Gamer is Recreating Super Mario 64 for the Game Boy Advance

A dedicated modder is painstakingly recreating Super Mario 64 for the Game Boy Advance. Given the significant difference in processing power between the GBA and the original N64, this feat is incredibly ambitious, yet the modder is making remarkable progress.

Super Mario 64, released in 1996, remains a beloved classic and a landmark title for Nintendo. It marked the franchise's groundbreaking transition to 3D and achieved phenomenal success, selling nearly 12 million copies on the N64.

Recently, modder Joshua Barretto showcased a video update of their GBA recreation. Initially attempting a direct port proved too challenging, leading Barretto to rebuild the game's code from the ground up. The results are astonishing. From a rudimentary red triangle in early May, the first level is now playable in under two months.

Modder's GBA Super Mario 64 Update

Barretto's GBA version currently runs at a respectable 20-30 frames per second, with Mario capable of performing key actions like somersaults, crouching, and long jumps. While imperfections remain, the progress is undeniably impressive. The project is still in its early phases, but Barretto aims to make the entire game playable on the GBA. The hope is that Nintendo, known for its sometimes aggressive stance on fan projects, won't issue a cease-and-desist order.

Super Mario 64 has experienced a resurgence of interest lately, fueled by the remarkable achievements of modders and dedicated players. Just this past May, a player completed the game without using the A button to jump—a feat attempted since the early 2000s, finally accomplished after an 86-hour playthrough exploiting a rare glitch on the Wii Virtual Console.

Shortly before that, another player achieved the seemingly impossible: opening Super Mario 64's notoriously unopenable door in the Snow World level without any modifications. This long-standing puzzle was solved using an extremely complex technique.