Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Aggregate | scores |
GameRankings | 96%[82] |
Metacritic | 94/100[83] |
Review scores | |
Publication | scores |
AllGame | 5/5[84] |
Computer and Video Games | 5/5[85] |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | 38/40[86] |
EP Daily | 10/10[87] |
Famitsu | 39/40[88] |
Game Informer | 9.75/10 (1996),[89] 9/10 (2007)[90] |
GameFan | 400/400[91] |
GamePro | 5/5[92] |
GameRevolution | B+[93] |
GameSpot | 9.4/10 (N64),[94] 8/10 (Wii)[77] |
Hyper | 95%[95] |
IGN | 9.8/10[26] |
N64 Magazine | 96%[96] |
Next Generation | 5/5[97] |
Nintendo Life | 10/10[98] |
Official Nintendo Magazine | 95%[99] |
Total! | 100/100[100] |
Digitiser | 96%[101] |
Maximum | 5/5[102] |
Super Mario 64 received enthusiastic pre-release reception. GamePro commented on the 1995 prototype's smoothness, and how
the action was a blast, despite the game being only fifty percent complete at the time.[50] Ed Semrad of Electronic Gaming Monthly agreed, praising
the new 3D animation of Mario characters shown in only 2D before.[51] Larry Marcus, a source
analyst for Alex. Brown & Sons, recalls Super
Mario 64 being the most anticipated game of E3 1996, remembering a field of teenagers "jostling for a test run"[103].
Super Mario 64 received critical acclaim, with a score of 94 out of 100 from review aggregator Metacritic based on thirteen reviews,[83] and a score of 96% from
review aggregator GameRankings, which ranked it the
eighteenth best video game of all time based on twenty-two reviews.[82]
The design, variety of controls and use of 3D gameplay received praise from video game publications.[87] [96] [104] Maximum found its
strongest points were the sense of freedom and its replayability, comparing it to Super Mario World and citing its similar gimmick of
allowing access to new areas upon finding switches.[102] One of GameFan's four reviewers, E. Storm, cited the water levels as
"overjoy[ing]" and showed how Super Mario 64 delved into an "entirely new realm of gaming".[91] Official Nintendo Magazine called it
"beautiful in both looks and design".[[99] Doug Perry of IGN agreed that it transitioned the series to 3D perfectly.[26] Electronic Gaming Monthly
discussed the levels in their initial review, praising them for their size and challenge,[86] and later ranked it the fourth
best console game of all time, arguing that it had breached the entire genre of 3D gaming while working virtually
flawlessly.[105]
Computer and Video Games editor Paul Davies
praised the 3D environment, and said that it enhanced the interaction, and described the control scheme as
intuitive and versatile.[85] Total! hailed the gameplay as being so imaginative and having
such variety that their reviewers were still "hooked" after one month.[100] Writing for AllGame, Jonti Davies commented on the diversity of the
gameplay and the abundance of activities found in each course.[84] Nintendo Life's Corbie Dillard agreed, calling the
variety the game's "greatest genius".[98] Writing for GameRevolution, Nebojsa Radakovic described Super Mario
64 as one of the few "true" 3D platform games.[104] N64 Magazine likened it to an enormous playground which
was a pleasure to experiment in, but opined that the exploration element was slightly brought down by how many
hints and tips there were.[96]
Victor Lucas of EP Daily agreed, praising the freedom, but
suggesting players "skip all the sign posts".[87]
Super Mario 64 also received praise for its graphics. GameSpot praised the graphics for being "clean yet simple" and
not detracting from the details of the game world.[94] GamePro particularly praised
the combination of unprecedented technical performance and art design, calling it "the most visually impressive
game of all time".[92] Paul Davies
described the graphics as "so amazing to see, you find yourself stopping to admire [them]".[85] Jonti Davies called the visuals
phenomenal, and the frame rate respectable.[84] Doug Perry found the graphics
simple but magnificent,[26] a
sentiment shared by Next Generation.[97] Hyper reviewer Nino Alegeropoulos called it the
best-looking console game to date and opined that its high resolution and frame rate for the time made it look
"infinitely better than a cartoon".[95] Total! said that the graphics'
lack of pixellation and jagged edges made it look like they were from a "top of the range graphics workstation".[106]
The camera system received mixed reviews. Next
Generation found that Super Mario 64 was less accessible than previous Mario games, frustrated by the
camera's occasional erratic movements and lack of optimal angle.[97] Nebojsa Radakovic and Doug
Perry added that the camera was sometimes blocked by or went through objects.[26][104] Electronic Gaming
Monthly's Dan Hsu, Shawn Smith, and Crispin Boyer all removed half a point from their scores, claiming that the
camera sometimes could not move to a wanted angle or rapidly shifted in an undesirable manner,[86] a criticism that returned in
Electronic Gaming Monthly's 100 Best Games of All Time list.[105] Game Informer stated in their 2007 re-review by
present-day standards the camera "would almost be considered broken".[90] Nintendo Power also noted the
learning curve of the shifting camera.[107] In contrast, Corbie
Dillard claimed that the camera did not have any problems, and that it succeeded at helping the player traverse
complex environments.[98]
This sentiment was shared by Total!, claiming that there were very few occasions where the camera was at a
suboptimal angle.[108] Paul Davies
acknowledged that he was critical of the camera, saying that in some occasions it was difficult to position
ideally, but ultimately dismissed it as "one hiccup" of a "revolutionary" game.[85]
Super Mario 64 won numerous awards, including various "Game of the Year" honors by members of the gaming media, and in Nintendo's own best-selling Player's Choice selection. It has been placed high on "the greatest games of all time"lists by many reviewers, including IGN,[34][109][110] Game Informer,[111] Edge,[112] Official Nintendo Magazine,[113] Electronic Gaming Monthly,[105] and Nintendo Power.[114] Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded it a Gold award in its initial review,[115] and it won Electronic Gaming Monthly's Game of the Year for both editors' pick and readers' pick, and Nintendo 64 Game of the Year, Adventure Game of the Year, and Best Graphics.[116] At the 1997 Computer Game Developers Conference, it was given Spotlight Awards for Best Use of Innovative Technology, Best Console Game, and Best Game of 1996.[117] Maximum gave it a "Maximum Game of the Month Award" before its international release, ranking it the greatest game the magazine had ever reviewed.[102] Digitiser ranked it the best game of 1997, above Final Fantasy VII as runner-up.[101]
Date | Award publication | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Maximum | Game of the Month (June) | Won | [102] |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | Game of the Month (September) | Won | [86] | |
Gold Award | Won | [115] | ||
Nintendo 64 Game of the Year | Won | [116] | ||
Adventure Game of the Year | Won | |||
Best Graphics | Won | |||
Game of the Year | Won | |||
Game Informer | Game of the Year | Won | [111] | |
Spotlight Awards | Game of the Year | Won | [117] | |
Best Use of Innovative Technology | Won | |||
Best Console Game | Won | |||
1997 | Digitiser | Game of the Year | Won | [101] |
Computer and Video Games | Game of the Year | Won | [118] | |
Golden Joystick Awards | Game of the Year | Won | ||
Best Looking Game | Won | |||
Official Nintendo Magazine | Best Nintendo 64 Game | Won | ||
1998 | ECCSELL Awards | Gold Award | Won | [62] |