Tuesdays with Tom: Let's a Go! - The Enduring Appeal of Super Mario 64
When I was a kid, playing video games was considered a child’s privilege. If you did well in school and behaved, you could play some video games in your free time. Bad behavior or bad grades could threaten your video game time. There certainly was no future in playing video games other than trivial time wasting. Any adult who played video games was deemed a loafing, uninspired loser. Today, the video game conversation has changed dramatically. Your children could not only pay for their college education from their video game skills, they could have a thriving, profitable career. Now the kids from the 1990s who are adults happily play video games with zero judgment. I was thinking about this very acutely the last few months as I became wildly engrossed in a 26-year-old video game. A game I had not spent time with since I was a space-obsessed first grader. The game? Super Mario 64. I’m going to say it. I think this is the greatest video game of all-time.
It wouldn’t be Tuesdays with Tom without a little history lesson! Nintendo’s Mario is not your average Italian plumber. While most plumbers specialize in fixing pipes and clogged toilets, you could make the case that Mario is the most athletically gifted superbeing in the fictional human race. He first debuted in the 1981 Donkey Kong arcade game from the Japanese gaming company Nintendo. The game featured Mario as the player character. Mario’s goal is to climb up platforms with ladders or his unique jumping abilities to rescue Pauline from the clutches of Donkey Kong. DK throws barrels to throw Mario off his quest and the cycle repeats until Mario runs out of virtual lives. The game was loosely inspired by King Kong and Beauty and the Beast. Originally, Nintendo wanted to use Popeye as the player character, but they couldn’t obtain the rights. That’s how the world’s most famous plumber was born.
In 1985, Nintendo decided to give Mario his own franchise for their Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Super Mario Bros. expanded Mario’s superpowers and his scope in significant fashion. While still a platform and jumping based 2D game, Super Mario Bros. added several levels for Mario and his brother, Luigi, to complete in their quest to save Princess Toadstool from King Koopa (now known as Bowser). Mario collects coins, super-powered mushrooms and Fire Flowers that aid him on this journey. It also created staple side characters like Goomba and Koopa Troopa. It was more advanced than Donkey Kong’s arcade game and it added an entire trove of amazing items and mythology to the Mario universe. Even today, Super Mario Bros. remains one of the highest selling and successful video games ever made.
Meanwhile, Nintendo quickly grew into a gaming superpower. NES was a huge hit across the world, but in particular the United States. It helped propel the video game boom after that industry crashed in 1983. The follow-up system, Super Nintendo, continued Nintendo’s ascent to the top of the gaming industry. It launched other franchises like Legend of Zelda, Metroid Prime and hundreds of other memorable titles. But Mario remained the golden jewel of Nintendo. For its next follow-up act, Nintendo really wanted to revolutionize video gaming beyond the limits of 2D. Especially since they had viable competition between Sony-owned Playstation and the Sega Saturn and Dreamcast systems. Enter Nintendo 64. The system was named after its 64-bit CPU, a major upgrade from 2D and 8-bit technology. The system featured four controller slots and Controller Paks that saved additional memory for gameplay. Choosing a launch game for their next gaming system was critical. Who better to turn to than the reliable Mario?
Super Mario 64 debuted with the Nintendo 64 in 1996. Nintendo director Shigeru Miyamoto and his incredible team spent three years creating the final product for Super Mario 64. Reinventing Mario for a 3D world was not something many video game companies had attempted before. Prior to Super Mario 64, gamers had only ever experienced a 2D Mario. It was an unprecedented revamp for the character and the entire ecosystem of Nintendo. The new and improved Mario could walk, run, jump, crawl, swim, kick, grab and punch his way through many situations. While the game was still a platform game, a dense plot and significantly more detailed worlds were created for Super Mario 64. Once again, Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach. But this time, she’s a prisoner in her own home. Bowser has locked Peach away and used Power Stars to keep her hidden from Mario. It’s Mario’s mission to retrieve as many Power Stars as possible to defeat Bowser and rescue Peach.
When we first got this game, I was very young and we loved our Nintendo 64. There are four memory slots available in Super Mario 64. That worked out well for my parents and my brother Matt. Being the only people old enough to play video games, we each had one slot to save our individual progress in the game. Even though only one person could play at a time, I definitely remember watching my parents play the game. We also played other Nintendo 64 titles like Starfox 64, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. But there was something uniquely transfixing about Super Mario 64. Playing the game was like solving an elaborate puzzle with no expiration date. It was exhilarating.
Mario begins the game outside of Peach’s castle. Once he enters, each room in the castle features a unique world for Mario to dive into. Literally. Just hop into a portal painting and you are instantly transported to a world with six Power Star missions to play. Each mission is given a title that subtly hints at how you can acquire the star. Whether you are collecting eight red coins, defeating a local enemy or searching for an obscure item, there isn’t a spot left unexplored to obtain each star. Once you acquire eight stars, you can fight Bowser for the first time. Defeating Bowser gives Mario access to a key for the basement worlds. After 30 stars, you can fight Bowser for the second time. Mario gets a second key to unlock the top floor. After 70 stars, Mario is ready for his third and final Bowser fight. If you are savvy enough to defeat Bowser three times, you will have successfully rescued Peach and Mario gets his cake that Peach promised him.
It’s fun enough to get 70 stars and defeat Bowser. But the fun is only just beginning after you beat the game. There are 15 total worlds with 90 Power Stars to find. But there are also 30 additional stars to find to complete the final tally of 120 Power Stars. These are the secret stars. Some of them are obvious to find, such as the Peach rose-colored window slide that unlocks after you get your first Power Star. But did you know that there’s a second star to acquire on that slide by completing the course in 20 seconds or less? Mario also unlocks three different Power Blocks during his journey: the Wing Cap (flying), the Metal Cap (invulernability) and the Vanishing Cap (invisibility). You’ll need all three of them to get to the 70 Star count, but certainly for the complete collection. And as if there weren’t enough extra missions, the most challenging is collecting 100 coins or more in every single world. There are even dozens of conspiracy theories about certain aspects of the game that are worth a deep dive for diehards.
A cynic might say that making the game this dense to complete is a great business strategy. A more optimistic view? Nintendo’s creative brilliance and commitment to the Mario brand that drove them to this level of innovation. Why can’t both be true? For video gamers, there’s a bittersweet feeling that consumes you once you’ve defeated a game. It’s usually never as satisfying the second or third time and you can only have one first time. Nintendo was very smart to make their first game on their new console endlessly playable. When I started playing Super Mario 64 again back in the spring, I was absolutely delighted to rediscover all of the features about the game. Admittedly, it was challenging to re-learn all of the controls from my childhood days. But once I figured it out, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I would beat the game. I never actually got all 120 Power Stars when I was younger. I’m honestly not even sure if I beat Bowser three times and got to 70 Power Stars. But as a man approaching the end of his 20s, I became extremely committed to beating Super Mario 64.
Throughout this journey, I noticed many things that I didn’t fully appreciate when I was six years old. Every single moment of this game is incredibly considered. From the minute you turn on the game, Super Mario 64 is chock full of fun surprises. You can play around with his face on the Start menu screen. Each transition comes with its own original music that will give you a massive nostalgic hit of dopamine. The game is practically begging you to explore every single inch of every area. Mario’s signature catchphrases and noises are all time classics. If you don’t move him, he will fall asleep on you. I was genuinely into the music of nearly every world Mario visits and I still believe that Nintendo’s music composers are among the most underrated in the entertainment industry. As for the actual gameplay, once you master Mario’s full set of skills, it makes the previously difficult missions seem easy in retrospect. As I got closer to my ultimate goal, I would audibly cheer and get pumped acquiring difficult Power Stars. I typically only get that animated for sports, but I was so into this game that I started treating it like a sporting event.
It took me four months from start to finish to get all 120 Power Stars. When I tell you that I was thrilled, that doesn’t do it justice. I probably told 20 different people about this mission of mine. A 30-year-old man feverishly playing a Nintendo 64 game in his spare time? The temptation to mock is plentiful. But to my surprise, nearly everyone I talked to about this was pretty interested in hearing about the game. Even more surprisingly, I decided to start the game all over again after I spent a quarter of my year beating it. This time, I got 110 of the Power Stars in less than two weeks. Sure, it helps knowing where everything is now. But I found that with my expert knowledge of how to play with Mario, it was remarkably easier to complete the game. One thing that hadn’t changed? It was just as fun to play.
Nintendo must have known this when they made the game. When you finally get 120 Power Stars, a previously blocked cannon outside of Peach’s castle opens up. From there, you can shoot to the roof of the castle and meet Yoshi. He briefly talks to Mario before it quickly pivots to a message from Nintendo’s creators, thanking you for playing the game for so long. Yoshi rewards Mario with 100 lives, a nearly unlimited supply, and encourages you to continue playing. What other game would inspire legions of people to keep going after literally doing everything possible in it? Only a game that is this fun and transporting.
It turns out I’m not the only one who loved this game. Super Mario 64 was the best-selling Nintendo 64 game ever and it helped launch the company into the stratosphere. IGN ranked Super Mario 64 as the No. 7 best video game ever. For its era, the graphics and animation were unbelievably good and unique. Even now, I find the 64-bit version of Mario charming. Between the richness of Mario’s spunky personality (voiced by the legend Charles Martinet), the signature music, the innovative 3D format and the virtuostic gameplay, I personally think this is the greatest video gaming achievement we’ve ever seen. Especially when you consider that it’s fun for all ages and very family friendly. The Mario franchise continues to thrive to this day and I think that Super Mario 64 had a massive role in the franchise’s sustained success.
Frankly, I’m not sure if Nintendo will ever top their approval rating from the late 1990s. They were an iconic brand in an iconic era of video gaming. Nearly every generation of families since the 1980s have had a Nintendo system in their home and I seldom know anyone that doesn’t have very fond memories of their games. Mario has been with me throughout my entire life. It was a staple of our family throughout my childhood. We had a Nintendo 64 in our college apartment that was regularly played. They’ve undeniably had great success with the Nintendo Gamecube, Nintendo Wii and now the Nintendo Switch. But there was something special about the Nintendo 64 that is difficult to replicate. Outside of Disney, no company has mined more out of their own nostalgia than Nintendo. They’ve somehow reimagined and revamped the Mario franchise over and over again and people don’t tire of it. And most notably, you can play the Nintendo 64 version of Super Mario 64 on their modern day Switch product. This is a great brand that cares about its customers.
But Super Mario 64 is more than just a timeless, nostalgic success story. It’s the purest type of fun you can have in a video game. You could play it for five minutes or five hours with equal enjoyment. It’s given me great joy despite being in a very different place in my life than I was two decades ago. I think that’s what keeps people coming back to Mario so many years later. No matter if you’re young or old, a game like Super Mario 64 offers a judgment free invitation to fun. Our world could learn a thing or two about putting biases aside and focusing on that. I just wish I could tell my younger self that one day, I won’t need my parent’s permission to play video games.
Tom’s Thoughts of the Week
In the last two episodes of Friday Night Beers, Vince and I drank beers called Kronenbourg 1664 and Pumpkinhead Ale. I’ve never been to France, but that didn’t stop me from making comments about French culture within the context of one of France’s most popular beers. And if you like anything pumpkin related, you’ll dig the Pumpkinhead episode. Please subscribe, rate and review our podcast here and follow our Instagram page for relevant updates!
On a very related note, there is going to be a Super Mario Bros. movie coming out next spring. The first trailer debuted last month and it sparked a lot of Internet chatter. Unlike the reviled live action film in 1993, this movie will be animated and features an A-list voice cast. Chris Pratt is playing Mario. Charlie Day will be Luigi. Jack Black is Bowser. Anya Taylor-Joy is Princess Peach. Seth Rogen is Donkey Kong. Zendaya is Meechee (oh wait that’s a different film). I’m sure there will be other cameos with famous actors. Many fans were surprised and critical of the choice to make Chris Pratt Mario. That includes myself. While I understand wanting to cast famous people to get butts in movie theater seats, there’s nothing about Pratt that makes you think of Mario. I’m skeptical, but visually the film already looks impressive. We’ll find out if Nintendo’s latest attempt to showcase the world of Mario is a success or a dud in 2023.
I recently went to a Sunday night concert at Aragon Ballroom here in Chicago. In general, Sunday concerts are not ideal for me. Especially in the fall. But I made an exception because Turnstile has been one of my favorite bands of the last two years. Their album GLOW ON has skyrocketed their exposure and become one of the rare hardcore albums to reach a large audience. It showed at the packed theater I watched them perform on this warm October night. I was very impressed at the quality of their live show and the insane pace Turnstile plays at. They give everything they have for their riled up crowds. My favorite track is still “Mystery”, but I think their best live song is their closer. “T.L.C. (Turnstile Love Connection)” will smother you with intensity and passion in less than 2 minutes of in-your-face music. This band is on a warpath to doing great things in the future.
There was a lot of pressure on House of the Dragon to live up to the epic heights of Game of Thrones. Now that the first season is over, I can confidently say that this show is a worthy successor. There are some elements that I didn’t care for, but overall this show kept my interest week to week. It continues the Game of Thrones tradition of writing complex, flawed characters who force me to rethink my opinions of them over the long run of the show. The dragon special effects are mind blowing and there were multiple moments that were deeply suspenseful. Truthfully, I think this show could be even better now that the time-jumping escapades of this season are mostly over. It set up the Targaryen conflict very well. I do have one note though. ENOUGH WITH THE GRAPHIC BIRTH SCENES PLEASE!!!
In a few days, you will be able to sign up for Netflix’s new ad supported tier for $6.99 per month. The company who infamously eschewed advertising is finally caving in as the pressure to begin turning a profit intensifies. Let’s start with the price point. It is notable that the monthly cost is $1 cheaper than Hulu and Disney+ plans that include advertising. Currently, you can sign up for ad-free Netflix packages that range from $9.99 to $19.99 per month. The Premium package is the most expensive and it allows for up to 4 people to watch Netflix at one time. I’m sure many of you who are using someone else’s account are unknowingly part of this deal. Even I was not aware that for $9.99 you can get an ad-free Netflix if you are the only person using it. With the ad-supported plan, it’s expected that there will be roughly 4-5 minutes of commercials per hour. The company is also claiming that “some movies and TV will be unavailable” with this plan, but it’s unclear what that means.
Here’s my question. If you recently canceled Netflix, are you willing to come back for a third of the cost with ads? Let’s say that you decide to downgrade from the premium tier and you have a few moochers on it. How are they going to react when they realize only one person can use Netflix at a time and now it has unskippable commercials? That’s not going to go over well. More broadly, the reason people are canceling Netflix has nothing to do with the presence or lack of advertising. It’s about their content. I could count on one hand how many Netflix originals have captivated me in the last few years. No, I don’t pay for it. But if I was forced to, I’m not sure that I would. The success of this product is going to rely on getting new subscribers and I think they’ve already peaked in that category. I don’t think that many premium customers are going to downgrade their package. It’s objectively a worse experience since there’s a device limit and less content. So, who is this really for? Highly price conscious streamers who aren’t tagging along on someone else’s account already? I don’t think that group is as big as Netflix does. Basically, I’m very curious to see how this performs.