'Super Mario 64' fan releases a fully playable port for PC
Nintendo isn't going to be happy.
Super Mario 64 has been modded and emulated for years now, so playing Nintendo’s 1996 classic on a PC is certainly nothing new. Now, however, a fully-functional, native 4K port of the game has appeared for the first time, built from the ground up specifically for PC, which means it runs cleanly, has built-in controller functionality and even supports additional modding.
The surprise arrival was showcased in a 12-minute-long YouTube clip posted by a user called “Unreal” (no apparent relation to Epic Games), with players noting that the entire game — rather than single levels — was released online over the weekend. You’ll have to know where to look if you want to try it yourself, though. As Unreal notes on the YouTube video, “I can’t give a download link for obvious reasons and DON’T ask a [sic] download link in the comments.”
That obvious reason, for the uninitiated, is Nintendo’s absolutely relentless pursuit of copyright infringement. In recent times the company has taken down subscription services, indie creators and even leisure activities that have dared make references to its intellectual property. Undoubtedly, Nintendo’s IP bods are scouring the internet right this second to make sure every trace of the new port is removed — especially at the company is rumored to be working on an official re-release of the game. Fans are being super secretive and protective about its location, though, so they might be searching for a while, giving players a slightly higher chance of finding the game before it goes away forever.
