Super Mario 64 - Nintendo 64

Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64 is one of the most important video games ever made — the N64 launch title that redefined what a video game could be and established the template for 3D platformers that every subsequent game in the genre followed. Bowser has invaded Princess Peach's castle, stolen the Power Stars hidden within its magical paintings, and trapped Peach inside. Mario arrives to find the castle largely sealed off, and must dive into the paintings themselves — each one a portal to a fully realized 3D world — to recover the stolen stars one by one and ultimately confront Bowser across three escalating showdowns.

The game features 15 main worlds accessible through paintings and secret doors within the castle, each containing seven stars earned through distinct objectives — finding hidden red coins, racing a giant penguin, defeating a boss, or simply reaching a distant point. Collecting enough stars unlocks new castle areas and eventually the final confrontation. Mario's moveset was unprecedented: graduated walking and running speeds from the analog stick, triple jumps, backflips, wall kicks, ground pounds, long jumps, and the ability to grab and fling bosses by spinning the analog stick. The free-rotating camera — controlled by the C-buttons — gave players full spatial control of a 3D environment for the first time in a major console release.

The famous Luigi hoax — a rumor that circulated for years claiming Luigi was hidden somewhere in the castle — became one of gaming's most enduring urban legends, spawning magazine tip columns, playground myths, and an entire internet culture of N64 secret-hunting that lasted well into the 2000s.

Released in North America on September 29, 1996, Super Mario 64 sold over 11 million copies worldwide and remains the best-selling Nintendo 64 game of all time. It was included in the 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. It directly inspired Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and essentially every 3D platformer that followed. The game has been re-released on Wii Virtual Console, Wii U Virtual Console, and Nintendo Switch Online.

Japanese Title: スーパーマリオ64 (Sūpā Mario Rokujūyon)
Language: English
Rating: E (Everyone)
Platform: Nintendo 64
Genre: 3D Platformer
Players: 1 player
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Year: 1996 (North American release: September 29, 1996)