A fan developer is taking on a huge challenge by trying to port Super Mario 64 to the Game Boy Advance. This iconic game, developed by Nintendo in 1996 for the N64, is considered a milestone in video game history. While it wasn’t the first 3D game ever created, it introduced many features and mechanics that are still used in modern games today.
The fan developer, Joshua Barretto, initially wanted to directly port the N64 version of Super Mario 64 to the GBA. However, due to various reasons, this proved to be unfeasible. Instead, Barretto has decided to rebuild the game from scratch in order to optimize it for the less powerful GBA hardware. The progress made by Barretto so far is quite impressive.
In a recent video shared by NintendoLife, we can see the substantial progress that has been made on this ambitious project. While in early May, Barretto only had a red triangle moving around a basic level reminiscent of SM64, now Mario can be seen jumping and running around in a world that closely resembles Super Mario 64. What’s even more incredible is that this custom-built version of the game will be playable on an actual GBA. There is already a video showing someone testing an early build of Barretto’s work on GBA hardware.
Barretto’s next steps involve adding more features from the original Super Mario 64 into this homemade port. The ultimate goal is to release this unique version of the game online for others to enjoy. However, it’s important to note that this version will not include any official Nintendo assets to avoid any legal issues with the company’s lawyers.
In conclusion, the prospect of being able to play Super Mario 64 on a Game Boy Advance is certainly intriguing. While it may not have been something many players had considered before, the dedication and skill of developers like Joshua Barretto are making it a reality. It will be interesting to see how this project progresses and how fans react to this innovative fan-made creation.
