Why can't all remakes/sequels be as good as Super Mario 64 DS? This is an essential Mario title.
Yes. While not revolutionary like Super Mario 64, this is still a great, original game that all Mario lovers-- no, all DS owners-- should have. This is an essential game that has plenty of the Super Mario 64 elements that we know and love, along with plenty of new, surprising content.
Graphics: 8/10
The graphics are pretty good. The characters consist of a lot of polygons, and some of the transparency effects are very impressive. There are good lighting effects and the environments are beautiful. However, there are some noticable faults. Some of the textures can be pretty pixelated and ugly. Some sharp edges show some detail-lacking shapes, especially with water. There aren't too many round edges in this game. Also, some sprites, such as the trees, aren't 3D. They are 2D images that rotate with the camera to create the illusion of being 3D; however, they're flat. All in all, though, these graphics are good, especially for the DS.
Music: 8/10
Guess what! All those tunes you loved from Super Mario 64 are back, and sound great!
Sound: 7/10
Some of the sound effects sound kind of weird, especially the star effects and crushing noises, and the voice samples can get kind of annoying. Decent.
Controls: 7/10
They definitely take some getting used to, especially trying to run/walk, and the special jumps take some mastering. They're kind of awkward, but you will eventually get used to them, and make them work.
Gameplay: 10/10
The Star-hunting formula is back, with 30 more Stars than what Super Mario 64 had! Large environments full of secret areas are a blast to explore, and there are plenty of action, platforming, puzzle, and fighting elements in this game.
The most obvious addition to this game is the new characters. Along with Mario, you can also play as Yoshi, Luigi, and Wario. Each character has their own special abilities, and certain Stars that only one person can get. The game makes great use switching between these characters to achieve specific goals.
Bonus Content (Optional tasks besides beating the game): 10/10
This game even has some "side quests." You have the optional task of rescuing Luigi and Wario. You can also explore the castle to catch rabbits and unlock minigames. And, for the ultimate player, you can try to collect all 150 Stars.
Difficulty: 9/10
While some ametuer gamers may become discouraged at the high difficulty of this game, average gamers will be pleased at the challenge. Levels have NO checkpoints. If you die, you have to start the whole stage over. This makes the game intense: Do you collect that coin over there, or wait until you are low in health and need it?
The ultimate task in the game is to collect all 150 Stars. This is definitely a difficult task. Some Stars only appear after you collect 100 coins. This can be very hard, especially for levels like Hazy Maze Cave.
Sequel (Is there new content while still being like the previous game?): 10/10
New characters, updated graphics, new Stars, and side quests all make this game feel very fresh.
Meanwhile, all the stuff you loved about Super Mario 64 is still here. Bob-omb Battlefield, Hazy Maze Cave, Dire Dire Docks, and more all return in this remake. The same catchy music and the same structure make this a trip down memory lane.
Overall: 9/10
This is a great game that all DS owners should have. If you missed out on Mario's 3D Nintendo 64 debut, you definitely don't want to miss out on this.