Nintendo is notoriously protective of its intellectual property, so it’s no surprise that a Japan-only 1996 strategy guide for the magnificent Super Mario 64, has been taken down. Yeah it’s sad to see, but it is what Nintendo does.
Super Mario 64 Complete Clear Guide Book
The book, dubbed the Super Mario 64 Complete Clear Guide Book, was remarkable for including several real-world Super Mario 64 level dioramas that served as 3D maps indicating where players should travel to get particular Power Stars. One of the reasons why fans aren’t thrilled with Nintendo’s takedown notice is because the Super Mario 64 Complete Clear Guide Book hasn’t been accessible for decades.
Comfort Food Video Games, the individual who posted the scans to the Internet Archive (which does not include any advertisements), told Kotaku:
“Unfortunately, archive.org issued me their standard takedown notice email, informing me that Nintendo of America had challenged the scan’s copyright, and it had been deleted.” I’d want to contest that, and how Nintendo of America could have anything to do with a Nintendo of Japan-licensed Gem Books guide from 1995, but I can’t really battle the Nintendo legal team here. It’s a huge disappointment.
While I recognize the importance of preserving one’s intellectual property and copyrights, I didn’t believe I was harming anybody by scanning and sharing a 27-year-old, out-of-print handbook. To be honest, I believe it benefits Nintendo while harming the folks who sell this guide for hundreds of dollars. All I wanted to do was share my admiration for this fantastic guide, and to a lesser degree, my admiration for the firm.
I’m new to the video game preservation scene, but there’s nothing more sad than seeing a group of dedicated individuals spend their personal time and money diligently archiving and preserving history while huge firms such as Nintendo do nothing to assist. In fact, they’re actively working against us.”
