Super Mario 64-The Revolutionary!

Hello everyone!

  I know what you're thinking, "What? Two video game related posts in a row? I thought this blog covered more than that?" Rest assured, I've already got plans for the next few weeks, and not all of them have to do with video games.
  Recently I watched a YouTube video that someone put together of their "Top 100 Greatest Songs of the Nintendo 64." I got all nostalgic, and then this thought popped into my head.
   Do you know how significant Super Mario 64 was for the video game industry?

The moment you turn on your Nintendo 64 with the Super Mario 64 game cartridge in, this logo blinks onto screen, followed by Mario saying his popular phrase, "It's-a me, Mario!"

  Super Mario 64 was released in 1996 as a launch title for the Nintendo 64 gaming console. No big deal right? Wrong! You see, the Nintendo 64 was revolutionary, in that it was the first ever gaming console to be capable of emulating a 3D polygon, or, in other words, it could create 3D pictures using computer graphics. It had the technology to give depth to an object and build a world that you could explore from all directions as opposed to a 2D game where forwards/backwards was all that you had. It had truly set the bar as to what was capable with this new console.
  But that's not all that was revolutionary about Super Mario 64. It was also the first game to put you in a "safe environment" to learn the game's controls, as well as featuring a hub-world (the area you go in between levels, or "courses" in this case) where you would have access to all of the areas in the game.

Mario with a "Power Star" over his head.

  You see, in Super Mario 64, you are invited to the castle of Princess Toadstool (A.K.A. "Princess Peach," or simply just "Peach") by invitation from the Princess herself. When Mario arrives, he enters the castle and finds that the Princess is missing. The only way to get her back is by collecting the castle's "Power Stars."
  In order to get these Power Stars, you must enter all of the rooms inside the castle. Most, if not all of these rooms, contain a painting. To enter one of the courses that contain a Power Star, Mario must, literally, jump into the painting. From "within" the painting, Mario selects a level, and can earn one of six stars if certain conditions are met (this includes finding 8 red coins hidden throughout the level, or a simple fight with a larger sized enemy).
  This castle hub-world has four floors with a tower at the top. Only the main lobby and the gardens at the front and back of the castle are available at this point, but as the game progresses, you can earn keys that unlock the basement floor, as well as the  two upper floors, and the castle's tower. By the time you have earned 80 Power-Stars you will have full access to the entire castle.
  If you keep an eye out, you may run into "Castle Secrets" that award you with one of the game's total of 120 Power-Stars. A real treat for those who thought they found "literally everything."
  Both the 3D visuals, and the hub-world of Super Mario 64 inspired such games as Donkey Kong 64, Sonic Adventure, and Diddy Kong Racing, and would become the basis of which many game developers would design their games' hub-worlds off of.

  If this post at all encourages you to try out Super Mario 64, you can purchase this game through the "eShop" accessible on both the Nintendo Wii and Wii U home consoles. There is also a version of the game with updated visuals, three extra characters, and 30 more Power Stars called "Super Mario 64 DS," which, as the name suggests, is available for the Nintendo DS, as well as the more recent Nintendo 3DS and 2DS handheld systems.

The Nintendo 64 console with 6 of its many, multicolored controllers.

The original Super Mario 64 game cartridge

  Of course, if you really want go "old school" you could purchase a Nintendo 64 console and an original cartridge of the game. Just note that getting an used game console and game cartridge would be much more cheaper than getting brand new copies of the original console and game cartridge, as the latter cost a small fortune, due to the console's collectability. Also, keep in mind that used consoles are subject to wear and damage.

  And, if I may add my own plug here, this game is one of my absolute favorites. Ever. It is easy to learn. Perfect for beginners. It has an excellent soundtrack, as well as offering a gaming experience like no other of its time. I highly suggest you play this game if you can get you hands on it.

Thanks all,

-Peter