In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario game per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations.
If you'd have said that one day it would be possible to play Super Mario 64 on a handheld console back in 1996, you'd likely have been laughed out of the room. But in 2004 that dream was made a reality in the shape of Super Mario 64 DS which was a launch title for the original phat Nintendo DS.
First shown at E3 in the Summer of 2004 under the guise of Super Mario 64 ×4, the remake was originally going to have cooperative multiplayer. But by the time this final game hit the stores this ambitious goal had been stripped back. However there are a number of interesting changes to the game, the most obvious being that it would be possible to play the game as Luigi, Yoshi or even Wario for the first time. It also had a graphical bump over the original, and now players could collect 150 stars rather than the 120 in the original. There is a handy list of all the changes here if you would like some fun bedtime reading.
As wonderful as it was to be able to play Super Mario 64 on the go, it was somewhat marred by the lack of analogue controls on the original DS. In this version you use the D-Pad and have to hold a button to run; once you get used to it this is perfectly adequate, but it's no substitute for the sublime analogue controls on the N64 version. You could also play the game using the stylus and touchscreen, but this was ropey at best. Trying to use the thumb strap thingy which was bundled with the DS Phat was even worse!
Aside from the main game, loads of bonus mini games were included which showed off the DS's exciting new touchscreen abilities really well (try and cast your mind back to a world before smartphones!). Mario's and Wario's minigames are action packed, Luigi's are casino (or luck based) games, and Yoshi's are puzzles. There was lots of variety in these games and they could keep you occupied for hours.
We'll leave you with an impressive 150 star speed run. Did you ever manage to collect all the stars in this classic game?
Comments 40
I prefer this than the original
Ah yes. The first game I played on the DS. I always did hate that thumb strap. I hear this plays much better on the 3DS with the circle pad. I did manage to beat it though, but for the sake of nostalgia I did prefer the original. I do hope this is ported to the virtual console, since my brother has the copy I played.
I never really understood all the complaints about this remake. I honestly thought the controls from the original were pretty bad, too. These weren't that great either, but they were decent once you got used to it.
Played this a lot at the time and whilst I preferred the different caps of the original compared to the different characters of the DS version, it was still a great game.
Actually the thumb-strap was the only one of the control options I liked and I'm annoyed there's no strap with the various 3DS models.
I loved this when the DS first came out. Tried it again recently and it really has aged. It hasn't been that long and I'm already hoping for another remake!
I thought the thumb strap worked really well!
I really want to play this version but I'm not going to pay $30 for this game when I can get the original for $10 on the eshop
That thumb strap is connected to my 3DS now! I'll go back to this game every once in a while, got 150 stars, & yes the 3DS Circle pad makes this game handle a lot better. Not analog but it allows you to make the sharp turns to pull of the side flip better.
Watching that video, I'm reminded of how much closer this version resembled a PS1 game than an N64 game.
Because they couldn't afford filtering the textures realtime in this version, they instead opted for new textures of higher resolution, also sporting a considerably higher amount of colours.
This approach was only possible because the DS didn't suffer from the crushing 4KB limitation on every texture that the N64 was known for.
I digress though. I never played this, but I imagine it to have been a lot of fun to play this amazing game on the go.
This was the first game I bought for the DS a decade ago. I remember the controls being a little difficult to adjust to, but I managed to collect all stars. On the 3DS it plays much better, but it's not quite like the console edition. The graphics hold up much better, though. And the additional content is quite substantial. The fact that you need to switch characters to use all power-ups adds some depth to the game.
I always enjoyed this more than the original about 10 years ago. Also was it definitely e3 2002 they showed this off? I thought they didn't unveil the ds until 2004.
@nintendofwbaby
I'm curious to this myself. Maybe it was shown off as a GameCube tech demo?
Although Nintendo had been talking about a "third pillar" since the fall, the DS was not public knowledge until spring 2004, being fully unveiled alongside the splendor that is Reggie, at E3 later than same year.
Who thinks this game was made for the 3DS instead of the DS.I hope they remake it for the 3DS so it will be in 240p.
I loved SM64DS, definitely prefer it over the original. It's just a shame that the multiplayer adventure concept was cut, it'd be cool if that concept came back in a future 3D Mario. Granted it was in 3D World, but I mean in a Mario 64-like game. The D-Pad didn't bother me that much, but the game is much more enjoyable with the 3DS Circle Pad.
Well, if they can release the Advance version of Super Mario World, I'd say this has a good chance of shopping up on the eShop...someday.
Just bought this for $12 at GameXChange. Never got to play it when it was originally released so I'm really excited. I also never got to play it on N64 so it's going to be an all new experience for me. So excited to finally start it. I'm going to play as Yoshi. She's my favorite character and the only Amiibo that I own.
I guess a remake could include the four person multiplayer that got axed. I'd buy SM64 again for that.
@nintendofwbaby oops, that was a typo! Fixed
As a man who seriously enjoyed the original to extreme levels of happiness, the remake wasn't bad. It could've been better, in my opinion.
More time has passed between this version and now than the time between the original and this version. That makes me feel really old.
Anyway, loved this game to pieces. Especially considering it was the only DS game to play for the first, like, nine months of the thing's life. I played the mini games like crazy. I was okay with having only the D-pad, but holding a button to run was what nearly killed it for me. Holding a button to walk would have made more sense, because you basically NEVER walk.
For me the thumb stylus worked fine, but this remake never had the atmosphere of the original. Still it was a great launch title.
As an aside, I always preferred the name Super Mario 64x4 better than Super Mario 64 DS.
@Robotron2084 You really should try the thumb stick. After some time the controls are very good.
I picked this up a couple years ago as I missed out on the original. I absolutely hated the controls. The mini games didn't appeal to me much, as I had played New Super Mario Bros. shortly beforehand, which shares many of the same games. (Though I am aware that this came first) Needless to say, my sister ended up inheriting the game, and she seems to enjoy playing it on occasion.
I hope to give the original a spin on the Wii U VC once I get through some of my backlog, however.
Even though I dont like the original one, this one is alright.
It has more levels and more characters to play.
Also the minigames were cool and a fun time waster.
I actually preferred this than the original. I remember I was too lazy to get all 150 stars before so I replayed it from beginning and got all 150 stars on the game. (although I emulated it to do that)
I have 149 stars on my cartridge and i don't know what star i am missing.
Really annoying.
I still remember being so blown away when this came out. An N64 game on a handheld?!?!?! Good times.
People tend to exaggerate how bad the controls are for this game, I rarely found the lack of analog to be a problem.
Mario 64 3ds with analog control and all content from mario 64 ds. Nintendo could strike goldvagain with this.
@Moose_4 I would use Google and see if there's any you don't remember doing, but there's a couple I can think of that would be easily missable:
-Go into the Princess' Secret Slide and reach the bottom in under 21 seconds (this is easiest with Luigi).
-Use the Power Flower as Luigi in the mirror room (where you can go to Snowman's Land and Chief Chilly) and go out the door on the other side of the mirror.
-Go into the backyard and Ground Pound the blocks on the right side of the area to enter a secret level. Collect 5 Silver Stars to get the Star.
-Go into the secret course opposite from Rainbow Ride. Go down to the bottom of the level where the cannon is, then grab a Wario cap and use the cannon to reach a cloud with a black brick. Punch it open to get the Star.
-Go into the moat with Wario and punch open the black brick. Grab a Mario cap and use the balloon to float across gap across from the slide at the entrance.
-Go into Hazy Maze Cave down to the lake and use the plesiosaur thing to reach the doors. Go inside and pick up a Mario cap if you aren't using Mario and use the Power Flower to float up to the star.
Other than that, the Bowser levels all have a switch star and the character boss levels all have a secret star that requires using the character you unlocked there.
Again, if you still can't figure out which one you're missing, consult a guide. I can't remember all 30 Secret Stars off the top of my head.
@icedude545 Indeed. We'll probably have to wait until next gen for a Sunshine remake though, if we're even getting one.
I had this game and traded it in. I wish I had held on to it to give it a shot on the 3ds. I just could not get used to the clunky controls.That thumb nub was horrible. The mini games were fun but they are also included in the new super mario brothers for ds that I still have.
I had this game & still do, I bought it really cheap brand new at MVC when they were closing down. I played it & hated the controls, then sold it for more than I paid! & it wasn't on an auction site!
Recently I found it in tesco's again it was pretty cheap, I've played it but I still can't get used to the controls. Got it on Wii-u VC but I'm really hoping Nintendo will allow us to use a GameCube controller on the Wii-u VC, I recommend using a G.C controller & not the classic one.
Impossible to be the same without proper analogue controls, I gave this version away. Now I'm enjoying the Wii U version which features better frame rate and crisper visuals than ever (at least in Europe). I only hope next 3D Mario is as good as Super Mario 64. Super Mario Galaxy and 3D World were disappointing regarding adventure, exploration, environments and magic. Super Mario 64 and Sunshine are Mario's 3D paradigms.
@KirbyKirbyKirby Me too. The fact that you can play as Luigi, Wario and Yoshi is every Mario fan's dream!
@Doggedfrog
You're going to have a lot of fun! Put on your headphones as well if you got some.
I basically played this game as "Super Luigi 64".
It worked well for that. Also had some great mini games
I like this game.
No seriously. I like this game, it was a lot of fun.
I would like see this game on Wii U Virtual Console!
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