Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64 is an all-time classic platformer that still holds up 18 years after the game released, in part because the game still contains enough secrets to keep hardcore players hooked. One such secret was what the elite Mario 64 community had dubbed Super Mario 64's "Impossible Coin." After being accidentally discovered by a GameFaqs user in 2002 on the level Tiny-Huge Island, Mario completionists knew they had to figure out a way to snag this coin that time (and the developers) forgot.
There was only one problem: the coin was impossible for a reason. In all likelihood the coin wasn't supposed to exist at all, as it is nestled underneath a mountain slope and isn't normally visible except by clipping the game camera through the wall. A developer likely forgot the coin was ever there and neglected to remove it from the game. No obvious way to get the coin existed.
But that didn't stop people from trying. Since its discovery many have tried to develop a strategy and attempt at snagging Tiny-Huge Island's impossible 192nd coin. In June somebody finally succeeded, though they needed a little help.
YouTube user pannenkoek2012 managed to grab the legendary coin on a tool-assisted run, basically meaning a program helped him pull off the feat. The tool helped him jump at the exact split second he needed in order to swim and then jump through the mountain and collect the coin before coming out the other side, as well as allowing him to save his progress and revert back a few seconds after a failed attempt, rather than having to play the entire stage again.
"You see, when you exit water from the side, there's a single frame when Mario is able to jump," pannenkoek2012 says in the YouTube video description. "I take advantage of this by jumping and kicking in order to move myself towards the coin and collect it."
He says doing it without tool assistance probably isn't impossible, but the insane level of precision required would make doing the jump in real time very difficult and require lots of practice.
Even though he might have nabbed the "Impossible Coin," pannenkoek2012 says there is still plenty left unaccomplished in the game to keep him busy. Responding to a comment on his video, pannenkoek2012 is optimistic that every remaining challenge in the game, intentional or not, can be overcome, saying "All in due time my friends! :)"
After collecting the impossible coin, he isn't likely to find any who doubt him.
