~Gamespot
~IGN
What do I have to say about this? BULLSHT. I have both versions, the N64 and NDS, and I have checked one level called Tall Tall Mountain in the 2nd floor of the game. These are my contradictions.
The character models do have an increased poly count, although probably not the way you think. Mario did look like he had an increase in poly count but it also looked like the small screen was making it look better than it actually was. Instead where I did see an increase in poly count was where models used sprites. It seems as if the DS is sprite challenged as most of these effects were removed and replaced with polygons including coins. Cause lets face it, a nice round sprite looks better than a blocky poly model, where substitution can take place. Level design didn't have more polygons as IGN said, instead there were less polygons. Many crevices and bends were straightened out for the DS version. IGN is on total crack as well, saying Night and Day. Right. Night and Day is 2D -> 3D, not a little enhancement, if you can call it even that. So the models don't look much, much better as Gamespot says. If anything more like a bit better. Negligible stuff. Gamespot also say that you'll run across an ugly texture or two. In truth you will run across an ugly texture or two that are highly pixtelated, but the rest of the game isn't something to write home about. In fact all the textures in the game are ugly due to lack of texture filtering as IGN puts it. The only thing that could possibly be positive from this is that the textures from far away look more defined, but most of the time, when you aren't far away, they are pixelated. Another thing is that the level I played had different textures in the DS version. The N64 version had gray walls and peach floors, but the DS version had only peach everywhere. That's wack. The last thing they mention is the framerate. About the only thing that they are correct in. The framerate is definitely more consistant in the DS version compared to areas where Mario would run at 20fps in the 64 version. But this isn't all perfect as IGN says it. I didn't notice any scenery pop ups, but did notice occasional slow down. It's not very, very frequent, but it is enough to mention. But it doesn't ruin gameplay. I also noticed that in the DS version, waterfalls made mist when they hit the end of the fall unlike the N64 version. I don't consider that an increase in IQ. But if you think it is, then apply it. I would gladly give up the mist for filtering.
So what do I think? Someone paid Gamespot and IGN. Although the framerate is better in the DS version, the N64 version looks much better.
EDIT: OK, I can confirm that there are more polygons on Mario in the DS version. I was able to confirm by going into Look mode with mario. This makes the camera go closer to mario and makes it easier to see the enhancements.
EDIT 2: I can now confirm that there are more polygons on Mario's head in the DS version, but less polygons make up his body compared to the N64 version.
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