Play Super Mario 64 again was a very unique experience being as how this time when I was playing I was observing the game more than just playing it.
Though you would consider Mario 64 to be a platformer, just one with a 3d cardinality of play, when I went back I was felt almost as if I was playing an Action/adventure game, something like Neverwinter Nights a game created much later than Super Mario 64. This game being one of the first truly 3D gameworlds has had a huge impact on any game designer who work in a 3D world. Super Mario's game world however it tuned much more towards a platformer than it is an action, this is visible in the standard platformer obstacles and terrain choices. However you can see things that the Designers of Super Mario 64 pioneered in their gameworld that still exist today. One classic example is the concept of immovable shrubs and plant life to create segmentation within each level. In real life these plants would of course be movable or you could just walk right through them, but in the gameworld players must simply accept them as a wall. You can still see such tools used by todays game designers. Super Mario 64 is probably one of the most influential games in the domain of 3D level design.
As far as the gameplay and progression of Super Mario 64 the first thing that popped out to me was the difference in style of the beginning levels as opposed to the levels much deeper into the castle. The designers to much care in making the first levels of play wide open spaces where players can accimate themselves with both the game controls, but also the rules and physics of the Super Mario 64 game world. If the designers had chosen to make the first level include stepping stones over lava that rock with mario's mass and have waves of lava pouring onto them, I believe the overall experience would have gone down.
Another thing that the Super Mario 64 team did, was to take the concept of a dungeon/instance that is within, yet separate from the overall game world, and finalize for future designers the method for differentiating the two. In my opinion the "paintings" on the walls of the castle is still the most unique and best way I have ever seen to "zone in" to a dungeon.
The gameplay in Super Mario 64 is fun and full of all sorts of classic platformer obstacles, as well as some new ones, yet has this hint action/adveture. However, I don't think it is considered classic as much for it's gameplay, but moreso in the many ways in help to evolve and redefine many aspects of game design.
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