Super Mario 64 launched 3D gaming on the home console, and more specifically on the Nintendo 64. It finally managed to bring that true 3D world to players, and changed the face of video games forever. So it is any surprise that the big N decided to bring back that title for the launch of the Nintendo DS?

Super Mario 64 DS isn’t merely a port of the original game. In the original the only character you would control was Mario himself. For this version of the title they introduced a few stalwarts from the Nintendo mascot collection. Included as playable characters are: Yoshi, Wario, and Luigi. In fact you don’t even start the game as Mario, but rather Yoshi.

Each character you play has a distinctive set of moves which makes playing the game vastly different depending on which mascot you’re controlling.

Just like in the original you’re collecting several stars in every level, and each star you collect requires a different set of objectives to obtain that star. The more stars you obtain, the more levels you gain access too. Having the new characters also means that certain stars will only be accessible to certain characters. You’ll see that right at the very start of the game, as the first playable world will require you to switch to Mario (from Yoshi) to obtain one of the stars from that particular level.

The Nintendo 64 not only ushered in true 3D environments on the home console, but it also introduced true analog control. Analog control is extremely precise, and very sensitive to your every movement. It’s one of the reasons Mario 64 is hailed as an all time classic. Translating that onto the Nintendo DS, which uses touch screen control, means you’re definitely losing some of the true experience from the original, but not as much as you’d really think.

Playing Mario 64 DS takes quite a bit of getting used too. If you truly want to experience the game without developing carpal tunnel syndrome, you’ll have to learn how to play using the touch screen. It’s extremely uncomfortable trying to play Mario 64 DS as if you were playing it on a Gameboy; so strap yourself in for some growing pains with the new control scheme. Please also feel free to ignore two of the control schemes -- the ones that don’t make the touch screen the center of attention.

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As I was trying to learn how to play Super Mario 64 DS on the DS I kept asking myself if it was that difficult to learn how to play the original. The original on the Nintendo 64 indeed brought true analog control into gaming for the first time, and that itself required a bit of learning. The truth is it will take you as long on the DS as it took to master the controls on the Nintendo 64. The only difference is; it’s not quite as precise.

In theory you should be able to get the same kind of sensitivity out of a touch screen, as you do from a standard analog directional pad. Unfortunately the execution by Nintendo is less the perfect, and as a result, you might find yourself a wee bit frustrated with the controls at certain points in the game.

Graphically, you’re looking at a major upgrade. The Nintendo DS is clearly a more powerful system when compared to the Nintendo 64. Almost everything in the original game has been cleaned up for this version, and the fact that the title is played on the small DS screen helps make the game an even bigger graphical standout.

Besides a bigger and better single player experience, you also get a ton of mini games to play through (that make use of the touch screen). Wireless multiplayer is also included; which will allow you to play many of the mini games with your friends. You start the game with a few unlocked mini games, and as you play Mario 64 DS you’ll unlock more of them. The mini games shouldn’t be considered an after thought; because they have a way of eating up your free time in ways you just can’t imagine. It honestly feels like you have an entire game of Wario Ware (Gamecube title), included in Mario 64 DS as well.

Without a doubt Super Mario 64 DS is a great update to one of the most critically acclaimed titles in the history of video games. If not for some small issues with the control, it would have been a great expansion on the original, and deserving of the same accolades the original had. As is, it’s the perfect launch title to usher in the Nintendo DS.