Super Mario 64 Playthrough (Actual N64 Capture) - Part 1

This is part 1 of my capture of me playing through Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64. This is not an emulator and was not played on the Wii or Wii U Virtual Console. This footage was recorded directly from my Nintendo 64 using a real Super Mario 64 cartridge. I'm collecting all 120 stars in the game.

This game has the distinction of being the first game that I was ever hyped for before its release. I started my Nintendo Power subscription in 1993, so I knew all about Super Mario 64 and the Nintendo 64 well before their release, and I couldn't stop thinking about them.

I definitely wanted a Nintendo 64 on its launch day back in 1996, but since I was 12 at the time, I had no money and had to wait until Christmas. However, a few months after the September launch I managed to play Super Mario 64 at Sears. There was a line of about five or six kids in front of the system, but I managed to get my turn, and I was instantly blown away. That was the only time I got to play the game (or the system) before Christmas.

The Nintendo 64 actually sold out during its initial release here in the U.S., so my mother had a lot of trouble finding one. However, shortly before Christmas, she headed over to Best Buy in the hopes of getting a system, and lucky for her (and me), they had some in stock. So I managed to receive the system, Super Mario 64 and Wave Race 64 for Christmas. I spent that entire holiday season playing through both games.

Since this was one of the earliest full-3D console games, I naturally got lost in the worlds and had trouble figuring out where to go. But that only made it more exciting for me. I spent a lot of time wandering around the levels and seeing what I could discover. I also picked up the official Player's Guide to help me get all 120 stars. I'm using that same guide once again to make this playthrough more efficient.

I have beaten this game several times, and I still find it fun to this day because of the fast-paced physics and the open-ended design. This game is also fun to play with different controllers, so I'm using my arcade-style joystick for this playthrough.

This is being played on my original cartridge from 1996. That first save file with 120 stars is actually my original save file from that Christmas. I've kept it all these years.

I'll be keeping track of the stars I obtain in each part.

Stars obtained in this video:

Bob-omb Battlefield:

Star 1 - Big Bob-omb on the Summit - 2:40
Star 2 - Footrace With Koopa the Quick - 7:30
Star 3 - Shoot to the Island in the Sky - 10:00
Star 4 - Find the 8 Red Coins - 11:33

Whomp's Fortress:

Star 1 - Chip Off Whomp's Block - 14:08
Star 2 - To the Top of the Fortress - 17:10
Star 3 - Shoot into the Wild Blue - 18:19
Star 4 - Red Coins on the Floating Isle - 19:19

Bowser in the Dark World:

Red Coins - 22:23

Recorded with the Hauppauge HD PVR and the official N64 S-video cable. I used a Toshiba model D-R550 DVD Recorder to upconvert the N64's native 240p signal to 480i so that the Hauppauge could capture the console's audio/video signal.

I'm using an Arcade Shark joystick.