Giles Goddard’s 2001 interview explains that Super Mario 64 was developed on SGI equipment before the N64 itself launched, with a core team he recalls as about fifteen people. Early work used keyboards and modified controllers, and Miyamoto personally played through numerous movement and camera approaches. Goddard also describes creating large spaces through intricately folded terrain and controlled object display. A separate 1996 developer interview likewise emphasizes enjoyable movement and forgiving 3D jumps, supporting the view that perceived play quality took priority over realistic physics.