Super Mario 64 (スーパーマリオ64, Sūpā Mario Rokujūyon) is a platformer developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, in North America on September 29, 1996, and in Europe on March 1, 1997. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the Nintendo 64. Super Mario 64 has sold over eleven million copies, and as of September 25, 2007, it is the seventh best-selling video game in the United States.
Super Mario 64 was the first 3D platform game in the Mario series, and it established a new archetype for the genre, much as Super Mario Bros. did for 2D sidescrolling platformers. Hailed as "revolutionary", the game left a lasting impression on the 3D game design, particularly notable for its use of a dynamic camera system and the implementation of its analog control.
By going from two to three dimensions, Super Mario 64 replaced the linear obstacle courses of traditional platform games with vast worlds in which the player must complete multiple and diverse missions, with an emphasis on exploration. While doing so, it managed to preserve many gameplay elements and characters of earlier Mario games. (more...)