Review Super Mario 64 DS (Nintendo DS)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Adventure
Players: 1 mainly but up to 4 if you link

Introduction:

Almost everyone knows the title super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64. Back then when it was launched many people where amazed by the 3D graphics. And many people have it high in their top 10's. But these last few years there hasn't been one single new Mario game released by Nintendo. Unless you count all the spin-offs: Mario party, Mario Kart, Mario golf ect and so on and on..... Some people hate Nintendo for doing this that they keep releasing spin-offs and remakes and not one single new Mario game. It all started when the gameboy colour was released. Nintendo launched it with Super Mario Bros. Deluxe a remake of the original super Mario Bros. A few years later when the Gameboy advance was released guess what they did? One of the starter tittles was Super Mario Advance 1 aka Super mario bros 2 that was already released for the Super Nintendo in Super Mario All stars. Well enough with brawling about the past. Let's go on with the 'new' Mario for the Nintendo DS.

The story:

Well... as with most Mario Games there isn't that much of a (good) story. Once again Browser kidnaps Peach also know as princess Toadstool in other games. He also steals all of the (power) stars from the castle. In order for Mario and this time the others (later more about that) to rescue Peach. They must Regain all of the stars to get slowly more access to the castle, to finally get there where Bowser keeps Peach.

So not much of a story but that's not what this game is about let's go to the gameplay >>> the heart of this game.

Gameplay:

The game is an adventure and as you know you need to collect stars. The castle serves as an sort of a hub where you can get to all of the other areas if you have enough stars that is. In the castle are painting. If you jump in a painting where; let's say; water on (in the picture ^^) it's safe to say that you are going to a level with water in it.

Unlike the previous game on the Nintendo 64 where you began the game with Mario this time you begin the game with Yoshi. Yoshi has other move's then Mario but they share some common moves like jumping/crawling ect. They difference between them is that Yosi can use his tongue to eat enemy's and when he jumps he can stay a little longer in the air by tapping A.

Other then Yoshi and Mario there are two more characters in this game. Lugi And Wario. Ech character has it's own special moves. You don't have all the characters right at the start you have to free them first (note: Mario also). When that is done you can switch who you want to control in an new castle chamber. In that chamber you can also play many mini-games that you have to play using the touch-screen. You can collect more mini games by catching rabbit's. Every rabbit has a key that unlocks one mini game. So the more rabbits you catch the more mini-games that you are going to have. This surely ups the replay value as many of the mini-games are fun

Further then that there's also a new item to replace the hats in the previous game that Mario uses as an power-up like flying into the sky. Also there are hats for Yoshi to transform into the other characters (this is handy if you haven't freed them yet) although it's temporary. The new item called the power bloom gives each character an other power-up. Mario swallows into sky. Yoshi spits out fire etc.

So Nintendo did surely a good job adding new things. What also helps is that instead of 120 stars you had to collect in the previous version this time there are 150 stars to collect. There are a few new levels but these are much smaller then the original one's.


Sound:

The sound is better then ever. Using the surround system of the Ds it's better then it was before! Expect happy/fun music like in all the other Mario games.

Graphics:

The graphics are looking much better then on the Nintendo 64. First of this comes duo that the DS has a much smaller screen then the average television. And second Nintendo did a little but noticeable update on the graphics. But tough if you compare it to the console graphics it isn't that good anymore that it used to be. But hey: We're looking at an (Nintendo) Handheld en this is the best yet!

Ending:

I say if you have a DS or are going to buy a DS this game surly belong into your collection. In any collection! No doubt about it. This is the game that (almost) everyone would like!

70/100




This post has been edited by crazyboychris: Dec 24 2005, 11:04 AM

I just tried this today on my nephew's new DS!! :)Nice gameplay, graphics rocked-compared to the old Mario games I used to play-and it's definitely rivetting!

True ^^ But I also like the older mario's very much. This was/is the first 3D mario ever made so it's always special.

Yup...I remember how stuck I was on Mario 2, I think it was!!:p I couldn't stop playing!!But the 3D version is cool!!

I didn't find this game to be very interesting. It's basically a portable version of the N64 game. Enough with the ports try something unique nintendo.

i really didnt like it as much as i wanted to but it was ok it could of been better but thats ok it was good anyways.

Well... I agree with the porting but you don't have to buy it if you don't want to...

Besides they are making enough new games that are NEW... ^^

This was one of my favorite games ever!...its to bad my 64 doesn't work anymore. /=

Well you can always buy it again if you own a ds ^^ It has some nice extra compared to the orginal so it's worth to buy it (again) ^^

I have this game, played it until I was halfway, and I've never played it since...

Nice game + good graphics + lacking controls = no motivation to play on

What let this one down was that there is no control stick on the DS.

yeh great game man

I did think without the control stick it was a bit harder to control, but that just an ajustment...

i played all the time, got bout 40-50 stars- but since my cousin had few game i let him borrow for a bit...

little git used my save file and completed wiv that including unlocking the rest of the games...i havnt played since, cause i feel i been cheated by him.

I do love the mini games though...i managed to get 360 on Wanted ...hence my reluctens to start over and try to wipe the data and everything

360 o_O

*steals your high score save*

Hey,

I've been playing this game for quite a while and I have found it to be very challenging in some parts.

The graphics are very good for nitendo since other mario games have not had the luxury of having better graphics.

The gameplay is very good with collecting Power starz from different world which you can enter through painting but jumping into them.

You must face many different types of ememies such as bowser and the bomb bombs and many other. there are many set challenges on this game in the different worlds you explore and many secret areas you must find. I have found them game to bo very tricky and challenging through the different worlds I need to beat.

Overall this is a very good game and I hope to progress further into it.

rating 10/10.

BSakura