Super Mario 64- Why It's Overrated: A Critical Retrospective 

This game may not have aged the best, but it brought us the best Got Milk commercial ever

Nathaniel Bandy be like: Your so wrong! Super mario 64 is the best mario game ever made! I swear nathaniel bandy is so biased towards that game. Not gonna lie super mario 64 is a great game but I do agree it's kinda overrated imo.

I was on mobile and saw the shortened title of the video in the notification: "Super Mario 64 - Why it's over..."

if you can delete your save file in a game without feeling bad about it that means that the game is very replayable

I think there is a lot of revisionist history going around with regards to SM64 - I was around during the n64 and ps1 generation and it wasn't as big of a deal at the time as people claim, or as revolutionary. It wasn't even the first 3d platformer. Maybe it was huge for a few months in 1996 when very few people had n64s, but it was very quickly overshadowed by better platformers on both the ps1 and n64, like the spyro games, banjo kazooie, etc.

In my opinion, 64 hasn't aged well compared to most other old Mario games.

A few years back, I had fond memories of the time I played Mario 64 on kiosks in Wal-Mart and other stores. For whatever reason, even though I got an N64, I never played Mario 64 more than that. So I bought a cart off of eBay and was expecting to have an amazing experience. The controls are perfectly fun and great when you're in an open field without opposition. But in tricky and high pressure situations, the controls become conspicuously janky, and combined with the wonky camera, playing can become a laborious experience, especially in the later levels. The flight controls with Mario's cap were distinctly awful. It got to the point, where I would start a new level, and instead of a sense of anticipation and joy, I groaned inwardly at having to play the game. I went ahead and looked up what the reward was if you got all 120 stars. When I found the payoff to be worthless (a cameo by Yoshi with essentially a "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine!" message, along with tons of lives and a neat jump powerup that's useless since by then you've already completed the game) I just forced myself to get enough stars to get to Bowser and beat the base non-completionist game. Shortly afterwards I sold the game off to a pawn shop. Fortunately, also shortly afterwards, I found out about 'A Hat in Time' and got the bad taste washed out of my mouth by an actually great 3D platformer.

Anyone who says that mario 64's controls are good, is blinded by nostalgia. The controls of this game are extremely janky, and horrible by today's standards. It's impossible to do precision platforming, and you constantly fall off small ledges. There is probably a good game hidden inside, but the horrible controls and the terrible camera completely ruins the fun, and makes it a negative experience. That's why i think they should remake this game with controls closer to mario oddysey.

i feel bad, but i really think super mario 64 is boring. i definitely think nostalgia is a large factor in what people find enjoyable (like why i love the wii so much).

It may have gotten widespread acclaim, but it didn't get widescreen...

I can imagine you saying - “this won’t just cover the mainline 3D games, but 64 DS, Bowser’s Fury, and 3D All Stars as well”

I wish one of the perks for beating the game was having power ups that lasted longer. It would be cool to be able to fly for like 3 mins straight without getting another cap

I don't hate sm64 at all, but people give it more credit than it's actually worth

I love this game and it's still fun to play today imo, but I agree that some aspects didn't age well like the camera it can be very annoying and the environments look kinda rough but the movesets are so varied and it can makes you play the levels and get stars in multiple different ways and the exploration is very fun and you can choose the levels you enjoy and skip the ones that are not so good these things make mario 64 so replayable.

This is going to make some people mad

I like Mario 64 a bit, but I think the degree people say with this game is too much.

Odyssey is the best fucking mario game ever

Bro I have literally been saying this for ages but no one listens Great video by the way

Another great video! I like how I missed the premiere by 5 seconds.

The Super Mario PC Port Texture Packs really help this game a ton with aging. After you play it in HD at 60fps it's difficult to go back.

Good Video,but I want the "Plot" section to the episodes of "Super Mario 3d origins".Also,I like this game,when I replay it.

I laughed when I heard mario's beta jumping noises

Personally I find 64 a pretty fun game but it is a bit overrated for the fact that almost all of it's succesors are better

Most N64 games have aged poorly, a lot of the ones that haven’t aged poorly always sucked.

I think 64 suffers from first game syndrome, in which the game is good but overshadowed by superior sequels like galaxy

if sm64 didn’t exist then all of the other 3d mario games would not have existed or be different

The Biggest Problem With This Game Is The EXTREMELY "Handicappeable" Camera,How Many Have I Throwed My Controller At The Ground Just Because Of It. But Excluding That,This Game Is Incredible And Always Fun To Play...

Honestly, most N64 games are overrated and not that good. The n64 does not deserve the nostalgic love it gets. Even when it was new I thought the games were ugly and awkward compared to the PlayStation or even the Saturn. Other than the Zelda games, the entirety of the n64 is hella overrated. It sucked usually. Sorry.

I wouldn't say it's overrated,but it's definitely a game that I don't like as much as others. I even discussed that in my Unpopular Opinions vid,but I really couldn't get into it

I know I was surprised when I first played the game on the switch and it didn’t control as well I thought it would because of all the hype associated with the game. I grew up on GameCube and PlayStation 1-2 so I never played it growing up

I also hate how some stars and stages literally repeat themself. Like there are only 3 stage types: A mountain, a cave and a flat/sky parkour. Also all of the stages look ugly, and that's not even N64's fault! Look at banjo-kazooie, stages look much better than sm64's. The game lacks collectibles, like if you do something important you will be given a star. Only a star, nothing elsem

I think this game actually aged well, as did the DS remake. The reason for this is that, compared to Sunshine and the Galaxy games, 64 does a great job with both controls and level design. Galaxy’s controls are slow and tedious to me, and Sunshine’s controls, while fun, are a bit too precise for a 3-D environment. In addition, the Galaxy games consistently try to mesh sandbox level design with linear level structure, and this is unsatisfying to me. Sunshine’s sandbox levels are great in concept, but generally require too much extremely precise platforming. 64 and 64 DS, however, have decent control schemes (albeit with some flaws), and maintain rewarding sandbox level design with hardly any crazy precise platforming (except for Rainbow Ride and some parts of Tick Tock Clock, but Rainbow Ride is the only level I consider “bad” along with Dire Dire Docks.)

This game is GOOD, but overrated as hell

I watched your April fool's video on Mario 64 a few hours before the real one was in my recommended, and I really thought RU-vid was re-recomending the same video.

I never played any of the Mario 3d games in my life so I don't have the nostalgia motive to try Mario 64 now and I don't think I'll ever will. I tried it once and the way the graphics are designed and how the camera is controlled it gave me some sort of motion sickness.

I don’t think you can call the game both, “overrated” and “one of the most important games of all time”. It’s not “the best” Mario game, nor should it be. It’s actually an incredibly strange Mario game for its time given its sandbox gameplay. But I do really enjoy it and come back to it every couple of years. It has its shortcomings and there is room for mode r improvements but I think this is a game more then worth checking out.

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks this!

I vastly prefer the DS remake! But oh boy I’m surprised for what comes next!

This game is so good yet so hard to digest nowadays. The camera sucks, it kills the game experience to the point of dropping it.

everyone has their opinions like I love sm64 but it just hasn't aged well probably because it was ther first 3d mario game and the other 3d mario games are better

Even though I do think this is the weakest 3D Mario game because it hasn't aged that well, I still think it's great

3:18-3:25. I'm dead😂

Most of what's wrong with this game could be fixed with an HD remake in the engine of a newer 3D Mario game. I don't know why Nintendo was only willing to remake this game for the original DS, and not a home console.

sm64 is only highly regarded because it was a decent game in a jungle filled with SHIT early 3d games, doesn't hold a candle to anything the snes had to offer.

People always told me that the DS remake was way inferior, but after having played it... seems we played different games, is like the only way i have to kind of enjoy the game. The game graphics doesnt suc, the controls feels a bit better even without analog, it just more fun. Even for 1996 standards i quite prefer the controls and graphics of other 3d games, though this is an argument it has to be made for most of the N64 library.

Reasons why DK64 is very very VERY overrated and awful:playable characters, “levels” are designed like hub worlds, the game has awful music in comparison to Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time. The game doesn’t that much fun puzzles and it isn’t platform focused. It’s exploration focus but, the game is boring. It has different colored collectibles which makes it feel like it has too many collectibles when it doesn’t. The game is a slog.

The DS version is infinitely better than the original. Mario 64 is definitely a game I respect more than I actually like.

Someone should create a rom hack that finishes many of the failings of the game - a playable Luigi, a playable Yoshi, Blargg, the missing levels, the trampoline object, the fourth floor, everything. for reference, rom hacks that recreate Personalization AI anomolies and the DS rerelease can be used, but we're trying to recreate what these additions would've been like in the original game, had it been properly finished.

Mario 64 is a good game but it’s definitely not the best Mario game You can’t tell me Mario 64 is best Mario game when Luigi isn’t in it

Super Mario 64 was never meant to be on the snes. Miyamotto said he had the idea of making a 3D Mario game for the SNES but, he didn’t try to do it.

I don't really think it's overrated personally (I could see why someone might consider it overrated, but I personally don't) and that's coming from someone who DIDN'T grow up with it, but to each their own. I grew up with the Galaxy games and never played 64 as a kid (I didn't even know the N64, or any Nintendo console before the Wii aside from the DS, even existed growing up) and didn't get to play it until after childhood, when I bought it on the Wii VC just days before they shut the Wii Shop Channel down, but when I played it it was definitely one of the most enjoyable and fun games I've ever experienced, to the point where I still play it quite a bit to this day and love it. It's not as good as the Galaxy games in my opinion, but I think it's better than Sunshine (though that's largely just due to Sunshine's obvious problems; if Sunshine hadn't been rushed and been given more time to be polished and fleshed out it would have probably been better than 64 in my eyes), there's a lot of things about 64 that I actually think it does better than Odyssey (I personally would much rather go and play some 64 in my past-time than Odyssey, but that's just my own preference, I'm not saying that as a whole 64 is the better of the two objectively or anything, I just _personally_ find Odyssey too easy/repetitive/flat out boring and a chore at times, though I love Odyssey's character movement aside from some nerfed moves), and I also like 64 much more than 3D Land (haven't decided concerning 3D World yet as I only just started playing it). Again, this is coming from someone who had no nostalgia for 64 at all going into it whatsoever, from someone who played more modern games first and then went into 64 afterward for the first time, and yet even without any nostalgia or rose-tinted glasses I still really enjoyed almost every part of 64 and think it's a fantastic game that I'd even in some respects (though NOT as a whole) consider _underrated._ But again, this is all just my own opinion from MY personal experience. I'm not saying anyone who thinks it's overrated is objectively wrong or anything, I just personally don't think it really is based on MY experience with it. Sure, it does show its age, but to remedy that, just play the new PC-port-based Super Mario 64 Plus by Mors that just released, it fixes a lot of the issues and makes the game nearly perfect in my opinion; definitely the best way to play Mario 64, at least at the moment.

I’m glad not everyone immediately thinks super Mario 64 is the greatest thing to touch the earth

Super Mario 64 is unquestionably an amazing game. Few titles manage to be this revolutionary in so many regards, a prime example of ambition and ingenuity in new age game design. However, SM64 has undoubtedly been surpassed in nearly every category of gameplay by later installments in the series. Due to its age, it doesn't put up much of a fight against the likes of Galaxy and Odyssey, both of which are equally deserving of critical praise, if not even more so. Much of the argument for the reverence of this game surrounds the fact that it was the "first 3D Mario game", but you can only give so much credit to something for it being the first. After that, you have to rank it fairly amongst its peers in terms of actual quality. In that regard, Super Mario 64 still holds up very well, and offers a fantastic, near unique experience in the Mario catalogue. However, I would not claim it to be one of the best Mario games, nonetheless one of the best 3D Mario games. 5th gen gamers and their extreme indulgence in nostalgia have a huge part to play in SM64's overly generous, almost mythical repertoire. It's great to love what you grew up with, but there's also such a thing of taking it too far and not giving other games enough credit.

Mario's unused voice clips were really awful, i mean damn

Unpopular opinion: this is my 3rd favorite 3D Mario game behind Galaxy 1 and Odyssey. Yeah, it's one of the simplest video games, but that's why I love it. The game is simple, but is just unique enough to the point where I can come back to it frequently, something I can't say about the New Super Mario Bros series. It's helped out by the atmosphere and controls, but it's also pretty fast paced, making it a good game to just pick up and play through when you want just a quick game to beat. And it's not as fun on the first time playing, but when you keep playing it and get better, mastering the game is super fun and addicting, and this is one of the most fun games to speedrun. And also, the game is glitchy in the best possible way, allowing you to use the glitches to your advantage. This game definitely is not the greatest Mario game of all time, but it's the easily the one I come back to the most.

SM64 was a pioneering game and a magical experience to play for the first time in the 90s. It was truly mind blowing. It will rightly go down as a legendary game but that doesn’t mean you can’t compare it with modern games. More recent 3D Marios have made SM64 seem like a prototype, and that’s fine because that’s what SM64 effectively is now.

I totally agree, Sunshine (with a few exceptions) and the Galaxy games have way better level design, and much fluider controls, even though Mario 64 was revolutionary.

To me Rainbow Ride was cool. The 2nd flying level on the 2nd floor of Peach’s Castle on the other hand. The hardest Star is the 8 coins in Tick Tock. That Star sucks.

Super Mario 64 is literally my favourite game of all time, but that’s mostly due to it’s incredible modding community, the original game definitely has some flaws, mostly in the level design as was mentioned.

To me, mario 64 is still the greatest mario game of all time imo. That being said, the game takes an utter nose dive once you unlock the last section of the castle. Mario 64 is best when the worlds feel more like sandbox levels and the last set of levels like tictok clock and cloud cruise abandon that principle and instead focus on platforming gauntlets that you have to restart after each star you collect. Plus, the cloud level spits you all the back to the outside of the castle after a death which is an absolute middle finger to the player.

It's far from perfect but for It's time it was. It was one of the top games that best represents the progression. It could have handled better but hey it is what it is.

Who else prefers the ds remake?

Okay ill admit SM64 is a _bit_ overrated But the SM64 Romhacking community is amazing. SM64 Rom hacks are Also not overrated at all

The only big turn off for this game imo are the camera controls, maybe it's because i'm used to better controls in more recent games, but honestly half of the time i don't even understand where i'm going, and can't use all Mario's movement options without a lot of practice or game knowledge, because everytime i try to do anything there's a chance the camera just goes crazy and starts spinning.

Yeah. SM64 never really did anything for me back in the day. I did end up finishing it in the early 2000's on the DS. For some reason that version struck me more than this. I sat down with SM64 in the 90s and it just wasn't for me.

SM64 isn't the "best" Mario game but is by far the most important one. I get that you're doing the clickbait thing, but SM64 literally changed everything everybody thought they knew about video games. There was nothing even remotely comparable to it when it was released.

Yay! The wait is over! Loved the South Park reference 👍 I agree M64 was revolutionary but it's honestly not may fav today.

3:04 I think they’re supposed ro be placeholder sound effects because they were either still recording the real sound effects or just havent started yet at that time

hot take: 64 was just as scuffed, if not more than Sunshine but its pedigree as the first 3D Mario and massive nostalgia sink make people overlook its flaws when comparing it to Sunshine

Good Video. I agree with most if not all of your points. I really like Super Mario 64 and I understand why many people may say its the best Mario game. Personally I don't think its the greatest Mario game ever, but its one of the best. I would put it in my top 5 Mario games

Super Mario 64 is only overrated if people say that it's objectively better than the Galaxy games

the game length is short tho you spend around 6 hours actually playing the game because most of the times the game kicks you out of the level and you have to do whole chunks of the levels again and again and again thats a very cheap way to expand the game length

Least favorite 3d mario but still a classic

Super Mario 64 is definitely my favourite mainline Mario game. I Love the way that Mario controls more than any of the other games. I actually started a 120-star playthrough of it today!

It’s still a good game, but it’s somewhat questionable though. The problem is possibly that you don’t know how old games work, they had major limitations and the switch from 2D to 3D, that’s why some levels are quite bad

I think the levels are pretty bad except for like the first 5 and the controls I think pretty bad and because I played it after beating mario sunshine and galaxy not having the preview telling you where the star is located is annoying and I found myself getting lost on many different stars but overall I'd give it like a 4/10

Are you telling me that Luigi was planned to be in this game and got scrapped? Worst game of all time, 0/10 (that's a joke btw Mario 64 lovers)

Another generic Mario 64 review

3:14 this sounds like it was voiced by Lou Albano

Honestly i think mario 64 ds is better on the 3Ds also great video!

Well at least I’m not the only one who thinks it’s overrated :)

I agree so much

The game was rushed tho, no need for the bad things The game was also supposed to have a multiplayer mode, but weegee was cut because of memory issues and the Nintendo 64 was only bundled with 1 controller.

I agree! Overrated game! It was an okay game, in my opinion. The game had it's fun levels, but some of them sucked. I thought the controls were too complicated. I've 100% the game, but I literally see no reason to play the game again afterward even when you get 100 lives from Yoshi. At that point, I just got bored. It is not the best Mario game of all time. I thought every 3D Mario game that came out after 64 was way better than 64.

I agree with your point about the generic themes because rayman 2 and sonic adventures were the first 3d games in there respective series but most of the themes in those games are original

I agree with about everything in this video except for the graphics, saying this is one of the best looking games on the n64 is a bit of an overstatement.

A Revolutionary game, yes. And it still holds up well in some ways, but it also has some serious flaws like the camera controls. 64's significance in video game history is unquestionable, but every single 3D Mario game that has come after it is superior.

I entirely agree, it's aged so poorly.

I was a kid when I got it, the revolutionary graphics and 3D cant be overstated of how awesome it was.

Dayum you do a really good Michael impression

Yeah 64 is overrated. 64 DS is underrated though.

The most overrated game is DK64. Mario 64 is designed correctly whereas DK64 isn’t.

There is a time for everything and it is a fact that Mario 64 was best, when it was released. I recently played it again, along with other N64 games that I loved in my youth back then and I have to say everything seems so small, simple, too easy and overall like a child's game. And I'm not even a boomer playing the latest games these days. In fact, I almost don't play anymore. Hands down, I think people who still praise it and are adults (boomers) are stuck in time and don't want to grow up. The nostalgia in someone's head is greater than the short "Hey!" moment, you'll get by heating up such old games again. The only thing that really stayed with me, is the soundtrack of several games. A lot of great covers were born that way. The rest is a waste of time and only be useful if you have kids (in case they even care).

The Thing is, the controls are disgusting for a 3D Platformer. If this game cut all the platforming and replaced it with exploration, it wouldn't have been half bad.

Mario 64 is great,just not as good as Sunshine

You give too few details and reasons for your positions. For example: You say Tick Tock Clock and Rainbow Ride aren't good stages, but don't give a reason as for why. You think the level themes are too plain and generic, but don't give any suggestions for improvement or examples of how they could be instead. As does the video title: You think Super Mario 64 is overrated, but you never say what you think is overrated about the game.

I see this opinion come up a lot in the modern era. Idk if it's because of 3d All Stars, or just a lot of retrospectives on old Mario games. When I originally got Mario 64 on the Wii U and beat it I felt that the game was great and I had a lot of fun with it. After replaying it about a year ago I still feel the same way. I don't think it is overrated, I think it is still one of the greatest games ever made. It's not my favorite Mario game. But removing the flaws the game has and just playing through the game I feel that this game is still a great time.

Sonic 3D Blast was definitely a better jump into 3D than Mario 64.

SM64 didnt age very good but I still hate it if people think that you only can Like old Games If you are Nostalgia blind. This Nostalgia Card is just overused.

Your argument on how you think Super Mario 64 is overhyped mirrors my thoughts on Fantasia