Its impact was almost immediate, too developers industry-wide quickly adopted (and refined) the “free camera” system following the release of Super Mario 64, including Nintendo’s other mega-influential N64 hit, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. But the underlying concept – giving players control of the camera to better navigate the virtual world around them – wasn’t just genius, it was a literal gamechanger. Was the system they came up with flawless? Far from it the camera controls were notoriously clunky even back in 1996 and render the original, non-remastered version of Super Mario 64 almost unplayable by modern standards. “Anyone who makes 3D games who says they’ve not borrowed something from … is lying.” Grand Theft Auto III writer/producer Dan Houser in The New York Times This was born largely out of necessity the game’s third-person mechanics and strong emphasis on unconstrained exploration were incompatible with either of the existing approaches, forcing Miyamoto and the team at Nintendo to think up something new. Super Mario 64 introduced a new system: a “free” camera controlled by the players themselves, not unlike a director shooting a movie. Meanwhile, the first-person system – while less constrictive – was limited to whatever was visible in the player’s line of sight and wasn’t compatible with third-person gameplay (for obvious reasons). The fixed system involved developers presenting each level (or sub-level) from a pre-determined angle, which left players’ movements restricted to what they could see from that set vantage point.

As Mario himself would say, here we go! Giving players control of the cameraīefore Super Mario 64, 3D video game camera systems largely fell into two camps: fixed and first-person. Not convinced? Then this rundown of Super Mario 64’s three biggest design breakthroughs – its “free” camera system, analogue stick-driven control scheme, and non-linear level design – should be all the proof you need of the game’s lasting legacy. I’m not just talking about 3D platformers, either almost every genre – from first-person shooters to sandbox free-for-alls – owes a massive debt to Shigeru Miyamoto’s ground-breaking masterpiece. Released way back in June 1996 to coincide with the launch of Nintendo’s new console, the Nintendo 64, Super Mario 64 pioneered several major innovations that would change video game design forever. No, the right answer is a decidedly more family friendly affair: Super Mario 64. What’s the most influential video game of the last 25 years? Chances are, right now you’re thinking of Grand Theft Auto III or Halo or even Fortnite – all good guesses, but all wrong, too.

Super mario 64 concept art