I finally replayed one of gaming's "untouchable" classics—it's not as old as we pretend.

I remember the first time I sat down to play Super Mario 64. It was Christmas Eve 1996, and 9-year-old me had just received a brand-new Nintendo 64 bundled with the acclaimed platformer. Once I was allowed to play it, I opened the box and set it to the living room TV, and immediately, I was hooked. I couldn't believe how amazing the graphics were — going by Super Mario World It was a major upgrade on the SNES. The world was huge and beautiful, 3D and more interactive than I had ever experienced before. I was immediately convinced Super Mario 64 It was the greatest game in history and nothing will ever top it.

Well, that was then. Now, I'm in my 30s, and that's when I and many others have often considered Super Mario 64 Being an untouchable classic, I recently replayed it for the first time in decades. Simply put, it hasn't aged well. In a full-circle moment, my wife bought me a handheld emulator from GameLab for Christmas. I finally requested it for a classic Pokemon It has games, but it also includes various N64 titles Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Zelda: Majora's Maskand Super Mario 64. The guy came out to me after I last booted up, but it only took about 5 minutes of playing before I essentially forced myself out of obligation because I wasn't that interested. Sometimes, the nostalgia is enough to get me invested, but that feeling wears off quickly Super Mario 64A serious lack of timelessness.

I spent more time fighting Super Mario 64's archaic design than Goombas

When it comes to gameplay, Super Mario 64The simple platforming design is solid and is an accurate reflection of what Super killed Has always been and probably always will be within the roots. However, that premise is constantly undermined by design decisions that feel firmly locked in the mid-'90s.

Why Super Mario 64 hasn't aged well after all

Clunky camera system – The camera often moves at its own pace, gets stuck, or doesn't give a good view.
Old camera controls – No dual-stick controls make camera adjustments frustrating.
Obscure controls on platforming – Mario's turns and movement can feel floaty and unresponsive.
Initial level design – Many stages rely on simple floating geometry and isolated challenges rather than fully realized environments.
Date visuals – Blocky, low-polygon models and simple textures are difficult to appreciate through a modern lens.
Desperate dangers and deaths — Some platforming sections feel more punishing than clever due to camera or control shortcomings.
Clunky mission structure — Booting from a level after collecting stars and obscure mission objectives feels odd by today's standards.

one Super Mario 64The biggest, most disappointing downfall is its clunky camera system, which, ironically, was groundbreaking at the time of its release. Despite being one of the first games to give players control over a 3D camera, its camera plays into at least 80% of its problems because it creates problems where there might not otherwise be. Platforming sections that should be straightforward are made more irritating by the camera system, and the fact that it often moves on its own means you're constantly fighting it while trying not to die in each level. It's interesting that it seemed revolutionary for the control it gave players, when the entire time I played it, I felt like I had no control over it.

Then there's the level design, which is incredibly (but understandably) basic to the extent that today's players are spoiled for choice. Instead of giving me a fully realized world with natural constraints, Super Mario 64 It was a product of its time, where platforming challenges came down to simple, out-of-reference floating geometry that felt stronger than organic. The visuals didn't really serve this part well either, what looked like the most realistic graphics I've ever seen are now distinctly blocky, low-polygon models and textures that have almost no resolution. There's still some charm there, and I'm one of those people who can generally push past-dated graphics as long as the gameplay holds up, but that's the thing—Super Mario 64The gameplay doesn't just.

one Super Mario 64The biggest, most disappointing downfall is its clunky camera system, which, ironically, was groundbreaking at the time of its release.

Jumping into my first painting in the game, I had forgotten how stripped down the mission structure is to what I'm now used to. Super killed the game I would enter a level with a certain objective in mind, only to accidentally trigger a different star, exit, and have to replay large sections of the stage to try my original goal again. If Super Mario 64 As developed today, I would have the opportunity to stay in a level for as long as I wanted, collect as many stars as I felt like, and then move on to the next major level at my discretion. In contrast, my recent time with the N64 Classic reminded me of just how restricted games were back then, especially given how many developers are aiming for freedom today.

Nostalgia is indeed a deceptive beast

If nothing else, it just goes to show how misguided animal nostalgia really is. When I booted up Super Mario 64 In my GameLab, I screamed with excitement at what I saw. Seeing Mario pop out of that pipe in the game's intro, hearing its fun soundtrack and atmosphere, and then performing my first triple jump really brought me back. However, that enthusiasm didn't last, and that's the real takeaway.

Those first few minutes were enough to remind me why Super Mario 64 Growing up meant a lot to me, but they weren't enough to carry the experience. Once the familiarity wore off, I was left playing a game that no longer felt very good to play, and no amount of fond memories could change that. I was pushing myself to play the game, logging about 20 hours or so. Still, most of the time, while it had some high moments, felt like a slog, and I don't think I'll be picking it up again anytime soon.

Super Mario 64 is still important, even if it doesn't feel as good today

Some classics are best remembered simply for how they made us feel when they appeared, not necessarily for how they hold up when we try to relive those moments decades later.

Even with all these criticisms, I'm willing to recognize how important it is Super Mario 64 was and still is in the gaming industry. It helped set a new standard for what 3D platformers could be — a standard that countless games would borrow for decades to come and proved that Mario could survive the jump to a new dimension even when that transition was guaranteed. Without it, like a game Super Mario Sunshine, Super killed galaxy, Super killed the odysseyAnd even entire genres outside of platformers would look very different today. Its influence is undeniable, and its place in gaming history is absolutely secure, no matter how it feels to play today.

Let me be clear that replaying Super Mario 64 It didn't erase my love for it, but it forced me to separate what it really means to me now. As a child, it felt limitless, magical, and untouchable. As an adult, it feels stiff, depressed, and firmly anchored in its age. Both of those things can be true at the same time. Nostalgia didn't lie to me about how important the game was, but it did shine a bright light on how much game design has evolved since then. And perhaps that is the real lesson. Some classics are best remembered simply for how they made us feel when they appeared, not necessarily for how they hold up when we try to relive those moments decades later.