• Publisher: Nintendo
  • Release Date: Sep 26, 1996
Metascore
94 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 13 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. It has quickly grown to become the standard by which almost all other games are measured.
  2. As the first true 3D platform game, the game does everything right. Super Mario 64 is a masterpiece in the truest sense of the word.
  3. This is definitely a game no game collection should be without...Seriously!
  4. 98
    Complete in every way, and the challenging experience of working toward each new level is far greater than the game's minimal flaws. Nintendo's craftsmanship and zeal for creating fantastically enjoyable games has never shown through more than in Super Mario 64.
  5. I haven't met anybody who hasn't wasted at least half an hour just running around outside the castle, sliding, jumping, stomping, diving, swimming... There are no enemies here and there's really nothing to do, but boy is it fun!
  6. There'll never be another Mario game that will make the same impact as Super Mario 64. [Jan 2004, p.189]
  7. A game that rewards the curious, the original, and in some cases the bludgeoningly stubborn and tenacious.
  8. The sheer scale of the achievement, in originality, variety and technological muscle earns it a 'Best Game Ever' acclamation through sheer muscle, almost regardless of its undoubted and typically Nintendo artistry.
  9. It was the first game on the system, and regretfully, it was also the only great game for the system that could stand the test of time.
  10. The graphics are so finely detailed that you'll soon forget you're playing a game - it's more like taking part in the best cartoon you've ever seen.
  11. The five years it took to write have been well used and it is easily in contention for being one of the best games of the decade.
  12. While we've seen some more creative and impressive world design, no game yet has had this kind of crystal clear 3D graphics, remarkable texture mapping, absence of pixillation, and a frame refresh rate that makes your PC look like the toy.
  13. The distribution of power stars in the levels is horrendous. I think 7 stars in one level is more than enough, don't you think? I understand that there are memory constraints, but there either could have been less stars overall, or 1 (maybe 2) more level(s). Definately a problem.
User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 127 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 65 out of 70
  2. Negative: 3 out of 70
  1. RolandJ.
    10
    If you want to play the very best 3D platform game that has been made, play Mario 64. This is the flagship title for the console at the peak of console gaming. It is not just a superb game; it's a piece of history. If you want to know about videogames, you must play this game. Console gaming grew up around platformers and this is the only thing resembling a blueprint for platforming in the 3D era. You don't know where videogames have got to unless you play this. Full Review »
  2. Starfire
    10
    This is just as fun and mesmerising as the day it came out. Mixing the playful fantasy of Mario with immersive 3D graphics is a stunning combination. The DS version doesn't have the same playability. As others say, it may well still be the best game ever created- certainly the one with the most freedom of play. Full Review »
  3. I was curious to see if the plumber could still hold his own against newer games like Half-Life 2. I played it for a while and realized that it is still the best dammned game I've ever played Full Review »