Super Mario 64 DS

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This article is about the released remake of Super Mario 64. For the canceled Nintendo 64DD sequel, see Super Mario 64 2.
Super Mario 64 DS
Sm64ds.jpg
For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer Nintendo EAD
Publisher Nintendo
Platform(s) Nintendo DS, Virtual Console (Wii U)
Release date Nintendo DS:
USA November 21, 2004
Japan December 2, 2004
ROC December 2, 2004
Australia February 24, 2005
Europe March 11, 2005
China June 21, 2007
South Korea July 26, 2007
Virtual Console (Wii U):
Europe December 24, 2015[1]
Australia December 25, 2015
Japan January 6, 2016
USA August 25, 2016
Language(s) Deutsch
English (United States)
Español (España)
Français (France)
Italiano
한국어
日本語
简体中文
Genre Platformer, action-adventure
Rating(s) Original release:
ESRB:E - Everyone
PEGI:3 - Three years and older
CERO:A - All ages
ACB:PG - Parental Guidance
USK:0 - All ages
DEJUS:L - General audience
VC release:[2]
PEGI:12 - Twelve years and older
Mode(s) Single player, multiplayer (2–4)
Media
Wii U:
Digital download
Input
Wii U:

Super Mario 64 DS (originally known as Super Mario 64 × 4 during development)[3] is a 2004 game from the Super Mario series made for the Nintendo DS. It is the first Mario game to be released for the Nintendo DS and also the first 3D Mario game for a handheld console. The game is an enhanced remake of the Nintendo 64 game Super Mario 64, bearing some new features on its storyline, gameplay, and graphics. Like the original game, Super Mario 64 DS was released as a launch title.

Unlike in Super Mario 64, Mario is not the only playable character (nor is he even available at the start); Yoshi, Luigi, and Wario become playable characters and join the adventure to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. Super Mario 64 DS is the first and so far the only game of the Super Mario series where Wario is playable. It is also one of the two games where Yoshi is playable, but is neither ridden nor controlled by any of the other characters, the other being Super Mario Run.

Other new features within the game include a wireless multiplayer VS mode, in which up to four players can play simultaneously on each Nintendo DS connected together locally (though this cannot be done on the Wii U Virtual Console version except for the single-player training), mini-games to play with each character, and new additions to the story mode, such as new courses, missions, and bosses.

Plot

General

Princess Peach writes a letter to Mario, telling him to come to her castle because she baked a cake for him. This letter is assumed to be a clever forgery from Bowser, who guesses that Mario and his friends would come looking and so employs his minions to capture them beforehand.

Mario arrives outside the castle through a Warp Pipe, followed by Luigi and Wario. The three then make their way to the castle entrance. Yoshi is seen asleep on the roof the entire time, only to be awakened by one of the Lakitu Bros., who reveals that the others have not returned yet; immediately, Yoshi decides to locate them.

Yoshi tries to enter the castle, but the doors are locked. The Lakitu Bro says that he saw a rabbit with the key in his mouth. After Yoshi grabs the rabbit, the rabbit gives up the key to him. When Yoshi finally goes inside, he hears a voice from Bowser telling him, "Welcome. No one's home! Now scram--and don't come back! Gwa ha ha!" A Toad informs Yoshi that Bowser and his army have kidnapped Princess Peach and stolen the Power Stars. He also concludes the last time he saw the heroes is when they jumped into the Bob-omb painting. Yoshi then decides to investigate. Eventually, Yoshi starts collecting Power Stars, rescuing Mario, Luigi, and Wario along the way, and the four continue to collect the Power Stars in order to save Princess Peach from Bowser.

There are alternate endings for Super Mario 64 DS. Depending on which characters the player saves, they may or may not appear during the ending. Mario and Yoshi are always present in the ending. For each alternate ending, a different cake is awarded, featuring the characters that appeared in the ending as the cake figures. If the player does not drain the moat, then it does not appear as if it was drained. Also, if the player does not finish Snowman's Lost His Head on Cool, Cool Mountain, then the snowman's body is not seen in the ending.

From the instruction booklet

"Please come to the castle. I’ve baked a cake for you."

At the invitation of Princess Peach, Mario, accompanied by party crashers Luigi and Wario, enter the Mushroom Castle.

But when the three don’t come out of the castle for a long time, Yoshi decides to check up on them.

Upon entering the castle, Yoshi discovers that no one is there. According to Toad, Bowser has stolen the Power Stars guarding the castle and locked Princess Peach into the walls and paintings. Maybe Mario and his friends have been captured in the paintings, too!

Now it’s up to Yoshi to rescue Princess Peach, Mario, Luigi, and Wario from the castle’s paintings and walls!

Gameplay

As in Super Mario 64, the courses are accessed by the different paintings on the castle's walls. While up to 120 Power Stars can be collected in the original, the player can collect 150 Power Stars in the DS release, 30 more than in the original game.

Controls

Standard Mode
Touch Mode
Dual-Hand Mode
The three control modes

Making use of the Nintendo DS's features, the player is offered three different ways to control the character. All three modes are always accessible by pressing the Select Button button.

  • In Standard Mode, the chosen character is controlled with the Control Pad. The stylus can also be used in Standard Mode. Jumping is B Button; punching, kicking, and sticking out Yoshi's tongue is A Button; and dashing is Y Button. The R Button button is used for crouching, while L Button handles the camera together with the +Control Pad Control Pad. Additionally, if the player presses B Button while sliding down a wall, the player wall-kicks (if playing as Mario). Compared to Mario in Super Mario 64, where he was moving as fast as the player tilted Control Stick of the Nintendo 64 Controller, the characters in Super Mario 64 DS move much more slowly when the run button is not pressed.
  • In Touch Mode, the character is controlled by having the player move their thumb or the Stylus stylus across the Touch Screen. By using the thumb or stylus, the player can adjust the character's speed and direction in a manner similar to what was possible with the Nintendo 64's control stick. Jumping, crouching, and kicking are still executed with the buttons.
  • In Dual-Hand Mode, the character is controlled with the stylus, and jumping, kicking, and crouching are done by utilizing either the buttons, for left-handed players, or the +Control Pad Control Pad, for right-handed players. The movement radius is larger with this control option, and all camera adjustments are done with the Touch Screen as well. The L Button and R Button buttons are not used.

On the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U GamePad, however, Circle Pad/Classic Controller Left Stick makes for a more authentic feel of using the Circle Pad/Joystick, making for better and easier controls. However, the player still needs to press Y Button to run, and the game still registers only eight different inputs, not the full range of a circle. In the options, the player can change how audio comes out of the speakers and the settings of the backlight. For sound, the player can choose between stereo, surround, and headphones. The backlight can be toggled on and off.

Character selection

Yoshi in the room with selectable characters.
The doors with "M," "L," and "W" above them represent the rooms where the unlockable characters are trapped. After unlocking one, the player can pick and swap characters.

To switch between characters, there are three doors in the princess's room, each symbolizing the character's first letter of his name. To use him, the player must go through the door, and the corresponding character comes out of the door. Reentering the door of the character currently selected switches the player back to playing as Yoshi. There are four doors in total. However, the white-bordered door does not unlock a playable character but instead contains a secret Power Star, which can be unlocked if the player is able to catch the eight glowing rabbits. Once the Power Star is obtained, the player can reenter the door, but there is no effect afterwards (Boo laughs are heard), and the player's character simply exits it and groans.

Characters

In order to fully complete the game, the player needs to find three unlockable characters, who were trapped behind doors by Bowser. The following table below shows how good each character is in a certain stat. Each has his own special abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. The instruction booklet shows each character's stats and indicates his abilities with stars. However, it omits the rating for swimming speed and does not account for differences in physics that affect the stats. Mario, for example, has a higher top running speed than Luigi. Additionally, each character has different air speeds; Mario's jumps are higher than Yoshi's (most notably his triple jump), and Mario also moves farther forward, tied with Luigi.

Name Description How to unlock Stats
Yoshi

Yoshi in Super Mario 64 DS

The first and default character of the game, Yoshi must find and free Mario, Luigi, and Wario, who have been imprisoned from the clutches of Bowser and his minions. He has average running speed but quite slow swimming speed. His jumping ability is generally worse than both Mario's and Luigi's, though better than Wario's, as Yoshi is able to flutter-kick when B Button is held to reach higher places that the others cannot reach. However, he cannot punch or kick (unless he uses a mushroom), or grab large objects and enemies. His Pound the Ground attack also is not strong enough to break any Bricks or defeat Boos. Instead of normal attacks, he has the ability to swallow most enemies by using A Button and either spit them back out or turn them into eggs with R Button that he can throw, making him the only character with a projectile attack. Yoshi can have only one egg at a time. His thrown eggs home in on enemies and defeat multiple enemies nearby in a sequence. Yoshi can also swallow fire and then spit it out as a stream of flame. Some enemies, such as the Bully, cannot be swallowed. Yoshi's Power Flower ability is Fire Power, which fills his mouth with a flame he can use as much as he wants for a limited time. This flame can melt blocks of Ice and damage enemies. Yoshi is also the tallest character. Available from the start Power ☆☆☆
Speed ★★☆
Jump ★★★
Mario

Artwork of Mario in Super Mario 64 DS.

Mario is trapped behind a door by Goomboss and is required to complete the game without the use of glitches, since he is the only one who can enter the final Bowser level, Bowser in the Sky. Using Yoshi from the starting point in the castle, the player should go up the stairs to the right 1-★ door. The player should go straight to the next door, go through the 8-★ door, and hop into the Mario painting. The player has to locate Goomboss by jumping into a hollowed tree stump at the highest point of the level into a spot marked "X" on the map, and fight him by spitting Goombas at him for the Mario Key. Then the player has to go back to the princess's room and unlock the "M" switching room to free Mario. Mario's stats in every category are average, and he plays similarly to his Super Mario 64 self. He has the fastest running speed of the four, and he is tied with Luigi for the highest jump height, making him preferred on certain timed segments. Mario is the only character that can perform the wall kick. His Power Flower ability is Balloon Mario, which lets him float to normally unreachable distances. Mario is also the only character who can access the item called "Wings," turning him into Wing Mario, which also allows him to reach greater heights by flying. Defeat Goomboss in Goomboss Battle as Yoshi. Power ★★☆
Speed ★★☆
Jump ★★☆
Luigi

Luigi artwork from Super Mario 64 DS

Mario's younger twin brother, Luigi, is optional to find but is required to obtain certain Power Stars that the others cannot retrieve. The player has to jump into a painting on the top floor of the course Big Boo's Haunt as Mario. There, Mario must go through the door where he hears King Boo's laugh, although some of the doors return the player to the entrance of the sub-level. When Mario reaches the end, he has to fight King Boo himself with any attack except jumping for the Luigi Key, which is used to open the door to obtain Luigi. Luigi is slightly weaker than Mario; his attacks do the same damage, but he moves more slowly when carrying objects or enemies. He is the fastest swimmer of the four heroes. Luigi is tied with Mario for the highest jumps. Luigi, however, is more maneuverable in the air than his comrades. After a normal or double jump, he can scuttle (which is similar to Yoshi's flutter kick) to briefly slow down his descent. After performing a backward somersault, he spins as if he jumped on a Fly Guy and descends slowly. Luigi can also briefly run on water, which is especially useful after a charged dash. Luigi is about as tall as Wario. His Power Flower ability is Vanish Luigi, which functions identically to Vanish Mario from the original game and allows Luigi to pass through certain walls for a short time. Defeat King Boo in Big Boo Battle as Mario. Power ★☆☆
Speed ★★☆
Jump ★★★
Wario

Artwork of Wario for Super Mario 64 DS (also used for Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix)

Like Luigi, Wario is optional to find but is needed to obtain Power Stars that the others cannot retrieve. Once the large door right at the head of the stairs in the main lobby is unlocked, Luigi has to go inside, then get past another door leading to Snowman's Land. There are two Power Flowers, so the player has to use Luigi to go transparent into the mirror by the Snowman's Land wall (certain glitches allow Yoshi and Mario to unlock Wario, but only Luigi can be used without glitches), and he has to fight Chief Chilly by pushing him into the freezing water three times for the Wario Key, which is used to open the door to find Wario. He has the worst speed stats and jumping capabilities of the four, but he is by far the heaviest and strongest, being able to move faster when carrying objects and enemies and smash through Black Bricks and other heavy objects. His strength allows Wario's punches to deal double damage to Eyerok, killing each hand in only two hits instead of three. In the VS mode, Wario has the unique ability to pick up stunned opponents, spin them, and throw them, in a similar fashion to throwing Bowser. He can also ground-pound objects with twice the strength of the other characters. Wario's height is about the same as Luigi's. His Power Flower ability is Metal Wario, which functions identically to Metal Mario in the original game. This form gives Wario invulnerability to enemy attacks, lava, and icy water, as well as the ability to walk underwater. Wario still takes falling damage, however. Defeat Chief Chilly in Chief Chilly Challenge as Luigi. Power ★★★
Speed ★☆☆
Jump ★☆☆

Colored caps

In the painting worlds and some secret courses, the caps of Mario, Luigi, and Wario can be found and are visible on the Touch Screen. When a cap is put on, the player's character turns into the corresponding character who owns the cap. He gets all moves of the character who owns the cap, including the Power Flower and Wings power-ups, but keeps his original voice. The caps are usually found on the heads of Goombas, Boos, or Dorrie; on land or underwater; or on any other enemy.

When the player is hit by an enemy, the cap topples off, and the character needs to retrieve it within a limited time. When the cap disappears, it reappears on a different, set location in the course. If Mario, Luigi, or Wario loses his original cap, he cannot pick up any other characters' caps or use Power Flowers until he retrieves his own. All of them also take double damage when hurt.

With Yoshi, a player can select the cap when selecting a Star right after jumping into a painting. If a cap is selected, Yoshi puts it on after entering the course.

Image Name Description
Artwork of the Mario Cap from Super Mario 64 DS Mario's cap A red cap that turns the character into Mario when obtained.
Artwork of the Luigi Cap from Super Mario 64 DS Luigi's cap A green cap that turns the character into Luigi when obtained.
Artwork of the Wario Cap from Super Mario 64 DS Wario's cap A yellow cap that turns the character into Wario when obtained.

Coins

The three different coins

Coins can be collected by every character. In every course, there are a little over 100 coins, and collecting 100 in each gives the player 15 extra Stars for the 15 courses. After successfully completing a mission by grabbing a Star, the player gets an extra life for every 50 coins collected (this, however, does not work if the player exits the course via the menu). The highest number of coins that the player can collect is 255. They can be found on land, in the sea, in enemies, etc. They also refill the player's health by one point for each coin collected.

Types:

  • Yellow Coins – worth one and are found in most enemies
  • Red Coins – worth two and have to be collected in groups of eight per mission in each world and in some secret courses for a Power Star to appear
  • Blue Coins – worth five and are often temporary, being found in tougher enemies or on slides or invisible until the player hits a blue Switch

Power Flower powers

Power Flower
A Power Flower

Each of the four characters has a special power from the Power Flower found inside red ? Blocks, replacing the three caps from Super Mario 64. Only Mario can get something other than a Power Flower from a ? Block, which is the "Wings" (a white feather) to transform him into Wing Mario for 60 seconds. Once he has taken the flower, a hero uses his new powers for a short time. If anyone other than Yoshi hits a ? Block without their cap on, a Bob-omb comes out instead. In some ? Blocks (such as the ones in Whomp's Fortress and Snowman's Land), a Bob-omb is always spawned if the blocks are broken by a certain character, even with his cap on. The three powers that Mario can use in Super Mario 64, namely the Wing, Invisibility, and Metal powers, can now exclusively be used by Mario, Luigi, and Wario, respectively. However, Luigi's and Wario's powers last shorter compared to Mario's equivalent forms in Super Mario 64.

Image Name Description
Fire Yoshi Fire Power Yoshi's fiery breath has the ability to melt blocks of Ice and roast enemies with fire blasts. The player uses A Button to make Yoshi breathe the fire, which temporarily replaces his lick attack. Yoshi is given a time limit that restricts the time given to breathe fire. This ability can also be reached with a bonfire found in the two snowy courses called Cool, Cool Mountain and Snowman's Land or by swallowing certain enemies such as a Fly Guy. This allows Yoshi to spit fire only a single time, though the fire can be held indefinitely.
Balloon Mario Balloon Power Balloon Mario has the ability to float in a puffed-out formation of the stomach to reach high-up places like a Power Balloon. The player must press B Button to rise, while moving in a horizontal direction with the D-Pad. Mario begins to descend when no buttons are pressed. The ability cancels if the player presses R Button during flight. The effect wears off by itself after a short amount of time.
The Invisible Plumber.png Invisibility Power In this form, Luigi has the ability to become invisible and is able to pass through certain walls, such as grates and paintings. The player can control Luigi as normal. Vanish Luigi is not immune to lava, quicksand, or drowning. The ability wears off within a short amount of time. He cannot get hurt by enemies, like Metal Wario, but unlike Metal Wario, he simply passes through them, instead of damaging the enemies.
Screenshot of Metal Wario Metal Power This form gives Wario the ability to become heavy metal, which gives him more power and invincibility. Merely touching an enemy or walking into it defeats it and does not hurt Metal Wario. He also sinks, and when submerged in water, he can walk on seabeds. Normal controls are used in this form. The ability wears off after a short amount of time.

Rabbits

Main article: Rabbit

In addition, there are many rabbits to catch. They replace MIPS from the original game and have the same name internally and in the Shogakukan guide. The rabbits give up keys to unlock mini-game drawers in the Rec Room when caught. Seven rabbits spawn around the castle as each character, and any rabbits not meant for a certain character do not spawn unless that character is selected. Wario catches orange ones, Luigi catches green ones, Mario catches pink ones, and Yoshi catches yellow ones, for a total of 28 rabbits. To make the rabbits appear, the player must talk to the Toad in the Rec Room. Upon the player talking to the Lakitu Bro at the start of the game, an extra yellow rabbit appears near the hedge maze, which provides the key to the front doors of the castle. Though intended to be caught as Yoshi, if unlocking the front door is avoided using glitches, the rabbit still spawns when accessed as any other character, despite appearing yellow. Once caught, this rabbit never reappears and can never be a glowing rabbit.

Rabbit locations

The following table displays information pertaining to the whereabouts of each rabbit, which mini-game its related key unlocks, and the number of Power Stars that are required to access the rabbit. For more information regarding the mini-games unlocked, view the section about the Rec Room.

A rabbit for Yoshi
Yoshi's rabbits, colored yellow
Location Mini-game unlocked Power Stars required
Outside the castle, at the end of the bridge, to the left. Puzzle Panel 1 Star
Outside the castle, at the end of the bridge, in the middle. Hide and Boo Seek 1 Star
Outside the castle, at the end of the bridge, to the right. Boom Box 1 Star
Outside the castle, in a patch of flowers to the right. Tox Box Shuffle 1 Star
Outside the castle, at the bottom of the drained moat. Puzzle Panic 12 Stars
Outside the castle, in the garden, near the small hedge maze. Which Wiggler? 1 Star
In the basement, in front of the entrance to Lethal Lava Land. Mix-a-Mug 12 Stars
A pink rabbit in Super Mario 64 DS
Mario's rabbits, colored pink
Location Mini-game unlocked Power Stars required
Outside the castle, left of the bridge, near the waterfall. Sort or 'Splode 8 Stars
Outside the castle, at the bottom of the moat (but only after it has been drained). Shell Smash 12 Stars
Inside the room with the entrance to Jolly Roger Bay. Trampoline Time 8 Stars
In the basement, in front of the entrance to Lethal Lava Land, to the left. Connect the Characters 12 Stars
In the basement, in front of the entrance to Lethal Lava Land, to the right. Bounce and Trounce 12 Stars
On the second floor of the castle, at the very top of the stairs. Trampoline Terror 31 Stars
On the second floor of the castle, in the room with the entrance to Snowman's Land and with the large mirror wall. Shuffle Shell 31 Stars
A green Rabbit in Super Mario 64 DS
Luigi's rabbits, colored green
Location Mini-game unlocked Power Stars required
Outside the castle, on the left of the small hedge. Pair-a-Gone and On 15 Stars
On the second floor, on the right side of the doorway, with the entrance to Wet-Dry World. Memory Master 31 Stars
Behind the castle, in the courtyard. Found by backward-somersaulting right outside the doorway. Picture Poker 15 Stars
In the basement, in the room where the water can be drained from the moat (after the player does it). Mushroom Roulette 15 Stars
In the room with the entrance to the Bob-omb Battlefield. Lucky Stars 15 Stars
In the room with the entrance to Mario's painting, Goomboss Battle, behind the Rec Room/Sunshine Isles. Mario Slot 15 Stars
Outside the castle, on top of the roof, where Yoshi is in the original. Super Mario Slot 150 Stars
A orange Rabbit in Super Mario 64 DS
Wario's rabbits, colored orange
Location Mini-game unlocked Power Stars required
Outside the castle, over the wooden bridge, to the far right. Bingo Ball 31 Stars
In the room with the entrance to Whomp's Fortress. Coincentration 31 Stars
Behind the castle, in the courtyard, behind the Star Fountain, near the two signs. Slots Shot 31 Stars
In the basement, in the dead end, near the Toad. Psyche Out! 31 Stars
On the second floor of the castle, in the halls with the entrances to Tiny-Huge Island. Lakitu Launch 31 Stars
On the third floor of the castle, near the entrances to Tick Tock Clock, Rainbow Ride, Over the Rainbows, and Bowser in the Sky. Intense Coincentration 50 Stars
On the third floor of the castle, in the upper alcove to the left, near the entrance to Over the Rainbows. Giant Snowball Slalom 50 Stars

To unlock the white-bordered door within the princess's room, the player must catch eight glowing rabbits. Once the player has collected at least 40 Stars and the given rabbit has already been caught, there is a 1/32 chance for the rabbit to be glowing white each time the area the rabbit is in is loaded. This chance increases to 1/16 once at least 80 Stars have been collected. Upon catching a glowing rabbit, the player is informed of how many glowing rabbits are left to be caught or, on the final rabbit, is given the key to the white-bordered door. Once the key to the white room has been collected, rabbits no longer have any chance to be glowing.

Keys

Mario Key
Luigi Key
Wario Key
The keys to unlock the M, L, and W doors

The keys are used to unlock Mario, Luigi, and Wario. They are obtained after boss battles. Mario's key is obtained once Goomboss is defeated, Luigi's key is obtained once King Boo is defeated, and Wario's key is obtained once Chief Chilly is defeated.

Upon catching all of the eight glowing rabbits, the player receives a key that opens the white room in the princess's room. The first time the player opens it and enters, they find a Power Star. However, if they come back after taking it, Boos' laughs can be heard, and the player character comes out of the door, startled.

At the beginning of the game, after catching a rabbit near the small hedge on the left of the castle, Yoshi gets the key to unlock the castle's front doors.

After clearing the first two Bowser levels, the player receives Big Keys to access the basement and second floor, respectively.

Courses and missions

The following table displays information regarding each course, the Power Stars found within each course, how to get the Stars, and what character is required to obtain the Stars. During some missions, the player can find a cap of another character that transforms them into the character that owns the respective cap. The number of caps in a course varies and is based on which characters have been rescued, with few exceptions. Yoshi does not have a cap but is able to choose from the rescued characters' before selecting a mission. When the player's coin meter reaches 100 for the first time in a particular course, a bonus Power Star appears, making a total of eight Power Stars available in each course. If one of the characters receives a Power Star and redoes the mission, the Power Star appears as blue and does not add to the total.

Courses
Bob-omb Battlefield 64DS.png
SM64DS Bob-omb Battlefield Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Big Bob-omb on the Summit Yoshi has to go to the top of the mountain and fight the Big Bob-omb to obtain the Power Star. To do this, Yoshi must slurp Bob-ombs and spit them at him, while the other player characters must pick them up and throw them back at him. Anyone
2 Footrace with Koopa the Quick The player has to race up the mountain against Koopa the Quick. If the player uses the cannons, Koopa considers that cheating, and the player does not receive the Power Star. However, using the warps is not considered cheating. Mario
3 5 Silver Stars! The player must collect the five Silver Stars scattered around the battlefield. In this mission, a Chain-Chomp is running loose with one of the Silver Stars at the end of its chain. This Star does not appear in the original, replacing Shoot to the Island in the Sky. Anyone
4 Big Bob-omb's Revenge The player has to fight the Big Bob-omb one last time, but this time the player must pick him up and throw him three times. Yoshi cannot fight him this time, unless he uses caps. If the player throws the Big Bob-omb off the mountain, he does not count the throw. This Star does not appear in the original. Anyone but Yoshi
5 Mario Wings to the Sky The player has to fly straight through the middle of the coin circles in the sky, collecting all five middle coins. If the player is not playing as Mario, the coins can still be collected via cannon. Anyone
6 Find the 8 Red Coins The player has to collect all eight Red Coins scattered around the battlefield.
7 Behind Chain-Chomp's Gate The player has to unleash the Chain-Chomp by ground-pounding the stump it is chained to. If the player is Luigi, he can simply run through the cage with his Power Flower power to get the Star without having to do anything to the Chain-Chomp, and the peg can be ground-pounded only once as Wario or if any character eats a mushroom that is inside a Brick.
Mario at Whomp's Fortress
SM64DS Whomp's Fortress Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Chip Off Whomp's Block The player has to defeat the Whomp King at the top of the fortress by ground-pounding his back three times. Anyone
2 To the Top of the Fortress The player has to reach the top of the fortress, where the Whomp King had once stood, and climb up the big tower.
3 Shoot into the Wild Blue The player has to shoot out of a cannon onto a narrow ledge under a long pole. If the player is Luigi, he can triple-jump and then dive or backward-somersault up. If the player is Mario, he can also triple-jump or wall-kick up. If the player is Yoshi, he can flutter-jump from above.
4 Red Coins on the Floating Isle The player has to get onto the floating islands to collect two of the eight Red Coins and get back down on land to collect the rest. It is also possible to use Hoot.
5 Fall onto the Caged Island The player has to use Hoot to drop onto the island with the caged Power Star. It is also possible to reach it by using the cannon.
6 Blast Away the Wall The player has to shoot out of a cannon into the top right corner of the brick wall.
7 Switch Star of the Fortress The player has to activate the Star Switch, which is under a Brick, and get the Power Star before the timer runs out. This Star does not appear in the original. Anyone but Yoshi
SM64DS Unagi the eel.png
SM64DS Jolly Roger Bay Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Plunder in the Sunken Ship The player has to swim down to the sunken ship, lure Unagi the eel out of the ship's window, and swim inside. While inside, the player has to open a treasure chest to fully drain the water in order to climb over ledges and steep grounds to be able to hit the yellow block. Anyone
2 Can the Eel Come Out to Play? The player has to carefully swim down to Unagi the eel and grab the Power Star attached to the end of its tail.
3 Treasure in the Ocean Cave The player has to unlock the four treasure chests in the bay's cave in the correct order to reveal the Star.
4 Blast to the Stone Pillar The player has to blast from the cannon to the pillar above the ship. Mario can simply use his Power Flower ability to float to the Star, while Luigi can reach it with a well-placed backward somersault from the ship.
5 Red Coins on the Ship Afloat The player has to collect all eight Red Coins from the ship's deck as well as on land and in the depths of the water.
6 Switch Star of the Bay The player has to get the temporary Power Star within a limited time as Vanish Luigi. This Star does not appear in the original. Luigi
7 Through the Jet Stream The player has to get the Power Star that is in the middle of the bay's jet stream by using Wario's metal ability. Wario
Mario at Cool, Cool Mountain
SM64DS Cool Cool Mountain Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Slip Slidin' Away The player has to jump into the cottage's chimney, slide down to the end, and then go outside to get the Star. Anyone
2 Li'l Penguin Lost The player has to carry Tuxie, the baby penguin, back to her mother. Tuxie is located at the start of the course, where the slide entrance is. The other penguin is near the chimney and the Mother Penguin, but she is not her baby. If Yoshi eats the penguins, he immediately spits them out. Anyone but Yoshi
3 Big Penguin Race The player has to race down the cottage slide once more, but they should not take any shortcuts. The Big Penguin's race allows no cheating. Luigi's backward somersault is also considered cheating. Anyone
4 Frosty Slide for 8 Red Coins The player has to collect all eight Red Coins scattered around the snowy land. Two of them are in blocks of Ice and require Yoshi's fire breath to melt them. Yoshi
5 Snowman's Lost His Head The player has to lead the Headless Snowman's body back to his disconnected head. Anyone
6 Mario's Super Wall Kick The player must activate the cannon near the Mother Penguin, then use it to blast to the tree on a faraway ledge. The player can also jump on a Spindrift to get to the area. Then, Mario must wall-kick twice to reach the Star. Alternatively, Luigi can simply backward-somersault to reach it, Yoshi can flutter-jump or triple-jump, and Wario can triple-jump and dive to reach the platform that Mario is supposed to reach by the second wall kick.
7 Switch Star of Cool, Cool Mountain The player has to race to get the Power Star within a limited time after breaking the ice water block near the Mother Penguin, covering the Power Star. Only Wario can ground-pound the ice. This Star does not appear in the original. Wario
Mario inside Big Boo's Haunt
SM64DS Big Boo's Haunt Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Go on a Ghost Hunt The player has to defeat all the Boos in the haunted house to fight with the Big Boo in the main hall. After each hit, the Big Boo gets smaller. After the player defeats him, the staircase rises. Anyone but Yoshi
2 Ride Big Boo's Merry-Go-Round The player has to defeat every Boo on the merry-go-round and fight the Big Boo once more. He is in the basement this time.
3 Secret of the Haunted Books The player has to hit the books in the library in the correct order to gain access to the secret door area containing the Power Star. The order of the books is top, right, and then left.
4 Seek the 8 Red Coins The player has to go from room to room for the eight hidden Red Coins. The last one of the coins is on the ceiling of the main room. Mario can use his Power Flower ability, Luigi can backward-somersault or scuttle, and Wario can triple-jump and dive to get the coin.
5 Big Boo's Balcony The player has to defeat the Big Boo on the third floor of the balcony one last time and reach the Power Star on the roof by triple-jumping/somersaulting, long-jumping, or using Mario's Power Flower ability.
6 Eye to Eye in the Secret Room The player has to turn into Vanish Luigi to defeat Big Mr. I in the painting near the balcony. Luigi
7 Switch Star in the Basement The player has to uncover a Star Switch under a Black Brick in the basement, then get the Power Star within a limited time as fast as possible. The player can change caps to change into a different and faster character. Vanish Luigi can pass through a fence to obtain the Star. This Star does not appear in the original. Wario
Mario at Hazy Maze Cave
SM64DS Hazy Maze Cave Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Swimming Beast in the Cavern The player has to break the boulder in the Underground Lake with Wario's strength. Wario
2 Elevate for 8 Red Coins The player has to use the lifts in the largest cave to collect all eight Red Coins. Anyone
3 Metal-Head Wario Can Move As Wario, the player has to smack the ? Block in the Underground Lake and snag the Power Flower. Then the player has to go to the Purple Switch below the water, press it, and go into the door it opens, and then Wario has to do two long jumps to obtain the Power Star. The player can also somersault to the ledge as Luigi, wall-kick as Mario, or flutter-jump as Yoshi, which makes the long jumps easier. Wario
4 Navigating the Toxic Maze The player has to go through the toxic maze, go through the second door, and get the Power Star above the lift. Luigi can go through the grating with his Power Flower ability. Anyone
5 A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit The player has to go through the toxic maze once more to get to the door that leads to the room above the falling boulders, then the player has to monkey-bar to the Power Star. Luigi can go through without taking damage with his Power Flower ability, as can Wario. Luigi can backward-somersault up from the Black Brick in the room with the boulders, and Mario can wall-kick off a wall from the right of the Black Brick.
6 Watch for Rolling Rocks The player has to get the Power Star from a falling boulder by punching three or four boulders or eating the mushroom inside the Black Brick. Wario
7 Underground Switch Star The player has to get the Power Star within a limited time as fast as possible. The player can use Mario's wall kick or Luigi's backward somersault/Scuttle to reach the Star in time. This Star does not appear in the original.
Wario inside the volcano at Lethal Lava Land
SM64DS Lethal Lava Land Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Boil the Big Bully The player has to tackle and defeat the Big Bully on the north island. Anyone
2 Bully the Bullies The player has to defeat all three regular Bullies and then another Big Bully on the northeast island.
3 8-Coin Puzzle with 15 Pieces The player has to collect all eight Red Coins on a revolving Bowser puzzle.
4 Red-Hot Log Rolling The player has to ride a floating cage to a structure and cross the rolling log to reach the Power Star. Mario can fly to the other side with his Wing Cap ability, and Luigi can backward-somersault at the starting point and go through the grating with his Power Flower ability. The player can also use a Shiny Shell.
5 Hot-Foot-It into the Volcano Once inside the volcano in the center of the area, the player has to climb to the top by using the footholds or riding the lifts.
6 Inside the Volcano The player has to go inside the volcano again and get the Power Star from a small floating island by using the lifts.
7 Flaming Silver Stars The player has to use a Shiny Shell to glide around the lava or use Mario's Wing Cap ability to fly to collect all five Silver Stars. This Star does not appear in the original.
Mario inside the pyramid at Shifting Sand Land
SM64DS Shifting Sand Land Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 In the Talons of the Big Bird The player has to jump under Klepto to get the Power Star held in his talons. Anyone
2 Shining Atop the Pyramid The player has to climb to the top of the pyramid, avoiding enemies, to get to the Power Star. The player can use a Koopa Shell, but Mario can simply fly up with his Wing Cap ability, and Luigi can backward-somersault to the top.
3 Inside the Ancient Pyramid The player has to get the Power Star that sits at the top of the inside scope of the pyramid at the end. Mario can simply float to the highest levels.
4 Stand Tall on the Four Pillars The player has to stand on all four of the pillars to open the gateway to Eyerok. The player has to punch the two eyes in his hands, three times each, to defeat them (or two times each, if playing as Wario). If playing as Yoshi, the player must ground-pound into, slide-kick, or spit flames at Eyerok.
5 Tox Box Switch Star The player has to make it through the Tox Boxes and activate the Star Switch to get the Power Star in the desert's oasis via the warp at one end of the Tox Box maze, then long-jump across within a limited time. Alternatively, the player can use the warp to teleport to the Star. This Star does not appear in the original. Wario
6 Pyramid Puzzle The player has to collect all five Silver Stars on the various sand ledges in the pyramid. This Star is in the original, but the Silver Stars replace the coins. Anyone
7 Free Flying for 8 Red Coins The player has to fly and roam for all eight Red Coins throughout the desert. Though harder, the player can also use Luigi's somersault, the cannons, and the tornadoes to get the Red Coins.
Wario at Dire, Dire Docks
SM64DS Dire Dire Docks Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Board Bowser's Sub The player has to climb the Bricks after pressing a switch to go to the top of the Sub to get the Power Star. Mario can float up to the Star with his Power Flower ability. Luigi can stand on top of the Power Flower block and backward-somersault. Anyone
2 Chests in the Current The player has to open the three treasure chests in the correct order to gain the Power Star.
3 Pole-Jumping for Red Coins The player has to collect all eight Red Coins by hopping from one pole to another over the submarine dock.
4 Through the Jet Stream The player has to swim through five bubble rings in a row and get the Star in the speeding current. Wario
5 Koopa Surfin' Switch Star The player has to punch the middle Black Brick near the start of the course, then use a Koopa Shell from a yellow block to reach the timed Star on the other side. This Star does not appear in the original.
6 Inside the Cage The player has to get the Star huddled in the red cage, located below the dock leading to the pond outside the castle. Luigi
7 The Manta Ray's Reward The player has to swim through the Manta Ray's bubble rings five times in a row to get a Power Star. Anyone
Mario at Snowman's Land
SM64DS Snowman's Land Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Snowman's Big Head The player has to get to the peak of the giant snowman by either walking beside the large penguin or using the cannon to get there directly and not get blown away. If the player is Luigi at the point where the penguin is, he can simply backward-somersault over the ice bridge. Yoshi can flutter-jump, Mario can triple-jump and then dive safely, and Wario can grab a Power Flower to go in the cannon and walk through the wind. Anyone
2 Chill with the Bully The player has to defeat the Chill Bully by pushing him into the ice water only once. Wario can use his metal ability and simply walk into him, while Yoshi can spit fire at him.
3 Yoshi's Ice Sculpture The player has to melt the ice cube blocks to release the Power Star. This Star does not appear in the original. Yoshi
4 Whirl from the Freezing Pond The player has to jump onto a Spindrift to spin across to the other shore, as the Star is inside one of the yellow blocks. Luigi can backward-somersault to the other shore without using a Spindrift. He and Mario can also triple-jump to get there, and Yoshi can flutter-jump to get there. Anyone
5 Snowman's Silver Star The player has to use a Koopa Shell to collect all five Silver Stars, including one underneath the Chill Bully platform. This Star does not appear in the original.
6 Into the Igloo The player has to become transparent and fall into the sealed under-opening to the Power Star inside the igloo, which can be reached by using the Koopa Shell. Luigi
7 Red Coins in the House The player has to collect all eight Red Coins inside the igloo. Anyone
Mario at Wet-Dry World
SM64DS Wet-Dry World Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Shocking Arrow Lifts! The player has to use the lifts to get to the yellow block with a yellow prize. It can also be reached by using a warp, using a backward somersault from below, or floating there as Mario. Anyone
2 Top o' the Town The player needs to get to the top ledge of Wet-Dry World to get the Power Star. Mario can float up there.
3 5 Secrets in the Shallows & Sky The player has to find all five secrets to reveal a Power Star.
4 Express Elevator--Hurry Up! The player has to drain the water completely and activate the elevator, then jump on it before it gets too high. However, Luigi can use a Power Flower to go through the grating, with no elevator.
5 Go to Town for the Red Coins The player has to go to the world's abandoned town square and collect all eight Red Coins. To do this, the player must completely flood the world, then swim down the chain-guarded tunnel area.
6 Quick Race Through Downtown! The player has to get to the Star quickly with Vanish Luigi in the town square. Some walls can be walked through. Luigi
7 Soaked Silver Stars The player has to get the five Silver Stars scattered around the water world, with the last one being inside a Brick. This Star does not appear in the original. Anyone
Luigi at Tall, Tall Mountain
SM64DS Tall Tall Mountain Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Scale the Mountain The player has to climb to the top of the mountain to get a Power Star. Anyone
2 Mystery of the Monkey Cage The player has to get to the top of the mountain and find the Ukiki. The player has to grab it/eat it and then let it go/spit it out. This causes the Ukiki to break the cage and reveal a Power Star.
3 Scary 'Shrooms, Red Coins The player has to collect all eight Red Coins on the Mushroom Platforms and ledges by the Monty Moles, then the player has to reach the Power Star on a distant Mushroom Platform by jumping to it.
4 Mysterious Mountainside The player has to find and go down the mountain's secret slide without falling. Near a Fwoosh, the player has to leap into the wall where the coins indicate to enter the slide. Once they finish sliding and falling into a hole, they reappear outside in a cage with the Power Star. Alternatively, Luigi can use his invisibility power, then somersault without using the slide. If the player falls off, they respawn back at the slide.
5 Blast to the Lonely Mushroom The player has to blast or use Hoot to fly to the Mushroom Platform with the Power Star on it. They can backward-somersault there as Luigi, fly as Mario, or spin-jump off the Fly Guy near an Ukiki to reach the Star too.
6 5 Secrets of the Mountain The player has to fly, fall from Hoot repeatedly, or somersault around the peak and get the center coin in each ring of coins. This Star does not appear in the original.
7 Breathtaking View from the Bridge The player has to jump behind the long waterfall and break the Black Brick to reveal the Power Star. Wario
Mario at Tiny-Huge Island
SM64DS Tiny-Huge Island Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Pluck the Piranha Flower The player has to start on the Tiny Island, go left from the starting point, and leap into the pipe on the last island. The player has to attack and kill every giant Piranha Plant that appears. If the player is Yoshi, they must slide-kick, ground-pound, eat the mushroom found in one of the logs, or spit the fire shot by the Piranha Plants at them. Anyone
2 The Tip Top of the Huge Island The player has to get to the top of the Huge Island once more and hit the block up there, revealing a Power Star.
3 Rematch with Koopa the Quick The player has to race with Koopa the Quick in one more race. This time, the race is shorter than the previous one. Mario
4 Klepto the Condor Klepto has the Power Star once again in his talons, and the player needs to touch him to get it. This Star does not appear in the original, replacing Five Itty Bitty Secrets. Anyone
5 Wiggler's Red Coins The player has to collect all eight Red Coins in the crypt under Wiggler's small nest.
6 Make Wiggler Squirm The player has to unclog the pond above the island. To do this, on the Tiny Island, the player has to ground-pound the ground on it. The player then has to go onto the Huge Island, fall through the exposed opening, and face Wiggler. The player has to jump on his head three times to get his Power Star.
7 Switch Star on the Island The player has to get the timed Star within a limited time under Wiggler's small nest. This Star does not appear in the original.
Mario at Tick-Tock Clock
SM64DS Tick-Tock Clock Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Luigi in the Cage The player has to become transparent and fall through the various floors to the Power Star in the cage. This Star is in the original, but Luigi is required to get it. Luigi
2 The Pendulum Switch Star The player needs to get the timed Star within a limited time. This Star is in the original, but a Star Switch makes it appear in its original location. Anyone
3 Get a Hand The player has to jump to an alcove near a horizontal clock hand, which is the intended method of getting there.
4 Stomp on the Thwomp The player has to get to the top of the clock, hop onto the Thwomp, and get the Power Star at the top ledge. Mario does not have to stand on the Thwomp. He can float up with his Power Flower ability.
5 Timed Jumps on Moving Bars The player has to hop up two Moving Bars, break Black Bricks, and get the Power Star. Luigi can use his Power Flower ability to backward-somersault to the Power Star on a Moving Bar without breaking the Black Bricks. Luigi or Wario
6 Stop Time for Red Coins The player has to leap into the clock painting with the minute hand at 12 to stop time and objects moving, then collect all eight Red Coins in the frozen clockwork. Anyone
7 Tick Tock Silver Stars At the starting point, the player can just hold still, moving about once in a while. The Silver Stars automatically fall towards the player. This Star does not appear in the original.
Luigi at Rainbow Ride
SM64DS Rainbow Ride Course Icon.png
# Mission How to get the Star Character(s) required
1 Cruiser Crossing the Rainbow The player needs to get up to the flying boat, where high winds roam, and nab the Power Star on the forward bow while using Wario's Power Flower power. However, Luigi can spin/backward-somersault to reach it from a carpet. Mario can use a Power Flower to reach it. Very strangely, Yoshi can use his tongue to scoot up to get to the Star. Anyone
2 The Big House in the Sky The player has to use the magic carpets to float among the rainbow strands to get to the roof of the house. Mario can float up to the Power Star without using the carpet inside the manor.
3 Coins Amassed in a Maze The player needs to wall-kick, backward-somersault, or flutter-jump up various ledges to get all eight Red Coins in the walled maze. Though difficult, the coins can be collected even as Wario by utilizing a series of triple jumps.
4 Swingin' in the Breeze The player has to go onto the many moving ledges and metal swings to reach the tip of the obstacle area.
5 Tricky Triangles! The player must take the same way from the previous Star, then head for a structure with triangular platforms four creeks above seesaws. After pressing the switch, the player has to make it to the top before the triangles reset and become impossible to climb. Luigi can somersault from the top without using the triangles.
6 Somewhere Over the Rainbow The player has to blast to the highest island, where a Chuckya is located. The player must grab the Star inside a yellow block before the Chuckya can throw them off the edge.
7 Switch Star of the Manor As Mario, the player has to hit the switch outside the house in the sky and collect a Power Flower to float up to the roof, where the Star is temporarily placed, as fast as possible. Though difficult, the Star can also be collected with other characters by riding a carpet up to it. This Star does not appear in the original.

Castle Secret Stars

Secret Stars are Power Stars found in hidden locations in and around the Mushroom Castle. There are 30 Secret Stars in all, 15 more than in the original game. According to Bowser, he did not know the whereabouts of most of them.

Secret Stars
Stars Location Image Summary Character(s) required
1–2 The Princess's Secret Slide Mario in The Princess's Secret Slide In the princess's room, the player can jump into the Princess Peach stained glass window on the right, as it leads to a secret slide. The first Star is inside a yellow block at the end of the slide. The second Star is awarded if the slide is completed in 21 seconds or less. This Star appears in front of the yellow block that contained the previous Star. Anyone
3 The Secret Aquarium Yoshi swimming in The Secret Aquarium in Super Mario 64 DS. In the room leading to Jolly Roger Bay, the player has to jump or backwards-somersault into the alcove on the right side of the room. The player has to swim about and grab all eight Red Coins.
4 The Secret of Battle Fort Mario on the Battle Fort In the courtyard, the player can find three Bricks placed together. The player must ground-pound, kick, or punch the Bricks to expose a secret entrance to Battle Fort. In this area, the player has to grab all five Silver Stars while avoiding Heave-Hos, Goombas, Bob-ombs, and a Chuckya. Some Silver Stars may be in Bricks or Goombas. Anyone but Yoshi
5 ? Switch Mario in the Tower of the Wing Cap With at least 14 Stars and playing as Mario, the player has to go to the starting point in the castle. The player has to press and hold X Button to enter first-person mode, then look up into the beam of light. Here, the player, now Wing Mario for the first time in the game, can collect the eight Red Coins by flying into them before jumping onto the red ? Switch to make all of the red ? Blocks solid. Mario
6–7 Behind the Waterfall Wario in Behind the Waterfall The player needs to use Metal Wario to collect the eight Red Coins in the speeding river behind the Castle Grounds' main waterfall in the Hazy Maze Cave. To enter the level, the player must get down to the bottom section of the cave. The player has to ride on Dorrie to gain access to a door nestled in a nook by the lake. Then the player has to jump into the pool to enter the area and collect all eight Red Coins to reveal the Power Star. Another Star can be found by using Mario. At the small island at the end of the area, the player must jump into the block and grab a Power Flower. Then the player has to float up, following coins, to grab another Star. If the player gets sucked by the strong water current, they end up in the moat outside the castle. Wario/Mario
8–9 The Secret Under the Moat Wario in The Secret Under the Moat The player has to collect all eight Red Coins over the obstacles with Wario and the red and green caps. The player enters this area by draining the moat, going out through the new front door, then using Wario to smash the Black Bricks over the entrance there. Wario must use Luigi's cap to turn invisible and get the Red Coin Star in a cage, but Mario's cap can be used to grab a Switch Star. The player has to grab the cap, then race back to the end of the slope. Then the player has to jump into the block and gain the Power Flower, then float over to a small outcrop to the left. The player then has to stomp the switch for the Star. The player then has to either use two Power Flowers or wall-jump to make Wario's way up to the Star. Wario in Mario's and Luigi's caps
10–11 Over the Rainbows The special level Over The Rainbows as seen in Super Mario 64 DS The player has to fly and collect the eight Red Coins from the many clouds. The player enters this area by leaping into the alcove to the right in the room with the entrances to Rainbow Ride, Tick Tock Clock, and Bowser in the Sky. Also, on the island with a cannon, the player has to grab Wario's cap. The player has to talk to the Bob-omb Buddy, leap into the cannon, and carefully fire Mario/Wario to the island with a Black Brick. The player can also get to the Star by long-jumping from the start to the Black Brick. The player must then break it and grab the Power Star reward. If the player falls off, they end up in the lake outside the castle, but they do not lose a life. Mario or Wario
12–13 Bowser in the Dark World Mario in Bowser in the Dark World The player has to race up the four outcrops above the seesaws to claim the temporary Star after hitting the switch near the pipe. Luigi can backward-somersault over them. In addition, after the player collects all eight Red Coins, another Star appears near the pipe. Anyone
14–15 Bowser in the Fire Sea Mario in Bowser in the Fire Sea The player must carefully race up the four outcrops above the seesaws, avoiding the lava, to claim the timed Star by wall-kicking/triple-jumping up the various ledges near the warp leading to Bowser. The player has to collect the eight Red Coins to earn another Power Star.
16–17 Bowser in the Sky Mario in an upper level of Bowser in the Sky in Super Mario 64 DS The player has to race up the spinning purple spear with an Amp rotating around it to claim the timed Switch Star after hitting the switch below the Whomp. The player can also collect all eight Red Coins to grab another Power Star. The Star is located near the pipe, around the realms, where the last coin is also located. Mario
18 Courtyard The courtyard of Peach's Castle in Super Mario 64 DS In the courtyard, the player has to ground-pound, kick, or punch Boos to earn all eight Red Coins to get a Power Star, which appears in front of the Star Fountain. Anyone but Yoshi
19 Sunshine Isles Sunshine Isles In the Rec Room, the player has to leap into the small painting of a sunny island. Here, the player has to grab all five Silver Stars to earn a Power Star. Anyone
20–21 Goomboss Battle Goomboss Battle level seen in Super Mario 64 DS In Goomboss Battle, Mario can cross rickety platforms to stomp a switch and wall-jump up between the fences to grab a Switch Star. To grab all eight Red Coins, the player must use every character's cap to float, smash Bricks and Black Bricks, triple-jump, turn transparent, and backward-somersault their way up to the Red Coin Star. The player can use Mario or Luigi (or their respective caps) to smash the Black Brick with the help of a mushroom found inside a Brick. Anyone (Mario's/Luigi's caps required)
22–23 Big Boo Battle Big Boo Battle.png In Big Boo Battle, the player can use Wario to snag every Red Coin, smash the Black Brick containing the last Red Coin, and unearth a Star. Luigi must make his way to the end, then grab a Power Flower and race through the Boo painting near the collapsible bridge to get another Star. Luigi/Wario
24–25 Chief Chilly Challenge Chief Chilly Challenge.png In Chief Chilly Challenge, Luigi must get Wario's cap, turn metal, and slowly make his way up a narrow windy path to smash a Black Brick and earn a Power Star. Then he must grab another Power Flower to get back and not get blown away. Luigi can also collect the eight Red Coins scattered around the course to earn another Star. However, he must turn transparent to grab the seventh coin in a cage and use Mario's cap to float up to the last coin in order to unearth the Star. He then must use another Power Flower to come back. Luigi with caps
26 Mushroom Castle Luigi finds a Power Star In the mirror room leading to Snowman's Land and Chief Chilly Challenge, the player can use Luigi to snag a Power Flower and run through the mirror. The door on the other side leads to a Power Star in a white room. This mission is called Through the Looking Glass, whose name is a pun on the title of the novel Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll. Luigi
27 Mushroom Castle SM64DS Glowing Rabbit Screenshot.png After 50 Power Stars have been obtained, glowing rabbits randomly appear around the castle in place of ordinary ones that have been caught. Eight must be grabbed to earn a Star, but they are so scarce, it is rare to find one. They do not appear in the place of a rabbit unless the rabbit in question has been caught before. When the last one is caught, the player is given a key that unlocks the last room in the character-selection area. Inside this room is the Power Star. If the player goes into the room after the Power Star is collected, Boos are heard laughing, and the player character simply exits the room and groans. Anyone
28–30 Mushroom Castle The gallery on the upper floor in Peach's castle Toads have managed to find three Stars, and they are holding on to them until the player talks to them. The Toads with Stars are near the entrance to the Hazy Maze Cave, on the castle's second floor under the staircase, and on the third floor to the right of Tick Tock Clock. However, they do not give any Stars until the player has collected at least 20, 40, and 60 Stars, respectively.

Bowser boss battles

Mario fighting Bowser in Bowser in the Dark World

Bowser is fought in three courses, each of which is behind a Big Star Door, and a certain number of Power Stars is required to open the doors. Big Star Doors can be opened only with Mario, though once one is opened, any character can enter the door. The only exception to this is the Big Star Door leading to the final Bowser course; if any character other than Mario enters it, that character is brought to the endless stairs instead.

The following is a list of Bowser's subversive worlds and the number of Power Stars required to access them:

Bosses

The following table shows all of the bosses in the game.

Bowser emblem from Mario Kart 8 Bosses Bowser emblem from Mario Kart 8
Big Bob-omb Whomp King Goomboss Bowser
Big Bob-omb from Super Mario 64 DS Whomp King in the game Super Mario 64 DS. Goomboss in the game Super Mario 64 DS. Bowser in the game Super Mario 64 DS.
A giant Bob-omb at the Bob-omb Battlefield that attacks by throwing smaller Bob-ombs in his first battle. The Big Bob-omb can be defeated by sending the Bob-ombs back at him three times. In his second battle, the Big Bob-omb attacks by tossing the player around the stage, but he can still be defeated if a cap-wearing character picks him up and tosses him three times. A giant Whomp at Whomp's Fortress that tries to crush the player by falling on top of them. They must avoid the attack and ground-pound the king's back as he is about to get up. Doing so three times defeats him. A giant Goomba that holds the key to Mario's door and walks around the stage with some Goombas. Yoshi can defeat him by spitting a Goomba at him three times; however, Goomboss spawns more Goombas and gets faster after each hit. If he is fought by Yoshi, the Goombas spawn behind Goomboss. If he is fought by anyone else, the Goombas spawn in front of him. Mario's archenemy and the main villain of the game. Bowser's tactics differ depending on when he is fought, but he usually attacks by breathing fire and ramming into the player. He can be defeated by tossing him into a mine once the first two times he is fought. For the final encounter, the player must throw him into mines three times to defeat him.
Missions Missions Missions Missions
Big Bob-omb on the Summit
Big Bob-omb's Revenge
Chip Off Whomp's Block Goomboss Battle Bowser in the Dark World
Bowser in the Fire Sea
Bowser in the Sky
Big Boo Big Mr. I Big Boo (King Boo) Big Bully
Big Boo in the game Super Mario 64 DS. Big Mr. I. in Super Mario 64 DS King Boo Big Bully in the game Super Mario 64 DS.
A giant Boo that is fought three times in the game in Big Boo's Haunt. The Big Boo attacks by ramming the humans if they are not looking at him. The player can defeat the Big Boo by hitting him three times with any attack except jumping when he is not invisible. A giant Mr. I that hides in a secret room at the top of Big Boo's Haunt along with a Boo. He attacks by shooting blue flames at the player and can be defeated if they run around him enough times, making him dizzy. A similar foe to the normal Big Boo that guards the key to Luigi's door. He can warp between realities and attack by ramming into the player or spitting blue flames at them. This Big Boo can be defeated by hitting him three times with any attack other than jumping. A large Bully that is fought two times in Lethal Lava Land. He attacks the player by ramming into them, trying to push them into the lava. To defeat the Big Bully, the player must do the same by repeatedly hitting him towards the lava.
Missions Missions Missions Missions
Go on a Ghost Hunt
Ride Big Boo's Merry-Go-Round
Big Boo's Balcony
Eye to Eye in the Secret Room Big Boo Battle Boil the Big Bully
Bully the Bullies
Eyerok Chill Bully Chief Chilly Piranha Flowers Wiggler
Eyerok in Super Mario 64 DS Chill Bully Chief Chilly from Super Mario 64 DS The group of Piranha Flowers from Super Mario 64 DS Wiggler
A pair of disembodied stone hands in Shifting Sand Land that attacks by punching the player and slamming down his fists at them while leaving an eye exposed. The player must punch each eye three times (or twice if playing as Wario) to defeat Eyerok. If playing as Yoshi, the player must ground-pound into, slide-kick, or spit fire at him. A large Bully encased in ice that has the same fighting style as the Big Bully. However, the platform that he is fought on is made of ice as well, making it very slippery. Pushing him into the freezing water once defeats him. A larger Chill Bully that guards the key to Wario's door. Luigi must push him into the ice-cold water three times to defeat him; however, Chief Chilly makes the platform that he is fought on smaller after each hit. Five enormous fire-breathing Piranha Plants that rapidly shoot up from the ground when approached, shrinking down after attacking. While visible, they are vulnerable to punches. A caterpillar that is angry at the player for flooding his house. He attacks by charging at the player. When his head is jumped on two times, he turns angry and attacks at a much faster speed. When jumped on once more, he is defeated.
Missions Missions Missions Missions Missions
Stand Tall on the Four Pillars Chill with the Bully Chief Chilly Challenge Pluck the Piranha Flower Make Wiggler Squirm

VS mode

Green, Red, and Blue Yoshi in the Castle Grounds in the VS mode

The game includes a multiplayer VS mode. The mode can be accessed from the Title Screen by tapping the orange "VS" button at the bottom left of the Touch Screen. The VS mode supports only single-card gameplay, with Player 1 as the host with the inserted cartridge and Players 2—4 using the DS Download Play feature. The VS mode starts in a waiting area, which takes place in a castle interior, as shown from the top screen. It depicts a desert sand-colored wall with a large painting of a cloudy sky, two large pillars located left and right each, a red carpet on the checkered floor that leads up to the wall, and red drapes hanging on the ceiling.

While other players are preparing, the bottom screen reads "Waiting for opponents..." When other players have joined, their names are displayed on Player 1's screen. The host can then tap the "TOUCH TO START" notice to start the battle. While in the waiting room, players can press Start Button to change the settings and press Select Button to change their controller layout. Every player controls a Yoshi and is no different in terms of abilities; Player 1 controls a Green Yoshi, Player 2 controls a Red Yoshi, Player 3 controls a Blue Yoshi, and Player 4 controls a Yellow Yoshi. Player 1 can select one of four stages, all of which appear as locations in the main game, by tapping the corresponding icon on the Touch Screen. When a stage is selected, the four Yoshis sprint toward the large painting and jump into it. They are taken to the selected course, and the gameplay starts.

The objective is for players to collect the most Power Stars and coins. At the top center of the screen is a countdown timer, which starts at 30. Players can hold up to five Power Stars. When a Yoshi is attacked by an obstacle or opponent, it loses a Power Star, which starts to bounce around the course. As such, Power Stars function very similarly to Silver Stars. The Yoshi can reclaim the Power Star before their opponent does. Mario's cap, Luigi's cap, and Wario's cap are located around the stage, and they transform the Yoshis into Mario, Luigi, and Wario, respectively. Yoshis can swallow their opponents unless their opponent is wearing a cap. A few of the stages have a large yellow block that contains a pair of wings, which temporarily grant Yoshi, Luigi, and Wario the ability to fly. Wario is the only character with an ability exclusive to the VS mode, the Wild Swing-Ding, where if Wario attacks an opponent, they get knocked out slightly longer, allowing him to grab the opponent, swing them around, and throw them.

The player that ends with the most Power Stars wins. If two or more players are tied with the same number of Power Stars, then the player with the most coins wins. The results are shown in the waiting room, where the winning Yoshis cheer and the losing Yoshis cry. The collected Stars and coins are shown for each Yoshi. On the Touch Screen, it tells whether that player won or lost. The top screen then shows the number of rounds that each Yoshi won or lost, and there is a Star trophy icon to the left of each number.

Stages

Location Description
Castle Grounds The outdoor area in front of the Mushroom Castle. It has a few differences, including ropes that block the castle's doors and cannon, a moving platform added to the moat and lake, and a Chain-Chomp bouncing around the area. One of the Power Stars is at the tip of its chain.
Sunshine Isles In the main game, this course is accessed from a painting in the Rec Room. There are a few differences: The background music is changed, the sky is faced differently, there are no enemies, and there is a yellow block containing a feather.
The Princess's Secret Slide In the main game, this course is located in the princess's room. The caps are found at both the beginning and end of the level. It is the only course where Power Stars are not found in Star Spheres. If the player falls off, they are returned to the beginning of the slide.
Battle Fort In the main game, this course is accessed from the courtyard of the Mushroom Castle, through a hole under a Brick. The course features iron balls (which Wario can break), and in the VS mode, it also features no enemies and two yellow blocks containing feathers.

Rec Room

The Rec Room from Super Mario 64 DS.
The Rec Room with a Toad standing in front of the open shelves

Once keys are gained, they can open shelves to unlock mini-games. Mario's mini-games are action-packed, Luigi's are casino (or luck-based) games, Yoshi's are puzzle-based, and Wario's do not have a specific theme.

The following table is a complete listing of all the mini-games, descriptions, and the number of Power Stars needed to unlock the mini-games, which includes also the unlockables, throughout the game. They are followed by the in-game instructions. Most of these mini-games are reused in New Super Mario Bros., and they also have multiplayer, along with some new ones. There are 36 mini-games in total. Each character has nine: The first two are available from the start, while the other seven are obtained from catching the rabbits.

Yoshi's mini-games
Mini-game In-game instructions Power Stars needed to unlock
Wanted! It's easy to get lost in a crowd! Find the one who disappeared and touch him. There he is! 0
Loves Me...? Play this mini-game for advice on your love life! Pluck the petals to find out how your crush feels about you. 0
Hide and Boo Seek Rub the Touch Screen where the Boos are hiding! For the first 15 levels, you get 3 seconds to find them. After that, you only get 2 seconds. 1
Puzzle Panel Match the Touch Screen picture to the top screen. Touch a panel to turn over the surrounding panels. Harder levels will take more turns to solve. 1
Boom Box Each time you open a treasure chest, you'll hear a sound. Open 2 chests with the same sound. Win by matching all the pairs! 1
Tox Box Shuffle Oh, no! Yoshi's trapped in a Tox Box! Find which one he's in to save him! 1
Which Wiggler? Touch the Wiggler on the Touch Screen that matches the one on the top screen. Choose carefully, though; he has a terrible temper. 1
Mix-a-Mug Line up the slots on the Touch Screen to form a face. Win more coins by matching the center face in the slots to the one on the top screen. 12
Puzzle Panic This mini-game takes the Puzzle Panel to a whole new level. Put on your thinking cap. You're going to need it. 12
Mario's mini-games
Mini-game In-game instructions Power Stars needed to unlock
Mario's Slides Guide Mario down the slides to the Star. Draw lines on the Touch Screen to create new routes for him. Collect 5 Stars to move up a stage. 0
Bounce and Pounce Mario's in free fall, but he can bounce back if you touch him. Stomp the Fly Guys, but make sure he doesn't fall off the Touch Screen. 0
Sort or 'Splode Guide Bob-ombs to the black carpet and Bob-omb Buddies to the red carpet. If you bring in a wrong-colored Bob-omb, it will blow up! 8
Trampoline Time Draw a line on the Touch Screen to turn it into a trampoline. You can draw up to 3 lines at a time. Help Mario bounce to safety! 8
Shuffle Shell Use the paddle to push the Koopa shells to the target. The closer the shells land to the center of the target, the more points you will earn. 31
Bounce and Trounce Mario's surrounded by Fly Guys to trounce. Touch him on his left, right, or center to make him bounce in that direction. 12
Connect the Characters Draw lines to match the characters' heads to their bodies. Press "GO!" when you're finished to see how you fared! 12
Shell Smash Hit Koopa shells together to score points. Hit many in a row for even more points. Score even higher points by smashing green shells together. 12
Trampoline Terror Only players with superb stylus skills will be able to make Mario bounce through the rings! 31
Luigi's mini-games
Mini-game In-game instructions Power Stars needed to unlock
Memory Match Pick two matching cards to make them disappear. Clear all the cards to win. 0
Pair-a-Gone Touch 2 identical cards that are connected vertically, horizontally, or diagonally to make them disappear. Clear them all to win! 0
Picture Poker Get a better hand than Luigi to win! If you're confident your hand is best, increase the number of coins you bet! 15
Mushroom Roulette Guess where the ball will land on the roulette wheel. Guess correctly to win coins! 15
Mario Slot Touch the spinning slots to stop them. Get 3 items in a row to earn coins! The Superstar is wild. 15
Lucky Stars From a pair of cards, pick the one with more Stars to win coins. Beat Luigi at his own game! 15
Pair-a-Gone and On This game of Pair-a-Gone goes on forever! Test your skill and see how many cards you can clear. Go for the record! 15
Memory Master If Memory Match was a piece of cake for you, try out this harder version. You now have more cards to play with. 31
Super Mario Slot Touch the spinning slots to stop them. Get 3 items in a row to earn coins! The Superstar is wild. Are you feeling super lucky? 150
Wario's mini-games
Mini-game In-game instructions Power Stars needed to unlock
Bob-omb Squad The parachuting Bob-ombs are destroying your flowers! Use your slingshot to knock them out of the air. Hit Lakitu to blow them all up. 0
Snowball Slalom Rub the Touch Screen to roll the snowman's head to the goal before time runs out! Rocks will slow you down, as will touching his head! 0
Bingo Ball Launch a ball into a numbered slot on the Touch Screen. That number will light up in the top screen. Get 3 numbers in a row to score! 31
Coincentration Pay attention to where the falling coins land. Touch the blocks to retrieve the coins. But if you choose the wrong block, your game will end. 31
Psyche Out! Are you psychic? Can you guess what's on the card's other side? Maybe if you stare at it long enough, a vision will come to you. 31
Slots Shot The bars swing open when a ball goes in a Piranha Plant. Sink the ball into the pipe to trigger the slots Switch. Get 3 items in a row for a bonus! 31
Lakitu Launch Shoot as many balls as you can into the tubs within the allotted time. 31
Intense Coincentration There aren't as many falling coins this time around, but that won't stop Wario. Watch the coins carefully! 50
Giant Snowball Slalom Roll the snowball over a longer course! As before, avoid rocks because they'll slow you down. 50

List of changes from the original game

Although Super Mario 64 DS is a clear remake of the Nintendo 64 game Super Mario 64, there are some elements that were added in the game that the original game did not have, as well as elements that are seen only in the original game that were taken out or slightly tweaked in its remake.

Gameplay changes

General

Luigi reading a sign that has been partial pounded into the ground
Luigi reading a sign that has been partially pounded into the ground
  • Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Wario are now all playable. Only Mario is playable in the original, while Yoshi makes an unplayable cameo appearance on the castle roof after the original game is finished, and Luigi and Wario did not make any appearances or cameos in the original. There were, however, rumors that Luigi could be unlocked in the original, but those have since been debunked, and he was planned to appear in the original game but was dropped out.
  • On the Title Screen, Mario's or Yoshi's face can be dragged by the stylus. While being dragged, they become wireframe. The user can also design a custom picture to drag around. In the original, Mario's face can be pulled by the cursor.
  • In the original game, Mario (the only character capable of wall-kicking in both the original game and the remake) cannot slide down walls. He is able to do so in the remake, making wall-kicking much easier to perform than in the original.
  • Wall-kicking from a dive is now possible if Mario dives into a wall at a low enough speed.
  • It is possible to grab ledges during a triple jump, whereas Mario must land above the platform surface in the original.
  • The Power Flower has a different effect for each character: Mario is able to float, Luigi can become invisible, Wario can become a metal version of himself, and Yoshi can breathe fire out of his mouth. Mario can also fly by collecting a feather. In the original, Mario is able to collect different caps to use these various abilities (excluding the fire and balloon power-ups), such as the Wing Cap, the Vanish Cap, and the Metal Cap.
  • There are eight Power Stars in each world. In the original, there are only seven Power Stars in each world.
  • There are 36 rabbits to catch. In the original, there is only one rabbit, MIPS, who is caught twice in the basement.
  • There are 150 Stars in the whole game. There were 120 in the original.
  • Wario is now able to pick up signs and throw them like any enemy that is picked up. He is also able to jump on signs and ground-pound them into the ground once. In the original version, Mario is not able to pick up signs, nor is he able to ground-pound them. He and the other characters cannot pick up signs but can ground-pound them twice.[4]
  • The mushroom power-up was added, mainly found in Bricks, and causes the player to grow to an enormous size (and gives Yoshi punching and kicking abilities as well as the ability to destroy Bricks). Within a time limit, one can defeat virtually every enemy, something that could not be done in Super Mario 64. After destroying the first seven, the player receives an extra life for anything else they destroy. A 90s Got Milk? commercial shows simulated footage from Super Mario 64 featuring a giant Mario, but it was impossible in the original version.
  • As the Nintendo DS does not have the analog stick that the Nintendo 64 has, either the D-Pad or the stylus can be used (depending on the settings). However, the Circle Pad on the Nintendo 3DS somewhat simulates the classic analog stick from the original version.
  • Klepto appears in three different levels, while in the original, he appears only in the level Shifting Sand Land.
  • The L Button and X Button buttons on the Nintendo DS control the camera. In the original, the C Buttons buttons on the Nintendo 64 control the camera.
  • Rabbits, when caught by the player, can unlock mini-games in the Rec Room. In the original, a rabbit provided hints and/or a Star.
  • Silver Stars were added in the remake. During Silver Star missions, the player must collect five Silver Stars to make a Power Star appear.
  • In the original, a glitch can cause Mario to backwards long-jump. In the remake, backwards long-jumping is possible, but it does not have the same effect as in the original.
  • There are three save files to play on. In the original, there are four.
  • Mario could not destroy things that Wario could do in this game. He and the other characters also cannot even do it in this game.
  • Star Switches are seen in this game. They make a Power Star appear for a limited time in a Star Sphere.
  • The ability to bounce slide-kick off lava once has been removed.
  • The ability for Mario to wall-kick from a full-speed long jump has been removed. However, he can now wall-kick from a backward somersault, dive rollout, or slide-kick rollout (the latter two now allowing ledge-grabs, which means the Hazy Maze Cave and Bowser in the Sky can now be entered without jumping).
  • In the original game, collecting a 100-Coin Star (or a Red Coin Star in a Bowser stage) would keep Mario's health where it was when he collected it. In the DS version, the player's health gets refilled.
  • The Power Meter loses and gains power slower than in the original game after the player respawns from death or drops from high places.
  • Diving at the end of a fall inflicts no damage, no matter how high the character fell from.
  • Falling with the Wing Cap while holding the jump button does slow down the fall, but unlike in the original game, it does not prevent damage from falling.
  • In the original, during the final scene after the credits (after everyone waves goodbye to the player), the cake awarded to Mario is displayed, and the player must reset the system to continue playing. However, in the remake, after the cake is shown, pressing any button takes the player back to the Title Screen.

Course specific

The maze outside Mushroom Castle
The additional hedges
  • Hedges and an additional ramp that leads into the moat have been added to the Castle Grounds.
  • The doors to the Mushroom Castle are now locked and require a key, which is obtained from a rabbit.
  • The door on the top right corner of the lobby contains only two Peach murals (one still leading to The Princess's Secret Slide), as well as five additional doors. The three doors with letters above them allow the player to switch between characters; the remaining door contains a secret Power Star, and the door in the back center leads to the Rec Room and Goomboss Battle. In the original, the room is smaller and contains three Peach murals inside it (one leading to the Secret Slide).
  • Two Power Flowers appear in the Mirror Room of the Mushroom Castle (four if the ones through the mirror are counted), but only if Luigi is used. In the original, no power-ups appear whatsoever in the room.
  • After collecting all Stars, the player may be shot out of a cannon to the top of the Mushroom Castle. Three 1-UP Mushrooms can be found there, as well as one of Luigi's rabbits. Also present on the roof is a red ? Block, which gives the player a feather for Mario and a Power Flower for Luigi, Wario, and Yoshi. In the original game, Mario finds Yoshi on the roof. He awards the player 100 lives and a new animation for his triple jump, then jumps into the waterfall.
  • The bottom layer of Whomp's Fortress has been expanded significantly, adding space for a Star Switch and its respective Power Star, along with several new enemies.
  • Firing at the breakable walls in Whomp's Fortress no longer inflicts damage.
  • The Star for Blast to the Stone Pillar is out in the open (like in the original Japanese version) and not in a yellow block.
  • The toxic cloud in the Hazy Maze Cave inflicts knockback on the player's character.
  • In the original game, Mario's cap did not despawn when he lost it in Snowman's Land. In the DS version, when Mario, Luigi, or Wario loses his cap in Snowman's Land, it gets stolen by a Mr. Blizzard.
  • The interior of the igloo in Snowman's Land has been entirely changed in the DS version.

Sound changes

  • Upon the game's start-up, Mario does not say anything on the Nintendo logo screen and says, "It's-a me, Mario!" only on the Title Screen. In the original, he says, "It's-a me, Mario!" on the Nintendo logo screen and "Hello!" on the Title Screen.
  • When a pipe appears at the start of a new game, Mario says, "Ha ha!" after a pause. In the original, he immediately says it after saying, "Yahoo!"
  • When the Big Boos are hit in the original, they make the same sound as the Thwomp, but they do not do so in the remake.
  • When Mario goes to sleep after idling for too long, he does not talk in his sleep, though this may be because it would have to be recorded for the other three characters.
  • The penguins on Cool, Cool Mountain have slightly different crying sounds than in the original.
  • Entering Rainbow Ride causes the sound effect for entering a mini-course to play; in the original, it plays the sound effect for entering any other main course.
  • As with the Shindō Pak Taiō version, Mario says, "Buh-bye!" instead of "So long, King-a Bowser!" when throwing Bowser a great distance.
  • New music has been composed, such as the jingles for collecting the Silver Stars and flying with Hoot.

Text changes

The "1UP" text
The "1UP" text
  • When the player first enters Big Boo's Haunt in the original, they are greeted with "Come on in here...heh, heh, heh..." They are not greeted in the remake.
  • In the original version, the Big Boo's laughs in the mission Go on a Ghost Hunt are written as "Ka ha ha ha!" In the remake, "Ha ha ha ha!" is written instead.
  • The Big Bob-omb of the Bob-omb Battlefield is obsessed with his mustache. In the original, he is not shown to have any particular interests.
  • Collecting a 1-UP Mushroom causes the words "1UP" to appear in orange text. In the original, no onscreen icon appears.
  • In the original version, Princess Peach says, "Mario! The power of the Stars is restored to the castle...and it's all thanks to you! Thank you, Mario! We have to do something special for you..." and "Listen, everybody, let's bake a delicious cake...for Mario..., Mario," after being rescued. In the remake, she instead opens her speech with "Oh! Yoshi!"; says "Thank you all!" in place of "Thank you, Mario!"; and ends her speech with "Listen... Let's bake a delicious cake...for my heroes..., Yoshi!"

Graphical changes

The purple poison in the toxic maze
  • A blue tint overlay and a layer of mist have been added underwater.
  • The painting for Jolly Roger Bay is the original Japanese bubbles painting.
  • Peach wears her hair up in her appearances instead of wearing her hair down. This is based on how she appeared in Super Mario Sunshine, which was the debut appearance of her ponytail hairstyle.
  • Mario's and Bowser's models are updated to match their current appearances since Luigi's Mansion.
  • All the textures are redone to fit the new capabilities and resolution of the system.
  • The sun and moon found in level skyboxes are now separate objects from them. Additionally, the pyramids seen in the background of Shifting Sand Land are no longer present.
  • In the remake, coins are octagonal, but in the original, they are circular. Additionally, they are 3D objects in the remake, while they were 2D animated sprites in the original game.
  • There are red ? Blocks and yellow ! Blocks. Like in the original, yellow ! Blocks are the standard ones, whereas the new red ? Blocks now share the functionality of the red, green, and blue ! Blocks of the original.
  • Several enemies have updated designs. Many of the designs from this game end up becoming the standard for later games.
    • Bubs (or Cheep Cheeps) were depicted as resembling Blurps with an orange, scale-like texture and plain fins, but they have a traditional design in the remake.
    • Bubbas were depicted as a larger version of the aforementioned Bubs with shades, but due to the Bubs looking on-model, they were revised to look more like Boss Bass.
    • In the original, Boos have blue eyes and are oblong, but in the remake, they have black eyes and are more spherical.
    • Mr. Blizzards have zigzag mouths and wear buckets like hats, while in the original, they have circular mouths and wear nothing on their heads. Their defeat animation shows them spinning (similar to Mr. I's) instead of falling on their sides.
    • Lakitu's Cloud looks less like a real cloud and has a happy face, while in the original, it resembles a normal cloud. Additionally, Lakitu is smiling in the remake, while in the original, he has a frown.
    • In the original, Thwomps are blue and cube-shaped, while in the remake, they use their Mario Kart: Double Dash!! design and, as such, are a gray-green color, spiked, and rectangular. Despite the spikes, the player can still stand on top of them.
    • Whomps now have gray rectangles for hands instead of purple spheres.
    • Heave-Hos have their faces replaced with a pair of digital eyes.
    • Skeeters are now light blue instead of turquoise.
    • Scuttlebugs no longer resemble orange marbles, instead having bee-like stripes.
    • Bob-ombs and Chuckyas now have windup keys.
    • Moving Bars no longer have eyes in Whomp's Fortress.
    • Pokeys now have their Mario Kart: Double Dash!! appearance.
    • Unagi now has a Chomp-like head and yellow markings.
    • Snufits are less spherical and wear black masks instead of white.
    • Fly Guys have visible mouths.
    • The Spindel has one row of bandages instead of three.
    • Monty Moles have a new design with a double upper lip.
    • Bullet Bills have a design similar to the old artworks but silver, without a mouth, and with black arms. The original game's version resembled a Banzai Bill.
    • Spindrifts have tan heads.
    • Keronpa Balls now resemble active Fire Chomps.
    • Amps have white lips and yellow eyes and lack the original design's cross-popping veins.
    • The projectile a Mr. I shoots is turquoise and glowing instead of a purple bubble.
    • Swoops no longer have visible teeth but have yellow, red, and purple details.
    • The Big Bob-omb now has white gloves instead of yellow.
    • The Whomp King now has a crown and a more chipped, irregular shape.
    • Big Bullies have spiked rings around their horns and red rings around their eyes.
    • Wiggler now turns red after the second hit and looks angry throughout. He also has spots.
    • Bowser no longer has a disproportionately large head. Also, at his sky course, his colors are now the same as when he is at his dark world and fire sea courses, instead of having a dark color tone.
  • The toxic cloud is now purple, instead of yellow in the original.
  • Bob-omb Buddies' feet are now red instead of orange. They also have a fuse.
  • Unlike the remake, in the original game, two Toads accompanied Princess Peach.
  • Hoot flaps his wings while speaking. In the original, Hoot is frozen when he gives his speech. He also flaps his wings slower compared to the original.
  • Wario, Luigi, and Yoshi figures appear on the cake at the end, along with those of Mario and Peach (with Wario and Luigi appearing only if the player has unlocked them). Only Mario and Peach are seen in the original game.

Regional differences

Korean Title Screen
The title screen of the Korean release, which does not have "Rec Room"
  • The mini-games, and by extension the rabbits that have the keys to unlock extra mini-games and the Toad that appears in the Rec Room inside the Mushroom Castle, are removed in the Korean version, likely due to the presence of gambling in Luigi's mini-games.[5]
  • The Japanese and Korean version colors the word "Super" (as well as the word 「神游」 in the iQue Chinese version) in many colors rather than just one color, making it look a lot like the original game's title screen.
  • There is a yellow ! Block alongside the red ? Block on the roof of the Mushroom Castle in the Korean version, rather than only the ? Block in the other releases. This ! Block gives extra lives: The block does not disappear so that the player can easily earn up to 100 lives.[6]
  • The US v1.1 version has different enemy bounce physics than the US v1.0 version. V1.0 mimics the original game, while v1.1 puts every bounce in the jump state.

Notable mistakes and errors

  • When the player puts on Mario's cap for the first time, the game states that the player must press A Button to do a wall kick. This is incorrect, as the player must press B Button to wall-kick, likely a translation error of the control scheme from the original release.
  • Despite the instruction booklet giving Yoshi's jumps a three-star rating, his long jumps and triple jumps do not go as high and far as Mario's and Luigi's do.
  • King Boo is mistakenly referred to as Big Boo.
  • The floor by the 50-Star Door on the castle's third floor has the carpet texture sound instead of the normal floor texture sound.
  • The instruction booklet is written in a vertical format and has a mistake where Mario and Luigi's speed is similar to that of the rest of the characters, except Wario. In fact, Mario and Luigi are the fastest in running and swimming, respectively.
  • Even if the player has collected the Star, a Star that is held by Unagi or Klepto or the caged Star on Tall, Tall Mountain appears as if it has not been collected yet when untouched by the player.
  • If the player enters the Tower of the Wing Cap without Mario's cap, the Wing Cap still appears on Mario. He even has his cap on until he leaves by any method.
  • Even if Yoshi's mouth is full, he can still make sounds.
  • Page 23 of the game's instruction booklet shows a screenshot of Mario on Star 3 in the Bob-omb Battlefield. The Silver Stars on the Touch Screen appear to be actual Power Stars.[7]

Pre-release and unused content

Main article: List of Super Mario 64 DS pre-release and unused content
Super Mario 64 DS
A pre-release version of the Bob-omb Battlefield

The game was initially announced as Super Mario 64 × 4. This iteration featured co-op multiplayer, different graphics, and slightly different level layouts among other things from its final release. At E3 2004, a build of the game was available to play. In single-player mode, the player could switch between the four playable characters using the Touch Screen. Wario also had long sleeves as opposed to his current short sleeve design.

A fully functional red Koopa Troopa enemy is present in the game's code and can be accessed with an Action Replay code. Similar to Bullies, red Koopa Troopas attempt to ram into the player character. When they are knocked out of their shells, they slowly walk back to them. If the player hits a red shell, it slides along the ground and defeats enemies in its path. Once it collides with a wall, it breaks. If Yoshi eats a red Koopa Troopa, he can spew fire like in Super Mario World.

Reception

Reviews
Release Reviewer, Publication Score Verdict
Nintendo DS Craig Harris, IGN 8.9/10 "At the very least, you can depend on at least one game in the system's launch line-up to bring hours, days, and weeks of great fun on the new hardware, even if it may not exactly be the system seller people are expecting out of the Nintendo DS' launch window. While I would have loved to experience a brand new Super Mario game that incorporated and integrated the system's capabilities, it's at least great to experience a well-produced and expanded version of a tried-and-true formula."
Nintendo DS Jeff Gerstmann, GameSpot 8.4/10 "All things considered, Super Mario 64 DS is a great update of a classic game. While some portions of the game have aged better than others, and while the control could've been a little tighter, the game is done right enough to make it a faithful update for fans of the original; new players will certainly find a lot to like here, as well. This is clearly and deservedly the flagship game for the Nintendo DS launch."
Nintendo DS Kristan Reed, Eurogamer 9/10 "On the whole, in this reviewer's estimation, the DS more than lives up to expectations. If anything, there was little excitement about it in this corner of the EG camp in the run-up to release, and although it'll be interesting to see whether the presence of a second screen will make any real difference, it's the touch-screen gaming that has really made the difference - although it's telling to note that so far it's only been genuinely useful in games actually designed around this input, as opposed to shoehorned into accommodating it as with the main portion of SM64DS. You've got to hand it to Nintendo, though; it's moved the gaming goalposts again. Or rather it lets the players do it themselves this time."
Nintendo DS Jeremy Parish, 1UP 7.5/10 "So what we ultimately have in Mario 64 DS is a poorly-conceived port of an otherwise good game. It pains me as a Mario fan to hand out a less-than-superlative score to any version of such a classic, but the simple fact is that all of Mario 64 DS's new additions can't overcome its problems. If I want to play Mario 64 again, I'll do it on the system it was designed for (and at about a tenth of the cost of a new DS). In the meantime, I'll hold out hope that the mysterious New Super Mario Bros. title teased at E3 is the game that Mario 64 DS should have been."
Aggregators
Compiler Platform / Score
Metacritic 85
GameRankings 86.31%

Sales

Following its release in Japan, Super Mario 64 DS sold over 241,000 copies in December 2004. Super Mario 64 DS is the 10th best-selling game for the Nintendo DS, having sold 11.06 million copies worldwide.

Staff

Main article: List of Super Mario 64 DS staff

The game was produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, who also served as the supervising director, and directed by Shinichi Ikematsu. The main system programmer was Toshio Iwawaki; the other system programmers were Kenzo Hayakawa, Yuichi Yamamoto, Kenji Matsutani, and Hiroshi Umemiya.

Glitches

Main article: List of Super Mario 64 DS glitches

Amp Death Glitch

A comparison of before and after the death fade-out starts
Wario disappearing as the game irises out

The player must lose all but one wedge of their health, then touch an Amp. When they fall down to the ground in the death cutscene, one third of the body is submerged in the ground. As Bowser's face comes onto the screen, the character's body disappears.

Falling Pillar Glitch

Sometimes, when the player long-jumps under a falling pillar in Jolly Roger Bay, the pillar is destroyed, and the player stays squished until they lose a life. This works only in Version 2 of the game.

Hatless Power Flower Abilities

The player should enter Tall, Tall Mountain as Mario, Luigi, or Wario. Mario, Luigi, or Wario should obtain the Power Flower (or the Wing Cap in Mario's case) atop the mountain and then grab the Ukiki while the Power Flower is still in effect. He should wait for it to wear off and, while he is flashing back to normal, hop into the water, but he should be back to normal by the time he hits it. When in the water, Mario, Luigi, or Wario should head back on land via the waterfall (if he goes on land normally, the Ukiki gives his speech, causing Mario, Luigi, or Wario to return to normal). When he has climbed the waterfall slightly, then he can get on land. Mario, Luigi, or Wario can then go to the top of the mountain via Hoot and obtain the Power Flower. Depending on which cap he has, the following effects can happen:

  • Luigi: His body is invisible, but his head remains the same.
  • Mario: Everything is normal, but he has wings growing out of his head.
  • Wario: The game freezes the instant the Power Flower is touched. It can also be used to find the debug screen.

Clipping Glitch on the Bob-omb Battlefield

This glitch can be performed with any character (although Mario should not have wings). First, to perform this glitch, the character would have to go to the Bob-omb Battlefield. Once he is on the mountain trail, he should enter the first cannon by a Goomba, a Brick, and a tree. Then, the character should aim so that the tip of the bottom arrow aligns with the tip of the bottom of the floating island. Then once the character fires, he makes a glitchy movement going back and forth and then passes through the fence at a certain angle and ends up on top of the mountain instantly.[8]

Quotes

Main article: List of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS quotes

Boo

  • (Caught by Yoshi) "You...can't...EAT...ghosts! Eee hee hee!"

King Boo

  • (To Wario) "Eee hee hee...I am Big Boo, the scariest of the spirits. Eek! What's this?! Your face... It would even scare a ghost. How horrible! You've got it backwards...I do the scaring around here! All right, now I'll put some real fear in that frightening face of yours! Eee hee hee!"
  • (Defeated) "Augh! The scariest one wins, and your face is flesh-creepingly frightening. Good thing I don't have any flesh! Eee hee hee! This is not the end. See you again."

Lakitu Bro

  • (To Yoshi) "Yoshi...Yoshi..." (pops Yoshi's bubble, waking him up) "Listen... Mario hasn't returned yet..."

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Super Mario 64 DS.

Media

For a complete list of media for this subject, see List of Super Mario 64 media.
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Please upload all related music, sound effects, voice clips, or any videos for this section. See the help page for information on how to get started.
Video.svg Super Mario 64 DS - Prologue
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Audio.svg Super Mario 64 DS - Rabbits' theme
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Audio.svg Super Mario 64 DS - Cave Dungeon
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Audio.svg Super Mario 64 DS - Rec Room
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Audio.svg Super Mario 64 DS - Luigi's mini-games
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Audio.svg Super Mario 64 DS - Psyche Out!
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References to other games

References in later games

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning
Japanese スーパーマリオ64DS[9]
Sūpā Mario 64 DS
Super Mario 64 DS

Chinese (simplified) 神游马力欧DS[11]
Shényóu Mǎlìōu DS
iQue Mario DS

Chinese (traditional) 超級瑪利歐64DS[10]
Chāojí Mǎlìōu 64 DS
Super Mario 64 DS

Korean 슈퍼 마리오 64 DS[12]
Syupeo Mario 64 DS
Super Mario 64 DS

Trivia

Luigi's cameo in the title screen
Luigi's appearance on the Title Screen
  • The artwork of the castle on the box art is different from the design in-game. The design on the box art is actually based on the castle that appears in Mario Circuit from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! This also applies to the Power Star seen on the box art.
  • On the Title Screen, if the player taps Mario's or Yoshi's face, a drawing of Mario or Yoshi (respectively) appears. The third time the player taps Mario's face, a Luigi drawing appears instead.
  • The UK version of the game's manual mistakenly reads, "Thank you for selecting the SUPER MARIO™ Game Card for Nintendo DS™ systems," instead of the full name.[13]
  • The original European version of Super Mario 64 DS received a PEGI 3+ rating. However, due to content regulations in Europe growing stricter over the years, the European Virtual Console rerelease instead received a PEGI 12+ rating because of the gambling in Luigi's mini-games. This also applies to New Super Mario Bros.

External links

References

Template:Mario games