I was thinking about it actually
The internet has gotten too connected
There used to be mystery when it came to games, and information was spread by word of mouth
A game that has a secret ending no longer has a secret ending, it has an alternate ending with a bit of work
As silly as it was, I believed Waluigi existed in Super Mario 64 DS
I really did. Because the thought that somehow, someone hasn't discovered something yet was so intriguing, that any "footage" of the event felt as if it came from a different version of Earth, and all I had to do to reach it was to do what they did. It was magical.
I wish those times would come back. I realize how important it is for a person who knows nothing to start and finish the game knowing nothing. I knew that the secret ending's biome in Peak, Nadir, wasn't particularly difficult, I knew that it was hard to die there, but I also knew that not everyone I was playing with knew that, and that is how it was meant to be experienced the first time you make it to that point. I am reminded of it every time I play with a new player. It fills me with reassurance when I see that some of that wonder and intrigue still exist within them