Mario’s very first 3D adventure has returned — in HD — in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection! If you’re a new player who missed out on Super Mario 64 when it launched back in 1996 or a returning player ready to Ground Pound into a pool of nostalgia, you may be wondering just how long it’ll take to beat Super Mario 64. After all, you probably have tons of games in your backlog — or maybe you’re itching to get to the other two titles in Super Mario 3D All-Stars. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you estimate just how much time you’ll be spending on Super Mario 64.
How long does it take to beat Super Mario 64?
It will take you an average of approximately 12.5 hours to finish the main story of Super Mario 64. That means collecting 70 Power Stars and beating the game’s final boss, Bowser. However, you can beat it in about 8 hours if you rush it, or even as many as 19 hours if you take your time. You might have loftier goals than just finishing the main campaign; if so, it’ll take considerably longer to finish up the whole game.
If you want to 100% complete Super Mario 64, you’re looking at about 18.5 hours of playtime. This means collecting all 120 Power Stars in the game (50 on top of the 70 required to just finish the story) and beating Bowser. You can rush it in about 12.5 hours, and if you want to take your time, in about 29 hours.
Curious how we came up with those estimates? We actually didn’t: It was all How Long to Beat‘s doing. They polled hundreds of gamers and asked them how long it took for them to complete Super Mario 64 based on their individual play styles. Then they averaged up all the times they gave.
Here’s a table that’s (possibly) easier to understand, showing estimated completion times for both finishing the story and 100%-ing the game — plus what you’ll need to do for both.
| Goal | How to Complete | Average Time | Rushed Time | Take Your Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish the Story | Collect 70 Power Stars to fight the final boss, Bowser. | 12.5 Hours | 8 Hours | 19 Hours |
| 100% Complete the Game | Collect 70 Power Stars to fight the final boss, Bowser, and also collect 50 more Power Stars for a total of 120. | 18.5 Hours | 12.5 Hours | 29 Hours |
More Super Mario 3D All-Stars guides
Looking for more help with any of the games in Super Mario 3D All-Stars? Check out our other guides!
Super Mario 64 Guides
Super Mario Sunshine Guides
Super Mario Galaxy Guides
Written by Daniel Dell-Cornejo
Daniel is an editor at Nintendo Wire. Always with his head in the clouds, he is never apart from his creative thoughts – a blessing for an aspiring fiction writer. As a journalist and lifelong gamer, he aims to provide readers with the very best in Nintendo coverage.
