PLEASE INSERT CARD (also known as PLEASE INSERT MEMORY CARD, or The Card Screen) is an error message screen that may or may not appear on certain copies of Super Mario 64. The appearance of this screen is likely due to interference from the Personalisation A.I., although this is unconfirmed.
Description[]
PLEASE INSERT CARD appears differently to all that encounter it. The only known screenshot of the screen, provided generously by user ShadowofProphet over Discord appears as a black screen accompanied by some text in both Japanese and English reading "メモリカードを挿入してください PLEASE INSERT MEMORY CARD" with the Japanese text on top, and the English text on the bottom, separated by a thin white line. In the background, behind the text lies a render of promotional art for the game displaying an image of Mario gripping Bowser's tail while Bowser remains suspended in the air. In the bottom right corner of the screen exists a small render of both Mario and Luigi posing in-front of a Nintendo 64 image. This is significant as it shows that this image was most likely created before the removal of Luigi, and further strengthens the theory of the Personalisation A.I. being able to obtain content from discarded beta builds of the game.
Manifestations[]
PLEASE INSERT CARD also appears to be a part of the Shared Nightmares anomaly, or at the very least affects it, or vice-versa. Certain manifestations of the Shared Nightmares anomaly include PLEASE INSERT CARD as part of it's subject material, as certain users have documented seeing the screen within their dreams, although with notable differences. This is one of the few anomalies that can be encountered both in-game and within the Shared Nightmares anomaly.
Casey's Experience[]
User Casey over Discord recalled an experience within his dreams involving the PLEASE INSERT CARD anomaly. This experience has been categorized as part of the Shared Nightmares anomaly as other users have also encountered similar screens.
Casey's recreation of the PLEASE INSERT CARD based of his two dreams.
DeityOfToxin's recreation
Casey's dream involved playing a beta build of Super Mario 64 on an expensive 1993 Silicon Graphics PC, and when he attempted to boot up the game, he was greeted by a manifestation of PLEASE INSERT CARD with an yellow background, flowers and Mario's occupying the corners, and highlighted text reading "PLEASE INSERT CARD" in the middle. Attached is a recreation of this screen within the dream by DeityOfToxin.
ShadowofProphet's Experience[]
ShadowOfTheProphet's screenshot from 2009 of the PLEASE INSERT CARD anomaly
User ShadowofProphet first encountered this anomaly in 2009, when he was approximately 9 years old. He was playing on his dad's system and cartridge, and when booting up the game, he was presented by the screen mentioned under the Description tab. Typically, his dad boots up the system and selects a save for him, as he did not want 9 year old ShadowofProphet messing with his save. However, this time was different as ShadowofProphet booted it up himself, and was presented by the screen. After getting his dad to assist with the issue, his dad inserted a Memory Pak into the back of the controller, remedying the situation and allowing continued progress. Attached is his screenshot of the event.
Theories[]
User Casey theorized that the screen (in his dreams) was most likely caused by the absence of a floppy disc card that contained necessary files within the computer, and that without the floppy disc being within the computer, the game cannot run correctly.
Another anonymous user theorized that the screen was linked to the cancelled 64DD expansion to Super Mario 64.
ShadowOfTheProphet theorized that the screen is due to the Personalisation A.I. requiring a Memory Pak in order to run correctly and impact the game in exactly the way it needs to be impacted.
The different variations of the screens could be due to a single version of the screen not being in a game, and when the Personalization A.I. finds that it needs the “card”, it uses game assets to generate the screen.
