Sprites & Textures

This is a sub-page of Development:Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64).

Sprites#

title_arrow.sou#

In sm64/map/title/shapes/title_arrow.sou, there are icons that read "1P" and "2P". These are likely related to the scrapped 2-Player mode, as developers have stated in interviews that Luigi, whose assets also exist in the source, was intended to appear in a scrapped multiplayer mode.

Of note is that these icons use the same orange-yellow gradient font seen in the Shoshinkai 1995 demo, rather than the more elaborate custom font seen in the final, implying that multiplayer mode and Luigi were possibly both removed during this phase of development.

star.sou#

An early Power Star can be found in sm64/shape/keep/OLD/etc/star.sou, with a unique collecting animation. Dated Nov 19, 1995. It appears to be the same Power Star seen in the Shoshinkai 1995 demo. Its red and white equivalents are used for the final game's title screen.

dotstar.sou#

sm64/shape/keep/OLD/etc/dotstar.sou

A dotted outline of a Power Star. Matches the previous, filled sprite, meaning that this is likely an early version of the Uncollected Power Star symbol used on both map and mission screens at the start of a level. Dated Nov 19, 1995.

m_start1.h#

sm64/shape/keep/OLD/unused/m_start1.h is another early Power Star with a flatter appearance.

m_start2.h#

sm64/shape/keep/OLD/unused/m_start2.h

The m_start2.h file contains the same star as m_start1. However, it appears to be an anti-aliased render, lacking sharp edges. Importing it in game would leads to white borders appearing, as the image is RGBA5551. Only 1 bit is reserved for the alpha channel, meaning the alpha can't be properly displayed.

coin.sou#

An early coin, found in sm64/shape/keep/OLD/etc/coin.sou, as seen in the Shoshinkai 1995 demo build. The coin textures in that build never had Blue or Red variants; the final texture uses colored IA16 textures, while this version of the coin is just a set of RGBA16 frames with the default golden coloring in the texture itself. Dated June 16, 1995.

flag.sou#

sm64/shape/keep/OLD/unused/flag.sou is a flag graphic. Dated Aug 29, 1995. With its coloring, it resembles the castle's flags from the Shoshinkai 1995 demo. The available footage is too blurry to make a verdict, but a similar-looking flag can also be found in an image from the 1995 patent build; the similarity becomes clearer by converting this texture to black and white, likely making this an old version of the castle's flags. Interestingly, the Patent's flags appear to have the Mario icon on them.

Image	Close-up

bombfire.sou#

sm64/shape/keep/OLD/etc/bombfire.sou contains an unused explosion effect. Dated October 18, 1995.

fireA.sou#

sm64/shape/keep/OLD/etc/fireA.sou was intended for a flamethrower-type hazard, like the wall flamethrowers seen in some levels, Bowser's fire breath, or some other unknown object or enemy. Dated Oct 19, 1995.

fireC.sou#

sm64/shape/keep/OLD/etc/fireC.sou is a unique fire effect. Dated Sep 22, 1995.

fireD.sou#

sm64/shape/keep/OLD/etc/fireD.sou is the same as the final fire but includes the missing 7 frames that were removed from the final version. Dated Sep 22, 1995.

Early	Final

tanidata.h#

shade_txtdat#

Early	Final

Among the graphics in sm64/data/tanidata.h (an earlier backup of sm64/data/Basic/tanidata.h, dated Feb 29, 1996) is an early circle shadow texture that lacks anti-aliasing. It can be seen in many prerelease builds, such as the Shoshinkai '95 demo. This file doesn't include the square shadow texture (shade_rect_txtdat), which lines up with the Shoshinkai '95 demo not having any square shadows. This backup of tanidata.h is dated Dec 6, 1995.

wipe_docro_txt#

Also contained in the graphics of tanidata.h's backup is an unused skull wipe transition named wipe_docro_txt, likely an early version of the iris-out effect seen upon losing a life. To note, the final version and all publicly shown early builds only use a silhouette of Bowser's face.

wipe_kopa_txt#

Early	Final

This backup of tanidata.h also features an early version of the Bowser iris-out effect. It is higher resolution and more detailed, with visible irises. This version of the transition can also be seen in the Shoshinkai '95 demo.

sac_A_txt - sac_D_txt#

Path: sm64/map/select/selectShape/font88col_txt.h

Small 8x8 colored letters, A to D, found in the files for the File Select menu, dated January 18, 1996. To note, their corresponding colors match the Option buttons on the final File Select Menu.

selectpict.sou#

Version	Top Half	Bottom Half	Combined
Early
Final

The end of sm64/map/select/selectShape/selectpict.sou contains an early version of the course icon textures (select_pict_txt_00 & select_pict_txt_10) commented out with "#if 0". This early variant has a render of Mario's head also used on the File Select menu. The start of the file has an unused variable called "dummy_marioface" possibly related to this, indicating this Mario head was most likely a placeholder.

Textures#

copy_of_button.sou#

Found in sm64/map/select/selectShape/copy_of_button.sou and sm64/map/select/selectShape/copy_of_button_txt.h

sm64/map/select/selectShape/copy_of_button_txt.h contains early textures for the file select menu.

polygon_star.shape#

Early	Final

sm64/shape/keep/OLD/etc/polygon_star.sou contains a higher resolution 3D Power Star texture at 32x64. By contrast, the final game's texture is at a 32x32 resolution instead.

teresa.sou#

Version	Eyes	Mouth
Early
Final

sm64/shape/keep/OLD/etc/teresa.sou is an early Boo, as seen in all publicly shown pre-release builds of the game. Dated Sept 22, 1995.

hagetaka_texture.h#

Version	Eye
Early
Final

sm64/shape/EnemyTest/hagetaka/hagetaka_texture.h contains an earlier Klepto eye with smaller pupils and irises, as seen in the 1996 B-Roll footage.

ring_texture.h#

Early	Final

sm64/shape/keep/OLD/unused/ring_texture.h is an early water ring texture labeled "Old version image." that is less saturated and missing the drawn white lines.