Super Mario 64 isn’t just the first 3D Mario game, it’s the reason 3D exists the way it does in platformers. Launched with the Nintendo 64 system, this iconic title screen didn’t just wink at a new era, it headbutted it with analog control, rumble-ready gameplay, and a total of 120 Power Stars hidden across a castle filled with warped paintings, breakable boxes, and a very rude penguin race.
The premise? Classic: Bowser crashes Peach’s cake invite, traps everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom, and dares Mario to save the day. But SM64 trades 2D side-scrolls for open worlds and wild mechanics like wall-jumping, triple-flipping, and donning special caps to fly, go invisible, or turn to metal.
Whether you played it on the N64, the 3DS, an emulator, or the Shindou version with tighter controls, Super Mario 64 is one of the most important games of all time. Yoshi, Luigi, Wario, they’re here in myth or mod, but Mario’s the star. Again.
This isn’t just a Mario game. It’s the Mario game.
Developer
Nintendo
Platform
Web browser
