Super Mario 64: Difference between revisions

|release='''Nintendo 64:'''<br>{{release|Japan|June 23, 1996|USA|September 29, 1996|Europe|March 1, 1997|Australia|March 1, 1997|Japan|July 18, 1997 (''Shindō Pak Taiō Version'')|China|November 17, 2003 ({{wp|iQue Player}})}} '''Virtual Console (Wii):'''<br>{{release|USA|November 19, 2006|Japan|December 2, 2006|Australia|December 7, 2006|Europe|December 8, 2006}} '''Virtual Console (Wii U):'''<br>{{release|USA|April 1, 2015|Europe|April 1, 2015<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMWGe657t8g Nintendo Direct Presentation - 01.04.2015]. Posted to YouTube by Nintendo of Europe on April 1, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.</ref>|Australia|April 2, 2015|Japan|April 8, 2015<ref>[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wiiu/software/vc/nabj/index.html?_ga=1.126163213.1818326145.1407870473 Super Mario 64 for Wii U Virtual Console on the Nintendo of Japan website]. Retrieved April 1, 2015.</ref>}} '''Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Switch Online:'''<br>{{release|USA|October 25, 2021<ref>Nintendo (September 23, 2021). [https://youtu.be/dG9fAtmYdlM?t=1260 Nintendo Direct - 9.23.2021]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|Japan|October 26, 2021<ref>Nintendo 公式チャンネル (September 24, 2021). [https://youtu.be/MegZz4gKSPk?t=1142 Nintendo Direct 2021.9.24]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|Europe|October 26, 2021<ref>@NintendoEurope (September 23, 2021). [https://twitter.com/NintendoEurope/status/1441166363037364229?s=20 ''"Play a growing library of Nintendo 64 and SEGA Mega Drive games anytime, anywhere with #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack, a new membership launching in late October."''] ''Twitter''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|Australia|October 26, 2021<ref>@NintendoAUNZ (September 24, 2021). [https://twitter.com/NintendoAUNZ/status/1441167178850390018?s=20 ''"Play a growing library of Nintendo 64 and SEGA Mega Drive games anytime, anywhere with #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack, a new membership launching in late October."''] ''Twitter''. Retrieved September 24, 2021.</ref>|HK|October 26, 2021<ref>[https://www.nintendo.com.hk/topics/article/a_211015_02.html 《集合啦！動物森友會》將於11月5日發布免費更新（Ver.2.0），以及發售付費新增內容《集合啦！動物森友會 快樂家樂園》。] ''Nintendo HK''. Retrieved October 16, 2021.</ref>|South Korea|October 26, 2021<ref>[https://www.nintendo.co.kr/news/view.php?no=Q0tKRlVXa25aZkFlY2RCaENKYWZOZz09 「Nintendo Switch Online」을 더욱 즐겁게! 「Nintendo Switch Online + 추가 팩」이 10월 26일(화)부터 시작!] ''Nintendo Korea''. Retrieved October 16, 2021.</ref>}}

The chart below refers to the original game and subsequent ports, such as those released through [[Virtual Console]]s and [[Nintendo Switch Online]]. For the control scheme of the remake released for the [[Nintendo DS]], click [[Super Mario 64 DS#Controls|here]]. For the iteration included in ''Super Mario 3D All-Stars'' for [[Nintendo Switch]] systems, click [[Super Mario 3D All-Stars#Super Mario 64|here]]. A "→" (right arrow) shows buttons to press in succession, and a "+" (plus sign) shows buttons to press simultaneously. The controls for the [[Wii U]] can be customized in the emulator settings, with the column below displaying the default mapping.

{|class="wikitable"style="width:100%; text-align:center"

!rowspan=2 width=9% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Action(s)

!colspan=7 style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Input(s)

!width=13% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Nintendo 64 Controller

!width=13% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|iQue Player

!width=13% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Nintendo GameCube Controller

!width=13% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Classic Controller

!width=13% style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Wii U controllers

!colspan=8 style="background:#FF7733; color:black;"|Mario controls

|{{button|n64|a}} when making contact with the ground while moving (do twice)

|{{button|Switch|JC-Right}} when making contact with the ground while moving (do twice)

|{{button|n64|a}} when making contact with the ground while running (do thrice)

|{{button|Switch|JC-Right}} when making contact with the ground while running (do thrice)

|Slide-attack

!colspan=8 style="background:#FF7733; color:black;"|Lakitu Bro controls

!colspan=8 style="background:#FF7733; color:black;"|Menu controls

|-

==Locations==

===Setting===

|[[File:Hokaniwa in Minato.jpg|150px]][[File:Tiny-Huge Island 64.png|150px]]

|A photograph of a hokaniwa<ref name=mizu group=image>Mizu-chan. ''Miniature Japanese garden''. Minato, Tokyo. 21 Jan 2014. Muza-chan's Gate to Japan, [https://muza-chan.net/ muza-chan.net].</ref> (left) compared to a screenshot of Tiny-Huge Island (right). The design principals of the former are the cited influence behind the courses in the game.

''Super Mario 64'' takes place within the walls of the [[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle ]] in the [[Mushroom Kingdom]]. It is the first ''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]'' game to explicitly include the Mushroom Kingdom as a location since ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''. The game's [[level]]s, called "courses," are not naturally occurring places but were created by [[Bowser]] using the [[Power Star]]s he stole from [[Princess Peach]]. Most of them are accessed through [[painting]]s that hang in the castle's walls, but some are more cryptically hidden or require the player to accomplish a task in the castle before becoming accessible. Some [[:File:SM64 globe artwork.png|paratextual material]] and [[Throwback Galaxy|subsequent titles]] present the courses introduced in this game as visitable places outside the paintings.

 

Generally, a course is a sprawling location with interactive environmental elements and several levels of elevation. Courses often have subareas and collectibles obscured in the landscape that passively encourage the player to rotate the camera and explore. Most courses feature prominent landmarks, such as the mountain on the [[Bob-omb Battlefield]] and the volcano in [[Lethal Lava Land]], that provide the player with a consistent point of reference that mitigates their chance of getting lost.<ref name=montreal>[[Yoshiaki Koizumi]]. "[https://youtu.be/A25Ab7RyUPs Super Mario Galaxy: The Journey from Garden to Galaxy]" (keynote address; archived). Montreal International Games Summit, Alliance numériQC, 27 Nov 2007, Palais des congrès de Montréal, Montréal. Recorded by Eric St-Cyr. Compiled by Hover. YouTube, youtube.com. Published 24 Sep 2016. Accessed 27 Feb 2021.</ref> Like its more immediate predecessors, courses are [[Level#List of level themes|themed]] after real-life {{wp|ecosystem}}s (i.e., deserts, mountains, seas) and more fantastical settings (i.e., haunted houses, clocktowers, rainbow roads in the sky). The theme informs the types of objects that can be interacted with in the level, the types of enemies that can be encountered, and the non-playable characters that can be spoken to. For example, [[Pokey|cactus enemies]], a [[Klepto|condor]], and [[quicksand]] are in the desert-themed [[Shifting Sand Land]]. [[Penguin]]s, slippery ice, and deep snow appear on [[Cool, Cool Mountain]] and [[Snowman's Land]]. Most courses contain switches and strikable objects that modify elements of the course, such as the [[Crystal Tap]]s in [[Wet-Dry World]].

 

Unlike the levels of prior two-dimensional entries, the courses in this game are open-ended and largely do not funnel the player towards one goal. This was an intentional departure from the level design principals of prior games because the development team did not believe they could be replicated for a fun experience in a three-dimensional environment. Director and series creator [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] wanted ''Super Mario 64'' to be a game where players "create their own vision," a decision partially influenced by the technical difficulty of making a precise jump in a 3D environment.<ref name=taka>64編集部 (eds). ''スーパーマリオ64 マリオ・ザ・テクニック―完全攻略への最短ルート編'' (Japanese source). Tokyo: Takarajimasha, 1996. ISBN: 978-4-79-661121-3. Cited in-text as Takarajimasha (1996).</ref><ref name=shmup>shmuplations (translator). "[https://shmuplations.com/mario64/ Super Mario 64 – 1996 Developer Interviews]" (English translations of Takarajimasha and Shogakukan, 1996). shmuplations.com. Published 2022. Accessed 22 Jun 2023.</ref><ref name=montreal/> This mindset manifested in levels where players were largely free to interact with the world in ways they wanted to, with larger platforms and sprawling spaces that encouraged exploration rather than carry out precise actions to reach a goal. The courses themselves were created using hakoniwa or "box garden" design principals.<ref name=shoga>Editing staff (eds). ''スーパーマリオ64 (ワンダーライフスペシャル―任天堂公式ガイドブック)'' (Japanese source). Tokyo: Shogakukan, 1996. ISBN: 978-4-09-102554-8. Cited in-text as Shogakukan (1996).</ref><ref name=shmup/><ref name=hakon group=note>Private correspondence with shmuplations clarifies that the text they translated as "diorama" was written as 箱庭 (''hakoniwa'') in the original Shogakukan (1996) text.</ref><ref name=montreal/><ref name=trinen>[[Bill Trinen]]. "[https://nintendotreehouse.tumblr.com/post/161799433482/whats-in-a-box What's in a Box?]". Nintendo Treehouse Log. Tumblr, tumblr.com. Published 14 Jun 2017. Accessed 30 Jan 2021.</ref> A hakoniwa is a intricately-arranged miniature garden within an enclosed space, with layers of depth and detail that become apparent to an onlooker when carefully examined.<ref>Andrew R. Dean. "[https://najga.org/handbook/courtyard-garden/ Chapter 8: The Courtyard Garden]". ''Handbook, Part 1: Design & Craft'' (digital). North American Japanese Garden Association, najga.org. Published 10 Dec 2010. Accessed 24 Jun 2023.</ref><ref>Nihon Gaiji Kyōkai (eds). ''Contemporary Japan: A Review of Far Eastern Affairs''. Tokyo: Foreign Affairs Association of Japan, (25): 246. Published 1957. Accessed 14 Aug 2023.</ref><ref name=trinen/> Applying these principals allowed the development team to create complex levels that surprise players, another important tenet during development.<ref name=taka/><ref name=shmup/><ref name=montreal/> In {{wp|Western world|the West}}, where creating miniature gardens is not as culturally prevalent, these types of levels are most often likened to {{wp|Sandbox game|sandboxes}}.<ref name=trinen/>

 

===Courses===

[[File:SM64 Screenshot Entering a Painting.gif|x170px|thumb||right|Mario [[jump]]ing into the painting for the Bob-omb Battlefield]]

Most of the courses are accessed through [[painting]]s inside the Mushroom Castle, the {{wp|Overworld|hub world}} of the game. The surface of a painting ripples like water when near, and [[Mario]] is brought to the course it represents by {{wp|Chronotope|physically jumping through it}}. Accessing levels in this manner is a departure from the overworld system in previous platform games (see [[Super Mario 64#Mushroom Castle|below]]). However, the castle is divided into several sections that are analogous to the [[world]] structure of proceeding games, where multiple levels are available to the player on a single section and the player must complete a [[List of bosses|boss]]-dedicated course in order to gain access to the next one. As Mario advances through the castle, he encounters some courses that are accessed through portals other than paintings, such as Shifting Sand Land, which is accessed through what looks like a brick wall at a dead end in the basement, and [[Tick Tock Clock]], which is entered through a clock face. The locations of courses on subsequent floors are generally more complex and are puzzles in themselves, such as the painting for [[Snowman's Land]] that is viewable only through a mirror.<ref name=HubDoc>Design Doc. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHguwARMcY8 What Makes a Great Hub World? - How Mario 64, Spyro, and Hades Made Theirs ~ Design Doc]". YouTube, youtube.com. Published 12 Oct 2020. Accessed 18 Aug 2023.</ref>

 

Rather than present a unilateral scenario that leads to a single spatially fixed [[goal]], most courses in the game host multiple objectives called "[[mission]]s" that each have a goal in a different location from each other. For most courses, entering a painting (or equivalency) brings the player to a [[:File:Bob-omb Battlefield mission select.png|mission-selection screen]], where selecting one sends Mario to the course within the confines of the mission's specific scenario and its unique goal. In nearly all courses, this goal is a Power Star, a collectible token resembling the [[Super Star]] of prior entries. Touching one completes the level and returns Mario to the castle. The number of Power Stars collected is tracked by the game and communicated to the player on the {{wp|user interface}} in the upper right corner of the screen. Accumulating Power Stars is how new courses become accessible to the player. On the first floor, some [[★ door]]s that seal away certain paintings open only after Mario has collected a specified number of Stars. Mario can access a new floor only after clearing the current one's Bowser course, itself becoming accessible only after a specified number of Power Stars has been obtained. However, there are 120 obtainable Power Stars in a game that requires only 70 to access the final level. The player has some discretion on how many or which ones are obtained to finish the game, as well as the order.

 

In most courses, one mission correlates with one Power Star, and its name on the mission-selection screen hints at the Star's location in the course. However, some Power Stars can be encountered outside their dedicated missions and collected. Some mission-dedicated Power Stars become available to the player only once they have cleared specific missions (e.g., [[Footrace with Koopa the Quick]] becomes available only after [[Big Bob-omb on the Summit]] has been completed) or accomplish tasks outside the paintings (e.g., striking the [[Cap Switch]] in the [[Behind the Waterfall|Cavern of the Metal Cap]] makes the titular [[List of power-ups|power-up]] accessible in [[Through the Jet Stream (Dire, Dire Docks)|Through the Jet Stream]], in which it is not optional). Certain actions completed within a course permanently change elements within it regardless of the mission subsequently played. Recurring examples are the [[cannon]]s found in most courses, which Mario can enter and launch from to reach distant areas. A cannon becomes useable in a course after Mario has spoken to a [[Bob-omb Buddy]], a friendly non-playable character that controls the cannon, and it remains accessible for all subsequent revisits.

 

Like in ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'' and a departure from previous ''Super Mario'' games, there is no [[Time Limit|time limit]] in effect within courses, but there are a few cases where there is one. For example, [[Blue Coin]]s appear for only a brief period of time once a [[Blue Coin Block]] is struck, and Mario must outrun [[Koopa the Quick]] in order to earn a Power Star. All power-ups in this game change Mario's form for a limited time, and one cannot be brought outside a course even if he completes it while still under its effect—another similarity to ''Yoshi's Island''.

 

*'''Main courses'''<ref name=booklet>''Super Mario 64 Instruction Booklet''. Großostheim: [[Nintendo|Nintendo of Europe]], 1996. page 15.</ref> contain six dedicated missions and an unlisted 100-[[coin]] mission. Some of the dedicated missions build off each other environmentally or narratively. (This means the events that transpire in the completion of one mission are reflected in the events of the subsequent mission.) However, some Power Stars can be encountered before the mission-dedicated one and can be collected, resulting in some instances where the Stars are obtained out of the intended "order." These courses are the most intricate levels in the game. Most include objects that can enable quick traversal between areas, such as cannons and [[Warp|Warp Points]]. Some courses include accessible subareas, such as the volcano in Lethal Lava Land and the pyramid in Shifting Sand Land. There are 15 main courses in the game, and they are the only levels explicitly numbered and listed on the pause menu.

**'''Bowser courses'''<ref>Upchurch, p. 30</ref> lead to an arena where Mario must defeat [[Bowser]]. Each Bowser course features a Power Star obtained by collecting eight [[Red Coin]]s, but this does not complete the level. In the first two courses, defeating Bowser awards Mario a [[Key#Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS|Big Key]], a different kind of token that completes the level when touched. The Big Key is used to permanently unlock the [[Key Door]] to another floor in the castle. In [[Bowser in the Sky]], the final course, defeating Bowser releases the [[Jumbo Star]]. Collecting it does not contribute to the player's Power Star total, instead freeing Princess Peach. There are three Bowser courses in the whole game, one for each floor.

**"'''Switch courses'''" are where Mario is under the effect of a power-up immediately upon entering a course and is needed to reach a Cap Switch. When one is [[Ground Pound|ground-pound]]ed, it causes the power-up to permanently become accessible within the main courses. They are analogous to the [[Switch Palace]]s in ''[[Super Mario World]]'', though unlike in them, striking the switch does not make Mario exit the course. These are the only courses in the game where Mario can fall down a [[pit]] without losing a life; he is instead brought back to the castle.

 

There are a number of courses on each floor. At least four of them are main courses, and at least two are mini courses. One of the mini courses is always a Bowser course. Including the Mushroom Castle, there are 25 courses in the game. The chart below lists all of them. Each one is provided with a screenshot, a brief description, and a list of its missions. The order that the courses and missions are listed follows their organization in the ''Super Mario 64'' Player's Guide.<ref>Scott Pelland and Dan Owsen. ''The Super Mario 64 Player's Guide''. Redmond: [[Nintendo|Nintendo of America]], 1996.</ref> Only the names of the missions in main courses are provided in-game. When available, the missions that lack in-game names, such as the 100-coin missions, are also derived from the ''Super Mario 64'' Player's Guide. Where no such name exists, the mission assumes the name of its course.

 

{|width=65% class="wikitable"

!colspan="3" style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"|Courses

|colspan="3"style="background:#58BC58;"|[[File:SM64 Asset Texture Castle Wall (Main Hall).png|25px]] '''{{color-link|Peach's Castle#First floor|white|First Floor and Mezzanine}}'''

!width=16% style="background:#9FD99F"|01. [[Bob-omb Battlefield]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×6 {{chart icon|SM64-totalB}}×1

!colspan="2"width=34% style="background:#9FD99F"|Missions

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bob-omb Battlefield.png|x100px]]

|width=17%|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Big Bob-omb on the Summit]]

|width=17%|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Footrace with Koopa the Quick]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Shoot to the Island in the Sky]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Find the 8 Red Coins]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Mario Wings to the Sky]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Behind Chain Chomp's Gate]]

|colspan="3"align=center|Grassy fields surrounding a spiraled mountain. A battle is waged here between the peaceful [[Bob-omb Buddy|Bob-omb Buddies]] and the enemy [[Bob-omb]]s. Once the battle is over, the Bob-omb Buddies allow [[Mario]] to access their [[cannon]]s. There is a floating island in the east and a barred cave towards the center with a [[Chain Chomp]] leashed in front of it.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Enter the Mushroom Castle.

!width=16% style="background:#9FD99F"|02. [[Whomp's Fortress]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×1 {{chart icon|SM64-totalB}}×1

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Whomp's Fortress.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Chip Off Whomp's Block]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[To the Top of the Fortress]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Shoot into the Wild Blue]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Red Coins on the Floating Isle]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Fall onto the Caged Island]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Blast Away the Wall]]

|colspan="3"align=center|A fortress in the sky. It is ruled by the [[Whomp King]], who sits at the top of the fortress. The path leading to him has falling platforms and stone enemies. Once he is defeated, a climbable tower appears at the top. A chain of floating islands is in the northeast. They can we reached with the help of [[Hoot]], a sleepy owl found in the course's single [[tree]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect a Power Star.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|03. [[Jolly Roger Bay]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×1

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Jolly Roger Bay.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Plunder in the Sunken Ship]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Can the Eel Come Out to Play?]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Treasure in the Ocean Cave|Treasure of the Ocean Cave]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Red Coins on the Ship Afloat]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Blast to the Stone Pillar]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Through the Jet Stream (Jolly Roger Bay)|Through the Jet Stream]]

|colspan="3"align=center|A cove containing the wreck of a sunken ship. A giant moray eel called [[Maw-Ray|Unagi]] nests in the ship and stirs when approached. An underwater corridor in the northwest leads to a cave that holds [[treasure chest|Treasure Chest]]s. Solving the puzzle of the chests reveals a Power Star.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 3 Power Stars.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|04. [[Cool, Cool Mountain]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×3

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Cool, Cool Mountain.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Slip Slidin' Away (mission)|Slip Slidin' Away]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Li'l Penguin Lost]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Big Penguin Race]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Frosty Slide for 8 Red Coins]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Snowman's Lost His Head]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Mario's Super Wall Kick|Wall Kicks Will Work]]

|colspan="3"align=center|A snow-covered mountain inhabited by [[penguin]]s and [[Snowman|snowpeople]]. Wooden bridges and a moving [[chairlift]] are built into the side of the mountain. A log cabin is near its peak. It contains the [[Slide (Super Mario 64)#Cabin's Snow Slide|Cabin's Snow Slide]], where Mario is challenged to a race by the [[Big Penguin]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 3 Power Stars.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|[[Bowser in the Dark World]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×1 {{chart icon|SM64-totalB}}×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#9FD99F"|Missions

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Dark World.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Key}} Bowser in the Dark World

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} {{conjectural|8 Red Coins}}

|colspan="3"align=center|A winding path in a cavernous void. The path bears [[Amp]]s and shifting platforms. It ultimately leads to [[Bowser]], who is fought on a circular platform surrounded by floating [[Mine|bombs]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 8 Power Stars.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|[[The Princess's Secret Slide]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×2

!colspan="2"style="background:#9FD99F"|Missions

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot The Princess's Secret Slide.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} The Princess's Secret Slide

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} Second Star<ref>Pelland and Owsen, p. 44</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|A carpeted [[Slide (Super Mario 64)|slide]] hidden on the mezzanine. Reaching the bottom of the slide gives Mario access to a Power Star—the first Secret Star available to the player. Reaching the bottom within 21 seconds awards Mario a second one.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect a Power Star.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|[[The Secret Aquarium]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#9FD99F"|Mission

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot The Secret Aquarium.png|x100px]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} The Secret Aquarium

|colspan="3"align=center|A closed tank housing blue fish and [[Red Coin]]s. Collecting all of the Red Coins reveals a Secret Star. The aquarium is accessed through a little alcove in the same room that holds the [[painting]] for Jolly Roger Bay.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 3 Power Stars.

!style="background:#9FD99F"|[[Tower of the Wing Cap]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#9FD99F"|Mission

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Tower of the Wing Cap.png|x100px]]

|colspan="2"align=left|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} Flying for Coins<ref>Pelland and Owsen, p. 45</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|Towers in a sea of clouds. The turret in the middle holds the [[Cap Switch|Wing Cap Switch]] that makes the [[Wing Cap]] permanently available in main courses once struck. Red Coins appear around the towers and can be collected by Mario only in his [[Wing Mario|Wing form]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 10 Power Stars.

|-

|colspan="3"style="background:#B49936; color:white;"|[[File:SM64 Asset Texture Castle Wall (Basement).png|25px]] '''{{color-link|Peach's Castle#Basement|white|The Castle Basement}} and {{color-link|Courtyard (Peach's Castle)|white|Courtyard}}'''

|-

!style="background:#D7C277"|05. [[Big Boo's Haunt]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalB}}×4

!colspan="2" style="background:#D7C277"|Missions

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Big Boo's Haunt.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Go on a Ghost Hunt]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Ride Big Boo's Merry-Go-Round]]

|-

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Secret of the Haunted Books]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Seek the 8 Red Coins]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Big Boo's Balcony]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Eye to Eye in the Secret Room]]

|-

|colspan="3"align=center|The [[Ghost House|haunted house]] hidden in Princess Peach's courtyard. The rooms of the house contain [[Boo]]s and animated furniture that try to strike Mario. Navigation requires solving puzzles and memorizing patterns in the halls. Failing to do so often brings Mario to the house's flooded basement, where a spinning carousel filled with Boos can be found.<br>'''Unlock criteria:''' Collect 12 Power Stars, and defeat the [[Big Boo]] that holds the miniature carousel in the courtyard.

!style="background:#D7C277"|06. [[Hazy Maze Cave]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7

!colspan="2"style="background:#D7C277"|Missions

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Hazy Maze Cave.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Swimming Beast in the Cavern]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Elevate for 8 Red Coins]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Metal-Head Mario Can Move!]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Navigating the Toxic Maze]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Watch for Rolling Rocks]]

|colspan="3"align=center|An underground labyrinth filled with dead ends, traps, and [[pit|bottomless pit]]s. There are two floors. The first one has a large chamber in the southeast with a controllable elevator, hallways with [[boulder|rolling rock]]s in the northwest, and a maze with [[smoke|strange cloud]]s in the northeast. The lower floor leads to a pool that holds [[Dorrie]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Dark World.

!style="background:#D7C277"|07. [[Lethal Lava Land]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalB}}×2

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Lethal Lava Land.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Boil the Big Bully]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Bully the Bullies]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[8-Coin Puzzle with 15 Pieces]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Red-Hot Log Rolling]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Hot-Foot-It into the Volcano]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Elevator Tour in the Volcano]]

|colspan="3"align=center|Platforms in a [[lava]] sea. Some of them shift back and forth or can be manually rolled. They surround a small volcano that can be physically entered. [[Bully|Bullies]] appear in this course and knock Mario into lava on contact. [[Lava Bubble|Sparkies]] and other fiery obstacles that burn him when touched also appear.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Dark World.

!style="background:#D7C277"|08. [[Shifting Sand Land]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×1 {{chart icon|SM64-totalB}}×1

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Shifting Sand Land.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[In the Talons of the Big Bird]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Shining Atop the Pyramid]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Inside the Ancient Pyramid]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Stand Tall on the Four Pillars]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Free Flying for 8 Red Coins]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Pyramid Puzzle]]

|colspan="3"align=center|Desert sands surrounding a pyramid. [[Klepto]] flies through the sky here. Much of the course is covered in [[quicksand]] and steep dunes. Little [[tornado]]s can be used to avoid obstacles. Narrow walkways are found in the northeast, and a small oasis is in the northwest. The pyramid can be entered, where a labyrinth leads to [[Eyerok]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Dark World.

!style="background:#D7C277"|09. [[Dire, Dire Docks]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7

!colspan="2"style="background:#D7C277"|Missions

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Dire, Dire Docks.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Board Bowser's Sub]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Chests in the Current]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Pole-Jumping for Red Coins]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Through the Jet Stream (Dire, Dire Docks)|Through the Jet Stream]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[The Manta Ray's Reward]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Inside the Cage|Collect the Caps...]]

|colspan="3"align=center|Deep water. A [[whirlpool]] is at the center of the seabed and is circled by [[Sushi]] and a [[Manta|Manta Ray]]. A corridor in the east leads to an wider area where Bowser has hidden a submarine.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 30 Power Stars.

!style="background:#D7C277"|[[Bowser in the Fire Sea]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×1 {{chart icon|SM64-totalB}}×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#D7C277"|Missions

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Fire Sea.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Key}} Bowser in the Fire Sea

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} Power Star for 8 Red Coins<ref>Pelland and Owsen, p. 81</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|Three narrow pathways surrounded by lava. Portions of the course gently rise and fall in lava, making traversal challenging. The pathway leads to the second battle against Bowser.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Complete Board Bowser's Sub.

!style="background:#D7C277"|[[Behind the Waterfall|Cavern of the Metal Cap]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#D7C277"|Mission

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Cavern of the Metal Cap.png|x100px]]

|colspan="2"|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} Grab 8 Red Coins<ref name=secret2>Pelland and Owsen, p. 82</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|An underground streambed that holds the Metal Cap Switch. Striking it makes the [[Metal Cap]] accessible in other courses. The water moves rapidly in this course. If Mario is swept up in it, he is brought to the [[Castle Grounds]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Dark World.

!style="background:#D7C277"|[[The Secret Under the Moat|Vanish Cap Under the Moat]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#D7C277"|Mission

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Vanish Cap Under the Moat.png|x100px]]

|colspan="2"|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} {{conjectural|8 Red Coins}}

|colspan="3"align=center|A hidden area accessible only once the castle's moat is drained. When Mario enters the course, he is in his [[Vanish Mario|Vanish form]], and he must navigate the course while the power-up is still in effect to access the Vanish Cap Switch. Striking it makes the [[Vanish Cap]] accessible in other courses.<br>'''Unlock criteria:''' Clear Bowser in the Dark World and drain the castle's moat.

|colspan="3"style="background:#0083CC;"|[[File:SM64 Asset Texture Castle Wall (Third Floor).png|25px]] '''{{color-link|Peach's Castle#Second floor|white|Upper Floors and Tower}}'''

!style="background:#71CCFF"|10. [[Snowman's Land]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×1 {{chart icon|SM64-totalB}}×1

!colspan="2" style="background:#71CCFF"|Missions

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Snowman's Land.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Snowman's Big Head]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Chill with the Bully]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[In the Deep Freeze]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Whirl from the Freezing Pond]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Shell Shreddin' for Red Coins]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Into the Igloo]]

|colspan="3"align=center|A chilly land surrounding a giant snowman. Slippery ice and [[Freezing water|freezing ponds]] appear in this course. The [[Chill Bully]] is on a floating island of ice in the east. Narrow paths allow Mario to ascend the snowman, but he begins to blow gusts of air when he nears his head. An enterable igloo is near the base of the snowman.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Fire Sea.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|11. [[Wet-Dry World]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×1

!colspan="2" style="background:#71CCFF"|Missions

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Wet-Dry World.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Shocking Arrow Lifts!]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Top o' the Town]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[5 Secrets in the Shallows & Sky|Secrets in the Shallows & Sky]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Express Elevator--Hurry Up!]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Go to Town for the Red Coins|Go to Town for Red Coins]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Quick Race Through Downtown!]]

|colspan="3"align=center|A flooded empty town. There are [[Crystal Tap]]s at several locations in the town that cause the water level to rise or fall. There is a hidden downtown area that can be accessed only through the cage in the southeast.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Fire Sea.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|12. [[Tall, Tall Mountain]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#71CCFF"|Missions

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Tall, Tall Mountain.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Scale the Mountain]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Mystery of the Monkey Cage]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Scary 'Shrooms, Red Coins]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Mysterious Mountainside]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Breathtaking View from the Bridge|Breathtaking View from Bridge]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Blast to the Lonely Mushroom]]

|colspan="3"align=center|A tall mountain surrounded by [[Mushroom Platform]]s high above the sea. Gusts of [[wind]] and the [[Fwoosh]] make ascending the mountain challenging. The entrance to the [[slide (Super Mario 64)#Mysterious Mountain Slide|Mysterious Mountain Slide]] can be found near the summit. [[Ukiki|Ukkikis]] live in this course, one of which attempts to steal [[Mario Cap|Mario's cap]].<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Fire Sea.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|13. [[Tiny-Huge Island]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×1 {{chart icon|SM64-totalB}}×2

!colspan="2"style="background:#71CCFF"| Missions

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Tiny-Huge Island.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Pluck the Piranha Flower]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[The Tip Top of the Huge Island]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Rematch with Koopa the Quick]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Five Itty Bitty Secrets]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Wiggler's Red Coins]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Make Wiggler Squirm]]

|colspan="3"align=center|An island that presents itself in two different ways depending on which painting it is accessed from in the castle. One is large with vast areas and giant versions of normal enemies. Mario can easily access the interior of this version of the island, which is home to [[Wiggler]]. The other is tiny with small enemies. Changing the terrain in one version of the island affects the other two, and doing so is required to obtain all of its Power Stars.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Clear Bowser in the Fire Sea.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|14. [[Tick Tock Clock]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7

!colspan="2"style="background:#71CCFF"|Missions

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Tick Tock Clock.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Roll into the Cage]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[The Pit and the Pendulums]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Get a Hand]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Stomp on the Thwomp]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Timed Jumps on Moving Bars]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Stop Time for Red Coins]]

|colspan="3"align=center|A vertical obstacle course within the tower's clock. Moving platforms are found throughout the clockwork, and they can help Mario reach hidden alcoves or throw him back towards the bottom. The speed of these platforms (and whether they move at all) is determined by where the clock's hands are positioned when he enters the course.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 50 Power Stars.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|15. [[Rainbow Ride]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×7 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#71CCFF"|Missions

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Rainbow Ride.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Cruiser Crossing the Rainbow]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[The Big House in the Sky]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Coins Amassed in a Maze]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Swingin' in the Breeze]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Tricky Triangles!]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Somewhere Over the Rainbow]]

|colspan="3"align=center|Floating islands and moving platforms high in the sky. [[Magic carpet]]s travel along rainbows in large stretches of the course, one of which feeds through the [[Cloud House]]. The [[Rainbow Cruiser]] can be found in the northeast.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 50 Power Stars.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|[[Bowser in the Sky]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×1 {{chart icon|SM64-totalB}}×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#71CCFF"|Missions

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Bowser in the Sky.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-StarJ}} Bowser in the Sky

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} {{conjectural|8 Red Coins}}

|colspan="3"align=center|A challenging obstacle course that leads to the final confrontation with Bowser. Some of the platforms on this course allow Mario to [[gravity|walk up walls]] if he maintains momentum, while others shift under his weight. Bowser starts to break the arena he is fought on, leaving it in the shape of a five-pointed star. The reward for defeating him, the [[Jumbo Star]], is not incorporated into Mario's total Power Star count.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 70 Power Stars.

!style="background:#71CCFF"|[[Over the Rainbows|Wing Mario Over the Rainbow]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×1 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×2

!colspan="2"style="background:#71CCFF"|Mission

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Wing Mario Over the Rainbow.png|x100px]]

|colspan="2"|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} Cloud Hopping for Coins<ref>Pelland and Owsen, p. 126</ref>

|colspan="3"align=center|[[Cloud Lift|Clouds]] and checkerboard platforms in the sky. The platforms are bridged by rainbows.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Collect 50 Power Stars.

|colspan="3"style="background:#D81A70; color:white;"|[[File:SM64 Asset Texture Castle (Stained Glass).png|25px]] '''Other'''

!style="background:#EF79AE"|[[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]]<br>{{chart icon|SM64-totalS}}×5 {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}}×1

!colspan="2"style="background:#EF79AE"|Missions

|rowspan="3"align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Screenshot Mushroom Castle.png|x100px]]

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[Toad (species)#Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS|A Gift from Toad]]<ref name=secret2/> <small>(basement)</small>

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} A Gift from Toad <small>(second floor)</small>

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} A Gift from Toad <small>(third floor)</small>

|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} [[MIPS|That Wascally Wabbit!]]<ref>Pelland and Owsen, p. 83</ref> <small>(after collecting 15 Power Stars)</small>

|colspan="2"|{{chart icon|SM64-Star}} That Wascally Wabbit! <small>(after collecting 50 Power Stars)</small>

|colspan="3"align=center|[[Princess Peach]]'s castle in the [[Mushroom Kingdom]]. [[Toad (species)|Toads]] and [[MIPS]] are sealed inside. Some of the former give Mario a Power Star when spoken to. The [[Castle Grounds]] are the first area of the game and where Mario initially appears every time the player loads their save file. Nearly all other courses are accessed from inside the castle, with the Cavern of the Metal Cap and Vanish Cap Under the Moat being the sole exceptions.<br>'''Unlock criterion:''' Begin a new save file.

|colspan="3" style="background:#E4E4E4; color:black;"|'''Level chart information and legend:''' The main courses are designated with the unique number they are given in-game. Bowser, secret, and switch courses lack numerical designation and are listed as they appear in the ''Super Mario 64'' Player's Guide. Three symbols convey attributes about each course: {{chart icon|SM64-totalS}} denotes the total number of obtainable [[Power Star]]s, {{chart icon|SM64-totalC}} denotes the total number of accessible [[cannon]]s, and {{chart icon|SM64-totalB}} denotes the number of boss battles. The name of each mission is accompanied by a symbol that indicates what type of mission it is. {{chart icon|SM64-Star}} denotes a mission where the reward is a Power Star, {{chart icon|SM64-StarJ}} denotes a mission where the reward is the [[Jumbo Star]], and {{chart icon|SM64-Key}} denotes a mission where the reward is a [[Key]].

|}

 

===Mushroom Castle===

{{main|Peach's Castle}}

The Mushroom Castle is a connective space from which [[Mario]] can access the game's [[level]]s. It is a white-bricked {{wp|palace}} with a red-tiled roof. Five towers are built into the castle: four at each corner and a large one in the center. Each one is topped with a spire, and the four outermost ones are also topped with a red pennant. A stained glass portrait of [[Princess Peach]] is above the front doors, in which Peach has been imprisoned by [[Bowser]]. The smaller windows on the castle are shaped like [[mushroom]]s. The Mushroom Castle overall bears a superficial resemblance to a {{wp|keep}}. It is framed as the place where Peach lives in the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] and usually contains [[Power Star]]s for protection.<ref name=story>Pelland and Owsen, p. 5</ref> Several [[Toad (species)|Toads]], the princess's subjects, also live in the castle.

 

In the majority of prior [[Genre#Platform games|platform games]], the player selects levels on a map-like menu with a cursor. The cursor itself may represent the player character, as is done in ''[[Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]]'' and ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'', but the degree of control the player has on the cursor is more limited than they would have in the actual levels. ''Super Mario 64'' instead has a fully interactive level as the "map," where Mario controls exactly the same as he does in the courses, and the map itself is an expansive level with its own secrets to find.

 

The [[Castle Grounds]] are the first area in the game where the player takes control of Mario, and it is a risk-free environment for the player to familiarize themselves with his controls.<ref name=HubDoc/><ref name=Stanton>Rich Stanton. ''A Brief History Of Video Games: From Atari to Virtual Reality'' (digital). London: Little, Brown Book Group, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-47-211881-3.</ref><ref name=TottenH>Christopher W. Totten. "Hub Spaces". ''An Architectural Approach to Level Design''. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2018. pages 133-135. ISBN: 978-1-35-198292-4.</ref><ref name=shoga/><ref name=shmup/> There are no [[List of enemies|enemies]] here, nor concrete objectives. While the player is directed to the castle in Peach's [[letter]] to Mario, nothing forces them to enter it, implicitly encouraging them to explore. The Castle Grounds are a grassy area with gently sloping hills, [[tree]]s, picket fences, and a small lake that feeds into the castle's moat. Several readable signs that detail Mario's available actions are near his starting position, but they are not forced upon the player.

 

The castle's interior is divided into three sections analogous to the [[world]]s of prior ''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]'' games: a first floor and mezzanine, a basement and [[Courtyard (Peach's Castle)|courtyard]], and a second and third floor that leads to the central tower. With the exception of the basement, the castle's flooring has a checkerboard pattern and red carpeting. A hilly vista with a blue sky behind it is painted on the walls. The basement is a flooded dungeon-like area lit by torches that can burn Mario. One of the basement's corridors has a pair of [[brick pillar]]s that, when [[Ground Pound|ground-pound]]ed, drain the moat. The courtyard is a grassy space behind the Mushroom Castle with a fountain at its center. It is filled with [[Boo]]s, one of which contains a miniature carousel that holds [[Big Boo's Haunt]]. Among the courses of a section, Mario can typically play them in any order. There are some exceptions, such as at the start of the game, when only the [[Bob-omb Battlefield]] is initially accessible.

 

Rather than list them individually on the pause menu, all Power Stars collected from the mini courses are collectively listed as the castle's "Secret Stars," and indeed, most of them are well hidden when compared to the main courses in the game. Finding them necessitates exploration and puzzle-solving within the castle's walls. For example, the only way to access [[The Secret Under the Moat|Vanish Cap Under the Moat]] is by draining the moat, the means of which are never explicitly communicated in-game but instead come from familiarity with Mario's moves. The window that leads to [[The Princess's Secret Slide]] is not in the center of its room, departing from what is established in the other rooms that contain paintings and can be found only if the player deviates from what is established. This design principal permeates throughout the castle and often awards the player [[1-Up Mushroom|1UP Mushroom]]s, hidden courses, or interactable elements.<ref name=HubDoc/><ref name=Stanton/>

 

As in the main courses, several non-playable characters appear in the Mushroom Castle. Toads (including [[Toad|''the'' Toad]], as relayed in some paratextual material)<ref name=story/> can be found on each floor, where they provide gameplay tips and words of encouragement when prompted. Some of them give Mario a Power Star when spoken to. [[MIPS]] can be found hopping around the basement once Mario has obtained a certain number of Power Stars (see chart above). He will give Mario one if caught. [[Yoshi]] appears on the castle's roof after Mario has [[Completion#Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS|collected all 120 Stars]]. Mario can reach him with a [[cannon]] that opens on the Castle Grounds after completing [[Bowser in the Sky]] with all 120 Stars collected.

 

Owing to his [[List of Super Mario 64 pre-release and unused content#Early ideas|removal during development]], ''Super Mario 64'' is one of the few [[Super Mario (series)|''Super Mario'']] games not to feature [[Luigi]], along with ''[[Super Mario Land]]'', ''[[Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]]'', and ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''. Many data structures in the code have unused references to Luigi's object slot, but he is considered irrecoverable from the final game's codebase.<ref>JoshDuMan. August 28, 2019. [//news.ukikipedia.net/index.php/2019/08/28/decomp-is-out-but-what-does-that-mean-ukikipedia-news-week-10 Decomp is out! …but what does that mean? – Ukikipedia News Week 10]</ref> A [[List of Super Mario 64 pre-release and unused content#Textures|prerelease model and textures]] only surfaced through the {{wp|Nintendo data leak}}. However, Luigi was included as a playable character in the game's [[Nintendo DS]] remake, ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]''.

 

|align=center style="background:#F4A9AE"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Mario.png|90px]]<br>[[Mario]]

|style="background:#FFE4E1"|The hero of the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] and the game's protagonist. He was invited to the [[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]] by Princess Peach, only to find that she had been kidnapped by Bowser. Mario has significantly expanded movement options to reflect the 3D environment of ''Super Mario 64''. Some notable new moves include the [[Triple Jump]], the [[Wall Jump|Wall Kick]], the [[Ground Pound|Pound the Ground]] attack, and a [[Punch|punch-punch-]][[kick]]. Unlike in previous installments, Mario has a [[Health Meter|health meter]] and does not [[Small Mario|shrink in size]] if struck by an enemy.

|}

 

{|width=100% cellspacing=0 border=1 cellpadding=3 style="border-collapse:collapse; background:#f5f5f5"

|-style="background:#FF2400; color:white;"

!width=15%|Locations

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM3DAS-SM64-LakituBro.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Lakitu Bros.]]

|A pair of [[Lakitu's Cloud|cloud]]-riding [[Koopa (species)|Koopas]] that are documenting Mario's quest to liberate the Mushroom Castle and rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. One Lakitu Bro is with Mario throughout the entirety of the game, serving as an in-game explanation for the title's 3D camera controls. He is generally unseen, but his reflection can be spotted in a large mirror on the second floor of the Mushroom Castle. The Lakitu Bros. work for the [[List of implied organizations#Kingdom News Network|Kingdom News Network]].

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Princess Peach.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Princess Peach]]

|The ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. She invited Mario to the Mushroom Castle for cake, but she is missing by the time he arrives. Toad informs him that she was kidnapped by Bowser and sealed away within the castle's walls. The game follows Mario's quest to restore the castle's Power Stars and liberate the princess.

|align=center|[[Castle Grounds]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Toad.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Toad]]

|One of Princess Peach's attendants and an old friend of Mario's. He is one of several [[Toad (species)|Mushroom Retainers]] that have been trapped inside the castle. He gives Mario hints, tips, and words of encouragement when spoken to. Some Toads give Mario a Power Star if prompted.

|align=center|[[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:Bob-OmbBuddySM64.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Bob-omb Buddy|Bob-omb Buddies]]

|Friendly [[Bob-omb]]s that lack fuses. They reside on the [[Bob-omb Battlefield]], where they are at war with the [[King Bob-omb|Big Bob-omb]] and his army. A Bob-omb Buddy is hidden away in nearly all subsequent courses. If spoken to, it prepares a [[cannon]] for Mario to use. The cannon remains open and accessible for all subsequent revisits.

|align=center| [[Bob-omb Battlefield]]; [[Whomp's Fortress]]; [[Jolly Roger Bay]]; [[Cool, Cool Mountain]]; [[Shifting Sand Land]]; [[Snowman's Land]]; [[Wet-Dry World]]; [[Tall, Tall Mountain]]; [[Tiny-Huge Island]]; [[Rainbow Ride]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Koopa the Quick.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Koopa the Quick]]

|A [[Big Koopa Troopa|Giant Koopa]] from [[Tiny-Huge Island]]. He challenges Mario to a race when spoken to and rewards him with a [[Power Star]] if he defeats him without using certain shortcuts. Mario first encounters Koopa the Quick on the [[Bob-omb Battlefield]] in the mission [[Footrace with Koopa the Quick]] after defeating the [[King Bob-omb|Big Bob-omb]], and he encounters him again on the "huge" side of Tiny-Huge Island in the mission [[Rematch with Koopa the Quick]].

|align=center|[[Bob-omb Battlefield]]; [[Tiny-Huge Island]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Hoot.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Hoot]]

|A talking owl who roosts in a tree near Mario's starting position on [[Whomp's Fortress]]. Once woken up, Mario can grab onto Hoot's talons and be carried high into the air for a limited time. Hoot slowly descends while carrying Mario and drops him if he hangs on for too long, citing his weight.

|align=center|[[Whomp's Fortress]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Penguin (Adult).png|100x100px]]<br>[[Penguin]]s

|Big talking birds found in courses that feature snow. They are instrumental in several Power Star missions. The [[Mother Penguin]] found at the base of [[Cool, Cool Mountain]] awards Mario a Power Star if her lost chick, [[Baby Penguin#Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS|Tuxie]], is returned to her, while the [[Big Penguin]] found in the cabin at the top of the mountain gives him a Star if beaten in a race. Revisiting this penguin after collecting all 120 Power Stars reveals that he has let himself go. The extra weight makes him a tougher opponent to out-sleigh.

|align=center|[[Cool, Cool Mountain]]; [[Snowman's Land]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Snowman.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Snowman|Snowmen]]

|Two giant snowmen occur in the game. [[Headless Snowman|One snowman]] is the focus of the mission [[Snowman's Lost His Head]]. His head is on a pedestal halfway down the mountain, while his sentient snowball body appears towards the top, by Mario's starting position. Either piece asks Mario to help put him together when prompted. Once assembled, the snowman gifts Mario a Power Star. The other is in Snowman's Land, where he can climbed as if he was a mountain. As Mario nears his head, he starts to complain about an irritating crawling sensation on his body and tries to blow Mario off. A Power Star is on the very top of his head.

|align=center|[[Cool, Cool Mountain]]; [[Snowman's Land]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model MIPS.png|100x100px]]<br>[[MIPS]]

|Princess Peach's pet [[rabbit]].<ref name=MIPS>Shogakukan. 2015. ''Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook'', ''Super Mario 64'' section, p. 85. 「ピーチ姫の飼っているウサギ。」 ("''Princess Peach’s pet rabbit.''")</ref> He is found in the castle's basement and flees if approached. He gives Mario a Power Star if caught. While captured, MIPS claims to be late for tea.

|align=center|[[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Dorrie.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Dorrie]]

|A gentle giant that resembles a {{wp|plesiosaur}}. It can be found swimming in an underground lake, where it can be ridden. Mario can steer Dorrie's body while standing on its back and lower its neck by performing a [[Ground Pound|Pound the Ground]] attack on its head.

|align=center|[[Hazy Maze Cave]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:Ukiki 64.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Ukiki|Ukkiki]]s

|Mischievous monkeys. One steals [[Mario Cap|Mario's cap]] when grabbed. Mario must grab the Ukkiki again in order to get it back, but he runs away if approached and must be cornered. During [[Mystery of the Monkey Cage]], an Ukkiki appears on the summit and taunts Mario. If grabbed, he begs to be released in exchange for a Power Star.

|align=center|[[Tall, Tall Mountain]]

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Yoshi.png|100x100px]]<br>[[Yoshi]]

|An old friend of Mario's. He is a dinosaur-like creature with a long tongue. He can be found on the roof of the Mushroom Castle once all 120 Power Star are collected. Yoshi awards the player 100 lives and a special [[Triple Jump]] for fully completing the game, then disappears off the side of the castle.

|align=center|[[Castle Grounds]]

 

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:AmpSM64.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Amp]]'''

|align=center|[[Bowser in the Dark World]]; [[Shifting Sand Land]]; [[The Secret Under the Moat|Vanish Cap Under the Moat]]; [[Bowser in the Fire Sea]]; [[Snowman's Land]]; [[Wet-Dry World]]; [[Tick Tock Clock]]; [[Rainbow Ride]]; [[Bowser in the Sky]]

|align=center|{{chart icon|cross}}

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:BookendSM64.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Bookend]]'''

|A haunted book that either emerges from its bookcase to bite Mario or shoots straight out at him with other books en masse.

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Bubba.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Cheep Chomp|Bubba]]'''

|An enormous quick fish that tries to swallow Mario whole.

|align=center|[[Tiny-Huge Island]]

|align=center|{{chart icon|cross}}

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Bully.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Bully]]'''

|align=center|[[Lethal Lava Land]]; [[Bowser in the Fire Sea]]

|align=center|{{chart icon|SM64-Coin}}×1

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Butterfly.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Butterfly]]'''

|Being normally passive creatures, butterflies in later courses may turn into [[1-Up Mushroom|1UP Mushroom]]s or giant iron balls that pursue Mario through the air before exploding if he continually bothers them.

|align=center|[[Castle Grounds]]; [[Whomp's Fortress]]; [[Tall, Tall Mountain]]; [[Tiny-Huge Island]]

|align=center|{{chart icon|SM64-1Up}}×1

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Chair.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Chair]]'''

|A haunted piece of furniture that flings itself at Mario.

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:Chuckya SM64.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Chuck-Ya|Chuckya]]'''

|A huge purple Bob-omb that picks up and throws Mario and can be defeated only by doing the same to it.

|align=center|{{chart icon|SM64-Coin}}×5

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:ClamSM64.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Clam|Clam shell]]'''

|A giant shellfish that opens and closes its valves, sometimes containing an item.

|align=center|[[Jolly Roger Bay]]; [[Dire, Dire Docks]]

|align=center|{{chart icon|cross}}

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:BigSteelieSM64.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Flame thrower (Flame Chomp)|Flame thrower]]'''

|A tiny [[Flame Chomp|Fire Chomp]]-like sphere that floats in place, shooting a homing flame at Mario when approached.

|align=center|[[Hazy Maze Cave]]; [[Shifting Sand Land]]; [[The Secret Under the Moat|Vanish Cap Under the Moat]]; [[Bowser in the Fire Sea]]; [[Wet-Dry World]]; [[Tiny-Huge Island]]; [[Tick Tock Clock]]; [[Rainbow Ride]]; [[Bowser in the Sky]]

|align=center|{{chart icon|cross}}

|align=center style="background:#EDEDED"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Fwoosh.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Fwoosh]]'''

|align=center|[[Tall, Tall Mountain]]

|align=center|{{chart icon|cross}}

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Grindel.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Grindel]]'''

|A mummified [[Thwomp]] that attempts to squish Mario by either slamming down or leaping forward.

|align=center style="background:#FFFFFF"|[[File:SM64 Asset Model Heave-Ho.png|100x100px]]<br>'''[[Heave-Ho]]'''

|A windup machine that powerfully tosses Mario over its back.

|align=center|[[Wet-Dry World]]; [[Tick Tock Clock]]

|align=center|{{chart icon|cross}}