Super Mario 64 has been ported to the Nintendo DS in its original form, thanks to a fan project that has also added a multiplayer mode.
Tobi Friedly made the project available to download on GitHub (as spotted by Hackaday via GoNintendo), where users can also find instructions on how to get the game running.
By connecting two Nintendo DS systems each running their own copy of the game, players can use Friedly’s custom-made co-operative mode to explore levels together.
Footage of the multiplayer feature can be seen in the video below. In it, Friedly also details how he overcame the technical challenges introduced by running the game on DS hardware.
Friedly intends to continue working on the port, improving its performance and expanding its features down the line.
“There are still a few things with performance I can do, and I think I will keep working on this and also add a few other features that would be cool,” he said.
“This is not where this project will end. I will expand the multiplayer for more DS consoles. And also there are a lot of other interesting things I want to add, but I will talk about this a bit later.”
Super Mario 64 DS was a launch title for the Nintendo DS in 2004. It was a remake featuring enhanced graphics, additional levels, and the addition of three playable characters alongside Mario: Luigi, Yoshi, and Wario. Friedly’s version, by comparison, fully preserves the 1996 original as it appeared on the Nintendo 64.
Earlier this year, another modder made it possible to play Super Mario 64 co-operatively between a Nintendo 64 and a PlayStation 2. The beloved platformer has also seen a version on the Game Boy Advance.
Friedly’s added multiplayer mode is reminiscent of what was intended for the original game, with pre-release footage of a playable Luigi in a co-op mode for Super Mario 64 emerging in 2023.
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Written by Reece Heather
A veteran Zelda Universe editor and First-class journalism graduate, Reece emerged with a Nintendo 64 and a lifelong obsession after a narrow escape from Santa’s Naughty List in 1998. Outside of games, he’s reading Punisher comics, being bossed around by his cocker spaniel, and cornering innocent bystanders to rant about the importance of game preservation.
