Super Mario 64: Difference between revisions

|release='''Nintendo 64:'''<br>{{release|Japan|June 23, 1996|USA|September 29, 1996|Europe|March 1, 1997|Australia|March 1, 1997|Japan|July 18, 1997 (''Shindō Pak Taiō Version'')|China|November 17, 2003 ({{wp|iQue Player}})}} '''Virtual Console (Wii):'''<br>{{release|USA|November 19, 2006|Japan|December 2, 2006|Australia|December 7, 2006|Europe|December 8, 2006}} '''Virtual Console (Wii U):'''<br>{{release|USA|April 1, 2015|Europe|April 1, 2015<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMWGe657t8g Nintendo Direct Presentation - 01.04.2015]. Posted to YouTube by Nintendo of Europe on April 1, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.</ref>|Australia|April 2, 2015|Japan|April 8, 2015<ref>[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wiiu/software/vc/nabj/index.html?_ga=1.126163213.1818326145.1407870473 Super Mario 64 for Wii U Virtual Console on the Nintendo of Japan website]. Retrieved April 1, 2015.</ref>}} '''Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Switch Online:'''<br>{{release|USA|October 25, 2021<ref>Nintendo (September 23, 2021). [https://youtu.be/dG9fAtmYdlM?t=1260 Nintendo Direct - 9.23.2021]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|Japan|October 26, 2021<ref>Nintendo 公式チャンネル (September 24, 2021). [https://youtu.be/MegZz4gKSPk?t=1142 Nintendo Direct 2021.9.24]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|Europe|October 26, 2021<ref>@NintendoEurope (September 23, 2021). [https://twitter.com/NintendoEurope/status/1441166363037364229?s=20 ''"Play a growing library of Nintendo 64 and SEGA Mega Drive games anytime, anywhere with #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack, a new membership launching in late October."''] ''Twitter''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|Australia|October 26, 2021<ref>@NintendoAUNZ (September 24, 2021). [https://twitter.com/NintendoAUNZ/status/1441167178850390018?s=20 ''"Play a growing library of Nintendo 64 and SEGA Mega Drive games anytime, anywhere with #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack, a new membership launching in late October."''] ''Twitter''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|HK|October 26, 2021<ref>[https://www.nintendo.com.hk/topics/article/a_211015_02.html 《集合啦！動物森友會》將於11月5日發布免費更新（Ver.2.0），以及發售付費新增內容《集合啦！動物森友會 快樂家樂園》。] ''Nintendo HK''. Retrieved October 16, 2021.</ref>|South Korea|October 26, 2021<ref>[https://www.nintendo.co.kr/news/view.php?no=Q0tKRlVXa25aZkFlY2RCaENKYWZOZz09 「Nintendo Switch Online」을 더욱 즐겁게! 「Nintendo Switch Online + 추가 팩」이 10월 26일(화)부터 시작!] ''Nintendo Korea''. Retrieved October 16, 2021.</ref>}}

The chart below refers to the original game and subsequent ports, such as those released through [[Virtual Console]]s and [[Nintendo Switch Online]]. For the control scheme of the remake released for the [[Nintendo DS]], click [[Super Mario 64 DS#Controls|here]]. For the iteration included in ''Super Mario 3D All-Stars'' for [[Nintendo Switch]] systems, click [[Super Mario 3D All-Stars#Super Mario 64|here]]. A "→" (right arrow) shows buttons to press in succession, and a "+" (plus sign) shows buttons to press simultaneously. The controls for the [[Wii U]] can be customized in the emulator settings, with the column below displaying the default mapping.

{|class="wikitable"style="width:100%; text-align:center"

!rowspan=2 width=9% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Action(s)

!colspan=7 style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Input(s)

!width=13% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Nintendo 64 Controller

!width=13% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|iQue Player

!width=13% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Nintendo GameCube Controller

!width=13% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Classic Controller

!width=13% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Wii U controllers

!colspan=8 style="background:#FF7733; color:white;"|Mario controls

|{{button|n64|a}} when making contact with the ground while moving (do twice)

|{{button|Switch|JC-Right}} when making contact with the ground while moving (do twice)

|{{button|n64|a}} when making contact with the ground while running (do thrice)

|{{button|Switch|JC-Right}} when making contact with the ground while running (do thrice)

|-

|Slide-attack

!colspan=8 style="background:#FF7733; color:white;"|Lakitu Bro controls

|-

!colspan=8 style="background:#FF7733; color:white;"|Menu controls

==Locations==

===Setting===

|A photograph of a hokaniwa<ref name=mizu group=image>Mizu-chan. ''Miniature Japanese garden''. Minato, Tokyo. 21 Jan 2014. Muza-chan's Gate to Japan, [https://muza-chan.net/ muza-chan.net].</ref> (left) compared to a screenshot of Tiny-Huge Island (right). The design principals of the former are the cited influence behind the courses in the game.

 

''Super Mario 64'' takes place within the walls of the [[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle ]] in the [[Mushroom Kingdom]]. It is the first ''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]'' game to explicitly include the Mushroom Kingdom as a location since ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''. The game's [[level]]s, called "courses," are not naturally occurring places but were created by [[Bowser]] using the [[Power Star]]s he stole from [[Princess Peach]]. Most of them are accessed through [[painting]]s that hang in the castle's walls, but some are more cryptically hidden or require the player to accomplish a task in the castle before becoming accessible. Some [[:File:SM64 globe artwork.png|paratextual material]] and [[Throwback Galaxy|subsequent titles]] present the courses introduced in this game as visitable places outside the paintings.

Generally, a course is a sprawling location with interactive environmental elements and several levels of elevation. Courses often have subareas and collectibles obscured in the landscape that passively encourage the player to rotate the camera and explore. Most courses feature prominent landmarks, such as the mountain on the [[Bob-omb Battlefield]] and the volcano in [[Lethal Lava Land]], that provide the player with a consistent point of reference that mitigates their chance of getting lost.<ref name=montreal>[[Yoshiaki Koizumi]]. "[https://youtu.be/A25Ab7RyUPs Super Mario Galaxy: The Journey from Garden to Galaxy]" (keynote address; archived). Montreal International Games Summit, Alliance numériQC, 27 Nov 2007, Palais des congrès de Montréal, Montréal. Recorded by Eric St-Cyr. Compiled by Hover. YouTube, youtube.com. Published 24 Sep 2016. Accessed 27 Feb 2021.</ref> Like its more immediate predecessors, courses are [[Level#List of level themes|themed]] after real-life {{wp|ecosystem}}s (i.e., deserts, mountains, seas) and more fantastical settings (i.e., haunted houses, clocktowers, rainbow roads in the sky). The theme informs the types of objects that can be interacted with in the level, the types of enemies that can be encountered, and the non-playable characters that can be spoken to. For example, [[Pokey|cactus enemies]], a [[Klepto|condor]], and [[quicksand]] are in the desert-themed [[Shifting Sand Land]]. [[Penguin]]s, slippery ice, and deep snow appear on [[Cool, Cool Mountain]] and [[Snowman's Land]]. Most courses contain switches and strikable objects that modify elements of the course, such as the [[Crystal Tap]]s in [[Wet-Dry World]].

 

Unlike the levels of prior two-dimensional entries, the courses in this game are open-ended and largely do not funnel the player towards one goal. This was an intentional departure from the level design principals of prior games because the development team did not believe they could be replicated for a fun experience in a three-dimensional environment. Director and series creator [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] wanted ''Super Mario 64'' to be a game where players "create their own vision," a decision partially influenced by the technical difficulty of making a precise jump in a 3D environment.<ref name=taka>64編集部 (eds). ''スーパーマリオ64 マリオ・ザ・テクニック―完全攻略への最短ルート編'' (Japanese source). Tokyo: Takarajimasha, 1996. ISBN: 978-4-79-661121-3. Cited in-text as Takarajimasha (1996).</ref><ref name=shmup>shmuplations (translator). "[https://shmuplations.com/mario64/ Super Mario 64 – 1996 Developer Interviews]" (English translations of Takarajimasha and Shogakukan, 1996). shmuplations.com. Published 2022. Accessed 22 Jun 2023.</ref><ref name=montreal/> This mindset manifested in levels where players were largely free to interact with the world in ways they wanted to, with larger platforms and sprawling spaces that encouraged exploration rather than carry out precise actions to reach a goal. The courses themselves were created using hakoniwa or "box garden" design principals.<ref name=shoga>Editing staff (eds). ''スーパーマリオ64 (ワンダーライフスペシャル―任天堂公式ガイドブック)'' (Japanese source). Tokyo: Shogakukan, 1996. ISBN: 978-4-09-102554-8. Cited in-text as Shogakukan (1996).</ref><ref name=shmup/><ref name=hakon group=note>Private correspondence with shmuplations clarifies that the text they translated as "diorama" was written as 箱庭 (''hakoniwa'') in the original Shogakukan (1996) text.</ref><ref name=montreal/><ref name=trinen>[[Bill Trinen]]. "[https://nintendotreehouse.tumblr.com/post/161799433482/whats-in-a-box What's in a Box?]". Nintendo Treehouse Log. Tumblr, tumblr.com. Published 14 Jun 2017. Accessed 30 Jan 2021.</ref> A hakoniwa is a intricately-arranged miniature garden within an enclosed space, with layers of depth and detail that become apparent to an onlooker when carefully examined.<ref>Andrew R. Dean. "[https://najga.org/handbook/courtyard-garden/ Chapter 8: The Courtyard Garden]". ''Handbook, Part 1: Design & Craft'' (digital). North American Japanese Garden Association, najga.org. Published 10 Dec 2010. Accessed 24 Jun 2023.</ref><ref>Nihon Gaiji Kyōkai (eds). ''Contemporary Japan: A Review of Far Eastern Affairs''. Tokyo: Foreign Affairs Association of Japan, (25): 246. Published 1957. Accessed 14 Aug 2023.</ref><ref name=trinen/> Applying these principals allowed the development team to create complex levels that surprise players, another important tenet during development.<ref name=taka/><ref name=shmup/><ref name=montreal/> In {{wp|Western world|the West}}, where creating miniature gardens is not as culturally prevalent, these types of levels are most often likened to {{wp|Sandbox game|sandboxes}}.<ref name=trinen/>

 

[[File:SM64 Screenshot Entering a Painting.gif|x170px|thumb||right|Mario [[jump]]ing into the painting for the Bob-omb Battlefield]]

Most of the courses are accessed through [[painting]]s inside the Mushroom Castle, the {{wp|Overworld|hub world}} of the game. The surface of a painting ripples like water when near, and [[Mario]] is brought to the course it represents by {{wp|Chronotope|physically jumping through it}}. Accessing levels in this manner is a departure from the overworld system in previous platform games (see [[Super Mario 64#Mushroom Castle|below]]). However, the castle is divided into several sections that are analogous to the [[world]] structure of proceeding games, where multiple levels are available to the player on a single section and the player must complete a [[List of bosses|boss]]-dedicated course in order to gain access to the next one. As Mario advances through the castle, he encounters some courses that are accessed through portals other than paintings, such as Shifting Sand Land, which is accessed through what looks like a brick wall at a dead end in the basement, and [[Tick Tock Clock]], which is entered through a clock face. The locations of courses on subsequent floors are generally more complex and are puzzles in themselves, such as the painting for [[Snowman's Land]] that is viewable only through a mirror.<ref name=HubDoc>Design Doc. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHguwARMcY8 What Makes a Great Hub World? - How Mario 64, Spyro, and Hades Made Theirs ~ Design Doc]". YouTube, youtube.com. Published 12 Oct 2020. Accessed 18 Aug 2023.</ref>

 

Rather than present a unilateral scenario that leads to a single spatially fixed [[goal]], most courses in the game host multiple objectives called "[[mission]]s" that each have a goal in a different location from each other. For most courses, entering a painting (or equivalency) brings the player to a [[:File:Bob-omb Battlefield mission select.png|mission-selection screen]], where selecting one sends Mario to the course within the confines of the mission's specific scenario and its unique goal. In nearly all courses, this goal is a Power Star, a collectible token resembling the [[Super Star]] of prior entries. Touching one completes the level and returns Mario to the castle. The number of Power Stars collected is tracked by the game and communicated to the player on the {{wp|user interface}} in the upper right corner of the screen. Accumulating Power Stars is how new courses become accessible to the player. On the first floor, some [[★ door]]s that seal away certain paintings open only after Mario has collected a specified number of Stars. Mario can access a new floor only after clearing the current one's Bowser course, itself becoming accessible only after a specified number of Power Stars has been obtained. However, there are 120 obtainable Power Stars in a game that requires only 70 to access the final level. The player has some discretion on how many or which ones are obtained to finish the game, as well as the order.

 

 

 

*'''Main courses'''<ref name=booklet>''Super Mario 64 Instruction Booklet''. Großostheim: [[Nintendo|Nintendo of Europe]], 1996. page 15.</ref> contain six dedicated missions and an unlisted 100-[[coin]] mission. Some of the dedicated missions build off each other environmentally or narratively. (This means the events that transpire in the completion of one mission are reflected in the events of the subsequent mission.) However, some Power Stars can be encountered before the mission-dedicated one and can be collected, resulting in some instances where the Stars are obtained out of the intended "order." These courses are the most intricate levels in the game. Most include objects that can enable quick traversal between areas, such as cannons and [[Warp|Warp Points]]. Some courses include accessible subareas, such as the volcano in Lethal Lava Land and the pyramid in Shifting Sand Land. There are 15 main courses in the game, and they are the only levels explicitly numbered and listed on the pause menu.

*'''Mini courses'''<ref name=booklet/><ref name=upchurch>David Upchurch (ed). "Super Mario 64 The Essential Player's Guide". ''Official UK Nintendo Magazine''. London: East Midland Allied Press, (54): 31. Published Mar 1997.</ref> are smaller and structured more like traditional obstacle courses that emphasize precise platforming. They lack dedicated missions to select, and most contain only one Power Star. Power Stars obtained in mini courses are counted together as "Secret Stars" on the pause menu. Mini courses can further be classified into three subtypes, as detailed below.

**'''Bowser courses'''<ref>Upchurch, p. 30</ref> lead to an arena where Mario must defeat [[Bowser]]. Each Bowser course features a Power Star obtained by collecting eight [[Red Coin]]s, but this does not complete the level. In the first two courses, defeating Bowser awards Mario a [[Key#Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS|Big Key]], a different kind of token that completes the level when touched. The Big Key is used to permanently unlock the [[Key Door]] to another floor in the castle. In [[Bowser in the Sky]], the final course, defeating Bowser releases the [[Jumbo Star]]. Collecting it does not contribute to the player's Power Star total, instead freeing Princess Peach. There are three Bowser courses in the whole game, one for each floor.

**"'''Switch courses'''" are where Mario is under the effect of a power-up immediately upon entering a course and is needed to reach a Cap Switch. When one is [[Ground Pound|ground-pound]]ed, it causes the power-up to permanently become accessible within the main courses. They are analogous to the [[Switch Palace]]s in ''[[Super Mario World]]'', though unlike in them, striking the switch does not make Mario exit the course. These are the only courses in the game where Mario can fall down a [[pit]] without losing a life; he is instead brought back to the castle.

 

There are a number of courses on each floor. At least four of them are main courses, and at least two are mini courses. One of the mini courses is always a Bowser course. Including the Mushroom Castle, there are 25 courses in the game. The chart below lists all of them. Each one is provided with a screenshot, a brief description, and a list of its missions. The order that the courses and missions are listed follows their organization in the ''Super Mario 64'' Player's Guide.<ref>Scott Pelland and Dan Owsen. ''The Super Mario 64 Player's Guide''. Redmond: [[Nintendo|Nintendo of America]], 1996.</ref> Only the names of the missions in main courses are provided in-game. When available, the missions that lack in-game names, such as the 100-coin missions, are also derived from the ''Super Mario 64'' Player's Guide. Where no such name exists, the mission assumes the name of its course.

 

!colspan="3" style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Courses

|colspan="3"style="background:#58BC58;"|[[File:SM64 Asset Texture Castle Wall (Main Hall).png|25px]] '''{{color-link|Peach's Castle#First floor|white|First Floor and Mezzanine}}'''

!width=16% style="background:#9FD99F"|01. [[Bob-omb Battlefield]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×6 [[File:SM64 Chart Boss.png|15px|Total number of boss battles]]×1

!colspan="2"width=34% style="background:#9FD99F"|Missions

|rowspan="4"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bob-omb Battlefield.png|x100px]]

|width=17%|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Big Bob-omb on the Summit]]

|width=17%|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Footrace with Koopa the Quick]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Shoot to the Island in the Sky]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Find the 8 Red Coins]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Mario Wings to the Sky]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Behind Chain Chomp's Gate]]

|colspan="2"|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Treasure in the Sky<ref name=floor1>Pelland and Owsen, p. 46</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|Grassy fields surrounding a spiraled mountain. A battle is waged here between the peaceful [[Bob-omb Buddy|Bob-omb Buddies]] and the enemy [[Bob-omb]]s. Once the battle is over, the Bob-omb Buddies allow [[Mario]] to access their [[cannon]]s. There is a floating island in the east and a barred cave towards the center with a [[Chain Chomp]] leashed in front of it.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Enter the Mushroom Castle.

!width=16% style="background:#9FD99F"|02. [[Whomp's Fortress]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×1 [[File:SM64 Chart Boss.png|15px|Total number of boss battles]]×1

!colspan="2"width=34% style="background:#9FD99F"|Missions

|rowspan="4"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Whomp's Fortress.png|x100px]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Chip Off Whomp's Block]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[To the Top of the Fortress]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Shoot into the Wild Blue]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Red Coins on the Floating Isle]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Fall onto the Caged Island]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Blast Away the Wall]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Whomps and Flowers<ref name=floor1/>

|colspan="3"align=center|A fortress in the sky. It is ruled by the [[Whomp King]], who sits at the top of the fortress. The path leading to him has falling platforms and stone enemies. Once he is defeated, a climbable tower appears at the top. A chain of floating islands is in the northeast. They can we reached with the help of [[Hoot]], a sleepy owl found in the course's single [[tree]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect a Power Star.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|03. [[Jolly Roger Bay]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#9FD99F"|Missions

|rowspan="4"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Jolly Roger Bay.png|x100px]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Plunder in the Sunken Ship]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Can the Eel Come Out to Play?]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Treasure in the Ocean Cave|Treasure of the Ocean Cave]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Red Coins on the Ship Afloat]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Blast to the Stone Pillar]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Through the Jet Stream (Jolly Roger Bay)|Through the Jet Stream]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Pirates' Plunder<ref name=floor1/>

|colspan="3"align=center|A cove containing the wreck of a sunken ship. A giant moray eel called [[Maw-Ray|Unagi]] nests in the ship and stirs when approached. An underwater corridor in the northwest leads to a cave that holds [[treasure chest|Treasure Chest]]s. Solving the puzzle of the chests reveals a Power Star.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 3 Power Stars.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|04. [[Cool, Cool Mountain]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×3

!colspan="2"style="background:#9FD99F"| Missions

|rowspan="4"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Cool, Cool Mountain.png|x100px]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Slip Slidin' Away (mission)|Slip Slidin' Away]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Li'l Penguin Lost]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Big Penguin Race]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Frosty Slide for 8 Red Coins]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Snowman's Lost His Head]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Mario's Super Wall Kick|Wall Kicks Will Work]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Dough in the Snow<ref name=floor1/>

|colspan="3"align=center|A snow-covered mountain inhabited by [[penguin]]s and [[Snowman|snowpeople]]. Wooden bridges and a moving [[chairlift]] are built into the side of the mountain. A log cabin is near its peak. It contains the [[Slide (Super Mario 64)#Cabin's Snow Slide|Cabin's Snow Slide]], where Mario is challenged to a race by the [[Big Penguin]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 3 Power Stars.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|[[Bowser in the Dark World]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×1 [[File:SM64 Chart Boss.png|15px|Total number of boss battles]]×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#9FD99F"|Missions

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Dark World.png|x100px]]

|[[File:SM64 Chart Key.png|14px|Key]] Bowser in the Dark World

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} {{conjectural|8 Red Coins}}

|colspan="3"align=center|A winding path in a cavernous void. The path bears [[Amp]]s and shifting platforms. It ultimately leads to [[Bowser]], who is fought on a circular platform surrounded by floating [[Mine|bombs]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 8 Power Stars.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|[[The Princess's Secret Slide]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×2

!colspan="2"style="background:#9FD99F"|Missions

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot The Princess's Secret Slide.png|x100px]]

|colspan="3"align=center|A carpeted [[Slide (Super Mario 64)|slide]] hidden on the mezzanine. Reaching the bottom of the slide gives Mario access to a Power Star—the first Secret Star available to the player. Reaching the bottom within 21 seconds awards Mario a second one.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect a Power Star.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|[[The Secret Aquarium]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#9FD99F"|Missions

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot The Secret Aquarium.png|x100px]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} The Secret Aquarium

|colspan="3"align=center|A closed tank housing blue fish and [[Red Coin]]s. Collecting all of the Red Coins reveals a Secret Star. The aquarium is accessed through a little alcove in the same room that holds the [[painting]] for Jolly Roger Bay.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 3 Power Stars.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|[[Tower of the Wing Cap]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#9FD99F"|Missions

|-

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Tower of the Wing Cap.png|x100px]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Flying for Coins<ref>Pelland and Owsen, p. 45</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|Towers in a sea of clouds. The turret in the middle holds the [[Cap Switch|Wing Cap Switch]] that makes the [[Wing Cap]] permanently available in main courses once struck. Red Coins appear around the towers and can be collected by Mario only in his [[Wing Mario|Wing form]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 10 Power Stars.

|colspan="3"style="background:#B49936; color:white;"|[[File:SM64 Asset Texture Castle Wall (Basement).png|25px]] '''{{color-link|Peach's Castle#Basement|white|The Castle Basement}} and {{color-link|Courtyard (Peach's Castle)|white|Courtyard}}'''

!style="background:#D7C277"|05. [[Big Boo's Haunt]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Chart Boss.png|15px|Total number of boss battles]]×4

!colspan="2" style="background:#D7C277"|Missions

|rowspan="4"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Big Boo's Haunt.png|x100px]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Go on a Ghost Hunt]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Ride Big Boo's Merry-Go-Round]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Secret of the Haunted Books]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Seek the 8 Red Coins]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Big Boo's Balcony]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Eye to Eye in the Secret Room]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Beat the Boos!<ref name=floor2>Pelland and Owsen, p. 84</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|The [[Ghost House|haunted house]] hidden in Princess Peach's courtyard. The rooms of the house contain [[Boo]]s and animated furniture that try to strike Mario. Navigation requires solving puzzles and memorizing patterns in the halls. Failing to do so often brings Mario to the house's flooded basement, where a spinning carousel filled with Boos can be found.<br>'''Unlock criteria:''' Collect 12 Power Stars, and defeat the [[Big Boo]] that holds the miniature carousel in the courtyard.

!style="background:#D7C277"|06. [[Hazy Maze Cave]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7

!colspan="2"style="background:#D7C277"|Missions

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Swimming Beast in the Cavern]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Elevate for 8 Red Coins]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Metal-Head Mario Can Move!]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Navigating the Toxic Maze]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Watch for Rolling Rocks]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Blue Coins in the Haze<ref name=floor2/>

|colspan="3"align=center|An underground labyrinth filled with dead ends, traps, and [[pit|bottomless pit]]s. There are two floors. The first one has a large chamber in the southeast with a controllable elevator, hallways with [[boulder|rolling rock]]s in the northwest, and a maze with [[smoke|strange cloud]]s in the northeast. The lower floor leads to a pool that holds [[Dorrie]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Dark World.

!style="background:#D7C277"|07. [[Lethal Lava Land]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Chart Boss.png|15px|Total number of boss battles]]×2

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Boil the Big Bully]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Bully the Bullies]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[8-Coin Puzzle with 15 Pieces]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Red-Hot Log Rolling]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Hot-Foot-It into the Volcano]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Elevator Tour in the Volcano]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Surf the Lava<ref name=floor2/>

|colspan="3"align=center|Platforms in a [[lava]] sea. Some of them shift back and forth or can be manually rolled. They surround a small volcano that can be physically entered. [[Bully|Bullies]] appear in this course and knock Mario into lava on contact. [[Lava Bubble|Sparkies]] and other fiery obstacles that burn him when touched also appear.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Dark World.

!style="background:#D7C277"|08. [[Shifting Sand Land]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×1 [[File:SM64 Chart Boss.png|15px|Total number of boss battles]]×1

|rowspan="4"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Shifting Sand Land.png|x100px]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[In the Talons of the Big Bird]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Shining Atop the Pyramid]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Inside the Ancient Pyramid]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Stand Tall on the Four Pillars]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Free Flying for 8 Red Coins]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Pyramid Puzzle]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Once More into the Pyramid<ref name=floor2/>

|colspan="3"align=center|Desert sands surrounding a pyramid. [[Klepto]] flies through the sky here. Much of the course is covered in [[quicksand]] and steep dunes. Little [[tornado]]s can be used to avoid obstacles. Narrow walkways are found in the northeast, and a small oasis is in the northwest. The pyramid can be entered, where a labyrinth leads to [[Eyerok]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Dark World.

!style="background:#D7C277"|09. [[Dire, Dire Docks]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7

!colspan="2"style="background:#D7C277"|Missions

|rowspan="4"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Dire, Dire Docks.png|x100px]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Board Bowser's Sub]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Chests in the Current]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Pole-Jumping for Red Coins]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Through the Jet Stream (Dire, Dire Docks)|Through the Jet Stream]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[The Manta Ray's Reward]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Inside the Cage|Collect the Caps...]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Above the Submarine Pen<ref name=floor2/>

|colspan="3"align=center|Deep water. A [[whirlpool]] is at the center of the seabed and is circled by [[Sushi]] and a [[Manta|Manta Ray]]. A corridor in the east leads to an wider area where Bowser has hidden a submarine.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 30 Power Stars.

!style="background:#D7C277"|[[Bowser in the Fire Sea]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×1 [[File:SM64 Chart Boss.png|15px|Total number of boss battles]]×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#D7C277"|Missions

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Fire Sea.png|x100px]]

|[[File:SM64 Chart Key.png|14px|Key]] Bowser in the Fire Sea

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Power Star for 8 Red Coins<ref>Pelland and Owsen, p. 81</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|Three narrow pathways surrounded by lava. Portions of the course gently rise and fall in lava, making traversal challenging. The pathway leads to the second battle against Bowser.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Complete Board Bowser's Sub.

!style="background:#D7C277"|[[Behind the Waterfall|Cavern of the Metal Cap]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×1

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Cavern of the Metal Cap.png|x100px]]

|colspan="2"|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Grab 8 Red Coins<ref name=secret2>Pelland and Owsen, p. 82</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|An underground streambed that holds the Metal Cap Switch. Striking it makes the [[Metal Cap]] accessible in other courses. The water moves rapidly in this course. If Mario is swept up in it, he is brought to the [[Castle Grounds]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Dark World.

!style="background:#D7C277"|[[The Secret Under the Moat|Vanish Cap Under the Moat]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×1

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Vanish Cap Under the Moat.png|x100px]]

|colspan="2"|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} {{conjectural|8 Red Coins}}

|colspan="3"align=center|A hidden area accessible only once the castle's moat is drained. When Mario enters the course, he is in his [[Vanish Mario|Vanish form]], and he must navigate the course while the power-up is still in effect to access the Vanish Cap Switch. Striking it makes the [[Vanish Cap]] accessible in other courses.<br>'''Unlock criteria:''' Clear Bowser in the Dark World and drain the castle's moat.

|colspan="3"style="background:#0083CC;"|[[File:SM64 Asset Texture Castle Wall (Third Floor).png|25px]] '''{{color-link|Peach's Castle#Second floor|white|Upper Floors and Tower}}'''

!style="background:#71CCFF"|10. [[Snowman's Land]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×1 [[File:SM64 Chart Boss.png|15px|Total number of boss battles]]×1

!colspan="2" style="background:#71CCFF"|Missions

|rowspan="4"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Snowman's Land.png|x100px]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Snowman's Big Head]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Chill with the Bully]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[In the Deep Freeze]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Whirl from the Freezing Pond]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Shell Shreddin' for Red Coins]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Into the Igloo]]

|colspan="2"|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Coin Cold Storage<ref name=floor3>Pelland and Owsen, p. 127</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|A chilly land surrounding a giant snowman. Slippery ice and [[Freezing water|freezing ponds]] appear in this course. The [[Chill Bully]] is on a floating island of ice in the east. Narrow paths allow Mario to ascend the snowman, but he begins to blow gusts of air when he nears his head. An enterable igloo is near the base of the snowman.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Fire Sea.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|11. [[Wet-Dry World]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×1

!colspan="2" style="background:#71CCFF"|Missions

|rowspan="4"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Wet-Dry World.png|x100px]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Shocking Arrow Lifts!]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Top o' the Town]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[5 Secrets in the Shallows & Sky|Secrets in the Shallows & Sky]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Express Elevator--Hurry Up!]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Go to Town for the Red Coins|Go to Town for Red Coins]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Quick Race Through Downtown!]]

|colspan="2"|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Blue Coin Collecting<ref name=floor3/>

|colspan="3"align=center|A flooded empty town. There are [[Crystal Tap]]s at several locations in the town that cause the water level to rise or fall. There is a hidden downtown area that can be accessed only through the cage in the southeast.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Fire Sea.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|12. [[Tall, Tall Mountain]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×1

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Scale the Mountain]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Mystery of the Monkey Cage]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Scary 'Shrooms, Red Coins]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Mysterious Mountainside]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Breathtaking View from the Bridge|Breathtaking View from Bridge]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Blast to the Lonely Mushroom]]

|colspan="2"|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Challenge the Slide!<ref name=floor3/>

|colspan="3"align=center|A tall mountain surrounded by [[Mushroom Platform]]s high above the sea. Gusts of [[wind]] and the [[Fwoosh]] make ascending the mountain challenging. The entrance to the [[slide (Super Mario 64)#Mysterious Mountain Slide|Mysterious Mountain Slide]] can be found near the summit. [[Ukiki|Ukkikis]] live in this course, one of which attempts to steal [[Mario Cap|Mario's cap]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Fire Sea.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|13. [[Tiny-Huge Island]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×1 [[File:SM64 Chart Boss.png|15px|Total number of boss battles]]×2

|rowspan="4"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Tiny-Huge Island.png|x100px]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Pluck the Piranha Flower]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[The Tip Top of the Huge Island]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Rematch with Koopa the Quick]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Five Itty Bitty Secrets]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Wiggler's Red Coins]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Make Wiggler Squirm]]

|colspan="2"|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Stomp the Giants<ref name=floor3/>

|colspan="3"align=center|An island that presents itself in two different ways depending on which painting it is accessed from in the castle. One is large with vast areas and giant versions of normal enemies. Mario can easily access the interior of this version of the island, which is home to [[Wiggler]]. The other is tiny with small enemies. Changing the terrain in one version of the island affects the other two, and doing so is required to obtain all of its Power Stars.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Fire Sea.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|14. [[Tick Tock Clock]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7

|rowspan="4"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Tick Tock Clock.png|x100px]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Roll into the Cage]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[The Pit and the Pendulums]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Get a Hand]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Stomp on the Thwomp]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Timed Jumps on Moving Bars]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Stop Time for Red Coins]]

|colspan="2"|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Multi-Coin Blocks<ref name=floor3/>

|colspan="3"align=center|A vertical obstacle course within the tower's clock. Moving platforms are found throughout the clockwork, and they can help Mario reach hidden alcoves or throw him back towards the bottom. The speed of these platforms (and whether they move at all) is determined by where the clock's hands are positioned when he enters the course.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 50 Power Stars.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|15. [[Rainbow Ride]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×7 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×1

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Cruiser Crossing the Rainbow]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[The Big House in the Sky]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Coins Amassed in a Maze]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Swingin' in the Breeze]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Tricky Triangles!]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Somewhere Over the Rainbow]]

|colspan="2"|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Blue Coins Atop the Maze<ref name=floor3/>

|colspan="3"align=center|Floating islands and moving platforms high in the sky. [[Magic carpet]]s travel along rainbows in large stretches of the course, one of which feeds through the [[Cloud House]]. The [[Rainbow Cruiser]] can be found in the northeast.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 50 Power Stars.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|[[Bowser in the Sky]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×1 [[File:SM64 Chart Boss.png|15px|Total number of boss battles]]×1

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Sky.png|x100px]]

|[[File:Star SM64.png|18px|Jumbo Star]] Bowser in the Sky

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} {{conjectural|8 Red Coins}}

|colspan="3"align=center|A challenging obstacle course that leads to the final confrontation with Bowser. Some of the platforms on this course allow Mario to [[gravity|walk up walls]] if he maintains momentum, while others shift under his weight. Bowser starts to break the arena he is fought on, leaving it in the shape of a five-pointed star. The reward for defeating him, the [[Jumbo Star]], is not incorporated into Mario's total Power Star count.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 70 Power Stars.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|[[Over the Rainbows|Wing Mario Over the Rainbow]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×1 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×2

!colspan="2"style="background:#71CCFF"|Mission

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Wing Mario Over the Rainbow.png|x100px]]

|colspan="2"|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} Cloud Hopping for Coins<ref>Pelland and Owsen, p. 126</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|[[Cloud Lift|Clouds]] and checkerboard platforms in the sky. The platforms are bridged by rainbows.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 50 Power Stars.

|colspan="3"style="background:#D81A70; color:white;"|[[File:SM64 Asset Texture Castle (Stained Glass).png|25px]] '''Other'''

!style="background:#EF79AE"|[[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars]]×5 [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px|Total number of accessible cannons]]×1

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Mushroom Castle.png|x100px]]

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[Toad (species)#Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS|A Gift from Toad]]<ref name=secret2/> <small>(basement)</small>

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} A Gift from Toad <small>(second floor)</small>

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} A Gift from Toad <small>(third floor)</small>

|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} [[MIPS|That Wascally Wabbit!]]<ref>Pelland and Owsen, p. 83</ref> <small>(after collecting 15 Power Stars)</small>

|colspan="2"|{{SM64 item icon|Power Star}} That Wascally Wabbit! <small>(after collecting 50 Power Stars)</small>

|colspan="3"align=center|[[Princess Peach]]'s castle in the [[Mushroom Kingdom]]. [[Toad (species)|Toads]] and [[MIPS]] are sealed inside. Some of the former give Mario a Power Star when spoken to. The [[Castle Grounds]] are the first area of the game and where Mario initially appears every time the player loads their save file. Nearly all other courses are accessed from inside the castle, with the Cavern of the Metal Cap and Vanish Cap Under the Moat being the sole exceptions.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Begin a new save file.

|colspan="3" style="background:#E4E4E4; color:black;"|'''Level chart information and legend:''' The main courses are designated with the unique number they are given in-game. Bowser, secret, and switch courses lack numerical designation and are listed as they appear in the ''Super Mario 64'' Player's Guide. Three symbols convey attributes about each course: [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px]] denotes the total number of obtainable [[Power Star]]s, [[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Cannon Lid.png|15px]] denotes the total number of accessible [[cannon]]s, and [[File:SM64 Chart Boss.png|15px]] denotes the number of boss battles. The name of each mission is accompanied by a symbol that indicates what type of mission it is. [[File:Star SM64.png|14px]] denotes a mission where the reward is a Power Star, [[File:Star SM64.png|18px]] denotes a mission where the reward is the [[Jumbo Star]], and [[File:SM64 Chart Key.png|14px]] denotes a mission where the reward is a [[Key#Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS|Big Key]].

</center>

 

{{main|Peach's Castle}}

[[File:SM64 CG Peachscastle.png|x180px|thumb||right|The Castle Grounds before the Mushroom Castle]]

The Mushroom Castle is a connective space from which [[Mario]] can access the game's [[level]]s. It is a white-bricked {{wp|palace}} with a red-tiled roof. Five towers are built into the castle: four at each corner and a large one in the center. Each one is topped with a spire, and the four outermost ones are also topped with a red pennant. A stained glass portrait of [[Princess Peach]] is above the front doors, in which Peach has been imprisoned by [[Bowser]]. The smaller windows on the castle are shaped like [[mushroom]]s. The Mushroom Castle overall bears a superficial resemblance to a {{wp|keep}}. It is framed as the place where Peach lives in the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] and usually contains [[Power Star]]s for protection.<ref name=story>Pelland and Owsen, p. 5</ref> Several [[Toad (species)|Toads]], the princess's subjects, also live in the castle.

 

In the majority of prior [[Genre#Platform games|platform games]], the player selects levels on a map-like menu with a cursor. The cursor itself may represent the player character, as is done in ''[[Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]]'' and ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'', but the degree of control the player has on the cursor is more limited than they would have in the actual levels. ''Super Mario 64'' instead has a fully interactive level as the "map," where Mario controls exactly the same as he does in the courses, and the map itself is an expansive level with its own secrets to find.

 

The [[Castle Grounds]] are the first area in the game where the player takes control of Mario, and it is a risk-free environment for the player to familiarize themselves with his controls.<ref name=HubDoc/><ref name=Stanton>Rich Stanton. ''A Brief History Of Video Games: From Atari to Virtual Reality'' (digital). London: Little, Brown Book Group, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-47-211881-3.</ref><ref name=TottenH>Christopher W. Totten. "Hub Spaces". ''An Architectural Approach to Level Design''. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2018. pages 133-135. ISBN: 978-1-35-198292-4.</ref><ref name=shoga/><ref name=shmup/> There are no [[List of enemies|enemies]] here, nor concrete objectives. While the player is directed to the castle in Peach's [[letter]] to Mario, nothing forces them to enter it, implicitly encouraging them to explore. The Castle Grounds are a grassy area with gently sloping hills, [[tree]]s, picket fences, and a small lake that feeds into the castle's moat. Several readable signs that detail Mario's available actions are near his starting position, but they are not forced upon the player.

 

The castle's interior is divided into three sections analogous to the [[world]]s of prior ''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]'' games: a first floor and mezzanine, a basement and [[Courtyard (Peach's Castle)|courtyard]], and a second and third floor that leads to the central tower. With the exception of the basement, the castle's flooring has a checkerboard pattern and red carpeting. A hilly vista with a blue sky behind it is painted on the walls. The basement is a flooded dungeon-like area lit by torches that can burn Mario. One of the basement's corridors has a pair of [[brick pillar]]s that, when [[Ground Pound|ground-pound]]ed, drain the moat. The courtyard is a grassy space behind the Mushroom Castle with a fountain at its center. It is filled with [[Boo]]s, one of which contains a miniature carousel that holds [[Big Boo's Haunt]]. Among the courses of a section, Mario can typically play them in any order. There are some exceptions, such as at the start of the game, when only the [[Bob-omb Battlefield]] is initially accessible.

 

Rather than list them individually on the pause menu, all Power Stars collected from the mini courses are collectively listed as the castle's "Secret Stars," and indeed, most of them are well hidden when compared to the main courses in the game. Finding them necessitates exploration and puzzle-solving within the castle's walls. For example, the only way to access [[The Secret Under the Moat|Vanish Cap Under the Moat]] is by draining the moat, the means of which are never explicitly communicated in-game but instead come from familiarity with Mario's moves. The window that leads to [[The Princess's Secret Slide]] is not in the center of its room, departing from what is established in the other rooms that contain paintings and can be found only if the player deviates from what is established. This design principal permeates throughout the castle and often awards the player [[1-Up Mushroom|1UP Mushroom]]s, hidden courses, or interactable elements.<ref name=HubDoc/><ref name=Stanton/>

 

As in the main courses, several non-playable characters appear in the Mushroom Castle. Toads (including [[Toad|''the'' Toad]], as relayed in some paratextual material)<ref name=story/> can be found on each floor, where they provide gameplay tips and words of encouragement when prompted. Some of them give Mario a Power Star when spoken to. [[MIPS]] can be found hopping around the basement once Mario has obtained a certain number of Power Stars (see chart above). He will give Mario one if caught. [[Yoshi]] appears on the castle's roof after Mario has [[Completion#Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS|collected all 120 Stars]]. Mario can reach him with a [[cannon]] that opens on the Castle Grounds after completing [[Bowser in the Sky]] with all 120 Stars collected.

 

Owing to his [[List of Super Mario 64 pre-release and unused content#Early ideas|removal during development]], ''Super Mario 64'' is one of the few [[Super Mario (series)|''Super Mario'']] games not to feature [[Luigi]], along with ''[[Super Mario Land]]'', ''[[Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]]'', and ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''. Many data structures in the code have unused references to Luigi's object slot, but he is considered irrecoverable from the final game's codebase.<ref>JoshDuMan. August 28, 2019. [//news.ukikipedia.net/index.php/2019/08/28/decomp-is-out-but-what-does-that-mean-ukikipedia-news-week-10 Decomp is out! …but what does that mean? – Ukikipedia News Week 10]</ref> A [[List of Super Mario 64 pre-release and unused content#Textures|prerelease model and textures]] only surfaced through the {{wp|Nintendo data leak}}. However, Luigi was included as a playable character in the game's [[Nintendo DS]] remake, ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]''.

 

|align=center style="background:#F4A9AE"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Mario.png|90px]]<br>[[Mario]]

|style="background:#FFE4E1"|The hero of the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] and the game's protagonist. He was invited to the [[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]] by Princess Peach, only to find that she had been kidnapped by Bowser. Mario has significantly expanded movement options to reflect the 3D environment of ''Super Mario 64''. Some notable new moves include the [[Triple Jump]], the [[Wall Jump|Wall Kick]], the [[Ground Pound|Pound the Ground]] attack, and a [[Punch|punch-punch-]][[kick]]. Unlike in previous installments, Mario has a [[Health Meter|health meter]] and does not [[Small Mario|shrink in size]] if struck by an enemy.

 

{|width=100% cellspacing=0 border=1 cellpadding=3 style="border-collapse:collapse; background:#f5f5f5"

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM3DAS-SM64-LakituBro.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Lakitu Bros.]]

|A pair of [[Lakitu's Cloud|cloud]]-riding [[Koopa (species)|Koopas]] that are documenting Mario's quest to liberate the Mushroom Castle and rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. One Lakitu Bro is with Mario throughout the entirety of the game, serving as an in-game explanation for the title's 3D camera controls. He is generally unseen, but his reflection can be spotted in a large mirror on the second floor of the Mushroom Castle. The Lakitu Bros. work for the [[List of implied organizations#Kingdom News Network|Kingdom News Network]].

|align=center|All courses

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Princess Peach.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Princess Peach]]

|The ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. She invited Mario to the Mushroom Castle for cake, but she is missing by the time he arrives. Toad informs him that she was kidnapped by Bowser and sealed away within the castle's walls. The game follows Mario's quest to restore the castle's Power Stars and liberate the princess.

|align=center|[[Castle Grounds]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Toad.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Toad]]

|One of Princess Peach's attendants and an old friend of Mario's. He is one of several [[Toad (species)|Mushroom Retainers]] that have been trapped inside the castle. He gives Mario hints, tips, and words of encouragement when spoken to. Some Toads give Mario a Power Star if prompted.

|align=center|[[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:Bob-OmbBuddySM64.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Bob-omb Buddy|Bob-omb Buddies]]

|Friendly [[Bob-omb]]s that lack fuses. They reside on the [[Bob-omb Battlefield]], where they are at war with the [[King Bob-omb|Big Bob-omb]] and his army. A Bob-omb Buddy is hidden away in nearly all subsequent courses. If spoken to, it prepares a [[cannon]] for Mario to use. The cannon remains open and accessible for all subsequent revisits.

|align=center| [[Bob-omb Battlefield]]; [[Whomp's Fortress]]; [[Jolly Roger Bay]]; [[Cool, Cool Mountain]]; [[Shifting Sand Land]]; [[Snowman's Land]]; [[Wet-Dry World]]; [[Tall, Tall Mountain]]; [[Tiny-Huge Island]]; [[Rainbow Ride]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Koopa the Quick.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Koopa the Quick]]

|A [[Big Koopa Troopa|Giant Koopa]] from [[Tiny-Huge Island]]. He challenges Mario to a race when spoken to and rewards him with a [[Power Star]] if he defeats him without using certain shortcuts. Mario first encounters Koopa the Quick on the [[Bob-omb Battlefield]] in the mission [[Footrace with Koopa the Quick]] after defeating the [[King Bob-omb|Big Bob-omb]], and he encounters him again on the "huge" side of Tiny-Huge Island in the mission [[Rematch with Koopa the Quick]].

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Hoot.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Hoot]]

|A talking owl who roosts in a tree near Mario's starting position on [[Whomp's Fortress]]. Once woken up, Mario can grab onto Hoot's talons and be carried high into the air for a limited time. Hoot slowly descends while carrying Mario and drops him if he hangs on for too long, citing his weight.

|align=center|[[Whomp's Fortress]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Penguin (Adult).png|100x100px]]<br>[[Penguin]]s

|Big talking birds found in courses that feature snow. They are instrumental in several Power Star missions. The [[Mother Penguin]] found at the base of [[Cool, Cool Mountain]] awards Mario a Power Star if her lost chick, [[Baby Penguin#Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS|Tuxie]], is returned to her, while the [[Big Penguin]] found in the cabin at the top of the mountain gives him a Star if beaten in a race. Revisiting this penguin after collecting all 120 Power Stars reveals that he has let himself go. The extra weight makes him a tougher opponent to out-sleigh.

|align=center|[[Cool, Cool Mountain]]; [[Snowman's Land]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Snowman.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Snowman|Snowmen]]

|Two giant snowmen occur in the game. [[Headless Snowman|One snowman]] is the focus of the mission [[Snowman's Lost His Head]]. His head is on a pedestal halfway down the mountain, while his sentient snowball body appears towards the top, by Mario's starting position. Either piece asks Mario to help put him together when prompted. Once assembled, the snowman gifts Mario a Power Star. The other is in Snowman's Land, where he can climbed as if he was a mountain. As Mario nears his head, he starts to complain about an irritating crawling sensation on his body and tries to blow Mario off. A Power Star is on the very top of his head.

|align=center|[[Cool, Cool Mountain]]; [[Snowman's Land]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model MIPS.png|100x100px]]<br>[[MIPS]]