Prerelease:Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64)

This page details prerelease information and/or media for Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64).

It took a good two years before the wee mustachioed guy could go all three-D on us.

Development Timeline

• 1995
  • November - The Nintendo 64 (then known as the Ultra 64) is patented and later unveiled at the first-ever Shoshinkai show, along with two prototypes, one of which was Super Mario 64.
  • December - Initial anticipated date.
• 1996
  • April - Second anticipated release date.
  • May 16th - A playable prototype is present at E3 1996.
  • June 23nd - Super Mario 64 is released in Japan.
  • September 26 - US release.

Concept

Development Process

Shigeru Miyamoto originally ideated Mario 64 from seeing the capabilities of the Super FX Chip. The chip was codenamed Super Mario FX; however, a build was never developed for SNES hardware.

• According to Miyamoto, the Mario head on the title screen was taken from the 'prototype for Mario Paint 3D', a game which was never released but may have become Mario Artist for the 64DD. A picture of the model in the making can be seen in a Dengeki Super Famicom article for an 'improved Super FX chip' that was intended to have a Mario Paint-like software tool. Mario's expressions were apparently motion-captured.
• The developers spent about half of their time working on the basic game system. Course design was done closer to the end, and many levels were almost 'thrown together'. (This may reflect the nature of level layouts like Whomp's Fortress or Lethal Lava Land. Just look at how little had changed since Shoshinkai.) Levels were made using the N64's Z-Buffer feature, and most of the design work was done directly on the computer hardware - only a few concept sketches and notes were made prior to jumping into the program. Level designers started with basic geography, then added more details as time went on.
• Yoshi was intended to be implemented for some part of the game, but the developers were dissatisfied so they took out the feature. In order to not waste their work on Yoshi, they put him atop the castle.
• Luigi was removed in February 1996 from the game due to memory issues. The team wanted to put him in a Mario Bros. type minigame instead, but the fact that the N64 was sold with only one controller factored into his total removal.
• Initially, the developers worked on a 'deceptively simple' test level. It consisted of a basic room that was made of blocks similar to LEGO, where Mario and Luigi could test out basic 3D platforming and controls. It is unknown whether this relates to the unknown level seen in a later build.
• Originally, there were nearly 250 different animations for Mario, but roughly 50 were removed or rejected from the game prior to its release.
• The crouching trip kick (Z+B), present in the final game, was intended to be for attacking short/small enemies, but the developers never added any enemies that were specifically targeted by that move.
• Mario was originally able to throw MIPS the rabbit, but this was removed. Developers also wanted to create an animation where Mario throws him by the ears, but this was never added in time.
• There were once more monkeys in levels that could be chased around. A group of three would have taunted Mario, and he was able to throw them off of cliffs in turn.

(Source: shmupulations)

Concept Art

A few pages of development notes and concept art from various Mario games were published in the booklet that came along with the Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary Collection, released for Wii on December 12th, 2010. Though the developer notes were translated into English, this Super Mario 64 concept art page was not.

Climbing/Dismounting Ladders	Rolling Stone	Flooded room
(Animation used in free climbing)	(A device used in dungeons)	(Camera switches to water mode)
Clockwise Millstone Rotation	Walking Over a Piano	Bombs
(Push)	(Sound stuff)	(Defeat enemies with bombs)
Wire Mesh Action	Wall Slam
(Free climbing)	(Dash)

(Source: GlitterBerri.com - Translations)

November 22, 1995 Patent Build

A total of six images from Mario 64 are seen in the patent for the Ultra 64, showcasing the castle grounds. This is possibly the earliest build known to the public. The level map is mostly identical to the final, with changes mostly focused on the castle appearance.

• A black compass design is above the doorway instead of Princess Peach's image. The upper-right quarter of the compass seems to be a lighter color.
• The brick textures are simpler, and the windows are not vaguely mushroom-shaped like in the final game.
• A large, flat "cloud" separates the lower half of the castle from the tower.
• The sprites for the trees are missing, but their shadows are in place.
• The bridge is fairly simple, is made of the same bricks as the castle, and curves. It is connected to the main landscape by stone posts instead of guardrails.

Shoshinkai '95 Demo

Information about Super Mario 64 first leaked in November 1995, and a playable version of the game was presented days later as part of the world premiere for the Nintendo 64 (then known as the "Ultra 64") at Nintendo Space World. At this point, the basic controls had been implemented and the game was reportedly 50% finished, featuring 32 courses, although about 2% of mapping was complete.

Being the first unveiling of Super Mario 64, these were the first assets available to the general public. Graphics-wise, this version of the game has little in common with the retail release, but several levels and key gameplay features are set in stone. Players could control Mario freely in each stage and explore the castle, as well as use a stage select that used early names for levels.

According to the developers, many players at Shoshinkai described Mario's 3D controls as 'wobbly' or 'slippery', or less responsive to the button inputs. It is unknown what exactly was changed, but there was a major difference in controls by the final release.

General Differences

Title Screen

The "Press start" and "Game over" messages on the title screen use a more basic orange and black font, rather than the custom font used in the final version.

Gameplay and Physics

• When Mario enters a level, he sparkles while falling from the sky.
• Mario's triple jump causes him to twirl instead of doing a mid-air somersault.
• Mario does not pause in the air when he performs a ground pound. The camera does not slow down or focus on Mario when he does a ground pound, either, unlike the final.

Power Stars

Power Stars are two-dimensional animated sprites in this build, with a design similar to how they looked in Super Mario RPG. That game also started development in 1995, so they might have shared the same base model. The stars also are similar to the smaller 2D silver and red stars that float around Mario's head in the final title screen.

Coins

The coins also differ from the final. Instead of a star insignia, they have a rectangular indentation. This matches the design they had in previous games, such as the original Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario World, as well as their design in most modern Mario games.

Audio Differences

To do: Post more source sound files. About 3 distinct jumping sounds are missing, as well as that of Mario picking up an object.

• Mario's voice clips are very different, featuring samples from Warner Brothers' SFX library:

Description	Early	Final
Mario exclaiming "Yahoo!"
Mario exclaiming "Yippee!"
Mario taking fire damage.

• The coin sound effect is higher-pitched compared to the final version.
• The music in Dire, Dire Docks uses slightly different instruments.
• The title screen music has a different drum beat pattern:

Description	Early	Final
The title theme.

HUD

Nov. '95	Final

Minimap	A minimap is present in the upper-right corner, similar to the one from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It can be toggled on or off. The larger view of a level seen when paused replaced the minimap later on in development.
Lives	Mario's head is a flat, stylized face in profile with a comically large nose. In the Shoshinkai demo, the number of lives is expressed with a single digit, while footage from the prerelease build would use two digits.
Stars	Like Mario's head, the Star counter is also represented by a flat sprite, located at the center-right of the screen.
Coins	Located directly below the Star counter instead of beside it. This placement makes room for the minimap.
Font	A very standard bubble font with the numbers being different colors. The Xs are small and yellow as opposed to silver in the final game.
Health	Mario's health is displayed in a clock-like object. His remaining health is also shown in numerical form, similar to prerelease screenshots of Super Mario Sunshine and the final release of Super Mario Galaxy. At this point of development, Mario's health regenerates automatically if he is not underwater.
Camera	There are no visible camera options in the HUD yet, but players can still use the C buttons to move the camera.

Levels

Castle Grounds

The player begins at the castle and is greeted with this text:

Text	Translation
ようこそ マリオワンダーランドへ ぼうけんずきのひとは めのまえのおしろへどうぞ	Welcome to Mario Wonderland. If you're the adventurous sort, pay a visit to the castle ahead.

• The name "Mario Wonderland" is most likely a placeholder title during the game's development.
• The bridge has changed since the patent screenshot, adding guards and removing the stone pillars from the beginning. It is still at a noticeable curve.
• The 'cloud' above the castle appears to have been removed.
• The black compass is still present above the entrance.
• The brick texture is noticeably simpler than it would be in later builds of the game.
• No wooden fencing surrounds the moat.

Castle Interior

Upon entering the castle, this text appears:

Text	Translation
このおしろは　てんじかい せんようです。 いろいろなせかいと つながっているので さきのとびらを　ひらいて ぼうけんして　ください。	This castle is exclusive to the show. It's connected to a variety of worlds, so open the doors ahead and get adventuring.

(Source: GlitterBerri - Translation)

Nov. '95	Final

• The walls are dark blue, with two pillars to either side of the center door with a sun and moon on them.
• A simple blue to orange color gradient decorates the bricks.
• Doors to stages display white numbers (1-4) instead of red numbers over stars. These numbers correspond to the level select and do not appear to be star requirements yet.
• The room with the Bowser/Peach portrait has cracked stone walls instead of brick castle walls in the final.
• Level placement is not final: the entrance to Lethal Lava Land is in the second door on the bottom-right, where Whomp's Fortress would be later on, and the second floor door leads to the first fight with Bowser.
• There is no second floor in the main room, nor are there stairs leading to it; there are only 2 big slabs leading up to the center door, likely intended to be a jumping tutorial of sorts. Two numberless doors are to the sides of the first slab, similar to the basement doors in the final. It is unknown where these doors lead as no one enters them in footage and no locations other than the four levels and Bowser fight have been shown.
• The paintings for Whomp's Fortress and Cool, Cool Mountain are not yet in their final forms.

Mountain (Whomp's Fortress)

The layout of Whomp's Fortress is similar to the final version, but its appearance is fairly different.

• The path before the Pirahna Plant is a red carpet.
• The background features an overcast sky.
• Many of the floors have circular stone textures.
• Thwomps have a darker blue color and angrier faces.
• The star by the tower is not in a cage.
• The rotating platforms with red coins have not been implemented yet.
• The pole near the tower is closer to the star and on the other side of the tower.

Fire Bubble (Lethal Lava Land)

Arriving in this level, the text box reads:

Text	Translation
みぎにいくか　ひだりに いくのは あなたのじゆう Cボタンをうまくつかって しんちょうに　はやく!	Left or right? It's all up to you. Make good use of the C buttons to move quickly but cautiously!

(Source: GlitterBerri - Translation)

This map is nearly complete - several final features are present, such as Mr. I, the sliding puzzle, collapsing and tilting platforms, and the volcano exterior.

• Mario starts on a path that is positioned to the right of the arch, instead of on the left.
• Bullies only have one spike atop their head, instead of two horns, similar to the Chill Bully enemy in the final game.

Snow Slide (Cool, Cool Mountain)

Level intro text:

Text	Translation
かぜを　かんじたいひとは ひだりの　あなに　とびこ んでみるといいです。 すっごく　きもちいいです	If you want to feel the wind at your back, try jumping in the hole on the left. The sensation can't be beat.

(Source: GlitterBerri - Translation)

• Mario begins near the top of the mountain, which is made of ice and a white stone texture on its side. The entrance for the slide is a hole atop a trapezoidal polygon with an igloo texture, similar to a cannon hole. One penguin is present.
• The lower part of the course is composed of a white brick texture, intersecting with a stone pyramid structure behind the penguin area. These textures are later replaced by the cabin and other wooden structures. The flat area of the level resembles the final version essentially, with penguins, an ice pool, and a floating star in roughly the same location as the Little Penguin Lost star.
• Mother Penguin and her baby, Tuxie, have different designs than they do in the finished product: their eyelids are droopy, and their torsos are thinner. A total of three baby penguins can be seen in the demo. Mario can pick the baby penguins up.
• The music for Bob-omb Battlefield plays in the level. When Mario enters the slide, the music restarts, as both maps share the music.
• The slide area seen in this demo would later be re-purposed for Tall, Tall Mountain in the retail release.

Water Land (Dire, Dire Docks)

• The whirlpool hasn't been implemented yet.
• There is a small platform at the beginning of the level.
• Instead of sharp rocks, the background texture in the entry area is bricks layered on top of lighter stone.
• The Water Mine object that went unused in final version is used throughout the level.
• The framerate drops heavily in the area around Bowser's sub.
• The chests at the beginning of the level do nothing but release bubbles. This object behavior is present but unused in the final game.

Koopa 1 (Bowser in the Dark World)

The entrance immediately takes Mario to Bowser's room, which is ultimately unchanged in appearance.

• Bowser shrinks, then drops coins and a Star when he is defeated, as opposed to shrinking and spinning, then dropping the Bowser Key.

Second Shoshinkai 1995 Build

Little information is available about the specifics of this build and its relation to the Shoshinkai build, but footage of it was interspersed with the Shoshinkai demo footage in promotional video tapes for the event that were given to visitors. More levels are available, and graphical tweaks have been made. This build may show a more realistic view of how Mario 64 was developing at the time, instead of the demo, which was tailored for being playable by the audience.

• Mario's health meter has changed from the 'clock' to a more basic and linear design with a pie-chart-type meter that would be implemented in the final version. There are two iterations of this power meter: one that says "POW" with the number of health pieces left overlaid onto the remaining health pieces, and one with a simpler texture with the text "POWER", only seen used underwater. It is possible that the meter changes in appearance while underwater, unlike the final game. As health decreases, the color of the health meter changes from blue to red, similar to how the final meter will work.
• The power meter decreases clockwise, unlike the first and final meters, which decrease counterclockwise.
• An early, less detailed sunken ship is present in the game, most likely in an early Jolly Roger's Lagoon.

Courtyard

• Boos are present, but their face textures are an earlier design and do not match the final version. This face will persist for most of the game's development.
• The castle courtyard is accessible, although the fountain is textured differently, with dark bricks instead of light gray stone. The brick texture of the fountain becomes the walls of the courtyard in the final game. There is no star statue in the fountain, either.

Unknown Areas

Unknown Area 1

Footage exists of a location that does not match anywhere in particular in the final game. The footage was bundled with other footage from this second demo.

• Mario stands on a brick platform with a stone wall behind him. Inset in this wall is stairs. To the right of Mario is a lower floor with a dark pillar-like platform farther away.

(Source: YouTube)

Unknown Area 2

A strange hallway-like room with a watery floor seen here. There appear to be platforms slightly above the water on either side of the wall, and a third wall is at the end. The textures for both the walls and the water do not match up with any other textures in the game. This is most likley from an early version of the basement in Big Boo's Haunt, due to it's presence of Boos.

E3 1996 Build

The game is almost finished. Almost all of the game is accessible, and most of the final changes to be made are aesthetic.

• The minimaps are gone, with the star and coin counters moving to their final positions in the HUD.
• The star, Mario, and coin icons are virtually unchanged from earlier demos.
• The Power Meter is in its final iteration in the shape of Mario's head.
• Coins still have rectangular imprints instead of stars.
• Mario jumping makes a slightly different noise.
• The star select screen is present.

Castle Grounds

• The compass seen above the castle entrance has been replaced with a stained glass image of Princess Peach.
• The castle's windows and brick textures have been updated, and wooden fencing has been added around the castle moat.

Castle Interior

• The main staircase to the second floor is still missing, though the platforms in its place are wider than they were in Shoshinkai '95.
• Toads are not present.
• 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 higher platforms in the castle.

Bob-Omb Battlefield

• There is a rock spike atop the mountain.

(Source: 1)

• When King Bob-omb is defeated, he immediately explodes into a star.
• The 1-Up Mushroom in the block at the beginning of the level is completely stationary.
• There is a ring of coins at the base of the mountain after the pit of cannonballs.
• Chain Chomp sounds different.

Hazy Maze Cave

• Scuttlebugs have three-dimensional bodies instead of sprites and have angry eyebrows.

Shifting Sand Land

• Pokeys' faces are different.

Big Boo's Haunt

• A Boo is shown with a key inside them instead of a Power Star. This key matches the unused key in the final game, along with an icon for displaying the number of collected keys, unseen in prerelease footage but left over in the final game.

Near-Final Build

Almost there........ contains a couple differences since the last build. Documented here and here.

• The icons are the same as the previous build.
• The spike atop Bob-Omb Battlefield has been removed.
• Boos still have their initial face texture.
• Pokey's face has been altered to its final version.
• Mario's jumping sound is slightly different from the previous build and the final.
• Falling asleep after standing idly has been implemented.

Resources

Footage

• New, high quality footage of SSK95 and some music
• Cleaner footage of the mystery room
• Prerelease footage & screenshots
• Shoshinkai '95 footage
• Various footage 1
• Various footage 2
• Various footage 3
• Various footage 4
• E3 1996 playable demo
• Prerelease footage, screenshots, & info

Images

• Prerelease footage & screenshots
• Prerelease info & screenshots
• Prerelease screenshots and scans
• Concept art
• Prerelease footage, screenshots, & info
• Screenshots

Info

• Prerelease info & screenshots
• Prerelease footage, screenshots, & info
• N64 launch & delay info

Interviews

• Developer interviews from Japanese official strategy guides
• Interview with Giles Goddard
• Super Mario 64 DS interview (JP)
• Interview with Shigeru Miyamoto (JP)
• Super Mario Sunshine interview (JP)
• Nintendo 64 interview (JP)
• Interviews with Shigeru Miyamoto (JP)
• 5 page interview with Miyamoto in Next Generation #26
• Miyamoto interview
• Miyamoto GDC keynote speech
• Miyamoto & Tezuka interview
• Iwata Asks

Patents

• N64 patent, with SM64 prerelease shots