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Super Mario 64 theCanon Game

by Jenny Tao

Game report 2255 words


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Super Mario 64-Canon Game 2

Game Canon is a list of videogames that has been preserved

and proofed by the Library of

Congress. The Library of Congress

is the largest library that preserves

a universal collecon of knowledge

and creavity for future genera-

ons. Henry Lowood brought up

the idea of Game Canon, follow

by a group of four legend gamedesigners Steve Meretzky, War-

ren Spector, Maeo Bian and a

journalist, Christopher Grant.

Super Mario 64 on the other hand

should also be consider as a canon

game. It is a plaorm game, devel-

oped and published by Nintendo

for the Nintendo 64. It was the

rst game fully converted from 2D

to 3D. The design of this game is

excellent. It shows the player ex-

ploraon in travel, follows through

a 3D space, contains mulple dif-

culty levels, includes rewards the

player in terms of making them

happy and to enjoy the game.

These ve points are essenal to

judge and to determine whether

a game is an AAA game, and

whether it has the potenal to bepreserved in a game canon list. In

which meaning the Super Mario 64

is denitely the one to preserve.

The name of Game Canon was

originally an idea of preserving

video games and video-game ar-

facts in 1998 by Henry Lowood.

Years aer, Mr. Lowood has noted

that video games are something

worth to preserve.

A proposal of this idea was sub-

mied to the Library of Congress

in Sept 2006. In 2007 the idea of

Game Canon was proven by the

Library of Congress and was an-

nounced in the Game Developers

Conference in San Francisco.

The inial Game Canon list con-

tains 10 video games, each game

is considered to represent the

beginning of its own genre. List

of game names: Spacewar, Star

Raiders, Zork, Tetris, SimCity, Su-per Mario Bros.3, Civilizaon

I/II, Doom, Warcra series and

Sensible World of Soccer.

Although these games are from

years ago and havent

applied the newest technology,

however they sll vital in the

video game industry. Most impor-

tantly they represent the begin-ning of genre. For example

Mr. Grant, who selected Super

Mario Bros 3, said the game was

important for its nonlinear play, a

mainstay of contemporary games,

and new features like the abil-

ity to move both backward and

forward. [1]

Due to its dierence from the

other games during that period

of me, it makes Super Mario 3

unique enough to create its won

type of genre with a great style

and impression in audiences

sight.

Out of curiosity- what makes a

game a canon game anyway? Arethere certain criteria or rules of

a canon game? It is hard to say.

Unfortunately as the explana-

ons/reasons of the selected

canon games havent been pub-

lished yet. Well, the criteria were

discussed within the group, but

not openly because there was no

open forum. Recall that it was a

GDC event, then it became a web-

site aer that. If we connue the

project with a mode of presenta-

on more focused on

disseminaon over the web and

documentaon, that would give

us an

opportunity to explain the crite-

ria says Henry Lowood. [2]

However a canon game sll has

its reason and potenal to be-come a canon game, based on its

history, popularity, contents, the

importance of making an impact

on the video game industry, and

how dierent it is from the other

games, even to be good enough

to start its own genre. In this case,

Super Mario 64 has succeeded all

of the above, and the game itself

proof that it is a canon game.


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History---

Before analyzing Super Mario 64, it is important to

understand where Mario was rst created and how

the character was fully developed over me, what

has changed and how are these histories important

in computer gaming in general. Mario has appearedin over 200 video games since his creaon. Though

originally only appearing in plaorm games, Mario

currently appears in varied video game genres such

as racing, puzzle, role-playing, ghng, and sports.

[3]

Mario originally was named jumpman when it was

rst created, his popularity started to sire when the

arcade game was popular.

Donkey Kong. The ape, who brought Mario famousat the very rst stage of Mario history. Donkey Kong

escapes and kidnaps jumpmans girlfriend (early

days she was known as the Lady). The player must

play the Mario role, avoiding obstacles and climb

up to the highest bricks to rescue his girlfriend. The

style and his personality were well developed in

audiences rst impression.

(Donky kong screen shot image 002)

In 1983, Jumpmans younger brother Luigi

was introduced in Mario Bros, he was por-

trayed as an Italian-American plumber.

Because of Luigis Last name Mario the

original jumpman was given the name as

Mario. Since, the name of Mario Brothers

became more popular over me.

During 1989-1995 Nintendo were connuous-

ly releasing new versions of Mario brothers

games including Super Mario Land rescu-

ing princess Daisy. Followed by Super Mario

World. Mario and Luigi are introduced to the

Yoshis (The cute green dinosaurs) they helprescue Peach by allowing Mario and Luigi to

ride them.

(Mario and Yoshi image 003)


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Popularity--

Each version of Super Mario series was introduced

with new features, ability, and new story line. It also

includes dynamic level design with dierent level of

dicules, and dierent missions depending on the

story line. However the style of playing these series

were quite similar, unl nally Super Mario 64 came

out, it became a total new thing to the Mario fans.

Backwards and forwards moving has totally changed

to free controlled camera, controlling independently

of the character, and a freedom of exploraon, since

then, there was no more 2D Mario. The features

were something fully new to the gaming industry.

This is something thats worth becoming a part of

the gaming history. In fact Super Mario 64 was the

best selling in Nintendo 64. The number has reached

around 11.8 millions copies. As of September 25,

2007, it is the seventh best-selling video game in theUnited States with six million copies sold. By June

2007, Super Mario 64 had become the second most

popular tle on Wiis Virtual Console, behind Super

Mario Bros. [4]

Super Mario 64 has been praised in the gaming

press, and is sll highly acclaimed. It has collected

numerous awards, including various Game of the

Year honors by members of the gaming media, as

well as Nintendos own best-selling Players Choiceselecon. In addion, Super Mario 64 has been

placed high on the greatest games of

all me lists by many reviewers, including IGN,

Game Informer,[14] Edge, Yahoo! Games, Game-

FAQs users, and Nintendo Power. Electronic Gam-

ing Monthly awarded the game a Gold award in its

inial review, and in Edge magazine, Super Mario

64 was the rst game to receive a perfect score. [5]For its own popularity sake, theres nothing to be

against that Super Mario 64 isnt a canon game.

Contents---

Super Mario 64 3D version was released in 1996.

When it was rst released, people desperately

wanted to give it a trial, because it was the rst 3D

fully converted from 2D game, and it was so dif-

ferent from the previous Super Mario series. The

objecve of Mario 64 is to gain as many stars and

coins as possible as each level requires a number

of starts to enter. The player will need to nd out

ways to nish the level by ghng enemies, defeat-

ing the level boss, and gaining gold stars. Some

stars only appear aer compleng certain tasks.

There are also a several ways to collect the stars in

one level. Therefore it is denitely a game involves

solving puzzles techniques and very challengeable.

Its advanced level design has absolutely made it a

classic canon game.


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Level Design analyze

Freedom in travel--

Within the game, it contains several courses

in the game. Each level is an enclosed world.

The player is free to explore, discover the en-

re world and environment without limits. It

gives the player an opportunity to experience

in the open space and nding out hints by

reading noce board or asking friendly crea-

tures like peace loving Bob-ob Buddies.

(see image 002,003)

However there are several hidden path andentries, as well as hidden mini-course in the

world, to nd out where they are and what

they do, the player will need to seek them out

to complete the course enrely. Warren Spec-

tor, former lead designer at Ion Storm Inc.,

stated it was not possible to squeeze this

much gameplay into a single game and no

game has done a beer job of showing goals

before they can be aained, allowing players

to make a plan and execute on it. He alsopraised the exploraon aspect of the game,

commenng that allowing players to explore

the same spaces several mes while revealing

something new each me is a revelaon.

Through out a personal experience in the

game, it was challenging enough to nd out

six ways or more to gain the stars in one level.

I was only able to gure one way to gain the

stars, which was defeang the level boss.

(picture 004, Level 1, defeatgin boss)

However I was surprise how many people

have been playing Super Mario 64 and have

been making a level bible on youtube. It

would surely take me more than a month

to gure out how to collect all the stars in

one level without those tutorials, because

the game itself was so challenging and well

designed in terms of freedom exploring in the

open space worlds. Exploring the world freely

has denitely added a level of diculty to thegame, allowing the players to be challenged

and work out their ways to complete the

game. Once the player nishes the level, it

( Sign reading image 002 )

( Sign reading image 003 )

( Level 1, defeang boss Image 004 )


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( Environment - Level 3 The Cool Cool Mounain 005)



Find the lost of the small panquin gains a star.

There is a youtube video that explanis how to gain

all the stars in the Cool Cool Mountain level. Excel-

lent tutorial.

Level 3 Cool Cool Mountain. One of the best help

Tutorial.

hp://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=LKaoyAsYqAo

3D space--

The enre game is made out of 3D with

polygons, including the world and envi-

ronments. The purpose of making it into

3D is to allow the players to picture them

in a virtual world while role-playing. Itcarries more realism in terms of visual-

izing. In the virtual world, the player gets

to do things that they cannot do in real

life, especially in a 3D environment. The

space looks real and referenal to the

real world, but players are allow to jump

up walls like a ninja, or do special tricks

that we cant normally do. Plus the free

control camera of Mario can turn 360

degrees. This has made a huge dierencebetween in viewing just in at 2D inter-

face, and ability to view all surroundings.

Mulple Diculty levels--

There are 15 levels in the enre game.

The direct designer of Super Mario 64,

Shigeru Miyamoto thought they could

come up with 40 levels, but unfortunatelytheyve only camp up with 15 levels.

Although they didnt make it to 40, it sll

contains 15 classic levels with incredible

environments that you would never think

of. Michael Grayford of Liquid Entertain-

ment stated he was inially very turned

o by the openness of the game the

rst me he played it. Upon playing it

later, he was highly pleased and stated,

each level brought some new unique

cool gameplay element and I was never

bored.


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Rewarding the player--

Every me a player has complete a level, it unlocks a

reward level with full of coins to collect. For exam-

ple in level 2, there are 2 doors in level 3. One with an

open world (Level 2- Under the sea - picture 008) and

the other one is for rewarding the player. (Level 2- asliding path for coeelecng coins -picture 009)

Collecng coins becomes addicve when it is an

objecve. Due to its diculty to collect 100 coins in

a level but when there are loads to collect, it does

reward the player, and movated them to connue

playing.

Super Mario 64 is a game that has inuenced other

games. Because of its style, conversion, and the

unique design level it has. These have impacted theindustry and some other games in the industry. For

example, GamesTM noted many game companies,

including Nintendo, have tried to develop a plat-

form game to match up to Super Mario 64. Super

Mario 64 was notable for its sense of freedom and

non-linearity. A central hub, where controls can be

learned before entering levels themselves, has been

used in many 3D plaormers since. In addion, the

games mission-based level design was an inspiraon

for other game designers. For example, Marn Hollis,who produced and directed GoldenEye 007, says,

the idea for the huge variety of missions within a

level came from Super Mario 64. [6]

(see image 010-Goldeneyes play screen)

In conclusion, Super Mario 64 is surely a classic canon

game. It has a great impact in the video game indus-

try, and has deeply inspired some of the recent video

games. It is an original seed that started a dierent

kind of game play, very unique, challenging and in-

spiring. It contains important elements of an advance

level design. Super Mario has changed over me

though its development, however the evoluon of

its developing is what makes it popular and adorable.

Therefore Super Mario 64 is certainly a classic canon

game with out doubt.

( Environment - Level 2 Under the sea 008)

( Environment - Level 2 sliding to collect coins 009)

(Goldeye playing mode screen shot 010)


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[1] (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/arts/design/12vide.html?_r=4&re=technology&ore=slogin&ore=

slogin&ore=slogin)

[2] (Project Discussion: Digital Game Canon, Mon Jan 26 16:28:19 ES 2009 http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/game_preservation/2009-January/000803.html)t

[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario)

[4] (Torsen, or (2007-06-01). Wii VC: 4.7m downloads, 100 games. GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/supermario64/news.html?sid=6171850. Retrieved 2007-10-22.)

[5] http://quiz.theullwiki.org/Super_Mario_64

[6] (Te Making o GoldenEye 007. Zoonami. 2004-09-02. http://www.zoonami.com/briefng/2004-09-02.php. Retrieved 2006-02-11.)

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