Screenshot comparisons
It is common to take poor N64 screenshots in an emulator. Be sure to follow each plug-in recommended settings closely.
See how the HUD elements look ugly with black outlining if improperly filtered? Mario's shadow is missing as well. Click to enlarge to see the full picture.
Here's what the HUD is supposed to look like. Mario's shadow appears here where it should. No need to click to enlarge because it is being shown at native resolution.