Super Mario 64

Super Mario 64 is the first three-dimensional platformer starring Mario, and was released on the Nintendo 64 in 1997 in Europe and 1996 elsewhere. At the time, it received critial acclaim, and has been often said to have defined its genre by being one of the first well-made games of its type. The game has since been remade on the Nintendo DS in the form of Super Mario 64 DS.

Storyline
Princess Toadstool sends an invitation to Mario to come and have some cake with her in her castle. When he arrives, he finds one of the Lakitu Bros. who follows him around dangling a camera. Together, they go inside and hear a familiar voice telling them to get out of the castle. Toad informs them that Bowser has kidnapped the princess again and is holding everyone hostage inside the castle walls. He has also stolen the Power Stars and given them to his minions who are hiding in paintings. Mario hops in the magical paintings and retrieves the Power Stars in order to defeat Bowser and save the Princess.

Gameplay
The aim of the game is to collect enough Power Stars to progress to new, previously inaccessible areas of the castle. The primary goal is to collect enough to reach the final battle and save Princess Peach from Bowser. Each level, or "course", holds 6 stars, plus one for collecting 100 coins, which are obtained by completing a certain mission. The only clue to what this may be is in the star's title, which are often cryptic. Aspects of each course vary with each star; beyond this, the player is given free reign in exploring each world.

Super Mario 64 introduced a number of abilities to the series, allowing Mario to crawl, ground pound, punch and kick, backflip, sideflip, wall-kick, long-jump and slide, amongst others. These moves give the player a greater freedom than in past games as regards ways that Mario can be controlled, introducing the idea of there being a number of alternative routes to arrive at any one place. These are additionally used to perform actions such as pressing down switches as well as harming enemies or reaching high or distant places. The game's use of the Nintendo 64 controller's Analog Stick is another first for the Mario series, and allows the player to move Mario at different speeds by controlling the stick. This allows Mario to walk slowly, which, as opposed to running, does not awaken sleeping enemies.

Caps are another aspect introduced to the gameplay in Super Mario 64, giving Mario the ability to fly, walk underwater or walk through certain barriers. They are turned on in short bursts, and made available when activated with the switch associated with each one.

Levels
Levels in the game are accessed by jumping into holes or portraits, usually the latter, and each consists of a differently-themed world existing outside the castle. All but Bob-omb Battlefield, the first one, are inaccessible from the start of the game. In order to get to the different rooms which contain the paintings that Mario needs to enter to get to another level, stars must be collected from the levels already unlocked, and keys obtained from boss battles with Bowser.

As well as the 15 main courses, there are a number of secret areas, containing one or two stars, and possibly other unlockable items or boss battles. The stars obtained from these constitute the remaining 15 stars, called "Castle Secret Stars".

Courses

 * Bob-omb Battlefield is the first world, or level, that Mario is able to enter. Here he will face the evil Big Bob-omb, have his first encounter with the Goomba's and learn to navigate skateboarding on the shell of a Koopa Troopa.
 * Whomp's Fortress is the second level of the game. Once Mario has collected at least one star from the previous level, he is able to enter Whomp's Fortress. Hig towers, smashing enemies and some great falls await.
 * Jolly Roger Bay The third level of the game. Underwater adventures and slimey Eels ahead.
 * Cool, Cool, Mountain The fourth level, and it's filled with snow, steep cliffsides and a lot of sliding. Oh, and penguines. Lots and lots of penguines.
 * Big Boo's Haunt The fifth level is a scary place. Filled with ghosts and spinning eyeballs. Don't turn your back to them.
 * Hazy Maze Cave is the sixth level, and the first one that is actually a little tricky to navigate. Spiders and seamonsters are both a pest and some help.
 * Lethal Lava Land
 * Shifting Sand Land
 * Dire, Dire Docks An area you have to get the first star from before accessing Bowser in the Fire Sea.
 * Wet-Dry World
 * Snowman's Land
 * Tall, Tall Mountain
 * Tiny-Huge Island An area wher Mario is either small or huge, although being tiny gives you more access and more coins, along with most of the stars.
 * Tick Tock Clock
 * Rainbow Ride

Secret Courses

 * The Princess' Secret Slide - This slip-slide'n stage lets you chase several 1up's and at the end collect a secret star
 * The Secret Aquarium is a giant fish-tank in which you need to collect 8 red coins to make another secret star appear.
 * Wing Mario Over the Rainbow is a stage in the sky where you need to shoot Mario out of a cannon, dressed in the Wing cap to collect 8 red coins to make yet another secret star appear.

Cap switch courses
The game's three caps must be activated before the blocks that allow Mario to use them are made solid. This is done by pressing the switch for each, found in the cap's respective course.


 * Tower of the Wing Cap is reachable after you have collected 10 stars from other levels in the game, and the Wing Cap is the first of the powered up caps you are able to get hold of. Soar through the sky and collect the red coins for a star. The winged cap does pretty much what the name suggests. It gives Mario the ability to temporarily soar through the sky after gaining enough momentum through being shot out of a cannon, or by doing the triple-jump preferably from a high place such as a cliff or a tower.
 * Vanish Cap Under the Moat is located under the moat of the castle, reachable only after you have drained the moat of water. Once there, grab the Vanish Cap, slide down the slope and head for the exit collecting coins along the way. The secret switch and a secret star awaits you at the end of the course that is filled with see-saw's, firespitting enemies and some elevators. The Vanish cap gives Mario the ability to become invisible to enemies for a short period of time, as well as it let's him walk through certain walls.
 * Cavern of the Metal Cap is located in the sixth level of the game, the Hazy Maze Cave. Take a ride on the Seamonster in the lake, make way through the opposite door from where you came, and head through the cavern avoiding enemies as you go. More red coins, and the block to free the Metal Cap is here waiting. The Metal cap makes Mario invulnerable for a short period of time, as well as granting him the great help of being able to walk on the bottom of the sea, and hold his own against powerful currents and whirpools under water.

Bowser levels
Bowser levels are obstacle courses that lead up to an encounter with Bowser, comprising the game's three major boss battles.


 * Bowser in the Dark World - the first encounter with Bowser. Navigate through fire-spitting statues, moving platforms and take a fall down to the platform where Bowser awaits. Grab his tail, make a spin and toss him towards one of the bombs attached to the rim of the stage. One hit is enough, and Mario will now be able to get to the lowest basement of the castle.
 * Bowser in the Fire Sea - the second encounter with the evil Koopa King. This one is situated in a giant arena of fire, constituted of goombas, fire-breathing blocks, and sinking platforms. After a short pole maze, Mario can fight Bowser, who can now jump and turn the fighting stage on end. One swing into a bomb kills him, and Mario can then access the second floor of the castle.
 * Bowser in the Sky - the third and final encounter with Bowser. This one is a very tough course, involving more fire, goombas, wind, piranha plants, and even the odd Whomp. It takes three hits to kill him, including one on a very small platform, but he will finally die at the end!

Power-ups

 * Wing Cap - this cap enables Mario to fly.
 * Vanish Cap
 * Metal Cap

Trivia

 * Contrary to popular belief, this game was technically Charles Martinet's debut as Mario's voice actor - this instead happened in Mario's FUNdamentals. However, it is the first particularly popular game he voiced, and is thus regarded as his effective debut in the role.