Super Mario 64 is experiencing a resurgence in popularity since its re-release in Super Mario 3D All-Stars on the Switch. Players have loved 64 ever since it burst on the scene in 1994 and completely shifted the paradigm of platforming.

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Nintendo's addition of 3D capability turned levels into vast playgrounds, where players could run around and explore instead of simply take a linear path to complete each world. However, from the very beginning, it was clear that not all worlds are created equal. Some levels have far better design and experiences than others.

10 Lethal Lava Land

Super Mario 64

Lethal Lava Land is one of the easier worlds in the game, but it certainly has its upsides. Surfing the lava that surrounds the entire world with the Koopa Shell is genuinely a lot of fun once you get the hang of it, and the interior of the volcano is a nice change of pace. Admittedly, it does have an underwhelming Red Coin star, and it has 2 Big Bully stars that are essentially the same mission repeated.

9 Whomp's Fortress

Super Mario 64

Whomp's Fortress might take the award for being the most simplistic world in the game, but that's by design. As the game's 2nd world, it works like a tutorial and helps in a lot of ways. It focuses much more on vertical platforming compared to the 1st world, Bob-omb Battlefield, which was mostly horizontal, teaching players new ways of navigating the 3D world.

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The fortress gaining a tower at the top after the first star is completed is also a nice touch, even if it does essentially amount to a repeat of the opening mission.

8 Shifting Sand Land

Super Mario 64

Super Mario 64's take on the classic desert archetype is great, featuring an ancient pyramid that is separate from the rest of the world, a maze of giant metal boxes that can crush you, and even a rogue condor that steals objects. Despite the world's comparatively rougher terrain– which makes running more like slogging– it is surprisingly not that difficult to traverse due to the world's small size and access to Wing Caps.

7 Snowman's Land

Super Mario 64

Snowman's Land is the second snow-themed world in Super Mario 64, but even with its repeated aesthetic, it sets itself apart from Cool, Cool Mountain in many ways. It's a much bigger and open world than its predecessor, complete with different types of terrain in form of harmful freezing waters, a Koopa Shell, and a snowman who can blow Mario halfway across the world.

6 Cool, Cool Mountain

Super Mario 64

Cool, Cool Mountain begins with a thrilling ride. Your first mission is to take the harrowing slide inside the mountain without plunging into the abyss. Throughout the world, you will learn the intricacies of Wall Kicks, return a lost child to their mother, and have a snowman's head chase you in order to reunite with his body. All action happens with the backdrop of a wonderfully composed wintry version of 64's main leitmotif.

5 Jolly Roger Bay

Super Mario 64

Jolly Roger Bay begins wonderfully with a star mission that takes you inside a sunken ship, an area that is unique compared to the rest of the world. Additionally, the completion of that first mission influences the rest of the world, making the ship rise above the water and getting rid of the mist that is floating everywhere. Aside from that, Jolly Roger Bay is a great little world with phenomenal music.

4 Bob-omb Battlefield

Bob-omb Battlefield is the first world in the game,and it does not disappoint. It is wide open, with a large variety of enemies. It introduces new mechanics right away with ground-pounding poles and cannons.

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Additionally, Bob-omb Battlefield has a boss battle as its first mission, and while King Bob-omb is not terribly complex, the battle serves as a nice introduction to how throwing works.

3 Hazy Maze Cave

Super Mario 64

Hazy Maze Cave is a surprisingly varied world. It is home to an underground lake (along with the ever adorable Dorrie), a toxic maze that slowly drains your health over time, a section of high platforms with grates to climb on, and elevators that act as the central focus for this world's Red Coin star. It even comes with a hidden cave that contains the Metal Cap Switch, being the only world to have something like this. All in all, an excellently crafted world.

2 Big Boo's Haunt

Super Mario 64

Big Boo's Haunt has so much going for it. It has a delightfully spooky aesthetic complete with a song exclusive to this world. The maze-like design of the mansion gives it a mysterious aura without it feeling frustrating in the least, and the rooms have a lot of variety to them. From a haunted library & a room filled with coffins that move on their own, to a carousel in the mansion's basement & the famous Mad Piano that guards a Red Coin, it's an all-around fun level. It's also a clever design choice that this world's first star is "Go On A Ghost Hunt," forcing you to learn the layout of most of the world before the rest of it opens up.

1 Wet-Dry World

Super Mario 64

Wet-Dry World is the third water-themed level in Super Mario 64, yet manages to be the most original. It has a very interesting mechanic where depending on what height you activate a switch or how high you jumped into the painting, the water level will match it. This mechanic gives the world a level of complexity that the others lack, creating an experience that cannot be found in the rest of the game.

The world is solidly designed, and every star mission in it is unique. There's even a separated section of the world (town-themed) that hosts the Red Coin star. While it is still not as wonderful as some of the levels in Super Mario Sunshine, Wet-Dry World is absolutely the highlight world of the game.

NEXT: Super Mario Sunshine: All 7 Worlds, Ranked