Super Mario 64 DS (Nintendo DS)

I must do a disclaimer here; this review is NOT going to do justice to this iconic game.This single player game is a wonderful example of the evolution of technology. Using polygon and multi camera views, this game brought a new 3D era in video games. Games now were starting to be more realistic and set in a 3D world as opposed to a 2D one. Large landscapes were also possible, and use of analog controls for greater accuracy were also attributed to this platformer game. Yet despite all of this, its very easy to use the controls (with lots of in game help!) and easy to pick up what to do, but still challenging enough for any level of video gaming ability.What makes Super Mario 64 stand out is its brilliant music, excellent level design and challenges (and re-playability) with the power ups that are familar to Mario fans whilst introducing new power ups that would be become familar in future Mario Games such as; Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Sunshine and New Super Mario Bros (DS). One of the power ups is winged Mario (as seen on the Amercian cover art) where Mario takes to the skies! Personally I love the music from Dire Dire Docks. After the first star is gained, the game is no longer linear, the player chooses where to go and when- they have complete control of level selection.The story begins with a letter from Princess Peach (aka Toadstool) inviting Mario to the Castle for some cake. However when Mario gets there he finds that Bowser has kidnapped Peach, the 120 Magic Stars that give the Castle its power and trapped her servants (Toad- mushroom people) inside the walls. To gain stars, players must explore the castle and surrounding area to find themed games where a variety of stars can be won.There is also a "Rec" room that can be accessed to play mini games for fun. To access this, Mario (and characters in DS) must capture rabbits. Each one unlocks a mini game, and in the DS version, the different characters have their own themed games and their own coloured rabbits to catch.In the DS version the game added 30 more stars and 4 playable characters; Mario, Luigi, Wario and Yoshi (in honour of the N64 ending once all 120 stars are collected) who each have different abilites. Yoshi can swallow fire and enemies, fire eggs and flutter. Mario can become a hot air balloon and float, as well as wall kick. Luigi has the ability to become invisible whereas Wario has a heavy punch and becomes a man of steel.This version cannot be completed with just one character. This remake with 4 characters was also used on Yoshi's Island DS (the remake of the SNES game).Also in the DS version, you start as Yoshi, who has the additional task of rescuing Mario, Luigi and Wario from their locked rooms. You can also only play as one character at a time, but can changed into another character within a game via special caps, with the exception of Yoshi who can only start the game.There is no excuse to play this excellent classic of a platform game as it is available in 3 formats, and still retains its place as a must have, must play game status that gives enjoyment for hours. It is an excellent introduction to Mario, if you haven't played Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins on the Gameboy Classic or 3DS Virtual Console. Most fans use this game as a benchmark of future Mario games. Super Mario Sunshine (Gamecube) doesn't offten make the grade. I cannot stress what a must have or must play game proving that not games are not required to have the most photorealistic graphics to be simply brilliant. Ask any retro fan.

Product stopped working after I recieved an update for my 3DS. Forums regarding error messages that appeared after trying to play the game suggest custom-made cartridges running illegally downloaded ROMS.

The days of playing Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64 owed largely to the quality of my childhood. Setting aside my mother's exceptional parenting skills and the endless fun I had adventuring into great outdoors, Mario 64 was the equally important indoor component to my life as a youngster.Of course I was being facetious. But having played this game on my (late) Nintendo DS, all the memories just came flooding back. It is important to remember of course that in its heyday Mario 64 was cutting edge in terms of its game play and visual quality. It's the template of the perfect adventure, unrivaled and unbeaten to this day, in my opinion. It would seem therefore that Nintendo have carefully picked this game up and placed it onto a DS cartridge, being careful not to modify or 'modernise' it in any way possible. That went down very well indeed for myself, because it is essentially the same game again.Unsurprisingly Nintendo have had to tweak one or two things to make it practical and playable on an entirely new platform. I'm sure the movement controls have been optimised along with the graphics (believe it or not!), but the whole philosophy of the game remains identical. I don't want to boar you with every detail of the game, but if you remember playing it in the 90's, this is simply a must have whether as a reminiscent glance into the 'good old times', for a hit of nostalgia or even if you have never heard of this game before.Truly someting to be revered and worshiped by the old school!

not really suitable for anyone over 12, as the younger kids will know how the controls work.kids think its easy peasy,good to play with the kids though, to teach the adults how to work through the many games.

Bought this for my niece as an extra brthday present, just about any Mario game is a nintendo classic and can provide great entertainment to those that are into these type of games, all I can say is my niece was very pleased with it and plays it quite a lot, so a good buy which has so far kept her entertained for many hours for a relatively low price.

i love this game so much, the mini games and everything, the graphics are far supior to the n64 original, and playing as wario luigi, and yoshi, omg yoshi is just the cutest, but besides that the game has massive varity with 150 stars to get this game will take you ages to complete, altought some people say that the controls are a problem if ur like me and didn't really play the original that much then you won't notice the controls at all, i get along fine with it and don't have ne issues with the controls, but that just depends on what ur used to, buy this game it is truely gr8

Not at all happy!! Game arrived late and without a box ( cartridge only). No where did it say without box. This was a birthday present for my son. Not worth £12.95 I paid.

Great game very disappointing that it comes in a sea through bag and not with the case I wouldn’t of paid over £20 with no case very disappointed as it was suppose to be a Xmas pressie ....