Prerelease:Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64)/Pre E3 1996 Builds

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

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 and has simple gradient color.
• 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.