Dark Secrets of Super Mario 64 DS

Analysis complete. After comparing levels for hours, I have found some dark secrets of Mario 64 DS and this article should give them away! I don't see why not; no code is given away and I'm not a game tester! It's just patterns seen in enemies and enemy behavioural patterns! Free feel to skip these pages if it's too complex for you!

So, here are my discoveries:

Bully behavioural patterns: Bullies always try to return to their default platform in a level! I found this by smashing one onto another platform one story lower and watch them try to climb a sheer step!

Caps affect enemies: Enemies with caps always try to escape Mario and run away! A goomba studied ran away from Mario when Mario tried to take the cap!

Boss intelligence:

Bosses move in strict patterns when you aren't around! I dodged Goomboss on a side platform and he walked around, clearly ignoring Mario, not stopping to attack and neither did his goombers!

Level Patterns:

What do these levels have in common?

Lethal Lava Land

Shifting Sand Land

Snowman's Land

Give in? They have a centre landmark. Quicksand like substances, similar map shapes and sizes and in two cases, water in one place!

In blunt, I theorise the game designers used the same basic map for all three and just changed the land marks! Likewise, all places in Cool, Cool Mountain and Tall, Tall, Mountain are in similar places but totally mirrored! This has been proven by level research and other things have been noticed like goombas at the base of both mountains, near a pond and mirrored start points!

Creepy, eh? The strange thing is that no one has noticed it prior to this. Why is that?