Always do 100 coins when collecting red coins, the levels change or open up more during that star. There’s only a couple of stages with just enough coins for a 100-coin star. Most have way more coins than needed.

The water in Mario 64 was a surreal experience for me. More contemplative than scary. I was disappointed by the artificial barriers and would day dream about what was beyond them. I drew fake maps in a notebook that showed how the castle connected to the rest of Mushroom Kingdom.

The only thing scary about the water was the first time I saw the eel because the size of it surprised me and the submarine level with the shark. Once, I dreamed that the first part of that level was dark and I had to avoid the shark without being able to see it.