User blog:ROBLONIUM/Patent Build

The Patent Build is a mysterious build of Super Mario 64. It looks very different from the final game in this version

Title Screen

 * The game starts up with a simple red Nintendo logo.
 * The disembodied interactive Mario face is missing from the title screen.
 * The title screen background is written in Japanese.
 * There is text reading "PRESS START TO PLAY" in the middle in an orange, more standard font.
 * The text "ULTRA MARIO" is present.
 * When exiting the title screen, it fades to black instead of white.
 * Instead of the file select menu, there is a player select menu with text reading "SELECT YOUR PLAYER", "MARIO GAME" and "LUIGI GAME". A 1995 copyright date is also present here, alongside the build date (1995/07/29).

Sound

 * The title screen music has very different instruments, but a very similar melody. It is also faster-paced too.
 * Sound for entering a painting is higher-pitched.
 * There are no bird chirps, however, the sound for the birds flapping their wings is still present.
 * A different walking sound is used when Mario runs.
 * Mario's voice clips are the most striking difference, being placeholders taken from the Warner Bros. Sound Effect Library.
 * Different sound effects play for splashing into water, swimming in water, walking on shallow water, and jumping out of the water.
 * The theme for getting onto a Koopa Shell/getting a power-up (except for the Metal Cap) is faster and is a combination of "Powerful Infant" from Yoshi's Island, "Starman" from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, and "Credits" from Super Mario Bros. Deluxe.
 * When Mario dies, Bowser does not even laugh.
 * Goombas do not use their walking or jumping sound effects.
 * The Bob-omb walk sound effect seems to be replaced by the Koopa Troopa walk sound effect.
 * Waterfalls do not produce sound.
 * The coin sound is a single sample and is very different from its final version.
 * The "whoosh" sound that plays when doing a triple jump is lower-pitched. The opposite is true for the punching "whoosh", where it is higher-pitched.
 * Different sounds play for opening/closing doors.
 * The castle theme is at a different key.

Gameplay and Mario's Moveset

 * Mario's kick is replaced by Mario jumping in a Y-pose.
 * There is only one camera mode, the Lakitu camera mode.
 * Mario gets to keep his coins after his defeat or when he exits a level.
 * Mario's health regenerates slowly if he gets hurt.
 * Mario cannot dive in this build.
 * Mario cannot crouch unless he runs very fast, meaning he cannot long-jump or ground-pound.
 * Sideflips and backflips have worser height.
 * Mario's triple jump is a mid-air twirl in this build.
 * The animation for sideflipping is different.
 * The punching animation is less powerful and more akin to a slap.
 * Mario doesn't lean forward when he runs.
 * When Mario slides, he is completely still.
 * Mario doesn't cover his head with his hands when he crouches.
 * When Mario takes fall damage after falling from a very tall height, he seems to struggle getting up.
 * A multi-player mode is present, alongside Luigi being playable.
 * Mario's head uses a different model, his shading is also different as it looks like he is darker on the sides.
 * The camera does not focus on various objects or Mario during various events.
 * Coins have a rectangular indentation instead of a star insignia and are coloured orange.
 * Likewise, Power Stars and transparent Power Stars are 2D sprites like coins and take on a more flat appearance.
 * The Star selection screen is not present.
 * Mario's level entry animation is different, looking similar to the triple jump that Mario gets from Yoshi in the final game when getting all 120 stars.
 * The "Dear Mario" cutscene is missing.
 * A lot of kicks are missing, such as the roundhouse, air, and sweep kicks.
 * Removed levels are present, such as the test levels, a sewer level, a bunker level, a city level (which is merely just a level for testing polygons), and a forest level.
 * The Koopa Shell uses a different model, is textureless, and has a blue bottom.

HUD

 * The icons and font look much more cutesy than the final game.
 * There is no "X" in between the icon for and the amount of lives, coins, and stars.
 * The star counter is where the coin counter is in the final game, while the coin counter is placed underneath the star counter to make room for a minimap.
 * There are no camera options in the HUD, however, the player can still freely move the camera.
 * The health meter is placed where the minimap is (the minimap can't be toggled on if Mario has lost some health), and looks different, as "POWER" is in a basic font, the shape of the meter is like the Philips logo rather than an iteration of Mario's face, and there is a number inside the pie chart. The health also decreases clockwise instead of counterclockwise.
 * The numbers are double-digits instead of triple-digits.

Castle Grounds

 * A Clock is present on the castle exterior instead of stained glass window featuring Peach's imagery. The upper quarter of the clock seems to be a lighter colour.
 * The brick texture of the castle is noticeably simpler than the final game.
 * Underneath the clock, the brown brick texture seen in the final version of the castle interior can be seen.
 * There is a single door leading to the castle, rather than the double door seen in the final game
 * A "cloud" is present on the upper half of the castle.
 * The windows of the castle are not vaguely mushroom-shaped like the final game.
 * The bridge is fairly simpler; using the same bricks as the castle itself, lacking guards, and having stone pillars.
 * There is an alcove right under the bridge, leading to the castle basement.
 * The rusty metal door leading to the moat is missing.
 * There seems to be land behind the castle. This features a yellow Toad statue on top of two small bricks, three Goombas, a Bob-omb Buddy, some white bricks, a sign, and some butterflies.
 * All other butterflies and signs are missing.
 * The platform containg the cannon is missing.
 * The water uses the unused water texture seen in the final game's data.
 * The graphics for the trees are missing, but their shadows (which appear much sharper) are in place.
 * A Koopa Shell is present next to the castle.
 * The fencing around the castle's moat is missing.
 * The flags of the castle are different and have no animations.

Castle Interior

 * In this build, the interior of the castle somewhat resembles the DONJON test level.
 * Nearly all paintings are somewhat different from the final game.
 * The paintings appear to be in the same room.