlling, intuitiveness of controlling is a key element compared to the Nintendo 64 which only supported the simple joystick.
  • The Two Screens! of course...
    You wouldn't guess how much the fact that there are two screens add fun and quality gameplay compared to the predecessor for the 64. The map is great at many times, and when there's supposed to be a - for example - confusing element in the game, so is the touch screen! This refers to the "controlling" I just wrote about, but it's really the touch screen that lets you move around so unique.
  • Minigames
    New to the DS is a good selection of highly addictive minigames obtainable throughout the game. They introduce the player to the touching part of the DS-revolution, and are accessible though a door in the new room in the castle or through the main menu. However, these games don't feature any use of the DS-microphone, which I will get back to.

    **The Bad**
    In spite of all the great things I mentioned earlier, Super Mario 64 for the DS is really like many "release"-games, they offer LITTLE OR NO CHALLENGE. I believe the game is too busy promoting the DS and it's greatness that it forgets making the game at least a little challenging. However, there are several updates since the Nintendo 64 version that are clearly efforts to make the game harder, though failing:
  • 30 more stars
    Most are just additions to existing levels, I noticed few newcomers in painting levels.
  • A set of different characters
    Pretty much there so that you can gain the different stars using different special abilities.
    Another bad thing about the game is that it doesn't make use of the DS's microphone capabilities. That was something I had really hoped for and thought it was going to be in a launch title like Super Mario 64. The simplicity of the game can and should be part of your own opinion, just as this review is part of mine. However, I think there should've been a little more stuff that the character could do aside from jumping, wall jumping, triple jumping and more jumping, even though I at the same know that that would mean a total change of the "Mario experience". Again, don't buy this game if you're looking for a challenge unless you want to sit and play minigames all your life or brag about how fast you cleared the race against the penguin. For most gamers, that is.

    **The Bottom Line**
    It's Mario in good shape, killer graphics and fun to play. The only problem is, it only lasts for not that many hours. Most of you probably even have it because it came with the DS.
    Buy at own risk.
  • Nintendo DS · by Spag (58) · 2007

    A great transition from the N64 to the DS!

    The Good
    What isn't there to like about Mario. This game is full of great platforming, huge worlds to explore, quirky enemies, and the inclusion of Wario, Luigi, and Yoshi "The Tank". Everything about this game is pretty much the same as it's N64 counterpart, but there are still many differences. One difference is the fact that there are new characters, so there has to be new goals. You also don't start the game as Mario, rather, you start as the Tank, which totally changes the first levels of the game. The first boss is really quite fun because you can't pick up the Bob-omb King with Yoshi, so you have to eat his bomb minions, turn them into eggs, and throw them back at him, it's was so cool. And of course, seeing as how this is a DS game, there is a butt load of mini games for you to play. The mini games are a great addition to this already great game, you will be sitting down for a long time trying to beat your best score. My personal favorite mini game was the slingshot launcher, but there are so many mini games to choose from, so everybody can have a favorite mini game.

    The Bad
    The controls at times really sucked, sometimes they blowed, but luckily, never at the same time. You have a choice of using the D pad to control your character, or, the touch screen, both of which aren't really that great. Out of the two control types, I found myself mostly using the D pad, but at least the touch controls work well with the mini games. Another gripe I have with the game, while a minimal complaint, is the fact you don't get that cool jump after you beat the game with all the stars, I mean, I know Yoshi is a playable character, but I want that super cool jump, put Donkey Kong or Waluigi or Daisy or someone on the roof, just give me my cool jump.

    The Bottom Line
    If you own a DS, this is a game you want to add to your library, seeing as how there aren't to many good games out on the DS. Even if you don't like Mario( although who doesn't?) you really should pick up this game.

    Nintendo DS · by Joshua Price (24) · 2007

    Discussion

    Subject By Date
    MobyScore error? vedder (70680) Jan 4, 2009

    Trivia

    Sales

    According to publisher Nintendo, Super Mario 64 DS sold 11.06 million copies worldwide (as of September 30, 2015).

    Awards

    • 4Players
      • 2005 – Best Remake of the Year
    • GameSpy
      • 2004 – Nintendo DS Game of the Year
    • Golden Joystick Awards
      • 2005 - Handheld Game of the Year 2004

    Analytics

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    Contributors to this Entry

    Game added by Corn Popper.

    Wii U added by Michael Cassidy. Nintendo DS added by Opipeuter.

    Additional contributors: Opipeuter, gamewarrior, CalaisianMindthief, Patrick Bregger, Grandy02, piltdown_man.

    Game added November 10, 2007. Last modified January 31, 2024.