I feel like this is washed with A LOT of hindsight. Super Mario 64, structure-wise and mechanically, is so far-removed from the 2D Mario games. I'd say 3D Land is the most 'by the books' 2D-3D translation Mario has seen.
Oh, yeah, 3D land is, but what I mean is that 64 introduced so very little into the franchise designwise, and what little it did was kinda awful. Its Bowser, in a castle with Toads and Goombas, Pirahna Plants, and Koopas, and then a myriad of generic enemies like the spiders in wet dry land.
And something people shit on Sunshine for and pretend isnt in 64 is how the last several levels feel less polished, when Id sooner play Sunshine pachinko for days than 64's shitty cloud levels.
A game being poorly designed and mechanically unsound is much more damning than anything else. Super Mario 64 still plays like a dream despite any misgivings one might have of it being an early 3D title.
Did you just ignore the other half of my post or...?
64 controls and plays like ass now, and is only really excused as a part of gaming history for being the first real 3D platformer.
{also, nah, if a game is frustrating, it's aesthetics can push you to continue, whereas if it looked like garbage you'd give up much more easily}
