Summary
ASuper Mario 64creator has discovered a hidden sound effect that plays only after the game is left running continuously for over a year. First released in 1996 for the Nintendo 64,Super Mario 64remains one of the most iconic games of its era, still played by gamers worldwide. It is widely regarded as one of the most influential titles in all of 3D platforming. Despite its age, the game has maintained an active fan base, with many continuously trying to uncover new secrets within the game.
Over the years,Super Mario 64has become a popular subject of explorationfor those seeking to understand its systems on a deeper level. As one of the all-time favorite speedrunning games, nearly every corner of the title has been analyzed to its core. Knowledge is power, giving players new ways to tackle maps and challenges, potentially saving time and giving new ways to complete the game. However, some of the title’s secrets have been locked away due to simple time constraints.
In a video posted on YouTube, content creator Kaze Emanuar, who focuses onSuper Mario 64,showcased the game breaking after staying still in specific locations. This is due to the title’s timer code, which cannot deal with infinity. One of these bugs appears after roughly six to seven days, when the seemingly infinitely wobbling paintings that act as portals stop wobbling. However, there are even moreimpressive bugs inSuper Mario 64that the investigation unearthed. The developers had previously addressed an error that began appearing at approximately 14 months throughout the title, except in one specific spot.
14-Month Runtime Triggers Rare Bug in Super Mario 64
It was uncovered that Sushi the Shark in the Dire, Dire Docks, aSuper Mario 64level with an iconic soundtrack, stops making sounds when the game has been running for just over 1 billion frames, or approximately 14 months. In a normal gameplay scenario, Sushi’s swim sound is looped in a way that continually resets. However, if the game runs uninterrupted for over a year, the loop code breaks and the sound disappears.
There was another 14-month timer bug that was only available in the Japanese version, but this was fixed by the time the US version was complete. It affected the ship in Rainbow Ride, one of thetoughest levels inSuper Mario 64, during which the wings of the ship would stop moving. According to the research, even more severe bugs exist that require much longer to observe. After just over two years, a bug in the star selection screen changes so that instead of waiting to select the star for 12 seconds, it requires over two years of waiting without a way out.
While leaving a game running for years might seem like a gimmicky experiment, findings like these might be of some value unexpectedly. Uncovering howSuper Mario 64handles things like timers and loops could provide insights for those who rely on the game breaking. For speedrunners and other creators, even seemingly meaningless behaviors can lead to breakthroughs.
