Super Mario 64 DS

When Nintendo launched its new dual-screen handheld in 2004, it needed a strong flagship title, and it reached for the very cornerstone of three-dimensional gaming. Super Mario 64 DS is a remake of the legendary game that in 1996 practically invented the rules of the 3D platformer, this time significantly expanded and reworked for the new hardware.

This is no mere port. The game adds three new playable characters alongside Mario, namely Yoshi, Luigi and Wario, each with their own abilities needed to collect certain stars. The total number of collectible stars grew from 120 to 150, brand-new levels were added, touchscreen minigames appeared, and there is a standalone multiplayer mode for several players.

Development was handled by Nintendo in cooperation with the remake's developers, and the game shipped as one of the Nintendo DS launch titles. The controls proved the biggest challenge: the original relied on an analog stick that the DS lacks, so movement had to be handled via the touch pad or the directional pad. This compromise solution is one of the game's most debated aspects, even though the content itself remains exceptionally rich.

The cultural significance of the original is beyond question, as Super Mario 64 defined how a character should move in an open three-dimensional space and influenced practically every later 3D game. The DS version made that legacy accessible to a new generation and became one of the console's very well-selling launch titles.

For players who know the original, the remake offers plenty of new content and reasons to rediscover Princess Peach's castle. For newcomers it is a gateway into one of the most important games in history, albeit with the awareness that the controls on the DS take a bit of patience.

Why play: An expanded version of the pioneering 3D platformer with four characters and dozens of extra stars, ideal for discovering the classic on the go.