Super Mario 64 can now be played on PlayStation 2, thanks to the work of modders reverse engineering its source code. Super Mario 64 was the first 3D platformer for the Mario franchise, and one of the biggest hits on the Nintendo 64. With a focus on collecting power stars, the game's bright colors and lighthearted tone made it a hit and helped solidify the N64's identity.
Super Mario 64 managed the difficult feat of translating the classic 2D Mario formula to 3D, and did it so well that the game's popularity still lasts even decades after its release. Recently, Nintendo announced that Super Mario 64 will be re-released for the Nintendo Switch in Super Mario 3D All-Stars, as part of its 35th anniversary celebrations for the franchise.
But now, like then, the age-old problem still lives: Consoles are expensive, and choosing one or another means getting locked out of a whole swath of exclusives. Modders have been hard at work to change this predicament, and have recently succeeded in freeing Super Mario 64 from the confines of its home console. YouTuber Fred Wood has released a video showing the iconic Super Mario 64 running on none other than a Sony PlayStation 2. By using reverse-engineered source code, the modder got the game up and running on the unlikely platform.
It is by no means a seamless and smooth replay of Nintendo’s classic game. Even by '90s standards, some of the graphics are patchy at best, at times, the red-clad hero's face disappears from his model. While he still maintains his trademark mustache, Mario’s eyes appear to fold in on themselves, before disappearing altogether as the gameplay progresses. As for the level itself, the usual icy blue and snowy landscape becomes a nightmarish clash of monochrome and mismatched patterns. Any power stars collected were found by Fred’s recollection of their location rather than thanks to the tell-tale yellow sparkle seen on the Nintendo 64, as they simply were not visible during the PlayStation playthrough.
Despite the shortcomings of playing on the wrong console, the game can actually be completed. Princess Peach can be saved from the clutches of evil in time to bake Mario the cake that he was promised at the very start of the game. Much like Mario, though, her textures do not load in properly. The closing shot of Peach and Mario in front of the Mushroom Castle is certainly not one that will be used in any future promotions. It would be more at home in a Tim Burton remake than on the family-friendly gaming platforms Nintendo is known for. Even so, this hack of Super Mario 64 provides a whole new way to see Mario in action on a console he was never meant for.
Source: Fred Wood/YouTube
