How Super Mario 64 DS is BETTER and why nobody is playing it
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- I happen to be one of the few people stupid enough to stand up for the DS version of Super Mario 64. If you can look past the pretty severe control downgrade, there's a really fun game hiding beneath.
SIDE NOTE
I wish the script came out a little better for this video. I forgot to mention a few things here and there, which is why you see the text pop up every once in a while to fill in details or correct myself. I also kind of downplayed how bad the controls are, they're really bad. But I still do believe that the average player won't notice/care. It's only really the weird people like me that have played the original to death that notice something's way off.
If the remake had been released on the 3DS instead, perhaps it could not only have gotten better controls to take advantage of the analog pad, but better graphics and less audio compression. It's still impressive for what the original DS was able to do, albeit with comprises compared to the N64.
The remakes of Zelda 64 and Star Fox 64 pretty much proves that they knew they messed up with remaking an N64 game to the DS and the 3DS was way better for that.
You can patch it probably. There are patches for pc so i wonder if someone made one for the 3ds so the game uses 360 degres with the analog bump....nob...what the hell was it called slider?!
@@HandheldGamer1991 Circle pad
The DS was more powerful than the N64
@@jomaq9233 On paper the N64 is more powerful, but because of how poorly it handled high res textures and how inconsistent other factors like frame rate were; The DS definitely out shines it in stability and texture quality. Basically the DS is just a more refined N64.
The "'not the 64 controller' section" bit was golden, made me chortle
it felt like something from scott the woz
I have chortles
So true
The DS version was my childhood, I played it nearly every day. So nostalgic, especially the Waluigi rumors 😭
Started playing it when I was 5, around the time it came out. I didn't get the n64 version until like 3-4 years later
Same!!
"waluigi rumors" omg that's hilarious when considering it used to be "luigi rumors" back in the sm64 days. some things genuinely do not change.
I used a magnifying glass on that box many times 😂
Dude the freaking waluigi rumours with the last door to open...
if you wanna skip the endless stairs, the ds version has its own glitch for that, where you run into a corner to warp high above the place, and then land on the area behind the endless stairs
They thought they could keep us glitchers out...
@@Iosaiv They removed the glitches that made it SM64, but they forgot about the glitches that make it SM64 DS. It's actually possible to beat the game without Mario (Well, sorta, the game crashes if you try to load the ending cutscene without Mario unlocked.)
no im a n64 fan
no yah yah ayahs yahoo tho:(
I wish you told me this 18 years ago
DS version was such a godsend back in the day. Bus rides, waiting rooms, long road trips, staying at hotels, etc. It kept you with console-level entertainment in what would otherwise be vapid time voids of life.
Amen, and I got Resident Evil 1 at the same time, couldn't believe it (especially since it was Nintendo). Playing on-the-go what would have been at-home, console only games not too long before.
Nice. I didn't have the DS in high school but I'm playing it now as an adult and its amazing still. Handhelds are my favorite.
Those minigames were also a great addition to the game. So addicting and great to play in short bursts.
I think re-releases of Super Mario 64 really should be a hybrid of this game and the n64 one, having the better analog control of SM64-N64 along with the extra content of SM64-DS. Essentially building off of the foundation of SM64-DS and reintegrating the features of the N64 version.
There is a patch that maps the 3DS C-Stick to the 360° touchscreen and the New3DS C-Nub to the directional buttons. Still, the game suffers from DS compressed SFX, low quality background images and an underpowered Wario.
So yeah, a rerelease would be nice. Maybe make wario the fastest?? After all, he's always running away with his stolen goods.
The DS version is more nostalgic to me but also just adds to the idea of Super Mario 64 so well. A best-of-both-worlds version for Switch would be great.
Also, the jokes in this video kill. Great job.
@@nolynnj Hey thanks man!
nah, you get the original but with frame drops and not adapated aspect ratio, take it or leave it!
They should add Waluigi in it
@@fabianwhs9891 are you talking about the 3ds all stars with sm64, sunshine and galaxy on it for the switch? Sunshine seems to run fine but 64 runs trash in terms of input lag on the switch and that’s with a flash cartridge not even that online crap lol but when I play it on Mupen 64 fz on a android phone with a ps4 controller it’s way more buttery smooth and this is emulated we are talking
Suggesting that Doom 1993 doesn't hold up is by far one of the worst gaming takes I've heard in a long while
If you're going off of graphics or the "amount of stuff you can do" or whatever then yeah the new games are "better". But what do you do with games? You play them! Those old DOS games are still fun to play, and they are quite different from their newer counterparts. Always hated the idea of new entries/remakes "replacing" the old ones just because they have more bells & whistles. It's such a black and white way of looking at the medium and the unique experiences and feelings games can have based on when they came out and what they came out for.
Considering there was only 8 years between the N64 original & the remake it's even more impressive.
No way it was just 8 years that’s crazy. M64DS was my childhood yet the original M64 sounded like an ancient classic that was way before my time
@@348tacos7 M64 was my childhood and it felt just as ancient to me when M64DS released in 2004.
I think that's because back in the 90s and early 2000s there was a lot more technological progress happening.
From 2D to blocky 3D to smooth 3D to realistically shaded 3D.
Compare the games from the SNES era to the PS360 era (15 years span), you will see mindblowing changes. But since the PS360 era the changes are rather minor, many of the games of that era still look good nowadays which makes them feel less ancient to us.
There is only roughly 5 years between Gta 4 and 5, games progress in a way faster time if you speak in years. If you talk about 8 years you actually talk in multiple upgrades in consoles and engines. Also the pc's to create these games go way further in these 8 years.
Not really, games were progressing at an exponentially faster rate than they are nowadays.
This didn't really slow down until the PS4 era
the stuff i was playing in the 90s was way more primitive i was always 10 years behind i was still being impressed by games having a save feature and scrolling
The mini games were so cool. Also, I loved the idea of having to rescue everyone and the interesting levels of how everyone could go to every world.
The DS version deserves more appreciation
hard agree tbh
The DS version deserves 360 degree movement like the N64 version
Yep, I liked the new features the DS version had and the improved Mario walljump
I played it on 3DS with the circle pad. Same difference, feel-wise.
@@superkoopa6423 nah it made it worse
The need to remake this. It was so ahead of it’s time .
I kind of understated how bad the controls are. I might make a video some time going much deeper into just why the controls are as bad as they are. But I still defend this version for being a pretty great 3D platformer on a system that has GameBoy controls. Of course the platforming suffers from the control downgrade, but I think that the added content makes up for that, depending on what you're looking for in a game.
I can't agree with you on the "goods" outweight the "bads". This game is forgotten for a reason, the controls are unplayable for me and I believe to the vast majority. Moving and Jumping with Mario is what makes Super Mario 64 so fun even to this day, however it's botched so hard because of the awful controls on the DS. Tried using the screen as a analog stick, nop, feels horrible. Then tried to play with the d-pad? Allright, it requires you to hold a button to run, like if I was playing Super Mario World. Also the sore pain on my thumb because of constant ripping on the lame tiny d-pad of the DS made me threw the game on the trash bin. It's really unplayable. I take the n64 joystick night and day over the DS. I kinda wish they re-released it for the 3DS supporting the analog stick...
Yeah that's what I meant by "depending on what you're looking for in a game". The N64 version is absolutely a better platformer, so if you're really just looking for super solid platforming, that's definitely the way to go. But if you're playing just to have a good time while on a plane ride or road trip, this game has more to offer. It's kind of a quality versus quantity situation, and I completely get why most people prefer the original. I'll probably make another video or two in the future going more in depth on specific differences, and who knows, maybe I'll change my opinion at some point. Thanks for watching though!
@@CafeCharlie I can't say for other people, because, well, I played a lot of SM64 on the Nintendo 64, so I couldn't approach the game without bias. But I can tell for sure, that even casuals or new players of the game as a whole, had insane aumont of pain playing the game. I couldn't resist playing for 10 minutes without taking a break because of pain thanks to the D-pad. I literally forced me to play it for a day, couldn't bare the controls and never booted the game again, and, thankfully, never regreted nor felt I've missed something. I've just bought a new analog stick to my n64 controller and it is a blast to play, can't ever think on going back. So, I believe this remake for the DS was a mistake. I'm also sure Nintendo was quite aware of how bad the controls were, but they were forced to push the game and release it. They tried their best by offering multiple control options, even one limited to original DS bundled accessory that attached a stylus to your thumb so you could make better use of the screen as an analog stick, but, welp, to no avail. They should've aborted the project and released this masterpiece for the 3DS.
@@akaDL I really didn't have an issue with the D-pad being uncomfortable. It's pretty much just a standard D-pad that consoles have been using for generations now, maybe it's a little sharper on the edges or something. If the game was such a mistake though, it wouldn't have sold 11 million copies (nearly as many as the original game did). I do really wish that it was ported to the 3DS though.
@@CafeCharlie I think being the launch title helps a lot in terms of sales, since DS sold a lot. Not sure if the D-pad on the original DS is better designed, but I played it on DS Lite and it was a nightmare.
I still remember going into Best Buy and seeing Super Mario 64 on N64 for the first time and being blown away by the 3d gameplay.
This game revolutionised gaming
As somebody who was seven years old and got the original version in 1996 and then when I was 15 years old, got nintendo, DS version, I’ll have to say the original was always nostalgic to me, but the DS version added a lot and made the game even better so every so often I’ll come back to the DS version
I'm like you. and I don't think it necessarily made it better. There are many challenges that were either left out or made easier for collecting the star which made it boring. Having four characters is nice, but if it means that Mario has limited powers as opposed to the N64 version, I'm not sure that's a plus either. Having four characters wasn't as unique as it felt at first. Visually the N64 version looks much nicer, just take the first level with the beautiful green grass in the N64 version as opposed to the ugly green in the DS version. I enjoy the ds version but mainly for the mini games.
DS is deader because 64 has an ever growing rom hacking community,while DS does have a few rom hacks,they're nothing compared to 64's countless rom hacks
i swear they could make a perfect game/remake and people would still complain
They need to make one first
@@flopinator8327 exactly lol
there is no perfect remake. a remake always loses the spirit of the original. its like if someone now paints a photorealistic mona lisa. even if you make one that looks 1:1 but has extra content its still most likely breaks up the pacing of the original or whatever.
@@kallemetsahalme5701 demon souls was a perfect remake
@@jessehouse5466 You can see that contested online, main thing people state is that remake didn't stick to the art design of the original
thanks for mentioning waluigi at the end. hes my favorite character in the game and I barely see anyone talking about him for some reason! coulda been good to include a spoiler warning though.
I grew up playing SM6 DS. I enjoyed it a bunch. Thanks you acknowledging this incredible rare gem.
Same
SM64 DS is the best game i never played.
*Thank you for
@@alvallac2171 or just *thanks
Now that the 3DS is buried, it depresses me a lot of it's games will likely die on the system and not receive ports
Nah I think it's more likely that the games will be ported now that it's officially a retro console.
My brother and I got into a pretty similar conversation about the DS game not too long ago. It's really too bad that people look down on this game because tbh I think it has a good deal of quality of life improvements that leaves it feeling less janky than its N64 older brother
The thing is, though, that the jankiness is a major part of why people love the original over 64 DS. I like the original over the DS version despite playing the latter first because of the better camera controls and better overall physics in the original (and no, I'm not just saying the physics suck in DS because of the bad controls, they're actually bad). 64 DS has its own little set of glitches that give it its own jankiness, but it's not scaled up nearly to the point of how janky the original was, if you get my point. This comment is comprised of my opinion on the matter, followed up by what I've seen other people say about it.
The jank is part of SM64 inherently. Mainly, the glitches remove the glitches, and i honestly dont find the game very fun. I dont like either game control wise, and the visuals whikst nice dont really make me feel anything, something like a version to match the box art wouldve been better imo
He talked so much about the lack of the stick, but didn't mentioned that the game can be played in 3ds using the stick
@yurilis1348 The game was made with the d pad in mind, so the stick isn't a magic fix cause the game was unaltered.
I was a kid that’s played Mario since the SNES. We grew up poor, but my parents always made sure us kids had consoles and PCs because my parents saw the future being filled with technology and computers and consoles. They were right. We got a leg up in the field thanks to learning consoles and UI, to even problem solving we learned from games. I remember being around 6 or 7 and beating Paper Mario as well. That’s a game that when I replay I find myself getting stuck sometimes lol. What a way to realize I figured that shit out when I was a child. Absolutely love video games and Mario games especially
I appreciate the insights here and also in the comments. One thing I didn't see anyone mention (I don't think) is some of the color choices they used for the remaster. It's definitely most evident in Bob-omb Battlefield, where the differences are night and day. The grass is very lightly colored and the path is peach, while the original's is bright green and brown. This of course is just one example.
Yeah I'll probably do a video on the graphical differences at some point, that could be pretty fun. Thanks!
Waluigi is in the game, trust me guys.
WL is real
Yoshi was my favorite Mario character as a kid, so it was just cool to me that they got to save the day.
Yeah same here
but there's only one yoshi in sm64ds
@@MewTheGamer so?
@@rennyforyourthoughts8023 so it wouldnt be "they"
@@MewTheGamer I was using singular they
Having the enhancements and additional content from this version ported on top of the original's controls for a future console release would be cool
Part of the gimmick of Super Mario DS was using the thumb attachment for the touch screen. People have forgotten about this as it was abandoned pretty quick, but with the original DS you received a lanyard that also had a bead to strap to your thumb to use the touch screen without the stylus. For Mario DS, this feature was programmed to recreate the analogue stick control.
how good does it work
@@mrclean7473it's hard to get used to.
All that 64 DS is missing from being perfect is having Waluigi as a playable character
The DS version I feel like is one of the most definitive and fun ways to play super mario 64,I would’ve beaten the game by now but I got to angry at over the rainbow and broke my DSI
Dang that sucks lol. I got pretty mad at that one too, luckily my 3DS survived the beatings.
@@CafeCharlie I do have a 3ds tho but it’s been beaten so many times by my family members when they were little so now I’m just waiting for a new 2ds xl
@@LordPupil Yeah they're pretty tough, but not invincible. Hope you get that 2ds xl soon!
@@CafeCharlie thx man!
Same thing happened to me, I was on the final bowser fight and just couldnt beat it lol
I still remember how horrified i was when i "accidentally" threw my ds at the fireplace and the two screens split
Him calling the 64 an ancient and esoteric console: 🙂
Me: **Laughs in heiroglyphics**
The reason SM64 is still relevant is largely because of the speedrunning scene, which is obviously not drawn to the DS version due to the patched glitches, but more importantly the limited range of motion
Which is sad. They just focus more on beating the game as fast as possible instead of enjoying it. Speedrunners kinda ruined Sm64.
Don't forget mod's bozo
@@Ablyeon2002 There are mods for the DS version as well, Bozo.
I've started playing 64 since around release and DS feels better to play since you can use different characters and there's 30 more stars. Minigames were also fun too.
Eh, the characters did'nt really add much besides tedium. I don't like having to switch to wario, a character I actively dislike playing as to get a star i was able to get just fine in the og.
This game was how I was first exposed to SM64 in general as a kid. During the later years, I'd try the original N64 game on mobile emulators, PC emulators, even on real hardware once, with a controller with a loose C-Stick for good measure.
And then, only two years ago, I found the DS version on a second hand games store. Bought it, and my god, playing through it on my 3DS was a joy. Some of the levels I played on mobile that I wasn't big on, I ended up loving them (touch controls suck big time). When I surfed on a Koopa Shell over lava, I was literally having so much fun, I was smiling all the way through by impulse. This was a game that really made me feel like a kid again, and it's endearingly special to me for that.
I know folks aren't big on the D-Pad, but quite frankly? It didn't bug me at all. Especially since the original also had its fair share of annoying quirks, some of which the DA version did rectify. Plus, I love how it looks, it kinda reminds me of PS1 games, and the texture work is pretty good, a lot more vibrant and fitting for quite a lot of areas.
The DS version is of course the better one because of it being a handheld version of one of the best 3D Mario games which means that you can play it anywhere, also it has slightly better visuals and models, more stars, added characters,great minigames, and multiplayer,the controls may be a bit worse but that's not the games fault more like because the DS didn't have a proper joystick.
So yeah overall the DS version is just the same great game but even better,this is how a port of a video game should be handled,many modern games should learn from that.
When I was growing up I played the N64 version on the Wii and the DS version on the DS, I still play the DS version time to time on the 3DS.
You can still play the N64 version on 3ds with homebrew just to confuse any friends you might have who know of both versions, it's great
@@Josuh really? My switch cant even run that game smoothly so i doubt that (unless you want to play below 20fps)
@@BenjoCovers It plays smoothly since it's a port rather than an emulator
@@Josuh I see, thats cool. And its the real deal where all the mechanics and physics work like in the original?
@@BenjoCoversyup it's the original. It works best on the N3DS there's even a 60fps version with a minimap
played ds version for several several years but once i felt the controls of the original i have never touched the game since and never will
The game's all about control, so to cut that back so vastly really is a deal breaker for me.
That sucks
Finally a sane take. I cant believe this dude said the camera was better in ds.
@@invisibleloki26 instant camera repositioning
@invisibleloki26 The camera 100% is. It has far more range, and you don't have to fight it nearly as much.
fast forward to today and a hacked new 3ds can utilize the analog stick and 360° controls + camera controls with the C-stick just by installed a little hack!
It's amazing.
Doom absolutely holds up today. It's active modding community has pretty much ensured that.
I feel like Doom is the perfectly wrong game to use for the example he gave. The original has an enduring popularity that likely won't be true for the newer games.
I absolutely love Super Mario 64 DS and I have so many fond memories of playing that game.
I still play Super Mario 64 DS to this day.
Not gonna lie the game was pretty easy to finish 100% tho the music and levels were so.... Idk they transport you In a different universe. Playing this at night was great
My names Mario and I actively AVOID playing any mario games for that reason 💀💀 that being said I've only played mario bros 3 and mario kart 💀
I'm a fan of both, but lean towards the original version. It was nice hearing your discussion about this!
what makes the original better besides the controls?
@@awkwardfreakinperson7936 I'm not arguing objectively better. I prefer playing a more straight forward game with just Mario on the big screen with a control scheme that's easier for me to move with. The DS version has a lot of pros, but just because it has more features doesn't make something better. For some people, less is more; and for others, the alternative gives what the original was missing.
@@crazyconan28 the original is ugly and the only reason to play it is if you want to backwards long-jump or exploit “clipping” glitches, which gets old after about 2 weeks of playing.
The DS was a straight upgrade and enhanced everything that made the original great, while adding some great features of its own.
@@hobomike6935 I just wish people were more honest about their gameplay-related bias rather than act like the game itself is bad because the gameplay wasn’t made for them.
@@hobomike6935I want to play as Mario only, having to press a button to run on DS version is so dumb. The colors on the DS version are washed out and less vibrant go look at the green grass of Bob-Omb Battlefield in the N64 version with beautiful green grass versus the ugly yellow faded grass of the ds version. DS version only cool feature is more levels and portability
Nintendo basically made the best video game ever 4 times:
Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64 DS
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
The controls are my only issue if it but you kinda get used to it. Everything else is better than the original
Mario 64 DS was my "don't let mom catch you playing DS at night" game.
...
..."BYE-BYE!"
About the emulation problem, I play NSMBDS on my Xbox (DON'T ASK) via RetroArch and, in the settings of thec ore (melonDS) there is an option that allows you to use the right stick for the stylus. Problem solved!
the thing that really breaks replays for me is going into a level as mario and getting told nope sorry come back as yoshi so you gotta leave the level and walk halfway across the hub to switch to him then grab the one star then go halfway across the hub again to swap back to mario to play the game normally again
also stop shitting on the 64 controller its perfectly comfortable and i miss having 6 face buttons
@@moonlightostrich3690 Sure thing 3 arms, no for real though I get what you're saying. The class restrictions did interrupt the flow sometimes, and the N64 controller isn't that bad. Thanks for watching!
@@CafeCharlie twas a good video
@@moonlightostrich3690 Thanks man
Denial, and stop bitching. It's really not. And not everyone will agree with you. -_-
I don’t care how much content the ads version added, the simple fact that it’s much slower and controls much worse than the original automatically makes it a way worse game, the whole point of Mario 64 and why it’s a timeless classic is because the movement system is just absolutely brilliant, that’s why the speed runs of that game are so popular and why Miyamoto prioritize that over everything else when creating it. It might have more characters, “better” graphics and new bosses, but if the core gameplay feels substantially worse then there’s no point.
Good analysis. I thought you’d mention the fact the 3DS circle pad is an obvious control improvement and can be used!
I wish he did to as it is a improvement that goes unoticed and is super important as it makes the game have the same control scheme as 3d land Which has much more attention
Better but still only eight directions
i assumed this channel would have atleast 100k subs… but 2.7K????? WHAT
Playing this on steam deck with the touchpads for the touch controls is amazing
4:27 Classic Doom holds up, not sure what you're talking about.
See to this day (I’ve beaten all 3d Mario’s tons of times but 64ds was my first and most) I still don’t see how the controls are that bad. I pick that shit up and play it like absolutely no problem I’ve never died from a control issue, I always grew up with this game tho so. *side note* this video is great and I hope it and your channel see a viewership and subscriber spike soon, keep up the great work!
Thank you, that means a lot! I think the controls are just something you have to get used to, and many people who grew up on the original have trouble doing that.
Playing it on a 3DS does improve it a little. While there is still no true analog control, it is at least a lot more comfortable than the d-pad and gives you the illusion of analog control.
Basically the game is a straight upgrade, unless you’re a basement-dwelling speed runner that likes to exploit glitches to win
@HoBoMiKe you say "exploiting glitches" like using them is a bad thing
@@hobomike6935 exploits and glitches are two different things tho
Also if you wanna emulate this game. Phone is way better than PC simply because you have a touch screen. Sure PC is more powerful but using a mouse for touch controls is unplayable
Awesome video yet again, although, I don't believe that the DS was a weaker console...
Thanks! So the DS has got a weaker processor and less RAM, it just looks better because of software improvements and better texture storage. Pretty impressive stuff!
@@CafeCharlie
Oh really? I would have thought the DS would have had at least more RAM than a Nintendo 64. It's crazy how "better texture storage" made a big improvement.
super mario 64 DS was good for what it did ,it did let you play super mario 64 on the go.
my opinion on SM64DS vs the original has been really up and down. I grew up on the DS version and absolutely loved it. the different characters you could play as and all the sidequests to unlock the minigames, there was so much content and it was a blast to play as a kid. I played the 64 version a few times but could never really get into it.
in my college years I discovered SM64 speedrunning (as a spectator). it blew my mind just how precise people could be in the original and the skill expression that was possible with the movement. I was hooked on watching SM64 speedruns from that point on. sometime down the line, I wondered if the DS remake had any comparable scene to the original and stumbled on Aether's 2017 GDQ run where the only commentary from the couch boiled down to "well, you can't do X/Y/Z like in the N64 version but it's still pretty fast..." it instantly shattered my image of the remake and made me think that SM64DS was boring at high level.
then that got turned on its head a few years later when I came across Rupa's channel. he was the SM64DS world record holder in multiple different categories and I was super impressed with the tech I saw. holding SSL Shining Atop the Pyramid in Yoshi's mouth while triggering the loading zone for the pyramid interior so you can grab both stars in one go?? holy shit. and even though DS's movement is a little more rigid, he took full advantage of the tools he had and it looked just as clean as any other speedrun. that's when I realized that DS wasn't an inherently bad speed game in its own right, just a *lot* more unexplored - and I started to respect it a lot more. nowadays I have a big appreciation for both games, both casually and speedrun-wise, and think both communities can make do with a lot less comparing the games against each other, and more learning and appreciating the unique qualities of both
I absolutely agree, I've gone through a pretty similar thing with 64DS. I'm now at a point where I prefer to play the N64 version when I have time since it's just better for a few minutes of solid platforming. But the DS Version is still such an interesting twist. I personally love the idea of speedrunners and TASers almost having to restart and work with entirely new mechanics. It's nice that you have both a very optimized and very unoptimized version of the game to watch and play. I actually have a video comparing N64 to DS speedruns (not all of my points are spot on, neither are they in this vid, I'm still developing my opinion). Anyways, thanks for watching!
Honestly, the DS version is the game that SOUNDS better, but it made basically everything worse (at least to me). Keep in mind that its been a few years since i last played it, so my memory on some of the details i bring up might be wrong.
Having to use specific Character to get the correct Powerup is annoying af. And while there are caps for Mario, Wario and Luigi in every level, i feel like that whole system was added after they realised that people would otherwise have to stop their missions if they happen to use the wrong character. And even then, because there are no yoshi caps, you would still have to do that if you are in one of the few yoshi specific missions.
People also lie to complain about the d-pad controls, but honestly, thats not really a problem for me. The real problem for me is the way you run. I get having to hold the b button to run, i used to play a LOT of pokemon, and it works fine. However having the character begin to slowly increase speed (if you choose not to run) really messes with the few situations you would actually WANT to go slow. On Top of that, if you are used to hold b for running, you continue holding the button, even if you stand. However some SOME reason, the character begins to charge up when he stands and you hold be, and as soon as you move of let go, you will run istantly. This screwed me over SO MANY TIMES on levels like rainbow ride, where you have to stand at certain points.
it would have been way better if they made it so you can get every star with every character, and instead have like alternative routes with different character. That way we would even have a reason to replay the same mission. And they shoulnt have messed up the running controls.
e x a c t l y
Makes me wish there was an analog peripheral at launch or something like that. Would be awesome
The analog peripheral at launch was the plastic nub attached to the original DS's wrist strap. They actually had a section in the play manual with instructions on how to use it as such. I tried so hard to get used to it since I was accustomed to the original's analog controls, but the implementation was complete garbage. Instead of relegating specific regions of the touch screen to serve as inputs, there would be this bullseye looking circle that appeared whenever the screen was pressed, which would serve as your analog control "stick". It probably wouldn't have been so bad on its own, but the fact that the circle would move every time you'd reach the outer red region made it completely maddening to use as a viable control option.
I agree. It's dumb how Nintendo is pushing the original version instead of adapting this one for newer consoles
I swore I was watching a bigger TH-camr when getting into this. The video has such a great production value it's insane.
Fun fact: If you don't unlock Luigi or Wario before the end, after defeating the final Bowser fight, neither of those characters show up in the final cutscene
I think that the map could be incorporated as a minimap that’s translucent in the bottom right corner, the hud elements could be shuffled to the top like how the original laid out its hud
Personally, I like the N64 version more, Just because of the bad graphics doesn't mean it's trash, But the DS version is so close to being number one, It's just.. not as nostalgic for me, since i didn't ever get to play the remake.
Coool video. I subscribed :D
Hello there xD
Imo the big hold back towards sm64ds was the controls. Having only 8 directions made it painful to navigate at best, outright unplayable at worst. Sm64ds with functional analog controls and a full 360 range of motion is probably the better game, but in its existing state it really feels like "the game boy port"
Edit : yeah no the controls were way more than "barely noticeable". My first time playing, i died 3 times in whomp's fortress just climbing it twice for the first 2 stars, whereas on n64 i only die, rarely if ever, doing the red coins if i try to go too fast
you make the best vids keep it up!!!
Agreed
Thank you so much!
I had already played the original N64 title as a kid, and yet i prefered the DS version thanks to the better camera controls and extra content. I loved the first years of Nintendo DS : SM64DS, Wario ware touched, Yoshi touch and go, kirby canvas curse, metroid prime hunters, mario kart ds, sonic rush, there was a resident evil game,... The early DS still had that "weird but cool" personality of the gamecube era, where they were trying to innovate, without ignoring their fans, integrating the touch screen in a way that still felt like a traditional videogame...
I used to try to argue why ds was better a lot, but I don't really care about that anymore, since both games are heavily flawed in many ways and it doesn't really even matter. The main issue for me (and the sm64ds speedrunning community in general) is that there's overwhelming elitism from the sm64 community against this game that stops many people from even playing it in the first place, especially since that community has much more influence online. In terms of speedrunning, they're as different from each other as any 2 mario games could be and you shouldn't really need to "justify" playing one instead of the other.
Edit: there are also dozens of very cool glitches in this game that like 10 people know about because most people are just like "this game has no blj! they patched every glitch!"
Yeah that's really fair actually, thanks for watching!
Listen I played this version like crazy as a kid, but the moment I got access to an actual N64 I never looked back.
Analog stick controls are too important for the game that basically birthed them. And only having to play as Mario in the 64 version improves the game’s pacing significantly, character switching is a restrictive gimmick.
But man was that rec room fun.
0:20 sarcasm at maximum
I played the N64 version at a relative’s house when I was younger and wanted to own it. My family bought me the DS version some time later and I played it all the way through. It was fun, but throwing Bowser felt worse in DS when I compared the feeling of throwing him in the N64 version.
Later when I got a Wii, I downloaded Mario 64 from the Wii Shop Channel (as well as Paper Mario and Super Mario World). Playing the original N64 game with a GameCube controller on my Wii was AMAZING. Having the full analog controls without having to touch the dinky old dpad gave me so much control and freedom to move Mario how I wanted. The wall jump was different, but I got used to it.
I don’t care about the added content the DS version added because, outside of King Goomba, it was all so forgettable that I don’t even remember what was there. I also prefer the more vibrant colors of the N64 version over the dirt colors of the DS version.
So, uh, yeah. DS isn’t objectively better. I can see the preference for either version, but the better controls and feel of gameplay goes to N64 for me despite playing and beating the DS version long before ever owning a Wii. For me N64 is the better experience, and DS feels like a washed out, watered down version of the original. Just my opinion on it though.
Oh, and I prefer the low poly aesthetic of the N64’s graphics over the DS’s graphics. At least when comparing these two versions of Mario 64.
The anti-aliasing of the ds is worse, as well as some highly questionable changes of the color schemes. Also its funny I was thinking the exact same thing with king Goomba (and the luigi room) being the only slightly interesting NEW content.
BRO CALLED THE N64 MARIO 64 UGLY 😆😆😆😆
we need the super mario 64 ds ported to the switch
and i think they can make this work, they literally ported luigi's mansion dark moon to the switch (which also has a map on the bottom screen)
and not to mention luigi's mansion dark moon was literally the most underappreciated luigi's mansion game of all time and they still ported it so I don’t see a reason why they wouldn’t do the same to this one
I remember a glitch in DS where if you dived to a climbable tree on a hill at the front of Peach's castle in a specific way, you could clip into the ground and swim in the water underneath and could use the cannon early. I remember that being the coolest shit as a kid.
I have to try that
I need to try that
SM64DS may not have the BLJ anymore, but it does have Heaven's Portal and Hell's Portal tho
The DS version was such a showcase for the system at launch. Same with the original!
The game and its platforming was designed with 360 degrees of movement in mind so limiting that to eight directions makes the game feel worse to control and makes turning around more stiff and awkward. Mario 64 is beloved to this day because of its surprisingly fluid controls that you can be very precise with to do insane tricks which would just be impossible to do with the DS version. Also, it added thirty stars sure but it really only added two, a switch timer star and a silver stars star which they just threw into levels along with some lame character specific gimmicks to push more stars without actually doing anything creative.
I really appreciated the attention to detail in this video. I used to agree with you until I played the 3D All Stars version of 64. Playing with a pro controller really makes that much of a difference. U earned a new sub :)
You completely lost me when you claimed that Doom 1994 doesn't hold up.
I can confirm 1994 doom is still fun because that game is actually built around its controls. Unlike the game that this dude is fanboying over and cant accept that the controls of m64ds completely sour the whole thing.
1993* (yes, almost at the end of the year but it's still this one) but I agree.
Interesting bit about this game is that you weren't meant to play with the dpad but use the thumb nub thing that was attached to the wrist strap but I think most people don't know/remember that thing exists. The idea was to use your touchscreen as a virtual analog stick which is common place nowadays on mobile games.
nobody talks about it because it was awful, and using the dpad was way more comfortable and convenient
i love how the remake even brought back the rumour about a hidden playable character with waluigi
I was extremely lucky to be able to play super Mario 64 on a n64 in 2008 as a kid. But I also played this version and I was pleasantly surprised this was remade and I love both versions!
Lucky to play Mario on the N64 during the 360/PS3 era or lucky overall to play the game?
I always struggled with the controls on this one. The N64 version is a joy to play and this one is clunky and annoying to me, hate using the dpad! Jumps and maneuvers I could make on the original were very difficult on ds
I agree, I don't like how it feels with the Dpad and using the stylus doesn't feel any better
it works so well on my 3ds with the circle pad so honestly i think it’s so much better than mario 64
"Garbage tech"? It was freakin' state of the art.
No it wasn't. The Playstation did 3D earlier and basically on the same level, it wasn't that crazy. Not to mention the superior use of discs over cartridges.
Emulating this on the Steam Deck is amazing, its quite literally what you said at 5:49 lmao
4:30 wrong example with Doom
Nah, I think SM64 holds up to Odyssey significantly better than the original Doom holds up to Eternal
@@CafeCharliedoom eternal is adhd the video game. doom goes for an entirely different angle.
Ahhh yeah, memories of visiting my Dad's home of Virginia in 2005. RIP James.
If you have a hacked 3ds, you can patch the game to have the circle pad work correctly. came out recently
what’s it called
Ever since the 3ds came out you have always been able to use the Circle Pad for SM64DS but the community made SM64 for the 3ds
@@RoseQuartz692 yes I know that, but I'm talking about a patch to make it full analog instead of just 8 directions like the dpad
@@icecoldcola5824 the D Pad only had 4 Directions the Circle Pad has 8
@@RoseQuartz692 ....no the dpad had 8 possible movements, because you can hold two inputs at the same time like the top and right. The circle pad is analog which is different then how the dpad works
As someone who's played both, I'm not a fan of the N64 version, at least compared to the Galaxy games, Odyssey, and even Sunshine, mainly because the controls are so primative and it just doesn't feel the best to play. 64 DS with its better camera and pretty natural feeling controls, in addition to the added content makes it the better experience in my opinion, while not completely taking away from the N64 version because it's also a pretty different experience.
5:27 They could probably make it work. The original didn't really have a map I think so you don't technically need the map to play the game in the first place. So it could be removed all together and probably be fine. Kind of like Mario Kart 8 and it's deluxe counterpart. Additionally, if they wanted to have a map they could make it like Odyssey where you press a certain button to bring it up. But yeah I don't think they will ever port it with the exception of Wii u
I think it's very telling that there's so many people online looking to add everything new in the DS version to the original game. We only want to play the original more because of the controls.
The DS version wasn't limited to 8 directional movement - it supported control over mario via the touch screen, as well.
Agreed. I literally don't understand how you can fight a games bad controls and then say it's better than on a N64 joystick.
People who like this game and RDR2 flummox me. Graphics, story, sound, all that stuff is WAAAAAAY less important than controls.
Mario 64 and RDR2 have atrocious controls
@@MPHswayze What are you responding to? This doesn't connect at all.
@@MPHswayze I can't believe you're the only person I've seen critique Mario 64. It's one of my least favourite Mario games, the controls really are atrocious.
I’ve always preferred the D-pad over the control stick (especially over the N64 controller), so I enjoyed this over the original release. Wario was next to useless as a platformer, but he made dealing with large enemies (especially the Bully’s who’d push your character around) pretty easy.
Saw this at gamestop and had to pick it up
NGL, I never realized how off the sm64 ds movement was until i got used to pkaying the original. SM64DS was literally the very first video game I ever played, and now I kinda have a hard time playing it because of the d-pad and slightly different physics. However, it does mostly make up for it by having much better camera controls. And obviously, the game is a lot more feature rich. It's still the better game, but I understand why people don't like it as much. I just hope there can be a decompilation for it one day, or a remake... of the remake.
Have you ever had thoughts on how the DS controls could've been improved further for this game? Or do you think this is the best they could do with the DS's limitations? If you have any ideas, maybe you could cover this in your next video.
Yeah that's not a bad idea, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!
@@CafeCharlie By the way, the NDS is (slightly) faster than the N64. Just because it is a Low-Powered Device doesn't mean it is slower, remember the N64 is VERY old.
The misconception might come from the fact that Sony released the PSP earlier and it was leagues faster than the NDS.
Considering how good the DS models look when upscaled, it's completely beyond me why Nintendo never made a definitive/remastered version of it.
Upscale what holds up, add a few better textures if necessary, put the map on the top screen, replace 8 direction Dpad and 360 touchscreen controls with 360 stick control. Done, perfect
Bonus points: Rebalance the characters. Wall jump for Luigi (but not from a backflip) and Wario, Wario now jumps higher and swims faster than he did before and takes less damage from enemies than the other characters. Yoshi's tongue gives larger enemies some knockback now. All human characters can fight Bowser.
As someone who grew up playing Super Mario 64 DS before the original. I remember not having as much fun with this game. I remember having so much trouble trying to figure out where all these stars were at the first time. In fact, I remember that the last star I needed was the time trial for Peach's Secret Slide. I spent hours collecting so many stars just so I can get that 100% completion and when I finally got it I was thrilled to see what the reward would be for collecting all the stars to unlock the cannon to go on top of Peach's castle. When I got up there all there was a wing cap and 3 1-up mushrooms nothing else. All that time and effort I put into collecting all those stupid bunnies, unlocking every character, having to deal with the bad controls the entire time, and getting all those stars was all for nothing. Even though I did notice that Bowser said something different when defeating him again it still didn't equate to anything so it didn't mean anything to me. To me, it was like the postcard from Super Mario Sunshine but worse cause at least you get that instead of nothing. If I was to play this game again I don't think I would go for 100% completion ever again. You'd think with me not liking this game as much as I thought I would have thought that the original would have been worse right? Well, one day I decided to download it on the Wii U eshop because I had nothing else to buy and went into it and expected to have the same feeling again......but that didn't happen. I loved how Mario controlled. I kept playing it and playing it having more fun the more I played it until I eventually got all 120 stars. I then went into the cannon expecting to have the same disappointing feeling but I was then surprised to see Yoshi there. I read what he had to say and I could safely say that I felt satisfied with getting 100% completion. So much so that I kept playing it again over and over. Whenever I play that game I always go for 100% competition. To me, Super Mario 64 is my 2nd favorite 3D Mario game and my 3rd favorite Mario game of all time. Meanwhile, Super Mario 64 DS is my least favorite 3D Mario game. It's honestly shocking how much your opinion of a game could change depending on which version of a game you play.
Yeah it really depends on what you're looking for in a game. The additions that 64DS brought can be more like a nuisance rather than extra content, but it's all about how you play it. Thanks for sharing!
@@CafeCharlie Another problem I had was the feeling like I was dying more than I should have. Sure I was like 7 or 8 when I played the DS game and 13 when I played the N64 game but I one time did go back and remember dying to things that I could have saved myself had I played the original. The biggest offender definitely had to be the jump kick practically being unless in the DS remake instead of life saving sometimes in the original (it's also more useful in the original to climb up walls when your sliding to your death). They even remove the ability to long jump into a wall and do a wall jump which removes a lot more movement options than you'd think. That's especially the case when you play rom hacks. One other thing I found stupid is that there are sometimes those red ? boxes that let out a bob-omb instead of a power flower just why. Also, because the wing, metal, and vanish caps are given to Mario, Luigi, and Wario respectively it makes the courses you'd have to go to activate them (except the wing cap course) feel very underwhelming since there's no switch for them basically removing the point of them. Also, remember the location for the "Watch for rolling rocks" star? Yeah, that place is practically pointless to have there since the star is no longer up there. Also, I don't know if it's just me but I feel that long jumps don't go as far as in the original. And don't even get me started on trying to rotate Bowser with the d-pad it's so bad that even Super Mario 63 does a better job at it. I've been thinking of the idea that maybe the reason why I hated the DS remake over the original was that I played it first and didn't know where everything was (For example, I didn't know how to get to the third floor to Big Boo's Haunt because the map didn't do a good job at showing me that, I didn't know about the Peach's Secret Slide time star even though I read the sign plenty of times, and I didn't know about the 100 coin stars until Toad told me) but the more I think about it the more I realized that wasn't the case because those problems eventually fix themselves. Whenever I play that game it feels like I'm being limited to my platform abilities (kinda like holding a wii remote and nunchuck the wrong way playing Super Mario Galaxy which is something I used to do but can no longer do after years away from the game). It's like I always have to stand still before performing something because I feel like I have more of a chance to fail it by going into things headfirst. The last thing I have to say about it is that the game somehow looks uglier than on the original. I think this is due to the game looking more like a polygon and pixelated game (like 2D and 3D) clashing at one another instead of full on polygon.
@@RaccoonThunderMario_Official Oh don't get me wrong there is plenty to not like about the DS version, I really don't consider it a better game anymore. The two games are deceivingly different, which makes it hard to say one is better than the other. But if you want smooth platforming, DS is definitely not the way to go.
@@CafeCharlie One last thing full on multiplayer. They wanted multiplayer in the original and could have done it here (and no that multiplayer mode doesn't count) but didn't. Waste of an opportunity.
@@RaccoonThunderMario_Official You cant even wallkick from a longjump? That game is worse than i remember it.
The controls in the original game sucked. If you're gonna reply to this comment shitting on me for not liking the controls, I'd like to retort that you probably grew up with the game.