Super Mario 128
Encyclopedia
Super Mario 128 is a cancelled video game name of a series of development projects that were originally to be used only to create a sequel to Super Mario 64
. What was displayed in the Super Mario 128 demo shown at Nintendo's Space World trade show was the rapid generation techniques that were later incorporated into games such as Pikmin
, and "sphere walking" technology used in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
and Super Mario Galaxy
. Other aspects include physics technology that was later incorporated into Metroid Prime
and Super Mario Galaxy 2
.
, but ended up being canceled. Shigeru Miyamoto
mentioned at E3's 1997 convention that he was "just getting started" on the project. In a Nintendo Power
interview with Shigeru Miyamoto in November 1999
, Miyamoto said, "Well, for over a year now at my desk, a prototype program of Mario
and Luigi
has been running on my monitor. We've been thinking about the game, and it may be something that could work on a completely new game system." The game only had a demo of one level made for it, and nothing was done beyond that. Miyamoto claimed that multiplayer was the first aspect of the game that he wanted to include. Rumor has it that elements from Super Mario 64 2 were eventually transferred over to Super Mario Sunshine
and Super Mario 64 DS
.
It is rumored that elements of Super Mario 64 2 were incorporated into New Super Mario Bros.
, such as multiplayer. From Nintendo Power, December 1998
: An interview with Shigeru Miyamoto
In an interview in the September 2006 issue of Nintendo Dream, Miyamoto answered some questions about Mario 64 2, stating that he had forgotten whether it was being made for the Nintendo 64DD, and that "it's become other games". When asked whether he meant that the game systems are being used in other titles, Miyamoto responded, "From the time that we were originally making Mario 64, Mario and Luigi were moving together. But we couldn't get it working in the form of a game," echoing his statements from 1999.
during an interview for Nintendo Power
as early as January 1997, as a possible name for a Super Mario 64 sequel:
Super Mario 128 was referred to again at the SpaceWorld
event in August 2000, when Nintendo showed a technology demo
titled Super Mario 128 to display the power behind their then-upcoming Nintendo GameCube
game console. In the demo, a large 2D
Mario
split off into 128 smaller Marios across a kind of circular board. The demo went on to display the technical power of the GameCube by rendering additional Marios at once until the number of characters on the screen reached 128. The terrain in the demo was manipulated, rotated, and spun to show the physics abilities of the system.
One year later, at SpaceWorld 2001, Super Mario Sunshine
was unveiled as the next Mario game; it was released in July 2002 in Japan and a month later in North America. In an interview after E3 with Computer and Video Games
, Miyamoto confirmed that Super Mario 128 and Super Mario Sunshine were separate games.
reported that according to an interview in Japan's Weekly Playboy magazine Miyamoto had confirmed the continuing development of Super Mario 128.
Rumors later surfaced that Nintendo did not show Super Mario 128 at E3 2003 because the game was very innovative and Nintendo did not want other developers stealing the ideas from the game. However, Miyamoto later confirmed in an interview with Nintendo Official Magazine UK that Super Mario 128 was still in development and that the development team had planned to take the Mario series in a new direction.
In 2003, Nintendo's George Harrison
stated in an interview with CNN
Money that Super Mario 128 may not appear on GameCube at all.
It was thought that Nintendo would unveil the title at E3 2004. Miyamoto again confirmed the existence of Super Mario 128 in an interview during February 2004, but the game failed to surface. Some believed this was due to the announcements of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
and the Nintendo DS
, both revealed at the 2004 show. GameSpy
asked Miyamoto about the game after E3:
IGN later in the year got a similar response. Miyamoto again asserted Super Mario 128s experimental nature.
In 2005, at the GDC
, Nintendo's VP of Marketing, Reggie Fils-Aime, stated that Super Mario 128 would be shown at E3 2005. This was the point where most people thought that the game would finally surface.
However, for the third year in a row, the game once again failed to surface during E3. During a GameSpot
video interview at E3, Reggie Fils-Aime stated, "I can only show what Mr. Miyamoto gives me to show." When a reporter asked if it exists, he responded, "I've seen bits and pieces."
In an interview with Miyamoto that year, a Wired News reporter confirmed that Super Mario 128 would not be produced for the GameCube, but rather that it had been definitively moved to the Wii
(then code-named Revolution).
In September 2005, Shigeru Miyamoto
gave his least ambiguous comments regarding Super Mario 128. Questioned as to the status of the game by a Japanese radio station, he revealed that Mario would have a new character by his side and reiterated that the game would appear on the Wii
with a different name. Interestingly, he also mentioned that Super Mario 128 played a large role in the conception of the Wii (then known as Revolution), like Super Mario 64
did for the Nintendo 64
. He went as far to say that the Wii was based around "this new type of game". It was later confirmed that Super Mario Galaxy
(the first Mario platform game
for the Wii) was not Super Mario 128 when Miyamoto stated at E3 2007 that Super Mario Galaxy was "created by the team that made Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
, and development began as soon as that title was finished," (2005) while Super Mario 128 has been in development since at least 2000, when the technology demo was first shown. In 2006, Shigeru Miyamoto finally confirmed that the project was no more, and that bits and pieces of the concept had evolved into the Wii title Super Mario Galaxy.
2007, Miyamoto mentioned that Super Mario 128 was merely a demonstration to illustrate the power of the GameCube
. He also stated that most of the elements of Super Mario 128 were incorporated into Pikmin
, in that the player controlled a large number of characters on screen. Other elements such as walking on 3D spheres are seen in Super Mario Galaxy.
Super Mario 64
is a platform game, published by Nintendo and developed by its EAD division, for the Nintendo 64. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the console. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and later in North America, Europe, and Australia. Super Mario 64 has sold over...
. What was displayed in the Super Mario 128 demo shown at Nintendo's Space World trade show was the rapid generation techniques that were later incorporated into games such as Pikmin
Pikmin
is a strategy video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube video game console in 2001. Pikmin is the first game in the Pikmin series of video games, and the third game for the Gamecube overall. It was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto. Pikmin was released on October 26, 2001...
, and "sphere walking" technology used in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...
and Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy
is a 3D platform game developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was released in most regions in November 2007, and is the third 3D original platformer in the Mario series, after Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The game follows the protagonist, Mario, on a...
. Other aspects include physics technology that was later incorporated into Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
and Super Mario Galaxy 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2
is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was first announced at E3 2009 and is the sequel to Super Mario Galaxy. It was released in North America on May 23, 2010, in Japan on May 27, 2010, in Europe on June 11, 2010, and in Australia on July 1,...
.
Super Mario 64 2
A rumored expansion and sequel to Super Mario 64 called Super Mario 64 2 was said to be developed on the Nintendo 64DDNintendo 64DD
The is a peripheral for the Nintendo 64 game console. It plugged into the N64 through the EXTension Port on the Nintendo 64's underside, and allowed the N64 to use proprietary 64 MB magneto-optical discs for expanded data storage...
, but ended up being canceled. Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
mentioned at E3's 1997 convention that he was "just getting started" on the project. In a Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
interview with Shigeru Miyamoto in November 1999
November 1999
November 1999: January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December-----November 5, 1999:* United States v...
, Miyamoto said, "Well, for over a year now at my desk, a prototype program of Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
and Luigi
Luigi
is a fictional character, featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by prominent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the slightly younger fraternal twin brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, and appears in many games throughout the Mario series,...
has been running on my monitor. We've been thinking about the game, and it may be something that could work on a completely new game system." The game only had a demo of one level made for it, and nothing was done beyond that. Miyamoto claimed that multiplayer was the first aspect of the game that he wanted to include. Rumor has it that elements from Super Mario 64 2 were eventually transferred over to Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine
is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan in July 2002, in North America in August 2002, and in Europe and Australia in October 2002...
and Super Mario 64 DS
Super Mario 64 DS
is an enhanced remake of the 1996 Nintendo 64, platform game Super Mario 64, produced by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. The game was a launch title for the Nintendo DS, released in North America and Japan in 2004; it was later released in Europe and Australia in 2005.Nintendo...
.
It is rumored that elements of Super Mario 64 2 were incorporated into New Super Mario Bros.
New Super Mario Bros.
is a side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. The game was released in North America and Japan in May 2006 and in Australia and Europe in June 2006...
, such as multiplayer. From Nintendo Power, December 1998
December 1998
December 1998 was a month with thirty-one days.The following events also occurred during the month:...
: An interview with Shigeru Miyamoto
Nintendo Power: How about the sequel to Super Mario 64?
Miyamoto: We've been thinking about the game, and it may be something that could work on a completely new system.
Nintendo Power: Are you planning on making a two-player game with simultaneous, cooperative play?
Miyamoto: We've actually been considering a four-player game with simultaneous play, but each screen would need to be very small, and we would have to implement new camera work. But it's these sort of problems that I like to tackle.
In an interview in the September 2006 issue of Nintendo Dream, Miyamoto answered some questions about Mario 64 2, stating that he had forgotten whether it was being made for the Nintendo 64DD, and that "it's become other games". When asked whether he meant that the game systems are being used in other titles, Miyamoto responded, "From the time that we were originally making Mario 64, Mario and Luigi were moving together. But we couldn't get it working in the form of a game," echoing his statements from 1999.
Origins
The name Super Mario 128 was first used by Shigeru MiyamotoShigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
during an interview for Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
as early as January 1997, as a possible name for a Super Mario 64 sequel:
Super Mario 128 was referred to again at the SpaceWorld
Nintendo Space World
Nintendo World, formerly called Nintendo Space World, Nintendo 64 Space World, Super Famicom Space World, Famicom Space World, and , is a video game trade show hosted by Nintendo, typically to unveil new consoles or handhelds...
event in August 2000, when Nintendo showed a technology demo
Tech demo
A tech demo is a prototype, rough example or an otherwise incomplete version of a product, put together with the primary purpose of showcasing the idea, performance, method or the features of the product...
titled Super Mario 128 to display the power behind their then-upcoming Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
game console. In the demo, a large 2D
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
split off into 128 smaller Marios across a kind of circular board. The demo went on to display the technical power of the GameCube by rendering additional Marios at once until the number of characters on the screen reached 128. The terrain in the demo was manipulated, rotated, and spun to show the physics abilities of the system.
One year later, at SpaceWorld 2001, Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine
is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan in July 2002, in North America in August 2002, and in Europe and Australia in October 2002...
was unveiled as the next Mario game; it was released in July 2002 in Japan and a month later in North America. In an interview after E3 with Computer and Video Games
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
, Miyamoto confirmed that Super Mario 128 and Super Mario Sunshine were separate games.
Resurfacing
On December 10, 2002, IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
reported that according to an interview in Japan's Weekly Playboy magazine Miyamoto had confirmed the continuing development of Super Mario 128.
Rumors later surfaced that Nintendo did not show Super Mario 128 at E3 2003 because the game was very innovative and Nintendo did not want other developers stealing the ideas from the game. However, Miyamoto later confirmed in an interview with Nintendo Official Magazine UK that Super Mario 128 was still in development and that the development team had planned to take the Mario series in a new direction.
In 2003, Nintendo's George Harrison
George Harrison (executive)
George Harrison was the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communication at Nintendo of America when he left at the end of December 2007.-Education:...
stated in an interview with CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
Money that Super Mario 128 may not appear on GameCube at all.
It was thought that Nintendo would unveil the title at E3 2004. Miyamoto again confirmed the existence of Super Mario 128 in an interview during February 2004, but the game failed to surface. Some believed this was due to the announcements of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...
and the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, both revealed at the 2004 show. GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
asked Miyamoto about the game after E3:
IGN later in the year got a similar response. Miyamoto again asserted Super Mario 128s experimental nature.
In 2005, at the GDC
Game Developers Conference
The Game Developers Conference is the largest annual gathering of professional video game developers, focusing on learning, inspiration, and networking...
, Nintendo's VP of Marketing, Reggie Fils-Aime, stated that Super Mario 128 would be shown at E3 2005. This was the point where most people thought that the game would finally surface.
However, for the third year in a row, the game once again failed to surface during E3. During a GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
video interview at E3, Reggie Fils-Aime stated, "I can only show what Mr. Miyamoto gives me to show." When a reporter asked if it exists, he responded, "I've seen bits and pieces."
In an interview with Miyamoto that year, a Wired News reporter confirmed that Super Mario 128 would not be produced for the GameCube, but rather that it had been definitively moved to the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
(then code-named Revolution).
In September 2005, Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
gave his least ambiguous comments regarding Super Mario 128. Questioned as to the status of the game by a Japanese radio station, he revealed that Mario would have a new character by his side and reiterated that the game would appear on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
with a different name. Interestingly, he also mentioned that Super Mario 128 played a large role in the conception of the Wii (then known as Revolution), like Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64
is a platform game, published by Nintendo and developed by its EAD division, for the Nintendo 64. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the console. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and later in North America, Europe, and Australia. Super Mario 64 has sold over...
did for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
. He went as far to say that the Wii was based around "this new type of game". It was later confirmed that Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy
is a 3D platform game developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was released in most regions in November 2007, and is the third 3D original platformer in the Mario series, after Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The game follows the protagonist, Mario, on a...
(the first Mario platform game
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
for the Wii) was not Super Mario 128 when Miyamoto stated at E3 2007 that Super Mario Galaxy was "created by the team that made Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
is a Nintendo GameCube video game featuring the ape Donkey Kong and played with the DK Bongos. It was released in Japan on December 16, 2002, in Europe on February 4, 2003, in North America on March 14, 2005, and in Australia on March 17, 2003. In 2008 and 2009, the game was re-released in the New...
, and development began as soon as that title was finished," (2005) while Super Mario 128 has been in development since at least 2000, when the technology demo was first shown. In 2006, Shigeru Miyamoto finally confirmed that the project was no more, and that bits and pieces of the concept had evolved into the Wii title Super Mario Galaxy.
Final word
During the GDCGame Developers Conference
The Game Developers Conference is the largest annual gathering of professional video game developers, focusing on learning, inspiration, and networking...
2007, Miyamoto mentioned that Super Mario 128 was merely a demonstration to illustrate the power of the GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. He also stated that most of the elements of Super Mario 128 were incorporated into Pikmin
Pikmin
is a strategy video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube video game console in 2001. Pikmin is the first game in the Pikmin series of video games, and the third game for the Gamecube overall. It was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto. Pikmin was released on October 26, 2001...
, in that the player controlled a large number of characters on screen. Other elements such as walking on 3D spheres are seen in Super Mario Galaxy.