Yeah, it’s another celebratory anniversary post here at the Dojo. I will get back to reviewing movies and games as soon as possible. But I’m in the process of moving so I haven’t had the time to prepare and write something more substantial. Apologies.
Anyway…
Today, September 29th 2022, marks the twenty-sixth anniversary of the release of the Nintendo 64 in North America! And with it, the release of one of the most influential, innovative and revolutionary video games of all time, Super Mario 64!
The Nintendo 64 was Nintendo’s first console capable of polygonal, 3D graphics. And was the first console built around such concepts (the Playstation and Sega Saturn were originally designed as 2D consoles). While on the downside, that did mean many designers had to start over from square one, meaning that a number of N64 titles felt experimental and thus have succumbed to age over time, on the plus side, it opened the door to many kinds of games that just weren’t capable before.
Super Mario 64, despite being a launch title for the N64, is one of the console’s few truly timeless games. For the first time ever, Mario could roam around a 3D environment, had a new set of acrobatic moves, and levels now had a mission-based structure, as opposed to simply getting to the end of a stage. While I’m in the camp that believes some of Mario’s later 3D efforts bettered 64, there is no denying that Super Mario 64 has earned its place as one of history’s best games by being so forward-thinking in its day, that developers are still using its design for inspiration even today. And those opening words of “It’s-a me, Mario” are surely the most famous in gaming history. It’s a true classic.
As an added bonus, today is also (somehow) the fifth anniversary of the Super NES Classic Edition, the “mini retro console” built in the image of the N64’s predecessor that came with twenty-one SNES games built in (though sadly, Donkey Kong Country 2, Chrono Trigger and Kirby’s Dreamland 3 somehow weren’t among them). Though the mini-console craze has died down somewhat in the half-decade since, the SNES Classic Edition can still boast to be the best example of the mini-console trend of the past few years thanks to the classics it had bundled inside. I wouldn’t be mad if Nintendo announced an updated version of it or a mini-N64 or Wii down the road…
Happy 26th (US) anniversary, Nintendo 64 and Super Mario 64 And happy 5th anniversary SNES Classic Edition!
Wizard Dojo 
I didn’t appreciate how much of a technical marvel Super Mario 64 was when it came out. It wasn’t because I didn’t like the game – far from it. I mean that it was a leap into the third dimension, and the team managed to get so much right on their first try that I was like “Well, of course, this is how 3D gameplay is supposed to work”. One of my friends and I agree that what Nintendo did with that game is like somebody who has never played baseball in their life hitting a grand slam the first time they swung a baseball bat.
Hope your move goes smoothly!
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To be fair, depending on how old you were at the time, it would make sense you didn’t fully appreciate what Super Mario 64 did at the time. I know I didn’t. Like you, I loved the game, but I was six when I first played the demo at Toys R Us (and 7 when I got the game myself). I thought it was awesome that it was “3D Mario.” And it certainly felt like something new. Even playing other early 3D games and knowing that something just felt off with them didn’t tip me off. It wasn’t until later that I realized just how much of a trailblazer Super Mario 64 was. In that sense, I think it easily ranks near the top of history’s best games (even if, as mentioned in the post, I think there were a few better games beforehand, and have been more since). Super Mario Bros. and Tetris would be the only comparable ones from my perspective. That’s a great analogy you and your friend have for it.
And thank you! It’s been a rough move so far, unfortunately. And I don’t even have access to most of my gaming library at the moment. Hopefully it will smooth out soon.
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Also, I tried to leave a comment on your latest post, but that weird glitch is happening again where it lets me hit the like button, but tells me I’m “not logged on” when trying to comment. Luckily, I copied and pasted the text to an email to myself, so maybe I can try posting it again later.
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Yeah, I think I’ve run into this oddity myself. If you’re posting from a browser, there’s a pop-up you have to allow. I find the easiest way to make it spawn is by trying to reply to a comment (you don’t need to actually post a reply, though). Essentially, you can’t post a comment unless the black status bar is on the top of your screen, although I find the WordPress app can circumvent these limitations or trying to comment via the Reader on the front page.
As an animation fan, I figured you’d have something to say about my last post.
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If you like, you can email me your comment. I believe you can find my email address by attempting to edit one of my comments (or through WordPress’s comment page and clicking “User Info”). I’d like to hear what you have to say about this.
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I hope your move goes well, in case it hasn’t already. And if it has, I hope you enjoy your new home!
You’re telling me it’s been five years since the Super NES Classic Edition came out? That’s crazy!
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