=============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------SUPER MARIO 64 MYSTERIES GUIDE------------------------- ----------------------------------Version 1.00--------------------------------- -----------------------Copyright © 2008: Josiah Plummer------------------------ -------------------Date of Creation: Saturday, April 5, 2008------------------- ------------------Date of Completion: Monday, April 14, 2008------------------- -----Contact Information: BanjoKazooie1988@aol.com (AIM: BanjoKazooie1988)----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- =============================================================================== WARNING: This guide contains spoilers. This document is intended for people who have completed Super Mario 64 and are looking for more interesting things to do or check out. Therefore, read at your own risk. There are no more warnings! SKIP TO A SECTION: If you would like to immediately skip to a specific section, hold the Ctrl button down and press the F key. When the Find dialog box appears on-screen, type in the SRCH tag attributed to the particular section. It is not necessary to match the case (i.e., SRCH and srch do not make a difference). Now press Enter twice (the first press will highlight the search tag that is listed in the Table of Contents) and you'll be taken directly to the desired section. =============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- =============================================================================== I. - Introduction........................................................SRCH01 II. - The Mysteries......................................................SRCH02 i. - L Is Real 2401.................................................SRCH03 ii. - Dorrie's Lunch................................................SRCH04 iii. - Royal Demotion...............................................SRCH05 iv. - Hangin' Out...................................................SRCH06 v. - Baffling Blocks................................................SRCH07 vi. - Not-So-Great Balls of Fire....................................SRCH08 vii. - MIPS Dips....................................................SRCH09 viii. - Fleeting Fog................................................SRCH10 ix. - Concealed Coins...............................................SRCH11 x. - Chromatic Conundrum............................................SRCH12 xi. - Walk Quietly..................................................SRCH13 xii. - Big Boo's Befuddlement.......................................SRCH14 xiii. - Submerged Shells............................................SRCH15 xiv. - Japanese Nomenclature........................................SRCH16 xv. - Yoshi's Saddle................................................SRCH17 xvi. - The Pariah of Paintings......................................SRCH18 xvii. - Tiny-Huge Island(s).........................................SRCH19 xviii. - Jolly Roger Crate..........................................SRCH20 xix. - Subtle Sounds................................................SRCH21 xx. - Aimless Alcove................................................SRCH22 xxi. - The Mirror Room..............................................SRCH23 III. - Legal Information, Acknowledgments & Conclusion...................SRCH24 =============================================================================== I. - Introduction [SRCH01] =============================================================================== Welcome to the Super Mario 64 Mysteries Guide! The past twelve or so years have seen a proliferated appreciation for Super Mario 64. When the game was released in North America in September of 1996, the video game industry burgeoned, while fans of the Mario series were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime experience: Mario in a three-dimensional world for the first time in history. As the years passed by, people began to recognize Super Mario 64's true importance. Fans recognized the fact that this game is not merely a remarkable experience in and of itself; it is a milestone in the illustrious history of video games. Super Mario 64 has left an indelible impact on the entire microcosm. There is no denying that this game possesses considerable replay value, as evidenced by the myriad supporters who continue to play it, and by the Internet community, such as the Super Mario 64 Message Board at GameFAQs.com. The fans are invaluable in keeping the magic, magnificence and splendor of Super Mario 64 as timeless as ever. Perhaps one of the major contributing factors to Super Mario 64's replayability is the presence of numerous mysteries in the game. The vast majority of players are now completely aware of where all of Super Mario 64's Power Stars are, what they must do to obtain them, etc. Hence, Super Mario 64's mysteries, as well as its illimitable glitches, help to spark a continued interest. The human mind is fascinated by the enigmas of life; we, as curious creatures, struggle for total understanding. As a result, we thrive on that which we do not understand. Video games are no exception. In fact, because fans of Super Mario 64 appreciate this game so greatly, that admiration, combined with the innate interest we have for mysteries, results in an incomprehensible desire to solve the riddles that this game places before us. That is not to say that this guide will lead to any kind of answer or solution to any of Super Mario 64's mysteries, but that is not the point. Seeing the enigmas of Super Mario 64 is enough to satisfy our insatiable curiosities. To borrow a quote from Oscar Wilde, "The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible." =============================================================================== II. - The Mysteries [SRCH02] =============================================================================== Before we continue, I would just like to summarize how each mystery is going to be handled. First of all, there are two kinds of mysteries in this guide: minor mysteries (which make up the majority), and major mysteries. The former will be discussed in a paragraph or two. The latter, however, will be discussed in lots of detail. Following the detailed explanation (which primarily serves to sum up the mystery and to allow you, the reader, to check it out for yourself), I will discuss some possible solutions, including theories that are generally accepted as plausible. Then, those suppositions will be analyzed. Finally, I'll offer my personal opinion on the mystery at hand: whether or not any of the possible so- lutions should be considered veritable, and, if none of the suggested solutions seem plausible, what the original plan may have been. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i. - L Is Real 2401 [SRCH03] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is inarguably the quintessential mystery of Super Mario 64, to such an ex- tent that it is difficult to find a video game fan who has not received word of this enigma. It is ironic that the castle courtyard, one of the most overlooked and underappreciated locales in the game, is also the site of the most baffling and controversial mystery of Super Mario 64. This courtyard is accentuated by a fountain in the center, and in the center of the fountain is a pedestal mounted by a statue of a Power Star. There's a plaque affixed to the obverse (or front) of the stand, and the blurred, unintelligible inscription on the plaque is what has caused countless individuals to scratch their heads. Perhaps inevitably, an incalculable number of theories emerged, some absurd, some plausible. Following is a review of the two most prominent hypotheses. L is real 2401 -------------- Alternatively known as L is real 2041, this is undeniably the most universally- accepted theory regarding the plaque's inscription. Let's assume that this idea is correct. What does it mean? Perhaps as a result of the lack of Luigi in this game, it was soon theorized that the L represents Mario's green-behatted little brother. This was an understandable reaction, especially considering that Luigi had become an essential facet of the Marioverse, and his absence in Super Mario 64 was painfully apparent. So, if the plaque does portend Luigi's presence, how do we unlock him? What does "is real 2401/2041" even mean? Some people believed the number referred to the amount of coins in the entire game. If so, then what total is the plaque referencing: the sum of the coins in the primary levels, or the sum of the coins in all the courses, including the castle? Either way, both totals do not match either 2401 or 2041 (the total for the fifteen major levels is 2092, while the total for the entire game is 2672). It is also worth noting that no trace of Luigi has ever been found, even with a GameShark. This would seem to nullify any and all theories that Luigi is tucked away somewhere deep in the recesses of Super Mario 64, but the ideas pertaining to what the plaque's inscription reads continue to persist. One such hypothesis is that the L stands for the L button, and that the number may refer to tapping the L button 2401 times. To many, including myself, that theory seems a bit too preposterous. But then again, in the world of mysteries, there is no absurdity. There are also quite a few individuals who believe that the plaque foretold the arrival of Paper Mario, because that game was (supposedly) released in the U.S. on February 4, 2001, which could be abbreviated as 2401. There are some logical inconsistencies with this theory, however. The most obvious is that the release date of Paper Mario was the fifth of February, not the fourth. Further, it does not seem rational for a team of developers to include a blurred, indecipherable image of text in a game made in September of 1996, to foretell the release date of a video game that would not be released for another 50+ months. Besides, the idea that the plaque predicted Paper Mario's release date insinuates that Luigi has some sort of major role in that game. However, as those who haved played it will attest, Luigi's role in Paper Mario was minimal. Eternal star ------------ The second most popular theory is that the plaque reads: "Eternal star." Taking into consideration the game's premise, as well as the fact that the statue of a Power Star is directly above the plaque, this theory seems much more promising. Does it not make sense for the developers to inscribe those two words? However, there are obvious, incontrovertible spaces between some of the characters, that cause the phrase to appear as such: "E te rnal star." Despite the tendency some people may have to believe the "Eternal star" theory, those spaces are evidence that the developers did not inscribe "Eternal star" on the plaque. According to Occam's Razor, the correct conclusion is usually the one that makes the minimal number of assumptions. In this case, it seems that Occam's Razor favors the no- tion that the plaque reads Eternal star. Nonetheless, it is difficult to simply ignore the irrefutable spaces breaking up the phrase. The Lower Line -------------- The discussion thus far has revolved around the upper line of the plaque, since that is the line of text that has garnered the notoriety. But it would not be a fair thing to do to disregard the lower line. The reason this particular line's infamy is not as powerful as the upper line's is because it is more blurred and unintelligible, making it nigh impossible to come up with even a remotely close guess as to what it says. Nevertheless, individuals have used graphics programs to take a close look at the lower line. Based on the position of the pixels, an interesting but confusing solution was obtained: "Pit Mario xy." This phrase is equally as baffling as the upper line's theorized phrases. Does it mean we have to move Mario to a specific position? The xy part could possibly be referencing the Cartesian plane used in mathematics, in which the horizontal axis is the x- axis, and the vertical axis is the y-axis. Nevertheless, the Cartesian plane is two-dimensional; Super Mario 64 is three-dimensional. If the text actually is a command to take Mario to a specific location, a z-coordinate is needed. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time ------------------------------------ The perplexing mystery of the castle courtyard's fountain is baffling in and of itself, but the fact that the same exact texture image can be seen in a totally different game makes this particular mystery increasingly bizarre. I have never played The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, so I requested some input from the message board for that game on GameFAQs. According to a user named fatclemenza, "It's on the second floor of the main room [of Dodongo's Cavern], right next to the switch that makes the pillar elevate to the second level." The only dispar- ity between the "L is real 2401" sign in Super Mario 64 and the one featured in Ocarina of Time is that the former is rectangular, whereas the latter is a near perfect square. The text, however, remains identical. The question is imminent: why is the text, unaltered from its original form, featured in Ocarina of Time? In an interview with Nintendo Power on 11/19/1998, Shigeru Miyamoto stated that Ocarina of Time was made using the Super Mario 64 engine, but they ended up ma- king so many modifications to it that it became a different engine. Considering that Ocarina of Time was based on Super Mario 64's engine, it seems possible, even likely, that the "L is real 2401" texture was simply thrown into the game whimsically. There is also the possibility that the controversy caused by the sign in Super Mario 64 had become widely-known among Nintendo developers and so they included the same text in Ocarina of Time as a sort of tease. There is no real way to determine exactly why the plaque is in Ocarina of Time. It is not something to be disregarded, however. This is one of the many pieces of the puzzle that is "L is real 2401." Here is the link to a picture showing both the plaque in Ocarina of Time (to the left) and the plaque that's featured in Super Mario 64: http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/7782/lisrealej9.jpg Big Boo's Haunt --------------- Generally-speaking, when you die or earn a Power Star in a level, Mario emerges from the entrance to the level. However, when Mario dies or retrieves a Star in Big Boo's Haunt, he emerges from the center of the fountain. This may hint that the secret of the fountain's plaque is intertwined with Big Boo's Haunt. As odd as that might seem, it's true that Big Boo's Haunt contains many peculiarities, three of which have been included in this guide. However, it is also definitely noteworthy that the extenuating circumstances of Big Boo's Haunt's entrance may explain the apparently mystical method by which Mario exits the level. Consider that the other levels have static entrances; Bob-omb Battlefield, for instance, has a painting for an entrance, which Mario simply 'pops' out of after dying or obtaining a Power Star. Hazy Maze Cave has a metallic pool as an entrance, etc. Big Boo's Haunt has a miniature replica of the level that must be freed from an above-average-sized Boo. Therefore, it would be awkward to exit Big Boo's Haunt by emerging from a Boo. The next logical choice would be to have Mario come out of the piece de resistance of the castle courtyard: the fountain. The Psychological Effect ------------------------ When considering the plentiful theories regarding what the plaque says, it is a wise course of action to consider how our brain works. There is a popular brain test in which a sentence is written with the first and last letters staying the same, while all the middle letters are jumbled around, such as the following: I weondr if radineg tihs is psibsole. Chances are you are able to read that with- out hesitation. The human brain works in mysterious ways like that, and that is why we must consider our brain's cognitive abilities as they relate to the sign in Super Mario 64. The text could simply be purposely unintelligible, but since our brains are designed to make sense out of everything, and to recognize signs and symbols and shapes that we have experienced in life, we receive an educated guess as to what the plaque could say. This is similar to when an individual is gazing at an amorphous cloud and begins to see a fish. Our minds categorize; in the case of the cloud, the person's brain had likely never recorded that parti- cular shape, so it resorted to the closest recognizable image: a fish. Final Thoughts -------------- My logic tells me that this mystery is the result of some brainpower gone awry, in combination with some hopeful dreams. Nevertheless, it is still unsolved, so the possibility of unlocking Luigi, of discovering some ancient secret, of dis- covering the final piece of the puzzle... that possibility continues to thrive. With all the possibilities pertaining to L is real 2401, it would be tragic and heartbreaking for it to finally be revealed as an ad hoc texture, simply placed into the game for aesthetic purposes. Therefore, perhaps the fact that this has yet to be resolved is the beauty of it. The plaque in the courtyard is the most thought-provoking enigma of Super Mario 64, and it would only be fitting for it to forever remain beyond our understanding. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ii. - Dorrie's Lunch [SRCH04] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The waterlogged cavern of Hazy Maze Cave is home to a plesiosaur-like creature. This creature was not given a name in Super Mario 64, but subsequent games gave it the name Dorrie. Dorrie has never been depicted as hostile, but in this game it is hinted that there may in fact be a dark side to this apparently innocuous animal. The biggest catalyst of this mystery is the sign that is situated right by the door that leads to the 'Metal-Head Mario Can Move!' Power Star. The sign reads: "A gentle sea dragon lives here. Pound on his back to make him lower his head. Don't become his lunch." Those last four words have been haunting players since the game's release. Was Nintendo being serious, or were they just pulling a prank? There are countless individuals who are adherents of the idea that the sign is just a joke, but there are an equal number of people who think there is something more to Hazy Maze Cave's "gentle sea dragon." Notable Nomenclature -------------------- The first mission of Hazy Maze Cave is entitled 'Swimming Beast in the Cavern.' The words "swimming beast" are obviously referring to Dorrie, but the semantics must be analyzed. The term 'beast' has a unique connotation: to many, that word suggests a monstrous, powerful, or otherwise frightening creature. Did Nintendo choose that word due to a lack of available options, or did Nintendo intention- ally use it, realizing its connotative effect? The answer is impalpable, but it WOULD be possible to give that particular mission a title that was not as fore- boding, such as 'Swimming Creature in the Cavern' or 'The Cavern's Occupant.' Bubba ----- One argument that might be utilized by the Nintendo-was-joking group is that it would be too awkward or difficult to program Dorrie to eat Mario, especially if you are meant to ride him in order to obtain the first Power Star in the level. However, one must keep in mind that Bubba, the mutant Cheep Cheep that is found in Tiny-Huge Island, is capable of swallowing Mario whole in one gulp, which is indicative of the fact that Nintendo could have programmed Dorrie to do exactly the same thing, as long as certain conditions were met. In addition, the length of Dorrie's neck seems to be ideal for the course of action that would occur if he could, in fact, swallow Mario. What I mean is that if you look at the length of Dorrie's neck, it is quite easy to imagine him lowering his head to the sur- face of the water and swallowing Mario with one swift swig. Final Thoughts -------------- While I cannot speak for anyone else, I can say from personal experience that I am creeped out whenever I approach the subterranean cavern of Hazy Maze Cave. I am not sure if it is because of the phobia I had as a child about deep water in video games (strange fear, I know), but there is an undeniably unnerving 'vibe' about the area. That, combined with the threatening sign, makes me believe that there could truly be a hidden brutality regarding Dorrie. Despite the fact that I have swum in the cavern countless times, pounded on Dorrie's back innumerable times, and never witnessed anything unusual, I would not be surprised at all if one day, peaceful Dorrie turns vicious and makes Mario his lunch. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii. - Royal Demotion [SRCH05] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It seems that few people pay attention to the alteration of Bob-omb Battlefield that takes place after the Bob-omb King is defeated. Prior to his defeat, there are two Ball-ombs (that is what I call the black cannonballs) rolling around in the ditch at the base of the mountain. Following his defeat, there are three of them. This has always suggested to me that King Bob-omb degenerated into a mere Ball-omb. To some people, the idea that the Bob-omb King gets demoted to a mere Ball-omb is farfetched. However, a particular piece of dialogue from one of the Bob-omb Buddies gives credence to this theory. Following the defeat of the Bob- omb King, the Bob-omb Buddy standing on the grass at the start of the level has something interesting to say: "The Big Bob-omb is nothing but a big dud now!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iv. - Hangin' Out [SRCH06] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hanging is a somewhat uncommon but imperative aspect of Super Mario 64. Objects such as wire-mesh and the owl in Whomp's Fortress make for logical things for a person to hang from, but there are some areas in the game where Mario shouldn't be able to hang, and yet he can! Most people are aware of the fact that you can hang from the first wooden bridge in Bob-omb Battlefield. That is odd as it is, but the fact that it is actually possible to hang from the wooden bridge in the front yard of the castle, from the roof of the alcove at the castle's entrance, and from the underside of the moat's drawbridge is extremely bizarre. Why would the programmers program these particular surfaces to be hangable? What makes it even more bizarre is that it is not possible to reach the roof of the alcove or the underside of the drawbridge without the use of a GameShark (while it wasn't intended for Mario to be able to hang from the wooden bridge, a tricky maneuver is all it takes; this will be described in more detail later on. The reason you cannot hang from the alcove or drawbridge is because a Wall Kick is required to reach those ceilings, and it is not possible to hang following a Wall Kick). The question that needs to be answered is: what is the purpose of programming a pair of inaccessible ceilings to be hangable? I created a topic on the GameFAQs message board for Super Mario 64 on 2/22/08, asking for input pertaining to the mystery of the hangable ceilings. One particularly insightful responder was the user known as ToiletPro. He conjectured that the front yard of the castle might have been the first area of Super Mario 64 programmed, and if hangable ceilings were the predecessors to normal ceilings (which cannot be hung from), then that would explain the presence of ubiquitous hangable ceilings in the front yard of the castle. This also seems to justify the hangable bridge in level one; if the first level was one of the initial areas programmed, then the same principal of a lack of normal programmed ceilings that applies to the front yard would apply to Bob-omb Battlefield. Brightguy, another insightful user, said the conjecture that hangable ceilings were programmed first doesn't seem likely to him. He be- lieves that, "It would make more sense to get the wall collision detection wor- king and then make 'hangable' a property of some walls." There is no doubt that both individuals make logical points. If you'd like to examine the whole topic: http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmessage.php?board=198848&topic=41561380 8107EC38 007F 8107EC40 00FF 8125273E 3FFF The above is a GameShark code provided by the user andrewajt62. This code gives Mario's red hat and red undershirt a nifty red-and-green camouflaged look. More importantly, it allows Mario to jump considerably high, thereby making it poss- ible to reach both the alcove and the drawbridge, and hang from them. Note that you must be running as you jump in order for it to be a super jump; the quicker Mario is running, the higher the jump. Furthermore, it is only the initial jump that is increased. Double Jumps, Triple Jumps, etc. remain unchanged. Earlier I mentioned that it is possible to hang from the wooden bridge without the use of a GameShark. Here is how: The steep ground adjacent to the wooden bridge has an abnormal coefficient of friction, making it possible to walk and run on it even though it would appear to be impossible. In order to hang from the underside of the bridge, you must gain enough speed in order to hop from the steep ground up to the bridge. To do this, you must first stand on the sandy beach. Next, use a Long Jump to cross the small pond and land on the steep ground. If you success- fully pull it off, Mario will be running extremely fast. Now you simply need to run toward the bridge and perform a precise jump from underneath. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- v. - Baffling Blocks [SRCH07] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The two back-to-back torrid levels also share back-to-back enigmas. Lethal Lava Land and Shifting Sand Land are distinguished by their stifling environment and numerous hazards. They are also distinguished by some mysterious blocks that do not seem to have a purpose. Inside the volcano of Lethal Lava Land, there are a total of six blocks positioned next to the 'Hot-Foot-It Into The Volcano' Power Star. Three of these blocks are stacked on top of one another to form a sort of tower, while the other three blocks are toppled over, as if they also were some kind of tower, but were somehow knocked over. Inside the tomb of the pyramid in Shifting Sand Land (where the battle with Eyerok takes place) there are several blocks and towers of blocks on both sides of the rectangular sarcophagus. There is no known purpose for these blocks to exist, and so it is understandable that many people find them to be rather out-of-place, especially the blocks that are featured in Lethal Lava Land. Extra-Terrestrials? ------------------- Shifting Sand Land's pyramid is somewhat notorious for the esoteric hieroglyphs that can be found within. Several of these symbols are difficult to understand, but there's one particular hieroglyph that sparks the curiosity and interest of all those who notice it. This hieroglyph is composed of two simple letters: ET. This strange message could be related to the confounding blocks inside Eyerok's tomb. Then again, it could be another humorous detail thrown in by Nintendo; it could be referring to the myth that extra-terrestrials helped the ancient Egyp- tians construct their now-legendary pyramids. Either way, those two letters are unique in the world of Super Mario 64, because they are the only example of le- tters of the English alphabet being featured in a level (disregarding signs and conversations with characters, and other dialogue). Thought-Provoking Block Sizes ----------------------------- The blocks inside the volcano of Lethal Lava Land seem to be similar in size to the small crates that Mario can pick up multiple times throughout the course of the game. It seems probable, then, that at one point Mario was supposed to pick up the blocks and do something with them. This hypothesis is even more thought- provoking when you consider the toppled blocks. Perhaps, in the early stages of the game's development, Mario was supposed to pick up the blocks that have been toppled over and re-stack them in order for the Power Star to appear. That kind of requirement is a bit capricious and strange, so it may have been dropped al- together. If so, then why keep the blocks in the final version of the game? Final Thoughts -------------- It could be argued that the blocks in Shifting Sand Land were included just for aesthetic purposes. After all, they do blend in well with the tomb. Lethal Lava Land's blocks, however, do not blend in well at all. Their presence is a riddle in itself and the lack of an explanation for their presence makes this specific mystery one of Super Mario 64's most puzzling conundrums. It is logical as well as probable that the developers included the blocks in Shifting Sand Land as an ornamental touch. Nevertheless, I find it difficult to believe that that decor- ative innocence applies to Lethal Lava Land's blocks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vi. - Not-So-Great Balls of Fire [SRCH08] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The black orbs that emit flames (I call these hazards Great Balls of Fire) make their presence known several times throughout the course of the game. The down- town area of Wet-Dry World is unique, however, in that every Great Ball of Fire featured in that particular area is defunct, because a layer of water is always covering the ground. What is the purpose in including those hazards if they are never operational? It is possible that the developers intended for the water to be below the ground initially. Then, the level of water may have been increased (for some unknown reason), and the effect this would have on the Great Balls of Fire could have been simply overlooked. It should be mentioned that it is poss- ible to reactive the fire-spitters by utilizing the trick that Dom Dunc managed to discover some time ago: by Long Jumping onto the reddish-colored roof under- neath the pipe's exit and allowing Mario to get burned by the fire-spitter that is resting on that roof, it is possible to Wall Kick off the wall and grab onto the opening of the pipe, thereby re-entering it while it is empty. Crossing the watery-dry barrier of the pipe (an invisible boundary where one side is totally dry and the other is totally waterlogged) many times makes it possible to lower the water in the downtown area below the ground, thereby reactivating the Great Balls of Fire. This proves that they are not simply lacking programming, but an unintended goof in level design is what turned would-be hazards into mere duds. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vii. - MIPS Dips [SRCH09] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MIPS the rabbit (who's named after a computing acronym that stands for Millions of Instructions Per Second) is one of Super Mario 64's memorable characters. In the basement of the castle, MIPS appears after Mario has obtained fifteen Power Stars, and again after Mario has collected fifty. Catching MIPS both times will result in Mario being rewarded with a Power Star, though catching MIPS is some- thing that cannot necessarily be classified as simplistic. Because MIPS appears in the basement, which is dry (sans for some shallow water), it's reasonable to assume that he would have no specific animations relating to deep water. But as Super Mario 64 has proven time and time again, what is thought to be correct is merely an illusion. MIPS does, in fact, have a sinking animation. To see it for yourself, you must perform the trick that allows Mario to take MIPS through the doors of the basement. How is this executed? First, position MIPS in front of a door. Walk through the door, and immediately jump back toward the door while it is closing. If done correctly, Mario will be merged with the door. Now all that you need to do is grab MIPS and set him down on the other side of the door. Now MIPS is where he was never intended to be! Perform the aforementioned trick at the door leading to the area with two pill- ars (the pillars that Mario must Butt-stomp in order to drain the moat). If you have not yet drained the moat, then this section will be filled with water. Now all you need to do is grab MIPS, swim in the water with him, and release him to see his unique sinking animation. This animation suggests that either: MIPS was intended to be taken out of the basement at one point, or the door that acts as a barrier between the basement and the waterlogged area was once nonexistent. A third possibility is that the basement itself contained deep water at one point in time. The explanation for MIPS's animation is out of our grasp, but if there is one thing that it suggests, it is that MIPS may have had an appreciably lar- ger role in Super Mario 64 than he currently possesses. It is also worth noting that MIPS has a specific landing animation in deep water, as well. There's even a unique animation for Mario when he releases MIPS while swimming in water. All these hidden animations imply that there was much more to MIPS in the past than the timid, desperate-to-be-punctual rabbit in the final release of the game. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- viii. - Fleeting Fog [SRCH10] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upon entering Jolly Roger Bay for the first time, there is a layer of fog which blankets the entire level. However, after the sunken ship rises to the surface, the ubiquitous fog mysteriously vanishes. The fog's disappearance correlates to the ship being emptied of water only, and to nothing else. Entering Jolly Roger Bay for the first time and dying, earning a Power Star (other than the one that requires you to raise the sunken ship), or exiting the level by any other means will NOT result in the fog disappearing. In addition, the sky is quite dark and gloomy prior to the sunken ship being raised. Afterwords, the sky is noticeably brighter and the level has a much more cheerful vibe. Was the temporary fog and dark sky included as simple details? If so, what relevance does the positioning of the sunken ship have on their existence? Why does the act of emptying all of the water from the sunken ship result in the fog and tenebrous sky suddenly va- nishing and clearing up? It is likely that the developers of Super Mario 64 are the only individuals with the answers to those questions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ix. - Concealed Coins [SRCH11] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Marioverse has always had its fair share of currency. The pecuniary side of Mario's universe has its roots with Super Mario Bros. Since then, coins of many shapes, sizes, colors and values have appeared in many of Mario's games. To say that coins are important in Super Mario 64 specifically would be an understate- ment. Fifteen of the 120 Power Stars in the game are earned by amassing a total of 100 coins in each of the primary levels. That means the coins of Super Mario 64 are responsible for 12.5%, or one-eighth, of all the Power Stars. There is a large following of fans who strive to obtain every coin in each level. It is an astonishing realization, then, that two coins in Super Mario 64 went undetected until early 2002, more than five years after the game's release. I hold the ho- nor of having discovered these two coins, and as a result, I like to think that I have etched my name into the annals of Super Mario 64. I am also proud of the fact that by uncovering these coins, I stumbled upon another mystery: why would the developers include two coins that are indiscernible? Snowman's Land -------------- The tenth level of Super Mario 64 is idiosyncratic in that it is the only level out of the fifteen main worlds that does not contain any Blue Coins whatsoever. Additionally, Snowman's Land holds prominence as being one of the two levels in which there is a hidden coin. There is a thin, wooden walkway sticking out from the side of the giant snowman, and there is a single coin positioned on both of the ends of this walkway. If you stand on either end of the walkway and go into 1st-Person Camera mode, you can look inside the snowman and see that there is a Gold Coin floating in the air, right next to the walkway, but inside the 'wall' of the snowman. This particular coin can actually be obtained via an exact shot with the local cannon, increasing Snowman's Land's coin total from 126 coins to 127 coins. The logic of placing a coin inside the snowman is nonexistent, so it would seem that the developers simply made an overlooked error. Considering the two coins on the walkway, it seems rational to presume that the hidden coin was originally intended to be positioned on the center of the walkway. Perhaps that area of Snowman's Land was eventually altered (meaning the polygonal walls) and the center coin was then thrown into oblivion, tucked away within the snowman's innards, never to be seen again (at least until the year 2002). Tiny-Huge Island ---------------- The hidden coin of Tiny-Huge Island was the first one that I stumbled upon. The tiny version of this level is where the elusive, currently-unattainable coin is located. The fact that this particular coin cannot be obtained at all (even the omnipotent GameShark fails to capture this evasive gem) has caused connoisseurs of Super Mario 64 to dub it the Impossible Coin. It's located at the spot where the mini Ball-ombs (the small, black cannonballs) emerge from a concrete square opening. There is a single coin sitting on the sloped grass at this area. There is also a second (attainable) coin positioned just underneath the ground. There is even a third coin (the Impossible Coin), but this one is too far underground to collect. The situation here raises the same question as that for the coin in Snowman's Land: what is the purpose in positioning a coin under the ground, and in this case, in such a way that it is impossible to obtain? The aspects of the other underground coin (the one that CAN be collected) offers a clue as to what the original intention of the Impossible Coin was. Perhaps, at one point during Super Mario 64's creation, the three coins in this area were resting on a plane of flat ground. Then, the ground was changed from flat to sloped for an unknown reason, and two of the coins thus became buried underground. The developers, as human and fallible as the rest of us, may have simply not noticed. Final Thoughts -------------- The most acceptable notion regarding Super Mario 64's hidden coins is that they were not intentionally concealed by the developers. The solution to this enigma lies in the structural development of Super Mario 64. The unifying theme of the two hidden coins seems to be that they were, at one time, part of a single line of three Gold Coins. Due to some structural rearranging, these coins could have ended up a disjointed trio, with some of the coins buried behind walls and even underneath the ground. It certainly seems possible, then, that there could be a third hidden coin, or even more than that! The pattern tells us that the likely place to find a hidden coin would be where there are two Gold Coins situated in such a way that is seems as if there was originally a third coin. There is also the possibility that the supposed correlation between Snowman's Land's coin and Tiny-Huge Island's coin is but a coincidence, suggesting that more hidden coins could literally be anywhere in Super Mario 64! Two are known. Are there more? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- x. - Chromatic Conundrum [SRCH12] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The idea of a gargantuan, water-filled aquarium suspended in the sky is strange enough, but the fact that each of the four windows offers a view of a different sky (in terms of color) makes the Secret Aquarium especially bizarre. The north window (so-named because it's the window Mario is facing when the level begins) offers a view of an indigo sky with pink clouds. The east window's view is that of a bright blue sky with white clouds. The south window offers us a view of an azure sky with some pinkish-white clouds. Finally, the west window's view is of a pale blue sky with greenish-white clouds. It is obvious that the disparity in color of the skies in each window is not a mistake. The developers made each of the views different intentionally. But why? Was it just for interesting detail? Perhaps it was meant to represent a philosophical concept, such as Empedocles's proposal that earth, air, fire and water were the four natural sources of exis- tence. I have always been intrigued by the Secret Aquarium, because it seems to be undeniable that the various sky and cloud colors are wholly deliberate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xi. - Walk Quietly [SRCH13] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On the second floor of the castle, affixed to the wall adjoining the steps that lead to the door that requires 50 Power Stars to enter, is a plaque that reads: "Shhh! Please walk quietly in the hallway!" This cryptic message has confounded players for years, and many theories exist which attempt to explain its meaning and importance. Some have posited that walking quietly makes the ticking of the clock on the next floor audible. This rumor may have been initiated as a result of the fact that you can hear the clock ticking by standing against the wall by the 50-Star door. Another theory is that the plaque is simply there to give the second floor a museum-like quality. Keep in mind that it's actually possible to walk quietly by tiptoeing. Therefore, if the plaque does hold some secret which requires Mario to tiptoe around, it would be possible to unlock such a secret. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xii. - Big Boo's Befuddlement [SRCH14] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When discussing unique levels in Super Mario 64, Big Boo's Haunt is a necessary part of the discussion. There is no level more individualistic, from the unique method by which Mario enters the level, to the multiple boss fights (three with Big Boo alone, and an arguable boss fight with a gigantic Mr. I), to the night- time environment (as opposed to all the other levels, which are set during day- time), to the two unique melodies (the primary musical track and the theme used for Big Boo's merry-go-round), neither of which are used anywhere else. Perhaps as a result of this level's individuality, it also contains a few mysteries. The Ghoul Medal --------------- There are three signs positioned in front of the haunted mansion. The sign that is in the center reads as follows: "If you walk out of here, you deserve......a Ghoul Medal..." Is this another case of Nintendo's lighthearted humor, or is an unknown reward hidden away somewhere, eluding players for more than a decade? A very real possibility is that "Ghoul Medal" is a play-on-words of "Gold Medal," which itself could refer to the Power Stars. Whatever the case may be, the fact that the two words are capitalized suggests prominence. Of course, incalculable people have entered Big Boo's Haunt and "walked out of there," with no accounts of the supposed Ghoul Medal. Disappointingly, this award seems to be made-up. Confounding Coffin ------------------ There is a rather peculiar piece of wood resting against the wall in the vesti- bule of the haunted mansion. Due to the unique point-of-view of the camera, you must go into 1st-Person Camera mode to see what appears to be some kind of sar- cophagus or coffin. It is right next to the doors at the entrance. It is stand- ing upright, its main body a rectangular shape as tall as the doors themselves, its top a narrow, pointed triangle. There is no known purpose for this piece of wood to exist, and because it is somewhat difficult to notice, logic would seem to suggest that the developers purposely put it in a location where it would be clearly visible only if a person decided to gaze toward the entrance doors. But if that were the case, what is so special about the coffin? This may be an odd- ball theory, but the coffin appears to be as tall as Princess Peach. Taking in- to consideration the fact that Big Boo once possessed a key (see below), it may be acceptable to suggest that, at one time, defeating Big Boo resulted in Mario receiving a key. This key would then be used to unlock the coffin, and Princess Peach (or a likeness of her) could have been inside. Maybe it was a holographic image of Peach used as a means for Bowser to taunt Mario's heroic efforts. Big Boo's Key? -------------- There is an image of the beta version of Super Mario 64 which shows the initial adaptation of Big Boo. Not only is his countenance different, there seems to be a key within his body. This suggests that, originally, you were required to de- feat Big Boo in order to earn the key to the basement. Or, perhaps, the missing key was used for something else. In the above paragraph I posited that this key may have been used to unlock the strange coffin next to the mansion's front en- trance doors. Inside the coffin could have been anything: Princess Peach, maybe a Power Star, or even Luigi! The possibilities are truly endless. Final Thoughts -------------- Putting all the clues together, it seems likely that there was much more to Big Boo's Haunt in the past than there is now. These oddities could even be related to the infamous statue in the castle's courtyard (where the timeless "L is real 2401" mystery was born). Upon exiting Big Boo's Haunt after dying or collecting a Power Star, Mario emerges from that statue, suggesting some kind of relation- ship between the statue and the level. Will the mysteries of Big Boo's Haunt be solved in the near future? Not likely. But one thing is for certain: this level will always be the superlative level of Super Mario 64 in terms of uniqueness. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xiii. - Submerged Shells [SRCH15] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Koopa Shells are one of the most entertaining objects in Super Mario 64. In all their splendor, however, there lies a mystery. Twice throughout the game, a Koopa Shell can be found underwater. One is in Jolly Roger Bay, and another can be found in Dire, Dire Docks. Both times, the Koopa Shell is being guarded by a Clam. The enigmatic aspect of these particular Koopa Shells is that they do not seem to have any purpose. When you grab one, it propels Mario through the water quicker but it only lasts for a few seconds. There is one popular idea pertain- ing to the purpose of these underwater shells. In both cases, a Metal Cap Block is nearby, prompting many, many people to theorize that it was once possible to don the Metal Cap and then leap in the water, jump on the Koopa Shell, and ride it while underwater! Some would argue that that would also be pointless. But it must be considered possible that wearing a Metal Cap while riding a Koopa Shell was the initial method used to obtain the "Through the Jet Stream" Power Stars. It's also notable that there is a ring of eight Gold Coins near both underwater Koopa Shells. The placement of these coin rings could be coincidental, but I've hypothesized that something might occur if I managed to collect all eight coins using a Koopa Shell. I have yet to accomplish this as a result of the extremely brief amount of time the Koopa Shells are active. If someone reading this mana- ges to collect one of the coin rings using a Koopa Shell, please let me know. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xiv. - Japanese Nomenclature [SRCH16] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some time ago, I decided to test out the Level Select GameShark code. I was not expecting to find the cryptic names for levels that I found. Many of the levels are given strange names, or names that are entirely in Japanese. Some names are composed of abbreviations! After compiling a list comparing the levels to their names (as provided by the Level Select code), I decided to do a bit of research and decode the more unusual titles. I have posted this information on the Super Mario 64 message board at GameFAQs, and it was met with great interest. It's an arguable point that this is not necessarily a mystery, but I find it perplexing and interesting enough that it warrants its inclusion in this guide. Due to the fact that not all the level names are cryptic, only the unusual ones are delved upon below. The levels with relatively normal titles are discussed at the end. Deciphering the Esoteric Characters ----------------------------------- Several times, a level's name includes an unknown character, which appears as a random blob of pixels. Using deduction, I determined that the unknown character was one of three symbols: the ampersand (&), the letter 'X' and the letter 'V'. Following are descriptions for each cryptic name. If a level has the mysterious character in its title, I will write out that version (using a question mark as the placeholder for the strange character) and then I will re-write it with the correct character replacing the question mark. For instance, if a level's title looks like this: E?T3 HEAVEN, I'll write that and follow it with: EXT3 HEAVEN. The Cryptic Names ----------------- Level's Title: Jolly Roger Bay: WTDG ? TINBOTU --> WTDG & TINBOTU Clarification: The levels whose names include the ampersand are typically split into two major sections, such as Cool, Cool Mountain's overworld and gargantuan slide, or Shifting Sand Land's desert area and pyramid. In this case, it's safe to assume that the secondary area of Jolly Roger Bay is the sunken pirate ship. That seems to coincide with the word TINBOTU, which, according to my meticulous research, means "to sink." As for the WTDG section, that remains a mystery. The abbreviations used for other levels are somewhat obvious, but WTDG doesn't seem to offer any viable clues as to what it could stand for. My only supposition is that it might stand for 'WaTer DunGeon.' Admittedly, that is an odd description for Jolly Roger Bay, but Hazy Maze Cave is listed as HORROR DUNGEON. Level's Title: Cool, Cool Mountain: YYAMA1 ? YSLD1 --> YYAMA1 & YSLD1 Clarification: YYAMA is most likely short for YUKIYAMA, which is the name given to Snowman's Land, and which roughly means "snowcapped mountain." The '1' added at the end of the phrase is probably representative of the fact that Cool, Cool Mountain is the first snow level in Super Mario 64. SLD is likely shorthand for SLIDE, of course making reference to the massive slide featured in the level. I would have to guess that the 'Y' at the beginning of SLD stands for YUKI, which I am assuming can just mean "snow." The '1' at the end of SLD is representative of the fact that it is the first major slide featured in one of the main levels (the other is featured in Tall, Tall Mountain). Level's Title: Big Boo's Haunt: TERESA OBAKE Clarification: The word TERESA is the Japanese name for the enemy that is known as Boo in the English-speaking world, so that part is self-explanatory. Now, as for OBAKE, that refers to a ghost or spirit that possesses an inanimate object, which perfectly coincides with Big Boo's Haunt, considering that that level has haunted books, haunted chairs, haunted coffins, and even a haunted piano. Level's Title: Lethal Lava Land: FIREB1 ? IN?LC --> FIREB1 & INVLC Clarification: The phrase FIREB1 is probably short for Fire Board 1, which does make sense considering the fact that Lethal Lava Land is the first level of two that are centered around fire and lava (the other is Bowser in the Fire Sea). I am not certain what INVLC is supposed to mean, but my best theory is that it is short for 'IN VoLCano.' This seems to be corroborated by the fact that INVLC is given as the secondary area of Lethal Lava Land, and as I explained in the sec- tion for Jolly Roger Bay above, whenever a level's name has an ampersand and an additional tag (INVLC in this case), that tag refers to a secondary area of the level. In the case of Lethal Lava Land, that secondary area is the volcano. Level's Title: Shifting Sand Land: SABAKU ? PYRMD --> SABAKU & PYRMD Clarification: This particular title seems odd at first, but it is quite simple upon closer inspection. SABAKU means "sand land," and incidentally enough those two words ended up being used in the level's final name. PYRMD is quite clearly an abbreviated form of the word pyramid. See? A simple name, indeed. Level's Title: Snowman's Land: YUKIYAMA2 Clarification: YUKIYAMA can be translated as "snowcapped mountain." Despite the fact that Snowman's Land is not a mountain, perhaps YUKIYAMA can also simply be defined as a general snow-covered land. Regardless, the '2' at the end is a tag marking Snowman's Land as the second snow level, after Cool, Cool Mountain. Level's Title: Wet-Dry World: POOL KAI Clarification: I was unable to determine what POOL means in Japanese, if it is, in fact, a Japanese term. It could certainly be the English "pool," and if that is the case, we could view it as simply meaning "wet," or "water." The word KAI is a Japanese term that means "the earth." Therefore, another way of looking at POOL KAI is "water earth." Further, because water is wet and earth is dry, that phrase can then be reduced to "wet dry," the name of the level. Level's Title: Tall, Tall Mountain: DONKEY ? SLID2 --> DONKEY & SLID2 Clarification: This name is rather peculiar. DONKEY could be referring to Ukiki the kleptomaniacal monkey, possibly as a reference to Donkey Kong (an ape). The SLID2 section is an abbreviated from of SLIDE2, referring to the enormous slide featured in the level. The '2' denotes it as being the second slide featured in one of Super Mario 64's primary levels. The first is in Cool, Cool Mountain. Level's Title: Bowser in the Dark World: E?T1 YOKO SCRL --> EXT1 YOKO SCRL Clarification: Several of the following levels contain the prefix "EXT" as well as a number. The number is possibly denotative of the order in which these sec- ondary levels were created. In this case, it seems Bowser in the Dark World was created first. YOKO means "side," and SCRL is seemingly short for "scroll." So, it would seem that YOKO SCRL is another way of saying "side-scroller." Level's Title: Bowser in the Fire Sea: E?T2 TIKA LA?A --> EXT2 TIKA LAVA Clarification: EXT2 suggests that Bowser in the Fire Sea was the second 'minor' level created. I was unable to discover what TIKA is supposed to mean, at least in Japanese. One definition I stumbled across is that a tika is the red mark on the foreheads of Hindu women. That does not seem to have much of a sensible co- nnection to Bowser in the Fire Sea, but maybe TIKA is meant to just mean "red." TIKA LAVA would then mean "red lava," which is an understandable title. Level's Title: Vanish Cap Course: E?T7 HORI MINI --> EXT7 HORI MINI Clarification: According to dictionary.com, HORI in Japanese is practically the same word as moat in English. The MINI part could be referring to the level it- self, considering the fact that the Vanish Cap Course is a secondary level. The phrase HORI MINI could be a way of saying, "the small level in the moat." The Other Names --------------- Here are some of the names that do not require any explanation: Bob-omb Battle- field is listed as BATTLE FIELD; Whomp's Fortress is MOUNTAIN (admittedly, that is a rather strange name, but it is acceptable); Hazy Maze Cave's name is given as HORROR DUNGEON (again, a peculiar choice of words); Dire, Dire Docks is lis- ted as WATER LAND; Tiny-Huge Island is BIG WORLD; Tick Tock Clock's name is gi- ven as CLOCK TOWER; Rainbow Ride is RAINBOW CRUISE; the Metal Cap Course's name is IN THE FALL; the front yard of the castle is MAIN MAP; and lastly, the foyer of the castle is given the name SELECT ROOM. Bowser in the Sky's title is given as EXT3 HEAVEN; the Princess's Secret Slide is EXT4 MINI SLID; the Tower of the Wing Cap is EXT6 MARIO FLY; Wing Mario Over the Rainbow is given the title EXT8 BLUE SKY; the Secret Aquarium is EXT9 SUISOU (SUISOU means "water tank" in Jap- anese); finally, the courtyard is URANIWA, which is the Japanese equivalent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xv. - Yoshi's Saddle [SRCH17] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The task of amassing all 120 Power Stars is not simple. The reward for doing so is that the cannon in the front yard of the castle is unlocked, allowing you to shoot Mario onto the castle's roof, where Yoshi is waiting. Speaking with Yoshi will max out Mario's lives (maximum is 100) and it will also improve the Triple Jump, adding ostentatious sparkles and temporary invincibility for Mario. There is one reward that I am sure an appreciable number of fans were looking forward to, but never came to fruition. That award is being able to ride Yoshi. Because Yoshi is wearing a saddle, it would not be presumptuous to expect to be able to ride him. Word has it that, like Luigi, riding Yoshi was meant to be a facet of the game, but due to constraints (such as memory and the time for development), these elements were ultimately eliminated from the final product. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xvi. - The Pariah of Paintings [SRCH18] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The second floor of the castle is home to a considerable number of enigmas: the hidden coins in Snowman's Land and Tiny-Huge Island, the mirror room (discussed in detail in section xxi), and this mystery. There is a painting affixed to the wall next to the staircase that leads up to the 50-Star door. The unique aspect of this painting is that it is unlike all other paintings in the game. It seems to be a rendering of a nighttime sky mottled with stars. Rumor has it that this painting was originally the entrance to a level named Milky Way or something to that effect. Some time ago, I decided to transform the stars in the painting to Morse code, using the small stars as dots and the larger stars as dashes. After some deliberation, I noticed that the Morse code I obtained could be translated as "in an elm." This is somewhat interesting considering that Tick Tock Clock's entrance is in a tree, possibly an elm tree. Whether or not this is just a mere coincidence, a circumstance of the human brain finding patterns where there are none, or a sign that the pariah of paintings holds a secret, is unanswerable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xvii. - Tiny-Huge Island(s) [SRCH19] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tiny-Huge Island is a legitimate threat to Big Boo's Haunt's unofficial heading as Super Mario 64's Most Inimitable Level. It holds the significant distinction of being the only level in the entire game with more than one entrance. This is not a discussion of Tiny-Huge Island's idiosyncrasies, however. This particular section shall discuss my personal belief that Tiny-Huge Island is NOT comprised of two versions of the same island, but rather two distinct islands altogether. Now, obviously, the developers created two separate islands and in the canon of Super Mario 64, the tiny and huge versions are supposed to be variations on the same island. Nonetheless, my idea is that, even in the canon of Super Mario 64, Tiny-Huge Island is composed of two entirely separate islands. The following is an unbiased, objective analysis of my proposal, with arguments for both sides. Argument: Two Versions, One Island ---------------------------------- The most definitive piece of evidence that could be used to dispel any theories that Tiny-Huge Island is two separate islands would be proving that any actions in one version (or island) effect the other version (or island). In a fortunate turn of events for those who believe Tiny-Huge Island is one island, there is a piece of evidence that soundly suppresses contrary claims: if Mario Butt-stomps the top of the mountain in tiny world, thereby emptying the water, and switches over to huge world, the water from the mountaintop is still drained. This shows that Mario's actions in tiny world directly effect the huge world, thus proving that it is impossible for both versions to be entirely distinct islands. Argument: Two Islands --------------------- In attempting to prove that Tiny-Huge Island is two separate islands, it is not difficult to see the importance in noting logical inconsistencies. As a perfect example: the Ball-ombs (the black cannonballs) in tiny world are small, and the Ball-ombs in huge world are bigger, but the inconsistency here is that the ones in huge world are the exact same size as those in Bob-omb Battlefield! If there is truth to each version being tiny and huge, and if the Ball-ombs in Tiny-Huge Island are supposed to be representative of the Ball-ombs featured elsewhere in Super Mario 64, then the Ball-ombs in huge mode should be mammoth in size. This is along the lines of the Piranha Plants featured in Tiny-Huge Island: there is a single tiny one in tiny world, and several massive ones in huge world. Bowser in the Sky contains more tiny Piranha Plants than the tiny version of Tiny-Huge Island itself, suggesting that the tiny Piranha Plant featured in tiny world is a normal enemy, a variant of the regular Piranha Plant, instead of a conceptual one, which would be the case if Tiny-Huge Island's two versions were veritable. Final Thoughts -------------- There is no doubt that both sides possess convincing evidence, and it would not be wise to definitively claim that either side is correct. It is entirely poss- ible that the developers made a faux pas (or two) in terms of the logical dyna- mics of a level the ilk of Tiny-Huge Island, resulting in this ambiguity. It is arguably pointless to debate such a topic, not because it is silly, but because Tiny-Huge Island's purpose is to offer the player two alternate realities of an individual level, and whether each version is a separate entity or not, doesn't really matter: Tiny-Huge Island delivers in a major way. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xviii. - Jolly Roger Crate [SRCH20] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the third level of Super Mario 64 is a sunken ship. After this ship has been emptied of water, causing it to rise, a wooden crate mysteriously appears, sli- ding back and forth across the deck as the ship rocks to and fro. This crate is not visible on or in the ship while it is sunken, so where does it come from? A skull-and-crossbones logo (or a "jolly roger") appears on it, so perhaps it's a symbolic talisman of Jolly Roger Bay. Interestingly enough, the crate harms you if you touch it, and it cannot be destroyed or affected in any way. It seems to exist as a constant hazard, one whose origins will forever remain a mystery. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xix. - Subtle Sounds [SRCH21] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There seems to be a latent sound overshadowed by the normal drone of the water- fall in the front yard of the castle. I noticed this subdued noise quite a long time ago, but I chalked it up to some random interference. But over time it has become apparent to me that others have recognized this sound, too. Some believe it is the tune to Hazy Maze Cave, but at an incredibly low volume. I personally believe the sound is some type of mechanical remnant. Perhaps during the game's development, the programmers needed to use some type of contraption to record a suitable sound for the waterfall. This apparatus could have emitted a very low, barely perceptible sound that was inadvertently incorporated into the final re- lease of the game. To hear the sound for yourself, go over to the waterfall and listen intently. The sound is incredibly subdued, so keen ears are useful. This 'mystery sound' repeats ad infinitum, and lasts about one second. If anyone has any idea what it might be, please let me know, because I'm highly interested. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xx. - Aimless Alcove [SRCH22] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There's a bewildering alcove that leads to nowhere inside the hazy maze section of Hazy Maze Cave. Here are the directions: upon entering the maze, go straight and make a right when you come to the Metal Cap Block. Follow the path to where the Blue Coin Block is sitting on high ground. Make a right-hand turn where the Blue Coin Block is located and the mystery alcove is in the wall to the left. I have no explanation for its existence, and quite frankly, no one really does. I think it is worth mentioning, however, that there is a map of the maze attached to the wall near the opening you drop into to enter the maze. This map actually circles the mystery alcove, classifying it as a "shelter." This insinuates that the alcove was included purposely by the developers, possibly as a sort of joke or catch-22, since it is a dead-end. However, the alcove is difficult to notice because it blends in with the walls. I believe the alcove originally lead to an unknown location, possibly at a time when the hazy maze was larger. It could've housed an object, such as the Blue Coin Block. Whatever the case may be, I find it hard to believe that the developers included it just for kicks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xxi. - The Mirror Room [SRCH23] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is perhaps no better way to conclude this guide than with one of the most baffling mysteries in all of Super Mario 64. The second floor of the castle has plenty of enigmas, but none are more thought-provoking than the Mirror Room. In this reflective room, there is an abundance of puzzlement in the air. Some know the Mirror Room as where the entrance to Snowman's Land is located, but that is a terribly watered-down description of this perplexing area. The major focus of this section will be to explain the overwhelming evidence that supports the ra- ther bold theory that the Mario and Lakitu that are supposedly reflected in the mirrors are actually separate entities: a second Mario and a second Lakitu that are programmed to mimic the real Mario's and Lakitu's movements precisely, only reversed. Read the following with an open mind, and make your own decision... Dysfunctional Mirror -------------------- If the mirror is a true mirror, then it is acceptable to presume that it should reflect all things. When Mario performs a Butt-stomp, eight yellow stars emerge from the ground, but when Mario does a Butt-stomp in front of the mirror, these stars are not reflected. This could be due to the fact that the stars are not a literal object more than a special effect. Nonetheless, if you push against the mirror while walking, dust will billow up from the floor. As you can guess, the dust is not reflected in the mirror, either. Some people might argue that it is not necessary for a reflected Mario to be programmed with the same kind of phy- sical effects as the real Mario (such as those stars from Butt-stomping and the dust from sidestepping against the mirror). However, it would seem careless and even foolhardy for the programmers not to make sure that the Mario reflected in the mirror (if he is a reflection) possessed the same traits as the real Mario. Perpetual Nimbus ---------------- If you stand by the entrance to the Mirror Room and enter the 1st-Person Camera mode, you can look through the walls and see the Mirror Lakitu's cloud floating off in the distant blackness. This proves that the Mirror Lakitu isn't a simple reflection, but rather a second Lakitu. Otherwise, why would its cloud be visi- ble before Mario even enters the Mirror Room? The cloud being visible while you are not even in the room is indicative of the fact that it's a secondary Lakitu programmed to mimic the real Lakitu's movements, but only while the real Lakitu and Mario are within the confines of the Mirror Room. It makes sense, then, for the secondary Lakitu to simply remain in the same position, floating in distant darkness, while Mario and Lakitu are outside in the hallway. It has no cause to move anywhere because Mario and Lakitu are not in the Mirror Room, but it's un- able to simply disappear because it is programmed to be there at all times. Toad's Cryptic Message ---------------------- In the hallway outside the Mirror Room, there's a Toad standing next to a wall. This Toad utters something peculiar, something that is possibly a result of bad semantics on the part of the developers, but something interesting nonetheless: "In the room with the mirrors, look carefully for anything that's not reflected in the mirror." This is clearly referring to the entrance to Snowman's Land (in the same conversation, that Toad even spills the beans regarding the mystery of Wet-Dry World's painting), although the wording is rather odd. If this Toad was meant to hint at Snowman's Land's entrance, he should have said something like: "In the room with the mirrors, look carefully for anything that is reflected in the mirror, but shouldn't be." The particular message Toad offers suggests that there is something in the Mirror Room that is NOT reflected in the mirror. Per- haps one of those strange structures? One of the multiple paintings hung on the walls? Toad's thought-provoking message is likely the result of some clumsy and somewhat misguided wording, but it is still noteworthy. Reversing the Roles ------------------- There is a neat trick that can be utilized from within the Mirror Room to prove (or, at the least, provide evidence for) two things: the notion that the Mirror Mario is a second Mario, and the theory that Mirror Lakitu is also a programmed mimic. Enter the Mirror Room and head to the left. There is a column made up of some kind of gray material; this column separates the mirror from the yellowish wall. Stand to the left of this column and face it, so the left side of Mario's body is against the yellow wall. Enter 1st-Person Camera mode and move the cam- era all the way to the left (hold right on the Analog Stick) until it is unable to move anymore. Now tap the C-Down button several times quickly until you hear a buzzer. If done successfully, Lakitu's camera should be locked in place with- in the blackness, but on the 'wrong' side of the mirror. Look at Mario to see a cloud floating in the air near him. This cloud is actually the cloud of the re- flected Lakitu, but because Lakitu (the real one) is now on the 'wrong' side of the mirror, the Mirror Lakitu attempted to compensate for that by doing what it is programmed to do: mimic Lakitu. However, because Mirror Lakitu was never in- tended to go beyond the confines of its own half of the Mirror Room, it becomes 'stuck' at the mirror's boundary. This is strong evidence that Mirror Lakitu is a programmed mimic: a copycat told to do what Lakitu does without question. The trick described above also makes it possible to 'control' the Mirror Mario. Once you have 'locked' Lakitu's camera in the correct position, you can tap the C-Left button to focus the camera more on Mirror Mario. From here, you can move around using the Analog Stick. Keep in mind that the controls are reversed, and the camera will constantly be attempting to wrap back around to the real Mario. Nevertheless, it's possible to 'control' Mirror Mario long enough to get a good feel of how he works: just like normal Mario, but with inverted controls. Lo-Res Mirror Mario ------------------- Whenever Mario is far enough away from the camera, he will become Lo-Res Mario. Lo-Res stands for Low Resolution, and when Mario enters this form, he loses his sideburns, his head changes shape and becomes blockier, and he ultimately turns into a much simpler polygonal model. This was done to save memory space, and it is difficult to notice, primarily due to the fact that Mario has to be a pretty good distance away from the camera for it to happen. Recently I discovered that the Lo-Res element of Super Mario 64 can be used to prove that the Mirror Mario is a separate entity. First of all, if the Mario in the mirror is an actual re- flection, then it should always appear exactly the same way as normal Mario. If Mario is close enough to the camera that he appears normal, but Mirror Mario is visually further away, Mirror Mario should NOT appear Lo-Res. Again, this would be the under the assumption that Mirror Mario is a true reflection. However, he does appear Lo-Res! Stand a good distance away from the mirrors, and then slow- ly walk toward them (Lo-Res only takes effect during movement). Look closely at the mirrors and you will see that the Mirror Mario is in Lo-Res mode, but Mario is not. This proves that Mirror Mario is a mimic Mario programmed to do exactly what Mario does, and because he's still a distance from the camera (even though he is supposed to be a reflection), he goes into Lo-Res mode. The Structures -------------- Five strange structures are strewn sporadically throughout the Mirror Room. The purpose of these structures is unknown, and while it's possible they are simply included for detail, they are an odd decoration. Each structure looks like it's comprised of some kind of grey marble. The structures themselves are two trape- zoids stacked on top of one another, with the smaller sides touching. Here is a simple ASCII illustration: ___ \_/ /_\ Some people have suggested Butt-stomping the structures in succession will make something happen. Theories abound, but noteworthy results are nonexistent. How- ever, there IS one thought-provoking quality about the structures. Stand on one of them and look in the mirror at the reflected Mario. The shadow of Mario (the real Mario) will be cast on the top of the structure, but the shadow of the re- flected Mario will be cast on the ground, even though he is standing on the top of the structure! It is easiest to see this while standing on the edge. Several possibilities are at hand, but I personally believe that this is another one of the many evidentiary clues that Mirror Mario is not a reflection. In a somewhat similar vein to Mirror Mario not reflecting the stars from a Butt-stomp or even the dust from walking against the mirror because those are 'unnecessary' traits to program for a Mario who is simply a mimic after all, I think the programmers decided not to waste their time programming the realistic shadow effects (mean- ing Mario's shadow being cast on the structure and not on the floor) because it was believed that a mimic Mario simply needed to copy Mario's movements. Adding in the extra effects would have been time-consuming, flashy, and unnecessary. NOTE: According to Brightguy, the reason Mirror Mario's shadow gets cast on the floor and not on the structure is because the 'reflected' structures don't have collision detection. Those who have performed the Backwards Long Jumping glitch to get behind the mirror have noticed that the floor and reflected door are the only things that are part of the collision detection map. This explains why the shadow of Mirror Mario is not cast on the structures. Final Thoughts -------------- There is no doubt that the Mirror Room is one of the paramount mysteries in the gem that is Super Mario 64, perhaps only rivaled by the L is real 2401 mystery. The difference between the two, however, is that the huge amount of evidence is supportive of the notion that the Mirror Room is two separate rooms, and Mirror Lakitu and Mirror Mario are mimics, whereas there's no real definitive evidence that Luigi is somewhere in the game, or that L is real 2401 even refers to some secret, or even that the plaque even says L is real 2401! Who knows... maybe in the future, on some fateful day, Mirror Mario will jump through the mirror just to say hi, or the puzzling structures will be able to be Butt-stomped down into the floor like tree stumps, or something will actually appear in the room with- out being reflected in the mirror, as Toad has said all this time. Is it likely that any of these things will come true? No... but for the time being, my appe- tite for the mysterious is satiated enough by marching into the Mirror Room and knowing that the Mario I am looking at in the mirror is not a reflection... =============================================================================== III. - Legal Information, Acknowledgments & Conclusion [SRCH24] =============================================================================== This document is the written work and property of one Josiah Plummer, and it is Copyright © 2008. Http://www.student.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~cbright/sm64/ is the only website currently permitted to host this guide. The purpose of this document is for other fans of Super Mario 64 to enjoy the terrific mysteries that this game has to offer; in that sense, this guide was written for any individual who just so happens to take an interest in Super Mario 64's enigmas. Therefore, I am not against other websites hosting this guide (except GameFAQs.com, which amazingly rejected this guide thrice under the pretense that it is 'not a guide'). There- fore, if you wish for this guide to appear on your website, just write me an e- mail and ask for my permission: BanjoKazooie1988@aol.com. Unless your site is a notorious haven for stolen guides or things of that nature, I will gladly grant you permission to host this document. Remember: ask permission first! Acknowledgments --------------- Google.com (http://www.google.com/): For information on several of the Japanese terms I had to research for the Japanese Nomenclature section. Google Images is also worthy of credit, for it was there where I found the picture comparing the L is real 2401 plaque in Super Mario 64 and the one in Ocarina of Time. GameFAQs.com (http://www.gamefaqs.com/): For being a great gaming website and a fantastic website altogether. This site has been my Internet home for years and I hope it stays for a long, long time. Oh, and for all of my buddies on the PWB (Pro Wrestling Board), Saxon = Joke Account. Dictionary.com (http://dictionary.reference.com/): For useful information about some of the Japanese terms I needed to define for the Japanese Nomeclature sec- tion, primarily the fact that hori means moat. http://www.miyamotoshrine.com/theman/interviews/111998.shtml: For the interview in which Shigeru Miyamoto states that Ocarina of Time was based on the same en- gine as Super Mario 64, which could explain why the L is real 2401 plaque is in both of those video games. fatclemenza: This informative individual from the Ocarina of Time message board at GameFAQs provided me with the description of where the L is real 2401 plaque is located in that game. ToiletPro, Brightguy and andrewajt62: These three users from the Super Mario 64 message board at GameFAQs offered some valuable insight relating to the Hangin' Out mystery. andrewajt62, specifically, offered a GameShark code allowing Mario to jump high enough so that he can hang from the drawbridge and alcove. Bright- guy also offered some insight relating to the Mirror Room mystery. Furthermore, his website (http://www.student.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~cbright/sm64/) was very useful in terms of the coin totals in the game, which I used in the discussion for the L is real 2401 mystery. Dom Dunc: Nothing can be said of Dom Dunc to accurately describe his incredible contributions to the Super Mario 64 community. This man discovered the infamous Dry Pipe glitches in Wet-Dry World, how to get inside the aquariums in the room with the entrance to Jolly Roger Bay, and how to defeat the game with 16 stars! The Super Mario 64 Message Board: The congregation of fans at GameFAQs helps to keep the magic and flair of Super Mario 64 alive and kicking. To all of you who continue to visit the board: thank you very much! Conclusion ---------- The main purpose of this guide is to fascinate and interest the reader. If that is what has happened, then I have done my job. Super Mario 64 is undeniably one of the greatest video games ever made. The fact that I continue to play it even years after completing it is a testament to its longevity. This guide is but an ingredient in the spectacular amalgam that has become Super Mario 64 mania! The mysteries of this game will continue to live on, as will its place in our heart as the most revolutionary, replayable, and timeless game in history... =============================================================================== The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. - Albert Einstein ===============================================================================