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A_C_E on 09 March 2014
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MikeRox said:
A_C_E said:

I don't know what influence is? Mario 64 was a 3D Platformer that released in 1996, 5 years before GTA3, yet it wasn't until GTA 3 released that open world games caught on like a plague. That's the difference between Mario 64 and GTA 3, GTA 3 influenced open world games and the proof is in the timeline.

Don't try to make an point so vague next time, I mean you just suggested that Mario 64 influenced all 3D games because it came out first...I'm sure you can do better than that. Its pretty common knowledge that the Arkham series, Assassins Creed series, Saints Row series, Elder Scrolls series, Fallout series would not exist if it wasn't for GTA 3.

Edit - And Mario 64 was far from the first game to use an un-fixed camera, come on...


1. Well name a game which had the true analogue character control prior to Mario 64 and also that had a free camera system which was controlled by the player.

2. However, Open World games existed on the PS1. http://www.vgchartz.com/game/591/driver-2/ actually shifted a fair quantity in unit sales too.

3. GTA 3 just happened to be in the right place at the right time as far as gaming culture goes. It was an early PS2 title, and the PS2 was the first console to truly be powerful enough to run a full open 3D world. They taxed the previous systems to their limits and Dremcast didn't really get any beyond PS1 ports.

GTA 3 didn't actually influence them, it was just one of the first to market. Meanwhile many mechanics for 3D games were borrowed from Mario 64. GTA 3 actually has some incredibly poor control mechanics and an awful targeting system. Hell they could have at least used Ocarina of Time's Z lock system for a decent aiming system. And don't get me started on how awful the frame rate was. Single digits are never acceptable.

Very good points but not exactly my arguements but I'll bite.

1. Mario 64 was the pinnacle of controls, I've never argued that. I'm arguing influence, not how good a game is. I'll agree with you that Mario 64 did it first on consoles.

2. I've already stated before that open world games have existed before GTA 3, look at my previous posts. That was never my point. Again, my point is influence.

3. Wasn't Mario 64 the only game to launch on N64? Talk about opportunity but that's not my point. So what about PC? PC's were more powerful than PS2's yet development of open world games still weren't nearly as prominent as when GTA 3 released. Power had nothing to do with it. Your right to say that GTA 3 was an early PS2 title and previous consoles werent powerful enough but there was still a lucrative platform called the PC that was much more powerful than PS2 and ahead of consoles. Many games on PC also used the z-axis, would you like me to list those as well? A developer is a developer and a game is a game wether it be on PS2, N64 or PC, it is what it is so please don't list PC as an excuse

4. Mario 64's controls technology was invented in 1961 and has been used in gaming since the 80's. Mario 64 was one of the first to do it on consoles and did it the best but Mario 64 did not invent it. Having said that Mario 64 had a huge effect with how well it performed, like someone said before me, Nintendo showed how to do it properly. GTA 3 having a bad aiming system has nothing to do with how it influenced the consumer. Horrible this and horrible that does not change GTA 3's influence status what-so-ever.

The best way I can describe how I see it is Mario 64 was the first to do 3D gaming properly on consoles but GTA 3 is what pushed 3D gaming more than any other title. Fanbase, sales, console increase at time of release, controversy surrounding the title. The fact that it was not based on a very recognizable franchise also speaks wonders about how fast it changed the industry but of course I can't hold Mario's recognition against Mario 64 because the gameplay speaks for itself, Mario 64 was practically perfect.