Super Mario 64 DS

Super Mario 64 DS was made by Nintendo's in-house development division and released in 2004. It is a reworked version of the mid-nineties three-dimensional platformer, prepared for a dual-screen handheld; our record, however, lists MS-DOS / PC, which is a database classification rather than a description of the release.

The rework went beyond graphics. The original assumed an analogue stick capable of grading walking speed continuously. The handheld version had only a D-pad and a touch surface, so the design had to solve how to preserve precise movement in three-dimensional space with digital input.

Content was added alongside that: more playable characters with distinct abilities, new objectives, and a set of minigames built around the touch screen. This was the usual approach for portable remakes, since simply transferring an old game would not have been enough for a new audience. 2004 opened a new generation of handhelds, and titles like this served as launch material: they demonstrated what the hardware could do using a game the audience already knew. The record classifies the perspective as platform.

The original from the mid-nineties was the launch title of a new console and set the benchmark for three-dimensional platformers for years. That made the handheld version interesting as a comparison as well: it showed how much of the design stood on its own and how much had depended on one particular controller. The answer was mixed, and debate over whether a D-pad can replace analogue movement followed the game from release.

OldGame.cz records the year, the development studio, the series and a gallery of images for this game.