1996’s Super Mario 64 is a groundbreaking achievement and Nintendo’s flagship game for the Nintendo 64. As the platform’s best-seller, it continues to be a significant influence on the industry. Super Mario 64’s leaps in three-dimensional gameplay are why people still talk about the game today.
This is one game that deserves a remake, but do we want one? The original is an incomparable masterpiece. This list was not easy to compile since each map could be considered the best. Whether you prefer a horror-themed course or like to be stranded in a scorching desert, there is something for everyone in Super Mario 64. These are the best Super Mario 64 courses, ranked.
10 Rainbow Ride
The whimsical Rainbow Ride world provides a pleasant experience that is a delight from start to finish. The course provides limited exploration since you’re riding on a magic carpet for a significant amount of time.
With that said, speedrunners have found ways to circumvent the normal route by jumping off of walls to climb higher. You could complete most of the course without using a magic carpet. The Rainbow Ride is a surreal trip like no other Super Mario world.
9 Snowman’s Land
Snowman’s Land is one of the many levels that make use of the Koopa Shell. The Koopa Shell of Snowman’s Land can be found in a Yellow [!] Block at the far side of the level. You’ll have to jump over a wall, which is why you’ll need to bounce on a Spindrift to twirl your way to the top.
This snowy level is memorable because of its smart level design and giant Chill Bully. Some may prefer this world over Cool, Cool Mountain. There’s little to criticize about this course, which is why it deserves a spot on this list.
8 Tall, Tall Mountain
Tall, Tall Mountain is found on the second floor of the castle inside a small painting of the level on a wall. The most straightforward mission to complete is to reach the top of the level. Tall, Tall Mountain is a winding mountain that contains many mushrooms—and even a monkey!
Super Mario 64 would not be the same without this level. The monkey Ukiki gives you a Star once he is caught. As a map that allows Mario to use the Wing Cap, it is a scenic and memorable course.
7 Big Boo’s Haunt
For a game meant to appeal to a younger demographic, it sure went the opposite direction with this course. Big Boo’s Haunt is a horror-themed course in Super Mario 64 that is scary regardless of your age.
It’s hauntingly beautiful setting is a three-story mansion, which is owned by Big Boo. As you could imagine, Big Boo and his creepy minions do not take kindly to unwelcome guests. We can’t forget the eerie underground carousel that gave us nightmares. This course is an outlier in Super Mario 64, but for scaring the pants off of us, it is praiseworthy.
6 Cool, Cool Mountain
One of the earliest courses in the game happens to be one of the best. Its difficulty level is low in comparison to other maps. However, speedrunners find enjoyment by completing the map in as little time as possible.
Reuniting a baby penguin with her mother is one of the objectives you’ll complete during this course. To acquire all the Stars, players must unlock a cannon and use it to blast to a secret area. Cool, Cool Mountain is a cool, cool course that you can’t miss!
5 Lethal Lava Land
After falling into lava, Mario exclaims, “Hahahahahahaaah! Waaaaaaah!!!” Lethal Lava Land is not for inexperienced gamers. It is one of the many courses of Super Mario 64 that requires a learning curve. You’ll need to beat tough objectives like defeating a bully, climbing to the top of a volcano, and rolling on a narrow log to get Stars.
Although it can be challenging, it is an enjoyable level to explore while riding on a Koopa Shell.
4 Tick Tock Clock
Depending on the time that the clock displays, the course will change speed accordingly. Tick Tock Clock is considered one of the most challenging courses in the game because of the skillful platforming it requires.
Entering Tick Tock Clock at the wrong time makes the course near-impossible to beat. If you’re up for a new challenge and have platforming prowess, however, Tick Tock Clock is a stupendous course.
3 Bob-omb Battlefield
Super Mario 64 starts off with possibly the most iconic level in the game. The game begins with a boss fight against the Big Bob-omb. Wearing a crown, he is the “lord of all blasting matter.”
Other Star objectives such as racing Koopa the Quick to the top of the mountain, shooting to the island in the sky, and sneaking by a Chain-Chomp make Bob-omb Battlefield superb. It’s a map that allows you to use the Flying Cap, once you return to the stage later in the game.
2 Shifting Sand Land
The Shifting Sand Land can be a frustrating level for people who fall into quicksand. It’s memorable platforming inside a pyramid make it an excellent course. This is one of the more difficult levels, which becomes more enjoyable during the second playthrough.
It contains a Wing Cap, a Koopa Shell, a bird with a Star in its talons, and secrets inside a pyramid. Its boss fight is possibly the most memorable in the game (aside from Bowser).
1 Tiny, Huge Island
Depending on if you enter the small or large painting, the course Tiny, Huge Island changes its size. It’s a memorable course because of its subtle details, among other reasons.
Interestingly enough, there is a glitch in Tiny, Huge Island that prevents you from collecting an extra coin. Immediately after spawning, the coin despawns, making it almost impossible for players to grab it. In the game, each row of coins comes in fives, but this one comes in a row of four. Why the developers left this anomaly in the game is a mystery.
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