I think whats forgotten in the "let me collect all stars at once" is the fact that some stages change and set up different events. And having unique stars let you really test what can be shifted, evident in future mario 3d titles
In the PC port they let you do this and it works fine, the map just changes after you get the star. Basically it just loads the next one and puts you back in the same position as the previous star. Makes getting the red coins way less annoying
I don’t ultimately feel the ‘negative emotional aura’ of Wet Dry World, mostly because several stages have it. WDW is one I embrace the aura of because of how surreal it is. The area feels urban but abandoned, and you get to control elements of the stage. And it has Chuckyas and Heave-Hos, who also fit with the rising and falling gimmick.
The whole “Every copy of Mario 64 is personalized” thing actually made me appreciate the weirdness of this level more. Also the Skeeters look kinda depressed
When i was a kid, i didnt know you could get the water high enough to not need the cannon to enter the other part of the map, so much time spent on jumping up there to unlock it, all wasted, heh. Best water level in the game btw, because, you can essentially remove the water whenever you want to, other than getting to the other part, i usually go in low, swimming in this game does not feel great, one of its few major flaws.
Most people tend to dislike this level, with the general consensus being “second worst level in the game behind Hazy Maze Cave”. Even as a kid though, this was my favorite level. There’s something about the mysterious atmosphere that I really like, and I honestly don’t think it’s as frustrating as people make it out to be.
I've heard TTC and RR get hate because of their linearity, I'm guessing this one and HMC get the hate because of the puzzle/complexity of the exploration
You can cannon into the tunnel for the town, I always used the cannon, I didn't realize the high-jump water level was even higher than the max water level until much later, but I appreciate that shortcut. They even have this tube thing that looks like its trying to guide your shot. I remember trying to see if I could get the "perfect shot" where you get the lifeshroom in the tube and land in the tunnel, but I don't recall that ever working, I think you just have to shoot OVER the tube, but it still a good guide for making the shot. My only complaint with this level is that once you adjust the water level down in the town, there's no way back up into the rest of the stage. With a stage that's so well-built for exploration, its really a wonder they don't let you back track. Like they put all the secrets in the upper area, which is fine except you wouldn't know that the first time, if you try to explore the town you'll lock yourself out of finishing secrets.
Having the Water Level at max isn’t needed to enter the town because you can use the cannon. If players find the warp that sends them to the top, the level becomes much easier. Especially shocking arrow lifts. Even though it’s the 11th course, 99% of players enter it before finding Snowman’s Land the 10th course,
You were nice to my baby! I LOVE WdW, mostly because of the atmosphere and how it fascinates me/used to fascinate me as a kid. The skybox is so unfitting with anything Mario related, and something about the sunken town made me ask so many questions. As someone who loves making alternate mario 64 content, and is very active in the SM64 personalized community, (highly recoomend checking it out if you haven't,) these videos are super interesting! Very useful information haha, you explain very well. keep it up!!
@@NintenDeen Haha awesome, hope you enjoy! HIGHLY reccomend either playing B3313, an amazing rom hack, or watching Super Mario 64: classified, both amazing takes on the concept, with some overlap!
As far as I know, many people really hate this level. Never understood why, I always loved it, and I usually dislike water levels. But I never knew that you can determine the water level while entering the painting, that'a amazing
When I was a kid I thought this level was a damn/ water plant for a city and I called this stage “Mario in the big city”. The negative emotional aura I would say that I do remember a memory of it because I just started playing and wanted to go to the underground city but as Mario spawned in I just felt tired or that I’m done playing even though i just turned on the 64
I'm going to have to reserve my thoughts on the "multi-story outdoor building" description you gave until I finally get around to finishing my hour long Wet Dry World essay (and that's probably going to drop in late 2025, that video has been in development hell for over a year and I had to start a whole mini-series on Mario 64 just to try and work out issues in the script). What I will say right now is that its an interesting interpretation of the structure, lol. ALSO: this is something you missed, but once you're inside the cage, you can step on the platform again to go back down the elevator. Its something I completely missed until I did a second pass through the level. Idk why you'd ever want to go back down once you're inside, but that's something you can do. The only reason i had to take note of it was because my project's more of a MatPat style video that focuses on the lore of the stage, so after I found out that it could go back down again, it debunked a theory I had regarding the elevator's purpose.
@@NintenDeen I know, and that's something I go into in my script. Honestly, I can't wait to finally be done with that project. Its going to break the internet, lmao. Awesome video btw.
You know an even easier way to skip it? If you have the water level at its lowest, walk over to the base of that tall skinny column (the one with the amp hovering around it, and that holds the 3rd water level diamond) and you’ll find a warp. It’ll warp you up to the cannon, which is right above the shocking arrow lift star
I absolutely love this series , it's such a great idea! Mario 64 was the first game I've ever played and is still my favorite to this day! Also, Just curious, did you ever watch iceberg videos and did you try mods like B3313 ?
Glad you're enjoying it! I went through an iceberg vid phase a few years ago but for the most part they were playing in the background while I was working, so I can't really comment much on them. B3313 is on my list of things to play haha
@ cool man ! I just subscribed and I’m sure you will enjoy playing B3313 , you can clearly tell it was made by people who genuinely love Mario 64 , most levels look like they could’ve been part of the original game even ! I would recommend rewatching an iceberg video before playing since it’s mostly based on that theme
You actually can break the arrow lift box with a higher water level. I bet almost everyone did that. Or just long jump. The arrow lifts were kinda dumb
I ❤ Wet-Dry world's Water-Puzzle elements & its Atlantis theme, despite the Negative Emotion aura crap from SM64 creepypastas... Jesus, that 2020 gigaleak has made people stoop to think the game has advanced AI when it was Russia who perfected it with Hello Neighbour 1...
Are you seriously not going to mention the massive design oversight with Shocking Arrow Lifts in it being easily bypassed with a LongJump, something the player has, in all likely hood, gotten a fairly good grasp at by now? It was taught explicitly in HMC even, and even if you dont fully long jump you ca also just climb and fall down. I swear we meed a mass questionarre for how many people did SAL the intended way the first time, its so much longer more cumbersome and more difficult thab the simple long jump
I even show the long jump in the video lol. I don't think first timers do it with a long jump though, they might not realize they can unless they try (although idk that could've just been my arbitrary experience)
I never knew the water level was depending on the entry height. I thought it depends on the selected star. Are there any more such entry gimmicks apart from tik tok trauma and the gulliver goomba?
I never liked this level due to the weak (imo) theming. Like... what is it? Where are we? Some town? Why is it flooded? Huh? It's just a bunch of blocks everywhere, like the Bowser stages. It didn’t feel like it was SOMEWHERE like the other stages did.
Oh I do. But then I'd have nothing to talk about for this video 😇. In all seriousness, the point of the retrospective is to give a point of view that new players would experience in this game
I'm not quite sure why each video in a series titled "Let's Talk About [Mario 64 stage]" needs to eventually devolve into talking about whether or not it's good that you get kicked back to the hub world after collecting a star, but... if we're going to go that route, you seem to fundamentally misunderstand the complaint. The complaint is that at its core, it is generally seen as a poor design decision to interrupt the player while they're exploring a stage just to have them re-enter it. It's not fun or interesting, it just kinda wastes a little of your time. That's it. It's not some criticism of each individual star or any specific star, it's that the vast majority of the stars in the game would indeed work just fine if you just got to keep playing. That's why this kind of thing is a rarity in games now: because people didn't like it. Yes, a few stages actually change, which *maybe* necessitated a reset of the stage, but in most cases it just interrupts the flow of gameplay. Even if you get some extremely niche cases like Wet-Dry World where because of the gimmick of how the stage is entered (a gimmick that also exists within the stage itself as the switches) you can claim it's "improved," that again just misses the point of the complaint. I don't think it's a huge deal either way, as it's not like you're stuck in long load screens or anything, but if you offered me a version of Mario 64 where you got kicked back to the hub world after every star, and one where you only got kicked back when it was critical to the stage working, I'd choose the latter every time.
I think whats forgotten in the "let me collect all stars at once" is the fact that some stages change and set up different events. And having unique stars let you really test what can be shifted, evident in future mario 3d titles
In the PC port they let you do this and it works fine, the map just changes after you get the star. Basically it just loads the next one and puts you back in the same position as the previous star. Makes getting the red coins way less annoying
I don’t ultimately feel the ‘negative emotional aura’ of Wet Dry World, mostly because several stages have it. WDW is one I embrace the aura of because of how surreal it is. The area feels urban but abandoned, and you get to control elements of the stage. And it has Chuckyas and Heave-Hos, who also fit with the rising and falling gimmick.
The whole “Every copy of Mario 64 is personalized” thing actually made me appreciate the weirdness of this level more. Also the Skeeters look kinda depressed
The level with the most mystique.
top 3 auras in the game fr
When i was a kid, i didnt know you could get the water high enough to not need the cannon to enter the other part of the map, so much time spent on jumping up there to unlock it, all wasted, heh.
Best water level in the game btw, because, you can essentially remove the water whenever you want to, other than getting to the other part, i usually go in low, swimming in this game does not feel great, one of its few major flaws.
Most people tend to dislike this level, with the general consensus being “second worst level in the game behind Hazy Maze Cave”. Even as a kid though, this was my favorite level. There’s something about the mysterious atmosphere that I really like, and I honestly don’t think it’s as frustrating as people make it out to be.
I've heard TTC and RR get hate because of their linearity, I'm guessing this one and HMC get the hate because of the puzzle/complexity of the exploration
WDW and HMC (minus the gas maze) were my favourite stages
Am I the only one that after my first visit as a kid forgot/didn't want to go into the level until I was missing a star or two to open a door?
This series is goated
Thanks 🙏🏻
Yay, someone else who likes Wet Dry World
You can cannon into the tunnel for the town, I always used the cannon, I didn't realize the high-jump water level was even higher than the max water level until much later, but I appreciate that shortcut.
They even have this tube thing that looks like its trying to guide your shot. I remember trying to see if I could get the "perfect shot" where you get the lifeshroom in the tube and land in the tunnel, but I don't recall that ever working, I think you just have to shoot OVER the tube, but it still a good guide for making the shot.
My only complaint with this level is that once you adjust the water level down in the town, there's no way back up into the rest of the stage. With a stage that's so well-built for exploration, its really a wonder they don't let you back track. Like they put all the secrets in the upper area, which is fine except you wouldn't know that the first time, if you try to explore the town you'll lock yourself out of finishing secrets.
Wich would be bad if you missed a few coins! Speaking of experience 😅
Having the Water Level at max isn’t needed to enter the town because you can use the cannon.
If players find the warp that sends them to the top, the level becomes much easier. Especially shocking arrow lifts. Even though it’s the 11th course, 99% of players enter it before finding Snowman’s Land the 10th course,
Liked this video because I'm five minutes in and haven't heard the words "negative emotional aura"
🤣
4:06 you can actually have the water level at a certain place to where the box is just above the water, and you can jump out and hit it.
I absolutely loved this level in 64DS. Used to chill there doing absolutely nothing for hours lol
This, and the shifting sand land were my favorite Mario 64 levels
You were nice to my baby!
I LOVE WdW, mostly because of the atmosphere and how it fascinates me/used to fascinate me as a kid. The skybox is so unfitting with anything Mario related, and something about the sunken town made me ask so many questions.
As someone who loves making alternate mario 64 content, and is very active in the SM64 personalized community, (highly recoomend checking it out if you haven't,) these videos are super interesting! Very useful information haha, you explain very well. keep it up!!
Thanks for the kind words! I just started digging into the personalized community rabbit hole, we'll see where it takes me
@@NintenDeen Haha awesome, hope you enjoy! HIGHLY reccomend either playing B3313, an amazing rom hack, or watching Super Mario 64: classified, both amazing takes on the concept, with some overlap!
Great series so far dude, hope to see more!
Probably going to swing straight into 64DS or Sunshine right after I'm done with 64
@@NintenDeen Ayyyyy I was gonna ask about Sunshine. My man! That was my game as a kid, being born in '96
I love the milk commercial level!
This is possibly the most Mario 64 level of them all.
I forgot to mention the commercial!
@@NintenDeen The music for that commercial is stuck in my head and I kinda want it somewhere in a game, even just a fan game as a bonus Easter egg
Heres how to make wet-dry world not scary, make the fish people from mario odyssey live in it, that explains the submerged houses
My favourite level 100%
Peak level design, all with a vibe I absolutely adore
Off work, get home, crack open a beer, and suddenly, a wild NintenDeen appears!
Do I FIGHT, MAGIC, ITEM, or RUN???
As far as I know, many people really hate this level. Never understood why, I always loved it, and I usually dislike water levels.
But I never knew that you can determine the water level while entering the painting, that'a amazing
When I was a kid I thought this level was a damn/ water plant for a city and I called this stage “Mario in the big city”. The negative emotional aura I would say that I do remember a memory of it because I just started playing and wanted to go to the underground city but as Mario spawned in I just felt tired or that I’m done playing even though i just turned on the 64
I just noticed that the original SM64 has a brick texture used in Wet Dry World that was used as the texture for breakable blocks in SM64 DS.
All my life I thought the water lever was random
I'm going to have to reserve my thoughts on the "multi-story outdoor building" description you gave until I finally get around to finishing my hour long Wet Dry World essay (and that's probably going to drop in late 2025, that video has been in development hell for over a year and I had to start a whole mini-series on Mario 64 just to try and work out issues in the script).
What I will say right now is that its an interesting interpretation of the structure, lol.
ALSO: this is something you missed, but once you're inside the cage, you can step on the platform again to go back down the elevator. Its something I completely missed until I did a second pass through the level. Idk why you'd ever want to go back down once you're inside, but that's something you can do. The only reason i had to take note of it was because my project's more of a MatPat style video that focuses on the lore of the stage, so after I found out that it could go back down again, it debunked a theory I had regarding the elevator's purpose.
Honestly, I didn't know how else to describe it 😂
@@NintenDeen I know, and that's something I go into in my script.
Honestly, I can't wait to finally be done with that project. Its going to break the internet, lmao. Awesome video btw.
This level gives off an aura of unease and gloom but nobody can explain why.
Many have tried to explain it 🤣
@@NintenDeen Those purple enemies in wet dry world that throw Mario are called Chuckya's
im pretty sure a Toad tells you abt the painting water level too
All the glitch in this level are very funny
Muh liminal spaces tho
6:40 I felt so smart the first time I skipped the arrow lifts!
You know an even easier way to skip it? If you have the water level at its lowest, walk over to the base of that tall skinny column (the one with the amp hovering around it, and that holds the 3rd water level diamond) and you’ll find a warp. It’ll warp you up to the cannon, which is right above the shocking arrow lift star
"Wet dry, wet dry"
Wet-Dry
I absolutely love this series , it's such a great idea! Mario 64 was the first game I've ever played and is still my favorite to this day! Also, Just curious, did you ever watch iceberg videos and did you try mods like B3313 ?
Glad you're enjoying it! I went through an iceberg vid phase a few years ago but for the most part they were playing in the background while I was working, so I can't really comment much on them.
B3313 is on my list of things to play haha
@ cool man ! I just subscribed and I’m sure you will enjoy playing B3313 , you can clearly tell it was made by people who genuinely love Mario 64 , most levels look like they could’ve been part of the original game even ! I would recommend rewatching an iceberg video before playing since it’s mostly based on that theme
These tutorials are awesome, are you going to do one about the secret stars?
That'll be Monday's video. Tuesday will be the finale for 64, but I'm debating heading straight into DS after that lol
But the negative emotional aura
You actually can break the arrow lift box with a higher water level. I bet almost everyone did that. Or just long jump. The arrow lifts were kinda dumb
My favorite level
So what you're saying is that, if this level had an emotional aura or something like that, it would be pretty positive?
😒😒😒
I ❤ Wet-Dry world's Water-Puzzle elements & its Atlantis theme, despite the Negative Emotion aura crap from SM64 creepypastas... Jesus, that 2020 gigaleak has made people stoop to think the game has advanced AI when it was Russia who perfected it with Hello Neighbour 1...
🤣 covid was an interesting time
Are you seriously not going to mention the massive design oversight with Shocking Arrow Lifts in it being easily bypassed with a LongJump, something the player has, in all likely hood, gotten a fairly good grasp at by now?
It was taught explicitly in HMC even, and even if you dont fully long jump you ca also just climb and fall down.
I swear we meed a mass questionarre for how many people did SAL the intended way the first time, its so much longer more cumbersome and more difficult thab the simple long jump
I even show the long jump in the video lol. I don't think first timers do it with a long jump though, they might not realize they can unless they try (although idk that could've just been my arbitrary experience)
I never knew the water level was depending on the entry height. I thought it depends on the selected star.
Are there any more such entry gimmicks apart from tik tok trauma and the gulliver goomba?
I believe it's just those 3 stages with entrance gimmicks haha
Kudos
I never liked this level due to the weak (imo) theming. Like... what is it? Where are we? Some town? Why is it flooded? Huh?
It's just a bunch of blocks everywhere, like the Bowser stages. It didn’t feel like it was SOMEWHERE like the other stages did.
oh man this series is gonna be awesome isn't it
I think you'll enjoy it. A few commenters may have told me that I was "cooking" if that's any indication
I love this level, but do you *really* not on9w how easy it is to cheese the arrow platform star? 0_o
Oh I do. But then I'd have nothing to talk about for this video 😇.
In all seriousness, the point of the retrospective is to give a point of view that new players would experience in this game
Im back!!!!
I'm not quite sure why each video in a series titled "Let's Talk About [Mario 64 stage]" needs to eventually devolve into talking about whether or not it's good that you get kicked back to the hub world after collecting a star, but... if we're going to go that route, you seem to fundamentally misunderstand the complaint. The complaint is that at its core, it is generally seen as a poor design decision to interrupt the player while they're exploring a stage just to have them re-enter it. It's not fun or interesting, it just kinda wastes a little of your time.
That's it. It's not some criticism of each individual star or any specific star, it's that the vast majority of the stars in the game would indeed work just fine if you just got to keep playing. That's why this kind of thing is a rarity in games now: because people didn't like it. Yes, a few stages actually change, which *maybe* necessitated a reset of the stage, but in most cases it just interrupts the flow of gameplay. Even if you get some extremely niche cases like Wet-Dry World where because of the gimmick of how the stage is entered (a gimmick that also exists within the stage itself as the switches) you can claim it's "improved," that again just misses the point of the complaint.
I don't think it's a huge deal either way, as it's not like you're stuck in long load screens or anything, but if you offered me a version of Mario 64 where you got kicked back to the hub world after every star, and one where you only got kicked back when it was critical to the stage working, I'd choose the latter every time.