Featured Image Credit: Nintendo
Topics: Mario, Nintendo, PlayStation, Super Mario, Retro Gaming, Mods
Topics: Mario, Nintendo, PlayStation, Super Mario, Retro Gaming, Mods
Super Mario 64 running like a PlayStation game is unbelievably cursed, and a remnant of a timeline I’m glad I’m not living in.
While Nintendo no longer competes with Xbox and PlayStation in terms of hardware or software there was a time when Nintendo was the top dog of gaming, with Sony hot on its heels to overtake.
Sony joined the fray when 3D gaming was taking off with the first PlayStation console, which directly competed with the Nintendo 64.
The Nintendo 64 was the more powerful console but the PlayStation used CDs rather than cartridges, giving it an edge with its more expansive game library as developers were more likely to make new games on a CD for the greater storage space they offered.
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However what the Nintendo 64 lacked in quantity it more than made up for in quality, as I’m sure Sony wished it had a game as successful as Super Mario 64.
In the year of our Lord 2025 though it does… sort of, as one fan has somewhat successfully ported the beloved Nintendo platformer to PC as a PS1 game. It’s as cursed as it sounds.
Malucart is the modder responsible for the port and while it’s still a work-in-progress the results are quite impressive.
You can see the port in action below and it’s wild.
Noticeable differences include muted colours as well as the sky being absent. There’s just a black void where the sky used to be.
It also looks like the game speed has taken a bit of a hit, with Mario running slower than usual but perhaps I’m imagining it.
There’s some pretty severe stuttering and some objects just can’t seem to load in, so while it makes for an interesting look at Super Mario 64 running as a PlayStation game it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good one… I’ll stick to Crash Bandicoot for my PlayStation platformers thank you very much.
If you fancy giving it a go for yourself it is publicly available but as a ROM.
This means legally you need to use an original copy of Super Mario 64, not one you’re emulating which is considered piracy.
As someone who loves retro games I love seeing fan-made projects like this. I’m especially fond of when someone turns a modern game into a de-made version of itself, like the one that turns Bloodborne in a PS1 game.