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''Super Mario 64'' takes place within the walls of [[Peach's Castle|Princess Peach's 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]]'' ([[List of games by date#1988|1988]]). The game's [[level]]s, called "courses", are not naturally occurring places on [[Earth|Mario's world]]. They were created by [[Bowser]] using the [[Power Star]]s he stole from [[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 of the paintings. | ''Super Mario 64'' takes place within the walls of [[Peach's Castle|Princess Peach's 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]]'' ([[List of games by date#1988|1988]]). The game's [[level]]s, called "courses", are not naturally occurring places on [[Earth|Mario's world]]. They were created by [[Bowser]] using the [[Power Star]]s he stole from [[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 of the paintings. | ||
Generally, a course is a sprawling location with interactive environmental elements and several levels of elevation. | 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 in [[Bob-omb Battlefield]] or the volcano in [[Lethal Lava Land]], that provides the player with a consistent point of reference that mitigates the chance of getting lost.<ref name=montreal>[[Yoshiaki Koizumi]]. "[https://youtu.be/A25Ab7RyUPs Super Mario Galaxy: The Journey from Garden to Galaxy]" (archived). Montreal International Games Summit. Jan 2007. 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, clock towers, rainbow roads in the sky). The theme informs the type 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 in [[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 carryout 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 (ed). ''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 | 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 carryout 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 (ed). ''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/> | ||
===Courses=== | ===Courses=== | ||
Most of the courses are accessed through [[painting]]s | Most of the courses are accessed through [[painting]]s inside [[Princess Peach]]'s [[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 [[world|overworld]] system in previous platform games (see [[Super Mario 64#Mushroom Castle|below]]). However, the castle is divided into several floors that are analogous to the world structure of proceeding games, where multiple levels are available to the player on a single floor and the player must complete a [[List of bosses|boss]]-dedicated course in order to gain access to the next batch. | ||
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. In nearly all courses, this goal is a [[Power Star]], a collectible token resembling the [[Super Star]] [[List of power-ups|power-up]] 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, | There is no [[Time Limit]] in affect within courses, similar to ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'' ([[List of games by date#1995|1995]]). 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. In nearly all courses, this goal is a [[Power Star]], a collectible token resembling the [[Super Star]] [[List of power-ups|power-up]] 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 only open after Mario has collected a specified number of Stars. Mario can only access a new floor after clearing the current one's Bowser course, itself only becoming accessible after a specified number of Power Stars have been obtained. However, there are 120 obtainable Power Stars in a game that only requires 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. | ||
In | In most courses, one mission correlates with one Power Star, and its name hints at the Star's location in the course. However, some Power Stars can be encountered outside of their dedicated mission and can be collected. Some mission-dedicated Power Stars only become available to the player once the have cleared specific missions (e.g. "[[Footrace with Koopa the Quick]]" only becomes available after completing "[[Big Bob-omb on the Summit]]") or accomplish tasks outside of the paintings (e.g. striking the [[Cap Switch]] in the [[Cavern of the Metal Cap]] makes the titular power-up accessible in "[[Through the Jet Stream (Dire, Dire Docks)|Through the Jet Stream]]", in which it is not optional). | ||
There are three different types of courses in ''Super Mario 64''. They are: | |||
*"'''Normal courses'''" that contain six dedicated missions and an unlisted [[Coin#Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS|100-coin]] mission. Some of the dedicated missions build off of each other environmentally or narratively. (i.e. 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 [[cannon]]s and [[Warp|Warp Points]]. Some courses include accessible subareas, such as the volcano in [[Lethal Lava Land]] or pyramid in [[Shifting Sand Land]]. There are 15 normal courses in the game, and they are the only levels explicitly numbered and listed on the pause menu. | |||
*"'''Bowser courses'''" that lead to an arena where Mario must defeat [[Bowser]]. Unlike normal courses, these ones are narrow obstacle courses that emphasize precise platforming. Each Bowser course features a Power Star obtained by collecting all of the [[Red Coin]]s, but this does not complete the level. In the first two courses, defeating Bowser allows Mario to collect a [[Key|Big Key]], a different kind of token that completes the level when touched. The Big Key can be used to permanently unlock the door to another floor in the castle. In [[Bowser in the Sky]], the final course, defeating Bowser releases a [[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, and they are not listed on the pause menu. | |||
*"'''Secret courses'''" that are hidden throughout the castle. These courses are not individually listed on the pause menu, instead with their collective Power Stars lumped together as "Secret Stars". Secret Courses are not located in paintings and instead are more cryptically obscured in the castle. There are six in the game, half of which are analogous to the [[Switch Palace]]s in ''[[Super Mario World]]'' ([[List of games by date#1990|1990]]). These secret courses have Cap Switches that, when struck, cause power-ups to permanently be accessible within the normal courses. Mario can fall of out of these courses without losing a life. | |||
Including Mushroom Castle, there are 25 courses in the game. The chart below lists all of the courses and their associated missions as named and organized in Pellad and Owsen (1996).<ref>Scott Pelland and Dan Owsen. ''The Super Mario 64 Player's Guide''. Redmond: Nintendo of America, 1996.</ref> Normal courses are listed first in numerical order, followed by the Bowser and secret courses. When available, the missions that lack in-game names, such as the 100-star missions, also derive from Pelland and Owsen (1996). Where no such name exists, the mission assumes the name of its course. | |||
<center> | <center> | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Dark World.png|x100px]] | |align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Dark World.png|x100px]] | ||
|[[File:SM64 Chart Key.png|14px|Key]] | |[[File:SM64 Chart Key.png|14px|Key]] Bowser in the Dark World | ||
|[[File:Star SM64.png|14px|Power Star]] 8 Red Coins | |[[File:Star SM64.png|14px|Power Star]] 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 | |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:#C3E12B"|[[The Princess's Secret Slide]]<br>[[File:SM64 Asset Sprite Door Star.png|15px|Total number of obtainable Power Stars.]] | !style="background:#C3E12B"|[[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:#C3E12B"|Missions | !colspan="2"style="background:#C3E12B"|Missions | ||
|- | |- | ||
|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot The Princess's Secret Slide.png|x100px]] | |align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot The Princess's Secret Slide.png|x100px]] | ||
|[[File:Star SM64.png|14px|Power Star]] The Princess's Secret | |[[File:Star SM64.png|14px|Power Star]] The Princess's Secret Slide | ||
|[[File:Star SM64.png|14px|Power Star]] Second Star | |[[File:Star SM64.png|14px|Power Star]] Second Star | ||
|- | |- | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Fire Sea.png|x100px]] | |align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Fire Sea.png|x100px]] | ||
|[[File:SM64 Chart Key.png|14px|Key]] | |[[File:SM64 Chart Key.png|14px|Key]] Bowser in the Fire Sea | ||
|[[File:Star SM64.png|14px|Power Star]] 8 Red Coins | |[[File:Star SM64.png|14px|Power Star]] 8 Red Coins | ||
|- | |- | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Sky.png|x100px]] | |align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Sky.png|x100px]] | ||
|[[File:Star SM64.png|18px|Jumbo Star]] | |[[File:Star SM64.png|18px|Jumbo Star]] Bowser in the Sky | ||
|[[File:Star SM64.png|14px|Power Star]] 8 Red Coins | |[[File:Star SM64.png|14px|Power Star]] 8 Red Coins | ||
|- | |- | ||
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===Mushroom Castle=== | ===Mushroom Castle=== | ||
{{main|Peach's Castle}} | |||
Most of the courses are accessed through [[painting]]s inside [[Princess Peach]]'s [[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 [[world|overworld]] system in previous platform games, where the player can select levels on a map-like menu with a cursor. The cursor itself may represent the player character themselves, as is done in ''[[Super Mario World]]'' ([[List of games by date#1990|1990]]) and ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'' ([[List of games by date#1995|1995]]), 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 offers a fully interactive level with portals the other levels (REWRITE THIS LAST SENTENCE) | |||
* Offers a space for the player to familiarize themselves with controls; devs noted it was important to make Mario fun to simply move around, so having a space for the player to make their own fun was important | * Offers a space for the player to familiarize themselves with controls; devs noted it was important to make Mario fun to simply move around, so having a space for the player to make their own fun was important | ||
Revision as of 14:23, August 17, 2023
Casual Nintendo historian. Otherwise an artist and a field ecologist. Bio degree. I've had an account here since 2012.
I wrote the character sections for Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy 2, and Super Mario Odyssey. I contributed much of the article for Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Sunshine.
I have been a fan of Nintendo since a very young age. My first Mario games (and three of the first video games I ever owned) were Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, Super Mario 64 DS, and Mario Kart DS. These games were good company for a young kid who moved around a lot and had difficulty keeping long-lasting friends.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I sequentially played some of my favorite games in the Super Mario series to 100% completion. This includes, in order, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, and Super Mario Odyssey. It's been really fun! These are great games, and I always wanted to marathon a series like this before but never had the time. It has been interesting to see where the series began and where it has ended up. The design philosophies, the characters, the art directions, world building, level design, narrative, etc. All good stuff. It might be fun to write something about it some day.
My favorite video game character is Yoshi.
Sandbox for current project
Setting
Super Mario 64 takes place within the walls of Princess Peach's castle in the Mushroom Kingdom. It is the first Super Mario game to explicitly include the Mushroom Kingdom as a location since Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988). The game's levels, called "courses", are not naturally occurring places on Mario's world. They were created by Bowser using the Power Stars he stole from Peach. Most of them are accessed through paintings 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 paratextual material and subsequent titles present the courses introduced in this game as visitable places outside of 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 in Bob-omb Battlefield or the volcano in Lethal Lava Land, that provides the player with a consistent point of reference that mitigates the chance of getting lost.[1] Like its more immediate predecessors, courses are themed after real-life ecosystems (i.e. deserts, mountains, seas) and more fantastical settings (i.e. haunted houses, clock towers, rainbow roads in the sky). The theme informs the type 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, cactus enemies, a condor, and quicksand are in the desert-themed Shifting Sand Land. Penguins, slippery ice, and deep snow appear in Cool, Cool Mountain and Snowman's Land. Most courses contain switches and strikable objects that modify elements of the course, such as the Crystal Taps 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.[2][3][1] 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 carryout precise actions to reach a goal. The courses themselves were created using hakoniwa or "box garden" design principals.[4][3][note 1][1][5] 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.[6][7][5] Applying these principals allowed the development team to create complex levels that surprise players, another important tenet during development.[2][3][1] In the West, where creating miniature gardens is not as culturally prevalent, these types of levels are most often likened to sandboxes.[5]
Courses
Most of the courses are accessed through paintings inside Princess Peach's Mushroom Castle, the 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 physically jumping through it. Accessing levels in this manner is a departure from the overworld system in previous platform games (see below). However, the castle is divided into several floors that are analogous to the world structure of proceeding games, where multiple levels are available to the player on a single floor and the player must complete a boss-dedicated course in order to gain access to the next batch.
There is no Time Limit in affect within courses, similar to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995). Rather than present a unilateral scenario that leads to a single spatially-fixed goal, most courses in the game host multiple objectives called "missions" that each have a goal in a different location from each other. In nearly all courses, this goal is a Power Star, a collectible token resembling the Super Star power-up 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 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 ★ doors that seal away certain paintings only open after Mario has collected a specified number of Stars. Mario can only access a new floor after clearing the current one's Bowser course, itself only becoming accessible after a specified number of Power Stars have been obtained. However, there are 120 obtainable Power Stars in a game that only requires 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.
In most courses, one mission correlates with one Power Star, and its name hints at the Star's location in the course. However, some Power Stars can be encountered outside of their dedicated mission and can be collected. Some mission-dedicated Power Stars only become available to the player once the have cleared specific missions (e.g. "Footrace with Koopa the Quick" only becomes available after completing "Big Bob-omb on the Summit") or accomplish tasks outside of the paintings (e.g. striking the Cap Switch in the Cavern of the Metal Cap makes the titular power-up accessible in "Through the Jet Stream", in which it is not optional).
There are three different types of courses in Super Mario 64. They are:
- "Normal courses" that contain six dedicated missions and an unlisted 100-coin mission. Some of the dedicated missions build off of each other environmentally or narratively. (i.e. 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 Points. Some courses include accessible subareas, such as the volcano in Lethal Lava Land or pyramid in Shifting Sand Land. There are 15 normal courses in the game, and they are the only levels explicitly numbered and listed on the pause menu.
- "Bowser courses" that lead to an arena where Mario must defeat Bowser. Unlike normal courses, these ones are narrow obstacle courses that emphasize precise platforming. Each Bowser course features a Power Star obtained by collecting all of the Red Coins, but this does not complete the level. In the first two courses, defeating Bowser allows Mario to collect a Big Key, a different kind of token that completes the level when touched. The Big Key can be used to permanently unlock the door to another floor in the castle. In Bowser in the Sky, the final course, defeating Bowser releases a 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, and they are not listed on the pause menu.
- "Secret courses" that are hidden throughout the castle. These courses are not individually listed on the pause menu, instead with their collective Power Stars lumped together as "Secret Stars". Secret Courses are not located in paintings and instead are more cryptically obscured in the castle. There are six in the game, half of which are analogous to the Switch Palaces in Super Mario World (1990). These secret courses have Cap Switches that, when struck, cause power-ups to permanently be accessible within the normal courses. Mario can fall of out of these courses without losing a life.
Including Mushroom Castle, there are 25 courses in the game. The chart below lists all of the courses and their associated missions as named and organized in Pellad and Owsen (1996).[8] Normal courses are listed first in numerical order, followed by the Bowser and secret courses. When available, the missions that lack in-game names, such as the 100-star missions, also derive from Pelland and Owsen (1996). Where no such name exists, the mission assumes the name of its course.
Courses | ||
---|---|---|
First Floor and Mezzanine | ||
01. Bob-omb Battlefield ×7 ×6 ×1 |
Missions | |
Big Bob-omb on the Summit | Footrace with Koopa the Quick | |
Shoot to the Island in the Sky | Find the 8 Red Coins | |
Mario Wings to the Sky | Behind Chain Chomp's Gate | |
Treasure in the Sky | ||
Grassy fields surrounding a spiraled mountain. A battle is waged here between the peaceful Bob-omb Buddies and the enemy Bob-ombs. Once the battle is over, the Bob-omb Buddies allow Mario to access their cannons. There is a floating island in the east, and a barred cave towards the center with a Chain Chomp leashed in front of it. Unlock criterion: enter Mushroom Castle | ||
02. Whomp's Fortress ×7 ×1 ×1 |
Missions | |
Chip Off Whomp's Block | To the Top of the Fortress | |
Shoot into the Wild Blue | Red Coins on the Floating Isle | |
Fall onto the Caged Island | Blast Away the Wall | |
Whomps and Flowers | ||
A fortress in the sky. It is ruled by a Big Whomp who sits at the top of the fortress. The path leading to him has falling platforms and stone enemies. Once defeated, a climbable spire appears at the top. A chain of floating islands are in the northeast. They can we reached with the help of Hoot, a sleepy owl found in the course's single tree. Unlock criterion: collect a Power Star | ||
03. Jolly Roger Bay ×7 ×1 |
Missions | |
Plunder in the Sunken Ship | Can the Eel Come Out to Play? | |
Treasure of the Ocean Cave | Red Coins on the Ship Afloat | |
Blast to the Stone Pillar | Through the Jet Stream | |
Pirates' Plunder | ||
A cove containing the wreck of a sunken ship. A giant moray eel nests in the ship and stirs when approached. An underwater corridor in the northwest leads to a cave that holds treasure chests. Solving the puzzle of the chests reveals a Power Star. Unlock criterion: collect 3 Power Stars | ||
04. Cool, Cool Mountain ×7 ×3 |
Missions | |
Slip Slidin' Away | Li'l Penguin Lost | |
Big Penguin Race | Frosty Slide for 8 Red Coins | |
Snowman's Lost His Head | Wall Kicks Will Work | |
Dough in the Snow | ||
A snow-covered mountain inhabited by penguins and snowpeople. Wooden bridges and moving gondolas are built into the side of the mountain. A cabin is near its peak. This cabin contains the Snow Slide, where Mario is challenged by a big belly-sliding penguin. Unlock criterion: collect 3 Power Stars | ||
Bowser in the Dark World ×1 ×1 |
Missions | |
Bowser in the Dark World | 8 Red Coins | |
A winding path in a cavernous void. The path bears Amps and shifting platforms. It ultimately leads to Bowser, who is fought on a circular platform surrounded by floating bombs. Unlock criterion: collect 8 Power Stars | ||
The Princess's Secret Slide ×2 |
Missions | |
The Princess's Secret Slide | Second Star | |
A carpeted 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 him with a second one. Unlock criterion: collect a Power Star | ||
The Secret Aquarium ×1 |
Missions | |
The Secret Aquarium | ||
A closed tank housing blue fish and Red Coins. Collecting all of them reveals a Secret Star. The aquarium is accessed through a little alcove in the same room that holds the painting for Jolly Roger Bay. Unlock criterion: collect 3 Power Stars | ||
Tower of the Wing Cap ×1 |
Missions | |
Flying for Coins | ||
Towers in a sea of clouds. The turret in the middle holds the Wing Cap Switch that makes the Wing Cap permanently available in normal courses once struck. Red Coins appear around the towers and can only be collected by Mario in his wing form. Unlock criterion: collect 10 Power Stars | ||
The Castle Basement and Courtyard | ||
05. Big Boo's Haunt ×7 ×4 |
Missions | |
Go on a Ghost Hunt | Ride Big Boo's Merry-Go-Round | |
Secret of the Haunted Books | Seek the 8 Red Coins | |
Big Boo's Balcony | Eye to Eye in the Secret Room | |
Beat the Boos! | ||
The haunted house hidden in Princess Peach's courtyard. The rooms of the house contain ghosts 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. Unlock criteria: clear Bowser in the Dark World, collect 12 Power Stars, and defeat the Big Boo that holds the cage in the courtyard | ||
06. Hazy Maze Cave ×7 |
Missions | |
Swimming Beast in the Cavern | Elevate for 8 Red Coins | |
Metal-Head Mario Can Move! | Navigating the Toxic Maze | |
A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit | Watch for Rolling Rocks | |
Blue Coins in the Haze | ||
An underground labyrinth filled with dead ends, traps, and bottomless pits. There are two floors. The first one has a large chamber in the southeast with a controllable elevator, hallways with rolling Boulders in the the northwest, and a maze with toxic clouds in the northeast. The lower floor leads to a pool that holds a friendly sea dragon. Unlock criterion: clear Bowser in the Dark World | ||
07. Lethal Lava Land ×7 ×2 |
Missions | |
Boil the Big Bully | Bully the Bullies | |
8-Coin Puzzle with 15 Pieces | Red-Hot Log Rolling | |
Hot-Foot-It into the Volcano | Elevator Tour in the Volcano | |
Surf the Lava | ||
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. Bullies appear in this course and will knock Mario into lava on contact. Sparkies and other fiery obstacles also appear that burn him when touched. Unlock criterion: clear Bowser in the Dark World | ||
08. Shifting Sand Land ×7 ×1 ×1 |
Missions | |
In the Talons of the Big Bird | Shining Atop the Pyramid | |
Inside the Ancient Pyramid | Stand Tall on the Four Pillars | |
Free Flying for 8 Red Coins | Pyramid Puzzle | |
Once More into the Pyramid | ||
Desert sands surrounding a pyramid. A condor flies through the sky here. Much of the course is covered in quicksand and steep dunes. Little tornados can be used to avoid obstacles. Narrow walkways are found in the northeast and a small oasis in the northwest. The pyramid can be entered, where a labyrinth leads to the stone boss, Eyerok. Unlock criterion: clear Bowser in the Dark World | ||
09. Dire, Dire Docks ×7 |
Missions | |
Board Bowser's Sub | Chests in the Current | |
Pole-Jumping for Red Coins | Through the Jet Stream | |
The Manta Ray's Reward | Collect the Caps... | |
Above the Submarine Pen | ||
Deep water. A whirlpool is at the center of the seabed and is circled by sharks and a manta ray. A corridor in the east leads to an wider area where Bowser has hidden a submarine. Unlock criterion: collect 30 Power Stars | ||
Bowser in the Fire Sea ×1 ×1 |
Missions | |
Bowser in the Fire Sea | 8 Red Coins | |
Three narrow pathways surrounded by lava. Portions of the course gently rise and fall in lava, making traversal challenging. The pathway leads to the the second battle against Bowser. Unlock criterion: complete "Board Bowser's Sub" | ||
Cavern of the Metal Cap ×1 |
Missions | |
Grab 8 Red Coins | ||
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. Unlock criterion: clear Bowser in the Dark World | ||
Vanish Cap Under the Moat ×1 |
Missions | |
8 Red Coins | ||
A hidden area only accessible once the castle's moat is drained. When Mario enters the course he is in his 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. Unlock criteria: clear Bowser in the Dark World and drain the castle's moat | ||
Upper Floors and Tower | ||
10. Snowman's Land ×7 ×1 ×1 |
Missions | |
Snowman's Big Head | Chill with the Bully | |
In the Deep Freeze | Whirl from the Freezing Pond | |
Shell Shreddin' for Red Coins | Into the Igloo | |
Coin Cold Storage | ||
A chilly land surrounding a giant Snowman. Slippery ice and freezing ponds occur in this course. Chill Bully occurs on a floating island of ice in the east. Narrow paths allow Mario to ascend the Snowman, but he will begin to blow gusts of air when he nears his head. An enterable igloo is near the base of the Snowman. Unlock criterion: clear Bowser in the Fire Sea | ||
11. Wet-Dry World ×7 ×1 |
Missions | |
Shocking Arrow Lifts! | Top o' the Town | |
Secrets in the Shallows & Sky | Express Elevator--Hurry Up! | |
Go to Town for Red Coins | Quick Race Through Downtown! | |
Blue Coin Collecting | ||
A flooded, empty town. There are colorful switches at several locations in the town that cause the water level to rise or fall. There is a hidden Downtown area that can only be accessed through the cage in the southeast. Unlock criterion: clear Bowser in the Fire Sea | ||
12. Tall, Tall Mountain ×7 ×1 |
Missions | |
Scale the Mountain | Mystery of the Monkey Cage | |
Scary 'Shrooms, Red Coins | Mysterious Mountainside | |
Breathtaking View from Bridge | Blast to the Lonely Mushroom | |
Challenge the Slide! | ||
A tall mountain surrounded by mushrooms high above the sea. Gusts of wind and the Fwoosh enemy make ascending the mountain challenging. The entrance to a secret slide can be found near the summit. Ukkikis live in this course, one of which attempts to steal Mario's cap. Unlock criterion: clear Bowser in the Fire Sea | ||
13. Tiny-Huge Island ×7 ×1 ×1 |
Missions | |
Pluck the Piranha Flower | The Tip Top of the Huge Island | |
Rematch with Koopa the Quick | Five Itty Bitty Secrets | |
Wiggler's Red Coins | Make Wiggler Squirm | |
Stomp the Giants | ||
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. Unlock criterion: clear Bowser in the Fire Sea | ||
14. Tick Tock Clock ×7 |
Missions | |
Roll into the Cage | The Pit and the Pendulums | |
Get a Hand | Stomp on the Thwomp | |
Timed Jumps on Moving Bars | Stop Time for Red Coins | |
Multi-Coin Blocks | ||
A vertical obstacle course within the tower's clock. Moving platforms are found throughout the clockwork that 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. Unlock criterion: collect 50 Power Stars | ||
15. Rainbow Ride ×7 ×1 |
Missions | |
Cruiser Crossing the Rainbow | The Big House in the Sky | |
Coins Amassed in a Maze | Swingin' in the Breeze | |
Tricky Triangles! | Somewhere Over the Rainbow | |
Blue Coins Atop the Maze | ||
Floating islands and moving platforms high in the sky. Magic Carpets travel along rainbows in large stretches of the course, one of which feeds through a floating palace. The Rainbow Cruiser can be found in the northeast. Unlock criterion: collect 50 Power Stars | ||
Bowser in the Sky ×1 ×1 |
Missions | |
Bowser in the Sky | 8 Red Coins | |
A challenging obstacle course that leads to the final confrontation with Bowser. Some of the platforms on this course allow Mario to walk up walls if he maintains momentum while others shift under his weight. Bowser will start 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. Unlock criterion: collect 70 Power Stars | ||
Wing Mario Over the Rainbow ×1 ×2 |
Mission | |
Cloud Hopping for Coins | ||
Clouds and checkerboard platforms in the sky. The platforms are bridged by rainbows. Unlock criterion: collect 50 Power Stars | ||
Other | ||
Mushroom Castle ×6 |
Missions | |
A Gift from Toad (basement) | A Gift from Toad (second floor) | |
A Gift from Toad (third floor) | That Wascally Wabbit! (after collecting 15 Power Stars) | |
That Wascally Wabbit! (after collecting 50 Power Stars) | ||
Princess Peach's castle in the Mushroom Kingdom. Toads and Peach's pet rabbit MIPS are sealed inside the castle. Some of them will give Mario a Power Star when spoken to. Unlock criterion: begin a new save file | ||
Level chart information and legend: The normal courses are designated with the unique number they are given in-game. Bowser and secret courses lack numerical designation and are listed in the order they present in Pelland and Owsen (1996). Three symbols convey attributes about each course: denotes the total number of obtainable Power Stars; denotes the total number of accessible cannons; and denotes the number of boss battles. The name of each mission is accompanied by a symbol that indicates what type of mission it is. denotes a normal mission where the reward is a Power Star; denotes a mission where the reward is a Jumbo Star; and denotes a mission where the reward is a Big Key. |
Mushroom Castle
- Main article: Peach's Castle
Most of the courses are accessed through paintings inside Princess Peach's Mushroom Castle, the 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 physically jumping through it. Accessing levels in this manner is a departure from the overworld system in previous platform games, where the player can select levels on a map-like menu with a cursor. The cursor itself may represent the player character themselves, as is done in Super Mario World (1990) and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995), 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 offers a fully interactive level with portals the other levels (REWRITE THIS LAST SENTENCE)
- Offers a space for the player to familiarize themselves with controls; devs noted it was important to make Mario fun to simply move around, so having a space for the player to make their own fun was important
Notes and references
Notes
- ^ Private correspondence with shmuplations clarifies that the text they translated as "diorama" was written as 箱庭 (hakoniwa) in the original Shogakukan (1996) text.
References
- ^ a b c d Yoshiaki Koizumi. "Super Mario Galaxy: The Journey from Garden to Galaxy" (archived). Montreal International Games Summit. Jan 2007. Recorded by Eric St-Cyr. Compiled by Hover. YouTube, youtube.com. Published 24 Sep 2016. Accessed 27 Feb 2021.
- ^ a b 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).
- ^ a b c shmuplations (translator). "Super Mario 64 – 1996 Developer Interviews" (English translations of Takarajimasha and Shogakukan, 1996). shmuplations.com. Published 2022. Accessed 22 Jun 2023.
- ^ 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).
- ^ a b c Bill Trinen. "What's in a Box?". Nintendo Treehouse Log. Tumblr, tumblr.com. Published 14 Jun 2017. Accessed 30 Jan 2021.
- ^ Andrew R. Dean. "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.
- ^ Nihon Gaiji Kyōkai (ed). Contemporary Japan: A Review of Far Eastern Affairs. Tokyo: Foreign Affairs Association of Japan, (25): 246. Published 1957. Accessed 14 Aug 2023.
- ^ Scott Pelland and Dan Owsen. The Super Mario 64 Player's Guide. Redmond: Nintendo of America, 1996.
Image references
- ^ Mizu-chan. Miniature Japanese garden. Minato, Tokyo. 21 Jan 2014. Muza-chan's Gate to Japan, muza-chan.net.