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Mario 64 DS

Gibbo

Member
My friend is offering his copy for a pretty low price (approx 14 USD) and I was wondering if this game is any good. I've been eyeing it for quite sometime...but the lack of an analog really disturbs me (Thumb strap wtf?!). Other than the controls.. how is the game itself in terms of level design and such? I've never played Mario 64 on my ultra64 so I'm seriously considering this.
 

Andy787

Banned
Dude, if you've never played Mario 64, you need to go buy a used N64 and Mario 64 with the money. Don't ruin the experience struggling to play the DS version, go get the original and enjoy one of the best experiences gaming has to offer.
 

Fuzzy

I would bang a hot farmer!
stewy said:
THe lack of analog makes the game a fucking chore to play. Spend your money elsewhere.
A chore? I breezed through it using only the d-pad. $14US for it and he's never played it on the N64? It's worth it.
 

speedpop

Has problems recognising girls
IMO the control issue is meaningless. Yes it's a pain in the arse trying to turn at certain points, specifically the latter levels - but if you haven't mastered the way to play it with the d-pad, you will cry and throw the game away during the basement levels.

Mario 64 itself is a great game, the first 4 levels really stood out for me in terms of just defining what 3D gaming was about. However, since it's on a smaller screen this time around.. sure it might look sharp and cleaner, but you lose the immersion factor that really sold the game in the first place. Mario just seems like a normal guy in the DS version, whereas in the original, it was as if the worlds were just too daunting to take on in one go. Maybe that's just me but I felt it that way.

Other than that, it's a good platforming game. If you can find it for cheaper than the US$14 then definitely go for it.
 

Tiger

Banned
While the lack of analog controls are annoying, the game is still very playable and frankly, enjoyable. We are talking about Mario 64 in your hands here! It's also kind of cool because it has a different storyline and 4 playable characters. You actually start the game as Yoshi, which is kind of cool.


But besides the single player though, you've got this huge library of mini games that involve the touch screen. I belive there were 36 mini games and many of them are freaking brilliant little games. I got several hours out of a few of them. Truly addictive stuff and it saves you high scores for each and every one of them. The game also has a slightly amusing multiplayer mode.


So, with all that being considered, I think you're absolutely nuts for not buying this game for $14. It's well worth picking up, just don't expect it to blow you away. You just have to check out some of those mini games. The slingshot game could easily be a game on it's own, it's that good.


180px-SM64DSminigameshot.jpg


The game also has a black & white drawing program in it. Just to mess around with.

112704_sm64ds_ss-10.jpg
 

Xrenity

Member
A Link to the Past said:
If you find it for free, get it.

If you find it for anymore, don't bother.

It sucks JUST because they ruined Wario.
Bullshit.

The game plays alright, with d-pad and with the touchscreen control.
A classic game + lots of minigames = GET
 

Gibbo

Member
Isn't there like a Analog cap that you can place over your D-Pad or something?
And is collecting stars a straight foward process or are they part of a series of mini quests akin to those in Sunshine?
 
Xellotah said:
I liked it, but only because I'm quite a wiz using the tuochpad for movement.

Well, you have to admit that the touch screen controls were worse than they should be.

I mean, the movement radius thingy on the touch screen would go off screen. You'd have to pull it back on screen, which would make your character move. It could have been better, like if they kept that movement radius on screen at all times.
 

speedpop

Has problems recognising girls
In a way I can agree. In my opinion the touch screen was poorly implemented and just shouldn't have been done, but what can you do?
 

fresquito

Member
I think the control issues are not that big as much people say. I did overcome them with a bit of practice (with the analog thumb). Instead moving from corporal memory, I focused on the character on screen, so I could make the exact movement I wanted to do. Since there´s no physical feedback to the thumb strap, this methid proved itself to be the best, and it worked fairly good in most situations. In fact the main problem I had with the controls were related to the arcaic camera setup. Every now and then it would turn and I wouldn´t react fast enough. But that´s something that happened in the original, but the better controls didn´t make it such a problem. However, this doesn´t happen that much often and once you know the scenarios and know when the camera is going to turn round, the problem won´t be there anymore.

Now, the controls are worse than in the original, and maybe the level of inmersion is too. But the extras added are quite sweet. You get to play with four different characters, and`playing with Yoshi or Wario feels totally different than paying with Mario. Luigi is much less entertaining though. But I had great fun playing those old scenarios that i love so much with other characters, making for a quite fresh experience. Then there´re the extra levels/stars, which add more freshness, although if you´ve not played the original, then you won´t know the difference...

Last but not least, there´re the minigames. I must admit, they are very simple, very repetitive, but some of them are a hell of fun. I spent lots of hours with them. Clashing shells, searching for the right face, the slingshot, they are perfect for short time. You´ve got to wait for dinner 10 minutes? pup in some minigame, time will fly. You´ve got to wait for the tube? pop in and the waiting will be shorter.

Although it doesn´t control like the original, I think the extras make for a very compelling experience, maybe as good as the original, but different. 15$ seem like a good price for such a game.
 

Xrenity

Member
A Link to the Past said:
Well, you have to admit that the touch screen controls were worse than they should be.

I mean, the movement radius thingy on the touch screen would go off screen. You'd have to pull it back on screen, which would make your character move. It could have been better, like if they kept that movement radius on screen at all times.
Well, that's true.
Most of the time I jumped and then quicly repositioned my thumb. Worked alright :)
 

Fuzzy

I would bang a hot farmer!
Gibbo said:
And is collecting stars a straight foward process or are they part of a series of mini quests akin to those in Sunshine?
It's like Sunshine where you jump into a world (through paintings on a wall) then pick which star you want to get.
 
Fuzzy said:
It's like Sunshine where you jump into a world (through paintings on a wall) then pick which star you want to get.

On a related note, one thing that bugged me was that too many new Power Stars didn't involve questing for them.
 
A virgin Mario 64 experience on the DS? We can argue whether or not the game is worth 14 bucks all day, but don't pop your cherry on the handheld version for gods sake.
 

koam

Member
Mario 64 DS is unplayable.

HOWEVER, the mini-games alone are worth the $14.

The N64 version of the game is tons better but the DS one is crippled.
 
The third control scheme, i.e. the one designed for the stylus, works well. It might seem awful when described but it's a breeze to use. You just need to be open minded.
 

Zensetsu

Member
I had absolutley no trouble playing through mario 64 ds, and quite enjoyed replaying the game. I have had a lot more grief with the DS d-pad in mario kart, specifically it hurting like a bitch when I powerslide after a while (not over the top snaking, just normal useage).
 

Matlock

Banned
I felt the d-pad was a better option than the analogue--it made M64DS feel more like the traditional 2D Mario games.
 
I played and completed it easily. The new features makes it worth it. If there wasn't a "run" button, I'd see the points people make, but it's not like you lost the ability to move slowly or quickly. And that's what really mattered.
 

olimario

Banned
koam said:
Mario 64 DS is unplayable.
HOWEVER, the mini-games alone are worth the $14.

The N64 version of the game is tons better but the DS one is crippled.

WOW! :lol
It's so unplayable I had no trouble getting to 90 stars! WHOOO!
 

SuomiDude

Member
olimario said:
WOW! :lol
It's so unplayable I had no trouble getting to 90 stars! WHOOO!

I also have 90 stars in it, but I could quickly get lots more if I had time. At the moment I don't really have time to play anything, but I have quite a few games in my backlog so when I'll get some more time, SM64DS is definately one of the games I'll first play again.

Although the controls aren't N64 quality, it doesn't kill the game. The controls are actually pretty decent, the only problem being the backflip. I can't make it work half of the times I try.

The mini games are a blast though... most of them at least. Music and graphics are better than in the N64 version, and the few new areas are good enough. I'd definately go with 14$, I paid 39€ for my copy (pretty normal for European prices) and I don't regret it at all (I never had the original).
 

Gibbo

Member
wow. Opinions here are really split right down the middle. I'll probably be getting it considering that it's 14 bucks. And I shouldn't have any problems selling it for 10 bucks or so on the 2nd hand market should I find it not to my liking.

Thanks for all the advice
 

cyberheater

PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
The N64 controller was designed around SM64. It's a perfect marriage of game and human interface vs the DS version which is a frustrating trawl.
 
mario 64 DS is not as good as mario 64. there is no doubt about it.

what is good though is all the mini-games that are in it.

plus even a broken version of mario 64 is way more fun than almost any platform game.. i still played it up to 100 stars.

if it's cheap then seriously go for it.
 

fallout

Member
Andy787 said:
Dude, if you've never played Mario 64, you need to go buy a used N64 and Mario 64 with the money. Don't ruin the experience struggling to play the DS version, go get the original and enjoy one of the best experiences gaming has to offer.
Actually, if he's never played Mario 64 before, he'll probably have an easier time with the DS version than the rest of us. The non-joystick controls are obviously inferior, but anyone that says that the game is made unplayable, a travesty, etc. needs to stop being a whiny little bitch and just adapt.

I'm pretty shitty when it comes to videogames and I managed to get all 150 stars in fairly short order. The only headache being the first 30 minutes or so while trying to get used to the controls. Not really any different than how it was when I first started playing the original (hell, I nearly chucked the controller across the room because I kept running myself off ledges).
 

tedtropy

$50/hour, but no kissing on the lips and colors must be pre-separated
The people claiming the game was "unplayable" are really prone to hyperbole or have yet to develop the opposable thumbs necessary to operate the thumbstrap. It's quite playable, a pretty nice technical feat, and alot of fun can certainly be had. Plus, some of the minigames are really addictive. Does is control as fluidly as the N64 version? Not by a longshot.
 

daemonic

Banned
It's worth it alone just for the newly added mini-games. Also the D-Pad is not problematic at all. I had no trouble using it.
 

GDJustin

stuck my tongue deep inside Atlus' cookies
It's well worth that price. I got a TON of milage out of the minigames, as did my GF. The main game controls have been blown out of proportion as well, although they can be frustrating at times.

I have 21 DS games, and SM64 DS is one of about 5 that I still pull out now and then, thanks to the minigames.
 

Taichu

Member
The controls aren't as bad as some people would have you believe. Personally, I used the D-pad for the entire game and collected all 150 Stars. For 14 dollars, it's the perfect opportunity to _finally_ play Mario 64.
 
I liked the slider nub. Used it to get 150 stars with it.

Twice. You wimps.

Though I liked Rayman DS' method of analog control better...
 

Xellos

Member
Andy787 said:
Dude, if you've never played Mario 64, you need to go buy a used N64 and Mario 64 with the money. Don't ruin the experience struggling to play the DS version, go get the original and enjoy one of the best experiences gaming has to offer.


Agreed. N64 is definitely the way to go (or maybe a download on the Rev later this year). The DS version is playable but the N64 version is better simply because of the analog stick. Playing Mario 64 with a d-pad/touch screen nub is like playing Street Fighter with a keyboard: it's possible, but it isn't really fun.
 

Jiggy

Member
Mario 64 > Mario 64 DS. Only slightly inferior control is not overriden by three new characters, four new levels, and some awesome minigames (albeit among a sea of less-than-awesome ones).
 
Definitely worth the original $30 I paid for it, let alone $14. I definitely recommend it.. the control issue is easy to get over after like an hour or less. And even then, since you never played the original, you'll be fine. :D
 
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