Prerelease:Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64)/1996

This is a sub-page of Prerelease:Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64).

Spring

Inverted HUD Build

Very little is known about this build of the game as there is only a single short video clip showing Mario fighting Bowser in Bowser in the Dark World:

Inverted HUD Build	Final

(Source: NINTENDO64 _64 Appearance_ N102A3)

• The mini-map has been removed.
• The HUD icons now have their final placement, but the Coin and Star icons' placements are swapped. There's also less spacing between the HUD characters, and the HUD has the final font. The HUD position itself is a bit different from the final. (I.E. Lives counter)
• Mario uses his final lighting, but still uses the Mario_old head model.
• Bowser has a shadow when spun.
• The level lacks fog.
• Shadows are much smoother.

March 1996 Build

These screenshots appear to be a bit later than the Inverted HUD Build. Star and Coin positions match with the final HUD layout unless otherwise noted.

Castle Interior

March '96	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 20)

• The aquariums do not emit beams of light, and are blue tinted.

March '96	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 20)

• The Mirror Room lacks paintings.
• Mario's reflection doesn't have a shadow.

Bob-omb Battlefield

March '96	Final

• The Red Coin located above the tall blue rock is missing.
• The cannon uses the brighter rock texture seen on the rock bridge.
• The white rockface behind the Chain Chomp is shorter.
• The floating island is in a different spot, much higher and hovering above the Chain Chomp.
• There is a Goomba and Koopa Troopa near the cannon.
• The Goomba has a different face texture, and a darker head.
• The tree next to the cannon is missing.
• The mountain looks different. The ledge on the left with the plank is missing, the ledge on the right is thinner, the grassy terrain between ledges is different, and the mountaintop has a spike sticking out of it.

March '96	Final

• There is no stake tethering Chain Chomp.
• There is no sign in near the Chain Chomp.
• The white rockface is wider, but shorter in height.
• The path next to the Chain Chomp is wider, reading the cliff's edge.
• The trees are farther apart.
• The nearer cliffside fence, the one in front of the Chain Chomp, is absent in this build.

March '96	Final

• Nothing big here, just simpler textures.

March '96	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 20)

• The camera is zoomed in farther. The reason for this is because the King Bob-Omb wasn't implemented at this point.
• The aforementioned spike is here.
• There is a cannon here that was removed from the final game.

Cool, Cool Mountain

March '96	Final

• There's a single coin instead of a line of coins.
• There's a tree instead of the Snowman's head in the lower left corner.
• The fences lack snow.

March '96	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 22)

• Jumping Snowmen are absent in this build.
• The floating island with the Bob-omb Buddy is absent.
• The island lift's draw distance is larger; in the final game, you can't see it from the bridge.
• There is no broken bridge leading to the Red coin. Instead, the ground extends further.

March '96	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 22)

• There are no fences around the edge of the mountain.
• The ledge is covered in snow.
• The lift ropes use a different texture, with the rope cord's winding direction flipped in the final game.

Big Boo's Haunt

March '96	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 23)

• The skybox is all black.
• The walls lack torches.
• The sign at the bottom left is missing.

March '96	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 23)

• There are no lanterns above the doors.
• The Boo uses early face textures that can be found in the July 25th, 2020 Gigaleak.
• The Boo holds a key. Unused behavior for a Boo holding a key can be found in the final game.

March '96	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games - Issue 175 (1996-06) Page 23)

• The railing uses a different texture, and sits closer to the floor's edge.
• The window's light beam effect is missing.
• The pillar to the left of the door is missing, and the door knobs are using their lower poly models.

Hazy Maze Cave

March '96	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 23)

In the Metal Cap portal room:

• The room has a drastically different appearance, smaller and more circular in shape.
• The textures are different.
• Mario is wearing a Metal Cap here; this is impossible in the final game, as by the time you get here from the nearest Metal Cap box, time would run out.

Shifting Sand Land

Outdoors

March '96	Final

(Source: MAXIMUM The Video Game Magazine Issue #7 - June (1996) - Page 15)

• The skybox is slightly different; the clouds are more blue tinted than yellow tinted, and it lacks pyramids.
• The Tox Box is floating.
• The texture used on the Tox Box platform's sides is less stretched compared to the final.
• The pillar on the left isn't present, and the right pillar is rotated at a different angle.
• The quicksand's dusty haze hasn't been added yet.

March '96	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 22)

• The pillars are placed closer to the quicksand.
• The top of the pyramid is different: it has a square shaped cap, instead of the traditional sloped cap design like in the final game.
• The giant fence is a brick wall instead.
• A Goomba is visible near the pillar closest to the camera.
• The sand dunes in the background are missing; this could be a culling issue.
• The star on top of the pyramid seems to be missing; it's unknown where it was placed.
• The 1-Up Mushroom near the quicksand is missing.

March '96	Final

• Pokeys have different textures, with a less menacing design.

Indoors

March '96	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 20)

• Spindel has a different face texture, with pill-shaped black eyes and white teeth.
• There's an extra path in the bottom right that was removed in the final game.

Rainbow Ride

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 20)

• The Flamethrower has a completely different design.
• Most of the distant platforms seem to be missing.
• The rainbow curve has a different shape.
• The flying carpet lacks animation and shading.
• The HUD lacks a Coin counter.

Undetermined

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 175 (June 1996) - Page 20)

• This could either be Wing Mario Over the Rainbow or Tower of the Wing Cap, as the skybox is used for both levels.
• The coin counter is missing, just like in the Rainbow Ride screenshot above.

"X100" Build

Another build with barely any information, as there's only a single screenshot of it which can be seen below.

(Source: Japanese Game Brochures (Nintendo 64), Dengeki Nintendo 64 (電撃 ニンテンドウ64) - Issue 3 August 1996 - Page 196 , The 64DREAM ザ・ロクヨンドリーム 創刊準備号(1996-06) - Page 166)

• This is the first build to use the final Mario model.
• When the Star counter reached 100 or above, the X mark isn't removed.

Pre E3 1996 Builds

The game is closer to completion, but there are still a lot of changes to the document. The game was said to be 80% complete at this time.

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this.

General Differences

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Kellogg's Sweepstakes - Nintendo Power Previews 16 Segment)

• There is no high score, course number, or Star Mission name displayed on the Course Clear screen. Only the amount of collected coins is shown.
• The coin counter's position after Mario completed the level is slightly different from the final version, being placed slightly higher.
• Small instrument differences in the Powerful Mario theme, using a different piano sample. This sample also shows up in the Dire, Dire Docks theme.
• There isn't a sound effect for when Mario collects a cap.
• Mario's jumps use different audio cues, though he is now voiced by Charles Martinet.
• Mario doesn't say anything when doing punches and kicks like in Space World '95, but his hands and feet grow larger like in the final.
• When Mario does a sharp turn, instead of suddenly facing that direction, he will instead turn around to face said direction just like in Shoshinkai 1995.
• The Star Mission selection on the level's title card is present.
• Ghost Stars are gray instead of blue.
• Mario uses a different, slower recovery animation.
• Mario has a different animation for opening a Key Door: instead of hopping to the right door, he walks up to it. A later build shows a cleaner version of this animation.
• Mario lacks visible invincibility frames after being hit.
• Mario sleeps after doing the idle animation once, like in the Space World '95 demo.
• The stardust uses a different graphic than in the final game, this early graphic is the same one used in the Space World '95 demo, seen here. It was also found in the Gigaleak.
• The textbox animation is slower than the final build which; again, is similar to Space World '95 demo, seen here and here.
• Mario says "Yippee!" when doing a long jump, instead of "Yahoo!". Mario does say "Yippee!" in the American version, though only when doing a triple jump.
• Black smoke appears after Mario blasts out of a cannon.
• The Power Meter uses its final design, though its positioned differently, and a little further to the left.

(Source: Nintendo 64 Pre-Launch Promotional Tape)

• The smoke still uses its early texture.
• Mario's sound for climbing over a ledge remains unchanged from Shoshinkai.

Early Ledge Clamber	Final Ledge Clamber

Title Screen

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo N64 B-Roll E3 1996)

The title screen is simpler compared to the final:

• The logo has different colors and has no wooden embossing around the letters.
• The trademark symbol is modelled instead of being a sprite.
• The copyright text has a different font.
• The logo itself uses flat-colored Gouraud shading, unlike the final's noise patterns.
• The "It's-a me" portion from Mario's "It's-a me, Mario!" voice line is cut from a different take.
• The title screen music remains similar to the final but with a different drum pattern.
• The model for this logo was found in the leaked source code.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo N64 B-Roll E3 1996)

Level Changes

Pre E3 1996	Late pre-release	Final

(Source: Nintendo 1996 Promotional N64 Stock Holders Video, MAXIMUM The Video Game Magazine Issue #7 - June (1996) - Page 8)

• The Bob-omb Battlefield painting is quite different, having Lethal Lava Land's frame, a larger center Bob-omb with lower feet, different smoke effects, and visible wind-up keys, which were removed from both the final game's painting and Bob-omb models. A later build depicts the final version of the painting.

3rd Floor

Pre E3 1996	Final

• The glass covering the pendulum is blue instead of yellow.
• The bricks use a different texture.
• The Toad that grants Mario a star is absent.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: 30 minutes of E3 1996)

• The hallway leading to Dire, Dire Docks wasn't just a straight hallway, but instead took a turn to the right. The room also uses the different brick texture seen in other pre-release screenshots from this time.
• Wario was never supposed to make an appearance, and this was just a gimmick they had going on in the booth. No screenshot without him exists, unfortunately.

Bob-omb Battlefield

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: NINTENDO64 _64 Appearance_ N102A3)

• The blue starting platform's shading is different.
• There is a coin ring around the cannon.
• The Bob-omb Buddy is placed differently, it's farther away from the cannon base.
• There are no trees in this beginning area.
• The breakable boxes are placed differently, on the left side of the dirt path. Also there are 3 big boxes, instead of 2 big ones and a small grabbable one.
• Signs are nearly absent in this part, except for the one right beside the dirt path.
• Koopa the Quick walks around like normal Koopa Troopas before starting the race.
• The fence closest to the flowers is missing.
• Chain Chomp's gate has a higher draw distance, its model is not visible this far away in the final version.
• The floating island is placed higher than the final version, though it's not as high as the March '96 build.
• The spike was removed from the mountaintop.
• In the later build, a 1-Up can be seen inside the left big block at the beginning of the level.
• Bob-omb Buddies walk in circles, like normal Bob-ombs, when Mario isn't in their radius.
• The skybox has a different pattern for the clouds.
• One of the coin rings in front of the cannon on the floating island is missing.

E3 1996	Late Pre-release	Final

• Goombas sport a different face texture and a darker head.

(Source: Computer and Video Games - Issue 175 (1996-06) Page 21, 関西偉人館任天堂社長 山内溥)

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo N64 B-Roll E3 1996)

• There is no fence near the Chain Chomp.
• The dirt path in the Chain Chomp section is wider, with the sign ontop of it.
• That same sign has different text written on it.
• Chain Chomp's "Woof!" from the Japanese version is heard here, in a different pitch, only playing once.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Gamefan Volume 4 Issue 08 August 1996 - Page 12)

• The sign next to the rock stairs is missing.
• There are four steps in the rock stairs, versus the final's three steps.
• The stone containing the cannon, and the other rock stairs, uses the bright rocky texture seen on the rock bridge.
• The dark rocks use a different UV mapping.
• Wooden arrow signs use a smaller sign panel, resembling the readable signs.
• The Wing Cap block after the Chain Chomp section is in a different place.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: MAXIMUM The Video Game Magazine Issue #7 - June (1996) - Page 9)

• Different skybox and more primitive UI, but otherwise close to the final game.

Whomp's Fortress

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo of America E3 1996 "Take Away Video")

• There are no Butterflies found in the course, and the sign next to the sleeping Piranha Plant in the beginning of the course is missing. The Piranha Plant also uses a different sound clip for its bites.
• Two signs, a Power Star location, and a small cork box are missing from their spots next to the farthest flower bed.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo of America E3 1996 "Take Away Video")

• Thwomps still use their Space World '95 textures, but they now use square shadows, like the final game, instead of circular shadows like the Space World '95 demo.
• There are no floating islands in the level, except for the island made of bricks, which has a star on it.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo1996 Promotional N64 Stock Holders Video)

• The Thwomp area is different, having sloped surfaces similar to those seen in the Space World '95 demo, and lacking the Metal Cap box, sign, and secret teleporter.
• In the above linked video, there are coins above the sliding floor tiles, also like the aforementioned Space World '95 demo.

Pre E3 1996	Final

• The fence next to the first Piranha Plant is missing, along with the special stand that the sleeping Piranha Plant rests on.

(Source: Nintendo E3 1997 press kit CD)

• The pole is placed differently, identical to the the Space World '95's position.
• There is a second pole that replaces the rotating elevator that leads Mario to the highest part of the course.
• The tower on the top of Whomp's Fortress has triangular steps instead of the rectangular ones like the final game. Those steps can be found in the final game, unused.

(Source: Nintendo Power - Issue #001 - Issue #127 - Page 12)

Jolly Roger Bay

There are small bubbles visible while Mario swims underwater. These are only seen in The Secret Aquarium and inside the ship in Jolly Roger Bay in the final game.

The cannon is placed differently.

Cool, Cool Mountain

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: MAXIMUM The Video Game Magazine Issue #7 - June (1996) - Page 11)

• This is using the Space World '95 penguin model, that can also be found in the July 25th, 2020 Gigaleak data.
• The wall uses a different texture; it's made up of many smaller, colorful bricks, unlike the final game's thin-planked, wooden cabin texture.
• The racing penguin is slightly taller and thinner than the final's.

(Source: NINTENDO64 _64 Appearance_ N102A3)

• When racing the penguin, the TIME counter would appear like when Mario races Koopa the Quick; this was removed from the final game.

Big Boo's Haunt

• The Crazy Crate at the beginning of the level is missing.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games - Issue 176 (July 1996) - Page 84)

• The Boos possess Yellow Coins instead of Blue Coins, and one Boo can be seen right after the falling floor section. It also has an early face texture.
• The railing now uses the final game's design.

Pre E3 1996	Final

• This section lacks the Killer Books that emerge from both bookshelves.

(Source: Nintendo 64 Pre-Launch Promotional Tape)

Pre E3 1996	Final

• Instead of having a Blue Shy Boo Painting, the attic is shown to only have the Yellow Scaring Boo Painting. It also covers the entire wall instead of only half of it.
• The early coin design is seen on the Blue Coin Switch.

Table Room

A video showing some of an early Big Boo's Haunt's Table Room.

• A red coin on the right bookshelf is missing, with a yellow coin in its place, suggesting that their placements differed in this build.
• Bookends don't give a blue coin when defeated.
• Two chairs are on the right side of the table, in the final version, one of these chairs was moved to the other side of the table and both were rotated to face it.
• The wall behind the table is pushed further back
• The blue Boo painting is missing, leaving a gap between the rooms.
• The Vanish Cap box is absent.
• In the hallway, there were two small Boo paintings with a containing a single Boo each, inside instead of two per painting.
• Boos can be defeated with a jump instead of a Ground Pound.
• This is the first appearance of the final's Boo design.

To do: Get an audio clip and pictures.

• Big Boo makes a different sound when he gets hit. This would've also applied to other Boos as well.
• Big Boo is also missing his grunting sound.

Bowser in the Dark World

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: NINTENDO 64 - 64 Software Notice Revision N103A3)

• The Purple Switch in front of the Flamethrower is absent, with a Red Coin in its place, suggesting that the challenge with the timed blocks didn't exist yet.

(Source: NEW N64 Japanese Promo Video/Rare Beta Footage (1995-96) Space World '95 (3:49))

• The second Red Coin from the beginning is, instead, located on this spinning platform.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo Power - Issue #001 - Issue #127 - Page 17)

• The wooden platform uses a different, lighter texture.
• There are 4 Goombas, but there's only 3 in the final version.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Club Nintendo Año 05 Nº 07 (México) - Page 9)

• A 1-Up Mushroom is absent in the tilting platform section, with 2 coins in its place.

Pre E3 1996	Late pre-release	Final

(Source: Kelloggs Sweepstakes - Nintendo Power Previews 16 segment)

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 176 (July 1996) - Page 014)

• • The boss entrance cutscene zooms uncomfortably close to Bowser's schnozz. It's pulled back both in a later revision, and in the final game.

Pre E3 1996	Final

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: 関西偉人館／任天堂社長 山内溥, SM64 Research Discord Server)

• Bowser's pre-fight dialog is formatted differently. The characters are the same, but the spacing is different.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Kelloggs Sweepstakes - Nintendo Power Previews 16 segment)

• Bowser would drop coins when defeated, much like in Space World '95.

Hazy Maze Cave

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo N64 B-Roll E3 1996)

• The map showing your location is missing, though it's unclear if other maps in the level were missing as well. In the later build, the map was implemented as shown here.
• The Metal Cap box is in a different position; it's in the middle of the starting room, instead of right beside Mario's spawn point.
• There is a Swooper at the beginning of the left path that was removed in the final game.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo of America E3 1996 "Take Away Video")

• A jumping Scuttlebug and another Swooper can be seen at the end of the left path, and the sign teaching you how to Long Jump is closer to the bottomless pit.
• The Scuttlebug past the boulder area is missing, as seen in the middle screen.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo 64 Japanese Promotional Tape 1996)

• Lifts share the lantern texture, likely as a placeholder.

Scuttlebug

Pre E3 1996	Later pre-release	Final

(Source: Nintendo N64 B-Roll E3 1996, Gamefan Volume 4 Issue 08 August 1996 - Page 12)

• Scuttlebugs have an early model that can be found in the leaked source code and, as seen in the GIF above, don't jump and run towards Mario upon eye contact. Instead, they just turn around and walk at normal speed towards him, and don't drop any coins when defeated. A late pre-release version of the enemy had white legs and a lack of fangs.

Lethal Lava Land

(Source: Nintendo 64 Japanese Promotional Tape 1996)

Bullies have a single horn like in the Space World '95 demo.

Shifting Sand Land

Outdoors

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo N-64 B-Roll E3 1996)

• The skybox looks identical to the one seen in the March '96 build.
• Pokey's design has been updated and now matches the final version. There is also one placed in the quicksand.
• The Flame Thrower next to the 2 pillars is missing.
• Klepto has smaller pupils than in the final game. This early eye texture can be found in the leaked source code.
• When Klepto snatches Mario's cap, Mario says "Woah!", used in the final for fall damage incurred from an enemy, instead of "Oof!".

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Next Generation Dec. 24 1996 - Pg. 77)

• The brick wall from March '96 has been replaced with a giant fence.
• The coin line between the two pillars is missing.

Indoors

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo N64 B-Roll E3 1996)

• There is a coin ring in the beginning section of the pyramid that was removed from the final game.
• The entrance to the Eyerok fight is taller.

The orbs that mark the elevator's path use Monty Mole's rocks as a placeholder.

(Source: Nintendo 64 Pre-Launch Promotional Tape)

Eyerok has a different eye texture that resembles the eye texture used for the final's Scuttlebug.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: MAXIMUM The Video Game Magazine Issue #7 - June (1996) - Page 15)

Grindel has a different face texture, with taller, pill-shaped black eyes, white teeth, and more angled eyebrows.

Dire, Dire Docks

(Source: 30 minutes of E3 1996)

• Sushi still has his Space World '95 appearance, seen on the leftmost screen. That early model can be found in the leaked source code.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo N64 B-Roll E3 1996)

The Dire, Dire Docks theme uses a different lead instrument sample. This instrument still exists in the final game, known in the decompilation as 42_vibraphone.aiff. There is also an extra part that isn't present in the final.

Tall, Tall Mountain

• Starting at 0:32, the Red Coins above the mushrooms are missing. This could be because this build doesn't feature Red Coins yet.
• An unknown object, likely a sign, appears in the distance as Mario runs through the mountain's path.
• The Fly Guy in the rolling log bridge section is missing.
• There's a missing Ukiki in the same section.
• The waterfall seems to be silent, indicating that the object the ambient audio originates from isn't implemented yet.
• The Crazy Crate seen below the rolling log bridge section is missing, seen at 0:48.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 176 (July 1996) - Page 015)

• The platforms holding the rolling log bridge in place are different; they are flat instead of sloped. Mario could've walked on top of the surfaces, causing issues with the bridge, and necessitating the change for the final game.
• The platform right after the bridge is different too, it has a square shape compared to the final which is more triangular.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 176 (July 1996) - Page 015)

• This screenshot from the same press kit shows that the star inside the monkey cage works like Klepto's. All stars are collected in these screenshots (which is why in the previous screenshot the star above the lonely mushroom is barely visible), but the star is still yellow inside the cage.
• The coin line on the bridge beside the monkey cage is missing, because it is impossible to stand on that location without collecting at least 1 coin.

Tick Tock Clock

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo Power - Issue #85 June (1996) - Page 17, mirror to uncited page)

• The pendulums have a yellow pole instead of the wooden one seen in the final game.

Pre E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo Power - Issue #85 June (1996) - Page 17, mirror to uncited page)

• The wooden texture seen throughout the level is also different. The block in the middle of the texture has a different bevel with yellow hue, that same block is also affected by a dark gradient.
• The screw holding one of the moving blocks is flipped horizontally; it's unknown if any other screws in this course are also flipped.

Tower of the Wing Cap

Pre E3 1996	Late pre-release	Final

(Source: Nintendo 64 Pre-Launch Promotional Tape, Computer and Video Games - Issue 176 (July 1996) - Page 84)

• The stage lacks coins in this build.
• The cloud objects in this level are absent.

May

E3 1996 Kiosk Build

Kiosk	Main Showfloor

Kiosk	Main Showfloor

In order to get the kiosks built in time for the show, as they require lots of time to assemble, an older version of the game was left inside them than the one seen on the main showfloor. Most notably this version of the game still featured the old HUD graphics for the Coin, Mario and Star icons.

General Differences

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games - Issue 176 (1996-07) - Page 14)

• The Star, Mario, and Coin icons still use their early designs.
• The Lakitu Camera icons on the bottom right are still missing. The TIME counter appears in its place, missing the ' and " symbols and having 2 digits for the minute counter.

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendo N64 B-Roll E3 1996)

• Coins still have rectangular imprints instead of stars, but they lack that imprint in one of the frames (the third one in the images above) and feature different colors from Space World '95. The different coin design also applies to other coin-related graphics like the Blue Coin Switch.

File Select

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendomania)

• The star count in the file select menu has longer spacing between the numbers.

Level Changes

Castle Grounds

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendomania - De regreso del E3 1996 5m04s (5:04))

• When entering the Castle Grounds with at least 1 star, the camera angle is different from the final.

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Computer and Video Games Issue 176 (1996-07) - Page 15)

• The clock seen above the castle entrance has been replaced with the stained glass window of Princess Peach, like in the final game.
• Butterflies are absent.
• The castle uses its final windows and brick textures.
• The windows appear to be slightly larger here.
• The trees use a different texture with slight differences in shape and lighting. These early trees can be found in the leaked source code.
• The skybox appears to be scrolled around the screen differently.
• The opening cutscene has different camera angles when Mario jumps out of the pipe.

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

The cannon you'd use to shoot yourself up the Castle was missing. The Yoshi easter egg after 100% completion was added "last minute".

(Source: Nintendo 64 U.S. Unveiling at E3 '96 in Los Angeles, California)

Castle Interior 1st Floor

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendomania - De regreso del E3 1996 (05:23))

The castle interior more closely resembles its appearance in the final game, with a few differences:

• The grand staircase that leads to the second floor is missing, although the platforms it replaces are wider and thinner than they were in the Space World '95 Builds.
• The coins on the platforms are missing.

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendomania - De regreso del E3 1996 (5:17))

• While the castle wallpaper is the one seen in the final game, the brown brick texture by the entrance is still different.
• Fencing has been added to the highest platforms in the castle.

(Source: Nintendomania - De regreso del E3 1996 (5:20))

• The Toad in the main lobby is missing, considering they're missing in other areas too, it's safe to assume all Toads are absent in this build.

Bob-omb Battlefield

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendo 64 U.S. Unveiling at E3 '96 in Los Angeles, California)

• In the Star Select, Star 2 and Star 3 are swapped, so Shoot To The Island In The Sky was mission 2, and Footrace with Koopa The Quick was mission 3.
• The text for the Koopa mission was also changed: it was originally "はくねつ のこのこレース" but was later changed to "はくねつ ノコノコレース"; both mean the same thing, but the "Noko Noko" part originally used Hiragana instead of Katakana.

(Source: Nintendo 64 U.S. Unveiling E3 '96 in Los Angeles, California (7:28))

• A Bob-omb and a ring of coins can be seen at the base of the mountain after the pit of steel balls.
• When fighting King Bob-omb, the Stage Boss theme doesn't play, instead, it just plays the Super Mario 64 Main Theme like the rest of the level.

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendo 64 U.S. Unveiling at E3 '96 in Los Angeles, California (08:25))

• The dialogue when Mario first interacts with King Bob-omb is written a bit differently.
• King Bob-omb doesn't move when thrown.
• When King Bob-omb is defeated, he immediately explodes into a star. A later build has the dialog (shorter and written a bit differently), but the camera doesn't zoom in, seen here. The different dialog can be seen below.

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendo 64 U.S. Unveiling at E3 '96 in Los Angeles, California (09:15))

• The star spawning animation is different, the world doesn't freeze, there's no jingle or sound effects for the star, and it spins quickly on the floor and then slowly rises to its set height, seen here. A later build finalized the star spawning animation; including the sound effects; seen here as well.

Basement

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendo N64 B-Roll E3 1996)

• The Toad that grants Mario a star is absent in the Hazy Maze Cave entrance room.

2nd Floor

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendo N64 B-Roll E3 1996)

• There's a different brick texture on the wall surrounding the door.
• The paintings Mario cannot enter do not exist.
• In the mirror room, Mario reflected in the mirror has no shadow, as seen in the rightmost screen, and no Lakitu Bro is seen here either. A later build shows both the paintings and Lakitu Bro in this room.
• In that same clip, we can see that the Whomp's Fortress painting still uses the early design seen in the Shoshinkai '95 Demo.

Bowser in the Sky

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendomania - De regreso del E3 1996 (05:49))

• The texture with the Goomba and Koopa statues didn't have them at this point.

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendomania - De regreso del E3 1996 (05:53))

• The Keronpa Ball is missing.

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendomania - De regreso del E3 1996 (05:54))

• A Fly Guy is present next to the rotating platforms.
• The Red Coin floating above the stone walkway is missing.

E3 1996 Kiosk	Final

(Source: Nintendomania - Tips de Super Mario RPG (03:23))

• The texture used in the arrow path at the beginning of the course and moving platforms had different, simpler-looking arrows and wider checkerboard sides.
• The Red Coin in the first sharp turn of the course appears to be missing, though Mario could have collected it previously.
• The final Bowser arena was red instead of green, it can be seen here.

Manual Build

This build can be seen in the American and European Super Mario 64 manuals, and can be seen on the back of the Japanese box. It appears to be slightly earlier than the build shown at the E3 conference. According to file dates on the images, this build is either dated before or between April 30th and May 5th, 1996.

Manual Build	Final

(Source: Super Mario 64 Japanese Box Art - Back])

• The coin icon in the HUD uses the early design with the rectangular imprint inside and the shape is rounder than the final. Other coin-related graphics use the early design like red coins.

Manual Build	Final

(Source: Nintendo E3 1997 Press Kit CD)

• In Bob-omb Battlefield, the fence close to the flowers and the fence in the Chain Chomp area are still missing.
• The Red Coin above the rotating elevator is placed somewhere else in the level, the exact location is unknown.

• The smoke texture has been updated and now matches the final game.

(Source: Super Mario 64 Japanese Box Art - Back])

(Source: Nintendo E3 1997 Press Kit CD)

E3 1996 Build

The build shown publicly at E3 1996. Essentially the retail version, albeit with some minor differences in detail. This can be seen here.

• The coin icon has been finalized.
• The blocky steps were replaced with the final's grand staircase in Princess Peach's Castle.
• The Whomp's Fortress painting uses its final design.
• The timing/speed of the text box animation has been finalized and faster.

E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo 64 Unveiling w/ Howard Lincoln + Peter Main + Tom Jermoluk @ E3 1996 Part - 2 of 2)

• When losing a life in Bowser in the Dark World, the camera angle is different, making it more dramatic than the final.

E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo 64 Unveiling w/ Howard Lincoln + Peter Main + Tom Jermoluk @ E3 1996 Part - 2 of 2)

• The basement area with the pillars has a more narrow entrance.

E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo 64 Unveiling w/ Howard Lincoln + Peter Main + Tom Jermoluk @ E3 1996 Part - 2 of 2)

• There's a long, singular arrow in the tunnel rather than two acute arrows like the final game.

E3 1996	Final

(Source: Nintendo 64 Unveiling w/ Howard Lincoln + Peter Main + Tom Jermoluk @ E3 1996 Part - 2 of 2)

• The Red Coin is still larger than the regular Coin just like in the E3 1996 Kiosk build.
• The snow-covered tree appears to be slightly taller than the final, and so is the collision.

• 41:13-42:54
• Mario is seen entering the second floor with 30 stars. which is impossible without glitches or cheats in the final game.