Super Mario 64 is an all-time classic game from Nintendo and changed how games would be played going forward. It was not the first 3D platformer, but it was the game that codified how 3D platformers should work. Going from the Mario games on NES and SNES, to a Mario game in full 3D like this for the first time was like nothing else, and yet the experience has stayed remarkably fresh over the many years that followed, unlike many of its contemporaries.
In retrospect, this game wasn’t the highpoint of the series but in fact the second beginning. In a way similar to how the original Super Mario Bros on NES stood out above almost every other platformer at the time, Super Mario 64 was miles ahead of the competition. Most other 3D platformers from that era have not aged particularly well, such as the first Crash Bandicoot while Super Mario 64 comes across like a finely aged wine due to its polish. The visuals, while dated, manage to still retain their charm and look good today thanks to an excellent art style, and Nintendo has acknowledged this through throwbacks in other games since then.
The controls are another reason the game aged well, especially when looking at the N64 controller. The game was designed around the controller and the sad truth is that modern controllers do not handle many N64 games well (Ocarina of Time in particular), so I am still amazed at just how well Super Mario 64 uses its control scheme. Every detail is accounted for and there is a function for everything, which became the norm for Mario in his future outings. In addition, the game design is so unique that people have still found new things to do with the game years after release such as new speedrun tactics and finding even new secrets decades later. Again, compare this to other games of the era and you will see why this stands out so much. Most 3D platformers simply were just kinda there, but Mario 64 has taken on a life of its own.
It is true that this game is a bit lacking compared to the modern games that do many things better, but it is important to remember that Super Mario 64 was where modern Mario derives from. It can even be argued that all of modern gaming derives from Super Mario 64 in some way. Its open-world exploration influenced many action-adventure games, including the Zelda series, and thus left an indelible mark on gaming history. It is a game that has inspired and keeps inspiring and manages to keep surprising people. Whether it is new secrets found, the memes, or just replaying a classic, this is a game that has aged far better than it had any right to.